I write this post not on a desktop computer or a laptop — although I have one at disposal at home and the other while on the road. Nor is is composed on a Motorola Droid X — a smartphone capable of producing decent copy and adding a photo to any of my various blogs news sites.
This is written on a new Applie iPad, a notebook sized slate with a screen and a list of built-in applications (and many more available apps) to — if the ads are correct — extend my creative capabilities to new heights.
The iPad is my birthday present from my wife (what else do you give the 63-year-old with everything?). It’s cheaper than any laptop and costs less than many smartphones, especially if you choose the low end model with just Wi-Fi and no 3G. AT&T is not available in this area anyway and my Droid becomes a 3G “hot spot” so I can use that if necessary.
The iPad, however, is a journalist’s dream come true. It’s an instant research device. At the moment I’m waiting for my wife to get off work so I dropped in early on Casey Clinger at Pizza Inn to use his Wi-Fi. I hit about a half-dozen web sites to pick up information I needed, made a few phone calls to double-check with sources and then switched to a notepad with an on-screen keyboard to write.
Today’s topic, of course, is the weather. The weekend snow and sub-freezing temperatures that forced postponement of this weekend’s Christmas parade and cancellation of Monday’s schools. Winter has arrived with a vengeance with a disturbing parallel to last year. The Christmas parade last year was postponed twice last year before they pulled the plug.
Winter is not officially here yet, but it sure feels like it.
School was either canceled or delayed in most counties in the New River Valley on Monday.Some sections of Floyd County had up to five inches of snow over the weekend.
The main roads in Floyd County are mostly clear, but some side roads remain icy and snow covered.
The temperature was about 20 degrees around lunchtime in Floyd on Monday, and big wind gusts made it feel even colder.
The snow also kept law enforcement busy over the weekend.
State Police responded to more than 260 weather-related crashes in a 15 county area of Southwest Virginia.
One fatality was reported in Wythe County.
We’re still under a severe weather watch.
This could be a long winter but I’m hoping new tools like the iPad will make my job easier.
6 thoughts on “New technology and cold weather”
Fie on technology good buddy! It’s all an artifice and distracts you from your core essence of simply first, being a “good animal” per Thoreau. : )
My favorite fellow creature is the tiger. There’s nothing more beautiful than this apex predator that’s now on the edge of extinction. I find it difficult to wrap my intellect around the fact that the tiger is soon to become extinct because some ‘sick puppy’ chinaman et al. want to slurp down ‘tiger ball soup’ for boucoup yuan per serving, thinking it will make them more potent and successful in business. Yikes…!
http://animalvsanimal.yuku.com/topic/34/t/B2-and-Other-Great-Tiger-Pics-from-India.html?page=5 …Enjoy and weep!
Carl Nemo **==
Carl:
In many cases I would agree with you but the iPad has actually proven to be a useful tool that lets me concentrate on actually doing my job. Anything that let’s me concentrate on writing and producing without worrying about the technologies of getting the job done is, in my opinion, an improvement.
Congradulations Doug very nice toy, I think your really gonna like it, Apple is better but I stay with Microsoft because it’s mainstream, I also have a Droid wow is that sweet or what.Go a new program for riding it called Radar now= it’s free try it really nice, and Power Amp for playing music it’s 2.00 but well worth it,
Can you download pictures to the pad easily for riding gear?
Bob
Bob:
Because of my recent bout with back problems I haven’t had time to fully explore the iPad’s capabilities. It it, more than any recent electronic “toy” that I have obtained lately, a really functional tool that is very useful. Downloads from my digital DSLRs are easy but I haven’t yet found a food image management app for the unit (I’m sure one is on the way). I used it to take notes while sitting on the side of the road while using the speakerphone on my Droid for a conference call. It was far easier to use than a laptop.
Hi Doug,
Doug:
Here’s a food management app for your IPad. They also have them for diabetics to log in their blood sugar readings and to help manage their diets too from another source.
http://www.mynetdiary.com/
Carl Nemo **==
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