Laptops

Life Without a Laptop, Two Months Down

wood.tang — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 17:21:24 -0500

It has now been two months since I sold my laptop and started working with just a Mac Mini in my office and an iPhone, and I've more or less survived. I never expected it to be permanent, but unless my life changes drastically and I have to start traveling full-time, I could probably go on like this indefinitely. My real work hasn't suffered, because I was doing all of that on the desktop anyway, and with Google Reader's killer mobile version, I've been able to satisfy any web surfing urges away from the computer.

That's not to say that I haven't chafed a little with this setup. We (self included) make the mistake of assuming that using a laptop during "downtime" or around a spouse/significant other is a bad thing. This isn't always true. At the risk of outing myself as an even more colossal tool, when I did have a laptop, my wife and I would often spend the evening after the boy was in bed, sitting side by side on the couch, watching TV and pecking away at our computers.

On the surface, that might sound like the makings of a horrible marriage, but it was really quite nice. We talked to each other. We showed each other stuff we had found online, asked each other to proofread emails, etc. It was probably more interactive than anything else we could have been doing (okay, maybe not one thing), and it was relaxing. Neither one of us was doing "work," but rather catch up, idle surfing, or shopping.

That's one time when I miss having a laptop. I often saved that evening downtime for personal blogging, checking in at forums, or posting pictures and links: all the random unnecessary web stuff that's fun but not important enough to do during the day when I'm working at the big boy computer. Not a huge loss though; like I've said, we can all pare back our online existence a little, plus it gives me more time to read books. I still often use the iPhone during this time, but it's not the same. I'm getting better at some of those things with it, but until it gets cut and paste or a Bluetooth keyboard, I'll probably just have to go without.

What that's doing in a GTD sense, though, is creating some hard boundaries between my various contexts. I've always struggled with defining contexts, and when you have a laptop you can carry anywhere, the lines between @computer, @office, and @home start to blur because you can theoretically do just about anything, anywhere, save housework and errands. Now those divisions are very clear. I can only do so many things when I just have the phone, and the rest will have to wait until I'm back at my desk. It also makes me pay attention to the non-computer tasks. Instead of defaulting to the fun computer stuff because there's always a computer around, I'm often forced to make those phone calls or proofread those drafts because I can't do anything else.

I haven't tried any significant travel with just the iPhone though. I'll get the first real test of living without a laptop when I go to the South by Southwest Interactive conference next month. Since I'm just going there for kicks, it'll be okay if I can't do all the normal things I could do with a real computer. Yet I'm curious to see how it feels not having the crutch of knowing that my computer is in the next room. Maybe this year I'll meet a few more people because I won't be hiding behind a screen the whole time.

”Life Without a Laptop, Two Months Down” was written by Matt Wood for 43Folders.com and was originally posted on February 13, 2008. Except as noted, it's ©2010 Merlin Mann and licensed for reuse under CC BY-NC-ND 3.0. "Why a footer?"

MacBook Air: Specific Machines, Specific Uses

wood.tang — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 12:03:12 -0500

The new MacBook Air announced at yesterday's Macworld keynote doesn't disappoint; it's pretty much the laptop I've wanted ever since I stupidly broke my 12" Powerbook trying to replace the hard drive. All things remaining the same, I'd buy it simply for the difference in weight, a full two pounds less than a MacBook. As someone who's put a lot of miles on his kicks with a laptop bag on his shoulder, that would make a world of difference.

What's interesting though, is what the MacBook Air isn't: it's not simply a sexier MacBook Pro on Jenny Craig, it's a different class of machine. John Gruber rightly points out that it's clearly designed as a secondary machine for people who do their heavy lifting on a desktop. Without another machine standing by at home or the office, only a select group of geeks could really get by without an optical drive, not to mention the diminished overall specs of the MacBook Air may not please a power user without reinforcements (a.k.a., the folks willing to spend upwards of $2000 on a laptop).

What Apple seems to be increasingly good at is designing machines with a specific purpose in mind. Rather than differentiating their products on matters of style or incremental horsepower like so many PC manufacturers, they make you look at their stuff and say, "I want one of those, and I want to use it for this." In the case of the MacBook Air, it's made for travelers, commuters, and other wandering souls who want a slim machine for checking email, web browsing, writing, and maybe some lightweight coding while they're away from the mothership. For the people who want to use a laptop as more of a primary machine, there's an obvious choice in the clearly differentiated MacBook Pros, or even MacBooks.

The same goes for the Apple TV, which I was glad to see get a new lease on life. I love mine, and I'm happy that it won't be relegated to the ghetto of second-hand eBay trading and parts hacking, at least for another year. Apple could have chosen to discontinue it and market, say, the Mini + Front Row as a multimedia computer suitable for attaching to a home entertainment system, a la Windows Media Center, but instead it chose to put its money a device that is specifically designed for doing so, not just a general purpose computer with a few remote control-friendly screens pasted on front.

To return to the same note I always manage to hit here, the key is simplicity. Apple makes it easy for people to simplify their computing environment--"I use my iMac for this, I use my iPhone for this, I use my Apple TV for this," etc, etc. I made a promise to myself that I'd stop buying computer gear without a specific purpose in mind for it, and I'm not currently in the laptop market because I rarely stray from my home office. But damn if they aren't making me rack my brain for a reason to need one again.

”MacBook Air: Specific Machines, Specific Uses” was written by Matt Wood for 43Folders.com and was originally posted on January 16, 2008. Except as noted, it's ©2010 Merlin Mann and licensed for reuse under CC BY-NC-ND 3.0. "Why a footer?"

Luggage Pr0n: Five Head-Turning Bags for Your Notebook

glassdog — Wed, 19 Dec 2007 11:14:50 -0500

Transitions can be a bitch. I’ve just traded in my big black Sony Vaio tower for a slim silver MacBook Pro not-laptop (because it runs so hot). On the one hand, I’ve said good-bye to a 750Gb RAID drive and a dual-monitor video card capable of running two 30-inch Cinema Displays. On the other hand, I’ve also said good-bye to daily virus updates and the constant fear that my entire system is going to become unstable and turn into a Russian Zombieputer overnight and start to spam myself about how small my penis is.

Now, I can carry my digital world around with me. Convenient, sure, but also it presents a quandary to a homosexualist like myself. Pardon me if I seem cliched and stereotypical, but it’s important for me to try to look good no matter what I’m doing, and that goes for my computer, too. If I’m going to be hauling my notebook into the latest trendy coffee shop and stare at my 15” glossy LED-lit screen as I sip a latte and nosh a bagel, I need it to look good not just sitting there glowing softly, but also look great coming and going.

If you’ve just dropped two-and-a-half large on a little folding computing wonder, doesn’t it make sense to spend a goodly amount on a bag that can contain that investment in style, and allow you to cram your other digital toys in as well? And how do you balance style and practicality? Sure, a fat backpack with a cable-out for your earpods is serviceable, but what does it say about you? Do you want to look like you’re off to day camp, or do you want your bag to say “look at me! I’m sexxay! I’m stylish! I’m capable of dressing myself without looking like a pile of rags in the corner!”

If you don’t want to look like everyone else in the coffee boutique, here’s my short list of laptop bags that will cost you plenty of hard-earned disposable income, and make you look good doing it.

1. The Isaburo City123 Rucksack $699.00 - $799.00

Let’s start at the top, shall we? Let’s shall! Pretend you’re a globe-hopper and fashion victim. (I said “pretend.”) and you regularly visit Herzog & de Meuron’s Prada store in Tokyo. You’re not entirely satisfied with this season’s shoe choices and now you have $700 burning a hole in your pocket. Poor you, what are you going to do?

Well if you’re me, you take a short walk around the corner to Isaburo, the 120-year-old leather goods manufacturer that insists on using only the best materials and workmanship and you plunk down your AmEx black card and ask for a one-of-a-kind, made-to-order City123 Rucksack. The shape is the same for everyone, a kind of smooth turtle built from a hard PVC shell, then coated in luxurious buttery leather in your choice of color and texture. Every City123 is made to order for you and takes a month to manufacture.

Now let’s say you don’t think you’ll be ending up in Tokyo any time soon, but you’re already salivating about getting your mitts on one of these gorgeous and slightly weird-looking oddities. Now you can! What you can’t get is any color you want — the online version only comes in "signature" dark red. For $100 more, you can get a premium skin like "silver snake" or "black crocodile." But dollars to donuts, you’ll be the only one in your coffee klatch with one.

2. Takumi Shimamura’s Monacca Bag $280 - $325

When you want to talk drool-worthy, you’re talking this green-friendly wooden briefcase, available in the U.S. at the Museum of Modern Art store. I must confess that I personally own the original version of this bag, made of Japanese cedar that’s hand-molded into its soft-corner shape, then lined with canvas. Its leather handles are smooth and creamy and the new version has been improved with a shoulder strap.

It’s sized to fit laptops up to 17”, so even those of you who think size matters can fit your big-ass notebooks inside. What it doesn’t have is a secure way of making sure your laptop doesn’t bang around inside it — not that you’re apt to be throwing this in the overhead, anyway, perchance to mar its beautiful surface. Still, I suggest accompanying your purchase with a Foofbag from our Australian friends at Foof. In keeping with the Japanese flavor of the Monacca, order the Origami Kuro model, made with Japanese cotton and resembling a kimono. Take it from me, you don’t want to pull a fluffy pink computer out of this sleek case.

3. Jack Spade Nylon Canvas Tech Field Bag $185.00

Let’s take a trip away from Japan and see what’s available on our own shores. Jack Spade doesn’t really exist, did you know that? Kate totally made him up. I used to think it was her husband or something, but no — just another marketing figment. But so what? Does the fact that Tony the Tiger is a faux kitty make Frosted Flakes any less awesome?

The Nylon Canvas Tech Field Bag has a name that’s far too long. Basically, it’s a messenger bag, but it’s built for “today’s modern man,” and that’s you, believe it or not! Our first two candidates may scream style, but this bag screams “Substance!” It’s a basic messenger bag, to be sure, but it adds a few nice perks to the mix, namely an exterior zippered pocket for your cell- or iPhone, ample interior pockets for books, magazines, hair extensions and the like, plus a removable padded laptop sleeve with its own Velcro fastener, so if you need to travel light but protect your data, just take the sleeve and leave the bag! I promise, no one will laugh at you.

4. Mandarina Duck 'File' Briefcase $375.00 - $695.00

If you're a label whore, as well as a bag slut, it's hard to better impress your fellow label-bag whore-sluts than to whip out a piece of lux Mandarina Duck. Basically, if you want those who pay attention to such things to be salivating over your shoulder holder, buy some Duck. A Mandarina Duck bag of any sort is 100% guaranteed, so if anything ever happens to your beauty just bring it back and they'll get it fixed, repairing zippers and reattaching handles at no cost. Sure, they may have to send it back to Italy, where the Duck makes its home, but aren't you worth the extra effort?

The File series is new to MD, and as usual you can kit yourself out completely in an entire line of matching File gear, from carry-ons to trolleys to wallets and dopp bags. One thing that this bag has over almost every other bag here is that you can get a 17" bag to fit those extra-large, extra-heavy, extra-impressive ginormous notebooks that some of you think you need, even though you only discover you don't when you plug an external monitor into it and make that extra-big screen kind of superfluous.

Lest you think this is a bag about beauty over brawn, let it be known that practicality has not been cast aside. File briefcases come with removable cable pockets and separate document compartments in addition to the necessary padded laptop area. And you can pick from black or brown — or, in a select few cases, a high-tech orange (a hue which they call "Brandy") that'll make you really stand out in a crowd.

5. Oakley S.I. Computer Bag $175.00

“But what about me?” I hear you saying. “I’m not some mamby-pamby girly-man looking for fashion. I need to look tough! I need to look rugged! And, dammit, I need pockets!” Oakley hears you, even if I scoff and roll me eyes. This Oakley bag defines “overcompensate” by attaching three little “removable pouch pockets” to its exterior, in addition to myriad internal storage pockets, a padded computer pouch, daisy chain webbing (yeah, me neither), side compression straps and a custom D-ring from which, one assumes, one may hang a length of chain attached to one’s wallet.

As if all that ain’t macho enough for you, listen to the name of its color: New Kalki! Why settle for old kalki when New Kalki awaits, all soldierrific? I know I’m erect.

Oh, I kid because I love. Having seen one of these in person in my trendy fashion-conscious ‘hood, I can attest that it is something to behold. Nobody but nobody will be accusing you of being unprepared if you’re bearing one of these babies around, and think of the fun toys you can stash in those side pockets! It’s a party on your shoulder!

And there you have it! Five guaranteed stylish, selective and unique solutions to your… er… my laptop dilemma. Look for me in your corner coffee shop. I’ll be the guy getting my case luggage felt up.

The Question to You

Have you a favorite, stylish laptop bag that you think might pass muster with Mr. Lance? Share it with us in comments.

” Luggage Pr0n: Five Head-Turning Bags for Your Notebook” was written by Lance Arthur for 43Folders.com and was originally posted on December 19, 2007. Except as noted, it's ©2010 Merlin Mann and licensed for reuse under CC BY-NC-ND 3.0. "Why a footer?"

Life Without a Laptop, Week 1

wood.tang — Fri, 14 Dec 2007 15:54:57 -0500

When the iPhone came out this summer, I was locked into a contract with another cell phone carrier, one that I couldn't escape on pain of a $200 surcharge. So I waited it out, and dreamed my little iPhone dreams all alone with my Plain Jane cell phone and suddenly archaic-looking iPod Video.

To be honest, I didn't really need an iPhone. I work from home, rarely more than a few yards from a computer (we had two laptops and a Mini in our house at the time). I don't travel for work, and when we go on vacation, I never bring work with me anyway. When I do leave the house for extended periods of time during the day, running errands, taking appointments, etc, it doesn't matter because I'd trained myself to plan ahead for that situation. Besides, I never get any messages that can't wait a couple hours until I get back to a computer anyway.

I was amazingly good at rationalizing away my need for an iPhone, but I still wanted one ever so badly. So last week I created a way out.

I applied the same reasoning about my working environment that I'd used to wish away my iPhone lust and applied it to my laptop. I didn't need it exactly; I did all my real work on the desktop in my home office, and that MacBook Pro was strictly a sitting on the couch and dicking around on the internet while I watch TV machine, quite a waste really. So I decided I could live without it, hocked it on eBay, and used the proceeds to buy an iPhone and pay that cell contract ransom.

It was the worst kind of materialism, I know. When I walked out of the Apple Store that day, I felt a little bit dirty, like a junkie who just pawned his mother's wedding ring to score. But I'm proud of myself for practicing a little budget restraint--I actually made money on the whole transaction--and for once I didn't simply add to the gadget pile, I swapped out the old for the new.

As for the adjustment to life without a laptop, it's going slowly but surely. The iPhone obviously fills that sitting on the couch, watching TV void, though sometimes I still feel a lingering ghost pain burning on my thighs when I want Google a bit actor on CSI. My work hasn't suffered one bit though, because now I know that my already limited time in front of a proper computer is even more precious. Addition by subtraction, I say.

I'm sure I'll give in to laptop envy again at some point, say, if Apple starts making that coveted sub-notebook, or when my son goes off to school and I have more freedom to move around. But for now this has been a useful experiment, and a heckuva way to justify an early Christmas present.

”Life Without a Laptop, Week 1” was written by Matt Wood for 43Folders.com and was originally posted on December 14, 2007. Except as noted, it's ©2010 Merlin Mann and licensed for reuse under CC BY-NC-ND 3.0. "Why a footer?"