Happy Tomorrow

By | December 31, 2018
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Hello and happy tomorrow.

After all, if I wrote this newsletter on Tuesdays, I’d be saying happy new year. But I’ve been doing it on Mondays for a long time now, so I’ll just have to say “Happy New Year for tomorrow”.

I’m not sure about you, but I tend to use a variety of different techie devices – a smartphone, a tablet and a laptop. Then there’s my PC at work and I also use a variety of different devices at work just to stay up to date with them all so I can write about them! And I’m actually writing this on a borrowed laptop as I’m away from home for a few days…

Chances are you don’t use as many different things as I do, but most people use at least a couple – usually a tablet and phone or a phone and laptop.

Different devices are good for different things… but they can all do the same things too.

I know that sounds a bit confusing – but what I mean is you could do the same things on a tablet, phone, laptop or desktop PC… but you might find that particular thing easier on one type of device than another.

So what I want to suggest if you use more than one device is stopping and reminding yourself what you use each device for and thinking about whether it’s actually the easiest one to use.

I know it sounds really obvious, but it can actually make it all a lot easier.

For example, until a while ago I tended to use my laptop for video calling Mum and Dad… but when I stopped to think about it, it was much easier to use my smartphone so I could lounge on the sofa whilst talking to them… and even take it upstairs with me so Mum and Dad could say “night-night” to the boys.

On the other hand if I’m browsing the web doing research for something I want to buy (like when I was thinking about Christmas presents) I like having the bigger screen of a tablet or my laptop. And if I have to fill in any forms for something I definitely prefer using a laptop so I have a proper keyboard and a mouse.

If I’m reading an ebook, I prefer a tablet… but I also put them on my phone as I’ll have that with me if I end up stuck waiting in a doctor’s waiting room or at a train station, so at least I can pass the time reading a book.

I might come back to this another time and talk about what I personally use each type of device for… but in the meantime I’m not trying to say you should prefer the same things as me. Just that’s it’s worth thinking about what you actually use each type of device for and whether it’s the easiest one to use for that.

Anyway, that’s all for today, apart from to say “Happy New Year” again and may 2019 be a great year for you and yours.

Oh, and I couldn’t resist including a techie joke Alastair got in his Christmas cracker:

“What do snowmen look the weather forecast up on?”

“The Winternet”

Sorry – I’ll try to make sure jokes in 2019 are not quite so groan-inducing!

5 thoughts on “Happy Tomorrow

  1. Tony Richardson

    Another Tip, re which device to use for which task!
    Using a Mobile Phone or Tablet to read books can be convenient,
    but it will run your Battery down quite quickly!
    I use a Kindle, the cheapest one is fine, & the Battery can last for
    up to a month or more, depending how much you use it!
    Currys/PCWorld £59.99 for the 6″ model, & suggest you purchase
    a case for it! Happy reading!

    Reply
    1. Tim Wakeling Post author

      Good tip – my wife uses a Kindle and she hardly ever has to recharge it – the screen can be nicer on your eyes than a bright tablet or phone screen, too.
      Tim

      Reply
  2. June Hawkins

    Hello Tim, and a Happy New Year to you and yours, about reading a book , have you tried a folded cardboard cover, with paper stapled inside, that you hold in your hands and open to read, lots of interesting things? this is a hard cover BOOK, once you have paid the initial price for it is yours to keep, no more to pay at all, not like a kindle. This is not meant to be sarcastic Tim, but sometimes basic is cheaper. June.

    Reply
    1. Tim Wakeling Post author

      Hello (and happy new year!)
      absolutely – I do quite a lot of my reading from paper books – there are certain thinks I like about them (not least the feeling of how far through it you are).
      In fact only last week while we were visiting Mum and Dad in Plymouth we went down to a little charity bookshop on the Broadway and I couldn’t help finding a couple of books I wanted while Dad bought a couple for the boys! Then again, I also find ebooks useful, particularly if I’m travelling and don’t have a lot of space but want a lot of books or to give me something to read if I’m caught out unexpectedly.
      I should say, though, that once you’ve bought a Kindle you don’t have to pay anything more apart from for books you want. You can choose to pay a subscription to access lots of books, if you’d rather do that than buy books as you want them (or download free ones) but you don’t have to pay any extra.
      But as always it depends on what suits you and paper books have a lot going for them!
      Tim

      Reply
  3. Tony Richardson

    An addition to the above, one downside to Kindle ebooks, certainly on the cheapest Kindle, is, any photos, illustrations, are only in b & w, not colour, so. if I want these in colour, I might also buy the book version, or, with some Tablets, such as the iPad, the photos etc; will be in colour! Some might try to buy kindle books on their mobile phone, through the Kindle App, & find the message, ‘Cannot be downloaded on this device!’ A way around that, is to use this URL…http://www.amazon.com/kindlemobilestore, this will take you to the Kindle Store, & you’ll be able to download your Kindle books from there. I also download some documents, in PDF format, that I need to carry with me, on the Kindle. Best of all, imagine taking 300+ books, in your suitcase, on Ryanair, as I do, on my Kindle! T R

    Reply

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