I-Blog

So Apple has unveiled its I-Pad and the talk everywhere seems to indicate that no women were involved in the naming of this device. It's also an example of how current technology can make us feel a need for an object that we didn't even know about until yesterday.

I can't quite imagine why I would need or want an I-Pad...especially since I'm past menopause....but I do love my I-Phone. Although I did just fine until recently with a simple cell phone that was just a phone, I find I now do need my instant connection to the internet. Or do I?

Yesterday is an example. I attended an all-day BER seminar given by another foreign language presenter. At the lunch break I checked my e-mail. There was a Chicago Tribune "breaking news" message, "Man with Gun in Northwestern Building". Yikes! A fortunately short-lived panic set in until I read the text of the article and discovered the situation was in the Law School downtown, not even close to any place David might be. Whew! Later David sent a text message saying that he was just fine. Later the NU parent Listserv sent a reassuring message. Later yet, we found out that the situation never was dangerous. All this while sealed in a windowless hotel conference room!

Had the same event occured BI (before I-phone), however, I would simply have heard about the resolved event on the radio as I drove home.

If the event had been on the Evanston campus, would knowing about a potential problem for David have been helpful? What could I have done from inside the conference room other than panic?

Kevin was involved in an accident last Saturday night. Another car "merged" into his car as he drove west on Congress just before turning onto the Kennedy expressway. He was able to call 911 on the spot, to call us for advice, take pictures of the damage, and to tell us he was on the road home from his I-Phone. He is able to know about rehearsal changes and shift openings at his part time job on his phone while he is out and about. He can track the distance, time, speed, and route of his long big rides on his phone. He can take movies of himself on his phone while he practices, download them to his computer and have a wonderful visual/auditory opportunity to improve his skills. Sounds to me like he does need that I-Phone.

I picked up friends at the airport arriving exactly on time because I was able to track their flight - actually see where their plane was - on my phone. Ken and I read movie reviews, chose a flick, selected a theatre and show time, and bought our tickets all on my phone. I can listen to anything from music to books on my phone. I can check the weather anywhere in the world, be awakened in a hotel room, write notes to myself, and keep my calendar on my phone. Nothing that I can't do in other ways, but, man, it's handy and it seems like I need that I-Phone.

So, while I don't see any need for an I-Pad, I do eagerly await the addition of the I-Launder, the I-Cook, and the I-Clean to Apple's product list. However, just as no men were involved in naming the I-Pad, I suspect that the men at Apple see no need for those products since it's already a given that I launder, I cook and I clean. Well..., Ken would question the clean part....and sometimes the cook part.....