Of Gadgetry

Being in Japan, I often have the chance to see/play with new electronics products before they hit the broader world markets:

Smartphones

I am the proud owner of an iPhone 3GS (jailbroken, unlocked, also serves as my MP3 player/home stereo when combined with the iHome Studio dock) and I have enjoyed having this phone a great deal. That’s not to say that I wouldn’t consider switching phones in the future. That said, I don’t find Android to be a particularly appealing OS, though I do find many Android handsets to be quite attractive, particularly Sony Ericsson’s recent models and the Samsung Galaxy phones. Finally, I was recently able to use one of the new Windows 7 phones and I was surprised by how responsive the software was – definitely something I’ll keep an eye out for.

Tablets

Tablets seem to be all the rage these days and I did attempt (in vain) to get my hands on one of the fire sale HP Touchpads. That said, I agree with the camp that understands that these devices are largely unnecessary and, while ideal for some consumption tasks, largely lacking on the productivity front. Being an early adopter, however, I still want one.

There is a reason that the iPad rules the tablet market. It’s a slick machine and I will be looking forward to seeing what comes out in the third iteration apparently due early next year. I come back to the same Android argument as I did with smartphone. Worse yet, most of the hardware I have sampled has also come across as disappointing in terms of weight and feel (as otherwise they’re largely the same). While I have been anxiously awaiting the new Sony S, recent reviews have been less than positive.

I really like the form factor of the original Samsung Galaxy Tab, but Samsung made the annoying decision to lower the specs of it’s Wi-Fi only model. In addition, I do hesitate somewhat to purchase another pricey device that is only slightly bigger than my smartphone. However, my qualms may be abated with the announcement of the forthcoming 7.7” model that I look forward to trying very much.

Laptops

I presently have a Dell Inspiron 1545 as my primary work machine. It had held up well until recently when I had to replace the battery and the hard drive. The optical drive still doesn’t work. My mobile machine is an expensive but oh-so-worth-it Sony VAIO Z 1390. This carbon fibre beauty is the perfect combination of portability and performance, not to mention the outstanding full HD display.

Gaming & Movies

While I can and do use the laptops for gaming, my primary gaming rig is a PlayStation 3, which I have loved since I first got it. Where I used to be a PC gamer, I’ve resigned myself to console gaming for the most part as it provides for a more consistent experience that doesn’t require making regular hardware upgrades. I also use the PS3 as my DVD/Blu-Ray player which connects to my Sony Bravia LCD TV. I’m only running a 2.5 channel sound system but in a small Japanese apartment that’s more than sufficient.

With Hope,
Joseph