For the first time, sales of laptops surged past desktops—and technology keeps getting smaller. The laptops out now are so small you can almost put them in your back pocket. Does this mean it’s time to throw away your desktop system? Decidedly not. Desktops will be around for a good long time. But, are they really the future? Or is my desktop an old clunker that will go the way of the dinosaur, only to be brought out to show my grandchildren for their amusement? Everyday there are new innovations, fun tiny devices doing more things for us. They pop up for sale faster than we can blink—and they are amazingly minute.
Yes. We love these things. Cherish them even. Hope nothing bad happens to them. They keep us organized. They tell us what time to do the things we do (when we’re already doing the other things they told us to do earlier). Freedom: that is their gift to us. They give us freedom from wires and plugs; desks and hovering bosses. Freedom to stride the earth and keep updated on the latest stock figures and e-mails. Freedom to plan a menu for a large dinner, pick up kids from sports, grab the dry cleaning and since you’re working from home, you have all that extra time to do laundry–right?
And talk about combining work with these small gadgets. They are like a mechanical soccer mom. They do it all. Phone, PDA, e-mail, web; you have all your eggs in one basket, now what if something happens to that basket? Did you know that there are viruses out there that affect cell phones? We haven’t gotten to the point where viruses are affecting cell phones in as great quantities as they do computers, but when we get to that point how fun would it be to have to drop your cell phone off at a shop for three or four days, or have the memory wiped? How many people back up their cell phone data?
While there are a few unique and quick things these small gadgets can do, I do not believe they will be replacing the comfort of sitting at a desk and working on a project anytime soon. Sometimes, smaller isn’t better when it comes to technology. Sometimes sitting down at your desk and mentally preparing yourself for the task at hand is superior to juggling everything else. And what a great excuse for some well earned peace and quiet: “Darling, I need to do some work at the computer, would you be so kind as to pick up the kids from softball and swing by the store and get dinner?” It is a new world out there, but we can take it one step at a time.
We at In Home PC have enjoyed writing articles on a multiplicity of computer related topics; we would now love to hear what you want to know. Send us your questions to: AskTheTech@PittsburghComputerRepair.Com and also tell us what is wrong with your computer. If we choose your question for our next article we will repair your computer in-shop free of charge (hardware and software charges not included). •
