Once again I am on the road and I find myself hauling around a ton of technology. Specifically on this trip I have my laptop, iPod, Android tablet (with wireless keyboard) and phone. Why am i hauling all this around with me? Good question. And one that I have asked myself several times since I left home at a ridiculously early hour yesterday morning.
The laptop is the easiest to justify explain, so I will start there. I am currently working on 3 websites, in addition to some other miscellaneous work. There will be other computers available where I am, and everything I am doing is either web-based or backed up in the cloud, but I opted for familiarity. Having hauled the laptop through 3 airports yesterday, I still think I made the right call. A fact that is only limitedly comforting to my achy back. Of course, I can also attribute the aches to the seats on the planes I flew on yesterday.
I brought the tablet because it is my e-reader, sometimes laptop alternative (see below) and general entertainment resource. I started this blog post on the plane using my tablet and wireless keyboard. I was then informed that Bluetooth is not allowed on planes. I tried switching to my laptop, but since I opted for size over portability, I could barely get the thing opened on my tray table. So much for that.
The phone should be fairly obvious. It is my universal point of contact with the outside world. It also has many of the same features as my tablet, and I do read on it from time to time. The screen is much higher def than my tablet, but it is also much smaller. I find I use it primarily to check in on my feeds while trying to pass the time while I’m waiting for the bus or on line for something.
The iPod really is the most extraneous piece of technology I am traveling with. I have music on my phone, tablet and laptop, in addition to my iPod. But, I brought it along for 2 1/2 reasons. The primary reason being that it enables me to Facetime with my niecelettes, since I am not getting to see them during this trip to the east coast. The second is that it is small and light enough that the cost in weight was worth the benefits of niecelette time. The third is that it allows me to extend the battery life of both my phone and tablet by using it as my primary source of music and podcasts while traveling. This is the half reason because I actually did have time to recharge all of my devices during my layover in Chicago.
I still have two long drives, two train rides and two more flights before I return home. We’ll see how sanguine I am after hauling all this crap around several more times. Stay tuned!