(This photo is tagged over on flickr, click it if you want to go see what everything in it is.)
Yesterday my Aunt Ruth blogged about technology and it started me thinking about how often my peers ask me about my own technological choices. I’m not a luddite by any means, after all, I have a geek for a husband, but I do generally favor older “technologies”. I thought it might be fun to answer some of those “what would it take for you to use [item here]?” questions.
What would it take for you to use a pda/smartphone?
I use a spiral bound dayplanner to keep track of my schedule and keep important phone numbers. I have a homemakers notebook with other information that some would also keep on a pda. My cell phone is a very basic flip phone, it does have a camera, but I find that phones without them are very rare nowadays. I have a separate digital camera which I prefer. As someone who chronically forgets to charge my phone, it is comforting to know I always have my important numbers/information (which I have a poor memory for) in something that doesn’t die on me. Since I am a stay at home mom I think a smartphone would be overkill for me. I also love the sensation of putting pen to paper.
What would it take for me to use one? If they made a smartphone that could be everything my wallet is I might consider it. My debit card, costco card, id, receipt saver… If I could put my purchases into budget categories easily after buying to keep track of what I spend. If the camera were as good as my digital. Being able to handwrite on it (without having to learn some weird new set of characters) rather then using the keys would be nice too. So would an indefinite battery (solar powered maybe? I could leave it on a window sill then…) and it automatically backing up elsewhere, just in case, would be a perk. Honestly though, I will probably always use a paper dayplanner.
What would it take for you to use an ebook reader (like a kindle?)
Since I read a lot of non-fiction which tend to be larger books it would be nice to have something that could easily fit in my bag but the idea that I do not own the book once I buy it bothers me. I cannot backup that book on any other device. I want DRM-free material. I want to be able to loan my book to someone else without giving them my whole device. Maybe if I could buy a paper book and it came with a ebook version to go on my reader I would consider it… Nothing will replace curling up on the couch with a good real book though. I could see having to cave to owning an e-book eventually as more authors self-publish electronically though.
What would it take for me to text rather then call?
I prefer hearing a real voice over texting (which I find time consuming and clumsy.) I am also dyslexic and figuring out the proper spelling while having to use a dial pad is a nuisance. I know there are phones with qwerty keyboards (okay, I never realized until just now why qwerty why spelled that way…) but they are tiny! Maybe if I could talk to the phone and it typed the text for me, that is just like calling though so why bother? I do text occasionally (once or twice a month maybe?) but it is just not my thing. Which is kind of funny since I texted like mad with my friends when I was a teenager. Once I racked up a 300€ just texting.
What would it take for me to stop using a laptop in favor of something smaller?
Honestly, I cannot foresee ever using something smaller then maybe a Netbook for my day to day online activity. I like having a tactile keyboard (keys that move and click as opposed to a touch screen) and a larger screen to read on. Small screens are hard for me to read.
What about handwriting thank you notes rather then emailing?
I truly believe that people like receiving hand written notes over emails. It shows you took the time to do something special for them. Though I might say thank you over email more often now as my family lives around the world, I will still always make room for handwritten notes in my life. I think it sets an important visual example for my children too, showing the importance of gratitude.
What about you? What devices do you choose to use or not and why?
