Tuesday, September 28, 2010

My Digital Life

My non-work digital life has been reduced to web browsing and e-mail. This life is completely compatible with the somewhat dated laptop I currently own. However, with falling electronics prices I have considered an upgrade.

The Dell Inspiron 15R is a pretty impressive choice. For a little over $700, I get the latest processor, plenty of memory and Microsoft Office software. I also have all of the bells and whistles for peripheral devices.

The Apple Ipad is a pretty fancy gadget as well. For $500, I get very impressive mobility along with internet and e-mail. For a little over $600, I can get 3G connectivity for as little as $15/month. I am very impressed with my wife’s iPhone, although I really don’t care to type on it.

I initially purchased a home computer for about $1300 while I was working on my MBA. I wanted a Microsoft operating system and was not concerned with mobility. If I had a work issued laptop, I may never have purchased the computer. Over the years, I have acquired numerous peripherals including a palm device, digital camera, scanner, digital video camera, iPod, Dell DJ, Riproar video player, Garmin 305 GPS, and Powertap cycling computer. Of these the only one that sees regular home use is the iPod and cycling computer.

The only downside of my current system is that it is bulky. With the recent demise of the USB ports, I have a peripheral USB port with its own power cord and mouse set up.

In the spirit of austerity, I should probably just put my home PC away for longer and longer periods of time, until I am completely weaned.

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