A Quick Thought On My Changing Computing Habits

TechCrunch, as some of you may know, is definitely a place where you will find assertive and pointed remarks regarding developments in the technology world.  It is one of several tech websites I visit almost every day, in that period just after the first cup of coffee and before I actually feel inspired to work on my various academic projects.  Today I found this post whilst imbibing my morning sips of  roasted bean, 'The iPad Has Broken My Brain; OS X Lion Will Help Fix It'.  MG Siegler, the author, laments that his frequent use of the iPad makes him want for a similar user interface on his laptop:

On a deeper level, I’m realizing something else: the iPad (and iPhone) is changing the fundamentals of computing for me. 

Since I’ve been back from my trip, I’ve started using my traditional computers extensively again because I have to for work. (There’s still no denying that a laptop or desktop are far better for typing than an iPad.) But I’m finding myself continually confused when I go to use the trackpad. I swipe my fingers up expecting a page to scroll down and yet it doesn’t. 

I’m trying to interact with a Mac as if it’s an iPad. 

It’s actually pretty frustrating. I keep doing it. It’s like my brain is locked in. I’m someone who has had an iPad for a year, but I’ve never used it for days in a row without touching a computer like I just did this weekend. And it seems to have re-wired my brain.

For Siegler, the iPad proved more than capable of handeling his daily 'computing' tasks and switching back to his laptop turned out to be a disjointed experience.  He missed the simplicity of manipulating the system with a flick of a finger, instead of a mouse click.  This fundamental shift in user interface is arguably why the iPad commands the attention and use it receives today.  No doubt many people, like Siegler, upon using an iPad for any length of time realize that they simply don't need to consult their desktop or laptop for once common tasks.  

As a corollary, look at this story on how Neil Augenstein abandoned his bulky audio and video equipment in favor of the iPhone 4 for conducting his daily reporting.  It's pretty incredible that a smartphone could replace dedicated recording equipment, or that an iPad could make someone like MG Siegler realize he no longer needs to use his laptop for the majority of computing he requires.  

Photo by yoggy0

In my own life, I've found that my Galaxy S 'Epic 4G' phone allows me to detach from my laptop in ways that would have seemed impractical, for me, even a year ago.  One of the biggest changes is that I use Twitter almost exclusively on my phone to keep up on news and interesting things happening in the tubes of the internet.  A year ago I would have done the same thing by scanning my bookmarked pages in Chrome.  Now, I wouldn't even fire up the quad-colored beach ball unless the website in question has Flash- and even that is becoming less and less of a problem.  I use Tweetdeck, which means I can keep tabs on my Facebook account in addition to the 140 or so people I follow on Twitter.  This combo attack that Tweetdeck facilitates- news aggregation and Facebook interaction- means that I have significantly less need to consult my laptop when I have an interest in any of the two items listed above.  The mobility of my phone has trumped the once 'superior' mobility of my laptop.

As much as Siegler is impressed that his iPad could supplant his use of the laptop, I am amazed how my phone and Twitter have dramatically changed not only the way I interact with information, but also how I interact with my laptop.  As more and more people begin to use smartphones and interact with new information streams, like Twitter, I wonder what impact these shifts in 'computing' use will bring upon the form factor and design of laptops and other information devices.