May 10th, 2010 : We Are Robots  

I used to think of the internet as an open world where I could embrace anything and anyone without any boundaries to get in the way. It’s where I could find people with similar interests and hobbies, no matter how obscure they might be, and enthusiastically discuss them or find out a great deal more. Sure I’ve had some really good times with great friends in my own town, but without access to the internet and my online friends, I might not have been able to fully define who I am today. It sounds dramatic, I know, but while some folks are trying to forge new, separate identities in cyberspace, all I’ve wanted is the opportunity to fully explore the person that I’ve always been with other like-minded folks.

Lately though, it feels like something is missing. Most of the unique personal homepages and detailed fan pages have disappeared, replaced by impersonal vanilla Wikipedia entries, carbon copy blogs run by paid staffs (whose content is obscured by advertisements), and Facebook profiles full of Farmville feeds and cries for attention. It’s kind of like mass manufacturing the plaster hand prints or macaroni art of children. Everything has been reduced to templates. It looks nice but has no substance or personality. That’s not to say I don’t appreciate the latest meme or that everything I post on here is super thought-provokingly original… but I keep wondering, are we more connected now… or have we lost touch? Because despite seeing a ton of talent radiating from the world, it seems like at some point thoughtful communication was replaced by mass messaging meme links and empty one-liners.

  April 14th, 2010 : Apple iPad Impressions  

Unlike many other technology enthusiasts, I didn’t exert too much energy pondering press releases for Apple’s iPad and ignored most of the hype that’s been generated online. I pretty much took one glance at the hefty price tag and decided I really don’t need a subpar laptop, especially one with monthly subscription fees. But when an iPad was unexpectedly thrust into my hands (to borrow, not own), I was pleasantly surprised by what it has to offer, even sans 3G. Here’s a quick run down, without getting too in-depth for lack of actually owning the device myself.

First of all, the iPad isn’t trying to be a laptop and won’t replace laptops. Although it’s easy to point out drawbacks such a lack of multi-tasking, USB ports, or an external keyboard, it’s best to remember that this is a luxury gadget. It’s super useful and downright fun for certain tasks and wins plenty of points for ultra portability, but it’s certainly not intended as the sort of item that every household must contain in order to properly function. However, if you’ve got cash to burn and a lust for the latest technology, the iPad may be a worthwhile venture.