My Gadget Life

Yes, I am a gadgeteer. I like them small, I like them big, I like them cheap, and I like them new. Here's where I think it's all heading.

First off, I'm focusing on external gadgets. Someday the market for implantable devices will mature, until then, the only thing I see in the future is hearing implants. External gadgets are the devices we buy to amuse, educate, or otherwise acquire to make ourselves more efficient. Associated which each one is a 'procurement process' and that probably is half the fun and worth detailing first.

Before you buy a gadget, you have to know about it. It's worth noting that it's not sufficient or required that you have an actual need. Sometimes the gadget itself creates the need, can you spell "iPad". I skim a *lot* of news sources and references to new devices promising value and convenience are often highlighted. I think about the purpose of the device and then match it up to what I do now or what I might want to do in the future. If there's a fit, off I go to do some research. Once in a while an acquaintance will mention something that piques my interest but generally the inspiration comes from the media. Very rarely will I be actually shopping for item A and then discover item B.

The research process involves fully understanding the device. What it does, how much it costs, the pitfalls, the implied promises, etc. I read a variety of reviews, try to strip out the fanboy or wonderboy assessments and basically determine whether or not I would use the device and whether such usage will save me time or money. Ideally, buying one will eliminate the need for many. Example: Because I have a phone with an Alarm capability, I no longer need to worry about an alarm clock. Another example: Because my music is all digitally stored, I no longer need to worry about my music collection or buying a 'stereo'. Once I've identified the device category, I generally try to narrow in on a specific brand and model. This can be very time consuming but scouring the web is very useful. Because I almost never return merchandise, I want to get it right the first time! As far the 'where to purchase' decision, I generally just buy at the cheapest price available. Unless the price differential is huge, > 15%, I will rarely delay the acquisition. Travel time to a brick & mortar facility is figured in, but I'm generally quite pleased with etailers.

Once the device is in hand, I then try to use it to replace or modify my daily life processes. For example, out go the scraps of paper, now I use Evernote on the iPhone. It sometimes is the case that the decision made last year no longer stands up, then comes the tough decision as to whether what you have is 'good enough' or does a replacement gadget need to be acquired. Yes, it is a vicious circle.

Here is where I'd like to end up:
- Smart phone that stores all my music, allows access to all my cloud data, functions as a "where is Tom/what's he doing" monitor, acts as a wallet, housekey, car key, employee badge, and more.
- Consumption computer device. While the tablet form factor comes to mind, it could be something else, but the main proposition here is that it allows me broader connectivity to the net and it's content. It must be highly portable, fitting in a manbag or backpack. It must also come on *instantly*. The interface should not require external things like mice, keyboards, stylii, etc.
- Creation computing device. This is where I compose great things. I'd be sitting, typing, and able to otherwise be running multiple apps and doing many things. The primary input is likely to be a keyboard.

At least until my cybernetic implants are available.