Men and their gadgets...

The extremes some men will go to in order to procure the latest gadget...

Perhaps some of you ladies out there suffer the same malady, so this is not meant to be sexist. You know the symptoms: salivates (over things like 3D TV, Dyson bladeless fans, Apple’s latest creation, et al), has to drag fiancée all over town to view them and try them out, voluminous research and price comparisons, plots how to obtain them without spending the night in a queue (though this wouldn’t be ruled out), discusses these things in great detail with fellow-sufferers, and just for good measure, spends a second day dragging fiancée around town just to see the gadgets again.

The latest gadget conquest for A is the I-pad.

After spending part of an afternoon demonstrating one to me in a shop, his exasperation and incredulity were evident when I dared to suggest ever so nicely that I am sorry but I don’t understand the point of it? When he pointed out its portability, I advised that I already have a laptop that does that (and I think most everything else an I-pad does) – and I can type soooo much better on a laptop. In addition, I already have an I-pod and am very happy with its features and don’t need them duplicated with another I-product? Call me old fashioned (after all I still keep a paper calendar), but I *like* touch-typing and just cannot get Apple touch technology typing down. He enthusiastically showed me the piano keyboard as he knows I grew up playing piano. I cannot fathom a keyboard on two rows on a screen and cannot see that working for me.

I can see some of you Apple fan(-atic)s shaking your heads and calling me hopeless (much like A did), but try as I might I just couldn’t get excited about the I-pad. Still, part of loving A is supporting him in endeavors he enjoys, so I won’t mind if he wants to procure an I-pad for himself.

After repeated visits to see it and after scouting out a few local shops that sell Apple technology, A was rather dejected when they were continually sold out. He departed our week together I-padless. That is, until he reached Chicago O’Hare, took two trains into the city, and walked ½ mile more to an Apple Store with me on his mobile phone giving directions that I had to map for him… all for the love of the I-pad.

In the end, in spite of jubilantly announcing to me on his mobile that he has the I-pad in his briefcase while standing on a crowded subway train platform (not something I generally recommend), A made it safely home with his beloved new toy.

He’s been playing with it all day!


I wonder if I should arrange a ‘play date’ for him with his friends?


*smirks*