My love for deals is well documented. Sale goggles have dictated purchasing habits in the past. And the other week, when HP announced that they were discontinuing and subsequently discounting their Touchpad tablet, I scrambled to buy two of them (one for me and one for Chris cause he's a far bigger gadget junkie than me). Two of them cost me less than half the price of one Ipad (which is a gadget I have coveted since its release). The main reason I wanted one for so long was so I would have something a bit larger than my iphone to occupy my time in airports and on airplanes. I hate fumbling around with my laptop because it feels risky when you are as clumsy as me. Although WebOs is essentially a dead platform, I am confident that someday I should be able to port Android onto this tablet. And for now I really like WebOs. I also have my iphone for apps unavailable on Touchpad.
In my generalized research I study media and the history of communication technologies. So in many ways it is important that I stay literate and capable with gadgets that are newer. My grad student budget stalled the process of adopting a tablet considerably (as well as the recognition that I had no pressing need for such a device). When I do acquire new means of mediated communication, I enjoy thinking through its history and the potential obsolescences it creates among older, more established media. Long ago I told myself that if I was to acquire a tablet (assuming it would be an ipad) that I would buy a self-conscious cover. Well thankfully the Touchpad knocked off the dimensions of Ipad 1. I think it's just shy of one millimeter of difference in thickness which isn't a big deal for most covers (to be clear the Touchpad is slightly thicker). The openings and buttons are in similar spots. And there are far more interesting accessories options for ipad than for touchpad.
I found these lovely vintage book covers about a day too late. By then I had already settled on (and ordered via ebay at 50% off) a newspaper classifieds print cover from Kate Spade that matched my tote bag. Note that you can find this cover in the outlets too (which take phone orders and ship for a reasonable rate of $5). I love print journalism and subscribe to home delivery. For me a tablet doesn't make newspapers obsolete. But my friends that work in print journalism live with some suspicion and anxiety about the future of their publications. This cover will keep me mindful.
3 comments:
What an interesting blog post! I love the connection you drew between the print print on the case and the technology inside.
Also, thanks for the link to those cool M-edge cases. I may get one for my kindle.
I'd love to hear more about the tablet you purchased. I hope to have the funds to splurge on a tablet after I start working and pay off some bills. I hope the upcoming iPad 3 will be stellar, but if it doesn't feature the improvements I'm hoping for I may jump ship.
I love reading on my Kindle, iPad, computer and phone (well I gave away my original Kindle at some point, but I use the Kindle app on the other three), mostly because it makes reading so convenient and allows me to sneak reading into my small moments of spare time very often, but I've never forgotten my love for actual, physical books, half obselete as they are. That's why I have a laptop case that looks like a giant book, and an iPad cover that looks like a Moleskine notebook. I love that you chose your cases with a somewhat similar thought process :)
I hope you and Chris love your new tablets and use them well! Oh, and my Moleskine-alike case is half broken since I dropped it a few months ago...might consider replacing with one of those awesome book cover cases you highlighted. My heart is calling out to the Master and Margarita One, or perhaps the awesomely illustrated Pride & Prejudice cover. Thanks for sharing!
I love the cover and the bag. It will be interesting to see how you like this after several weeks. I've yet to pop for an e-reader or a pad.
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