Before the blog starts to whitter on about new tech, new application purchases, features and functionality found and how use of tech has helped or hindered me it’s probably useful to get a baseline written of what tech I currently have and what I use day to day.
First off, desktop computers.
- At home it’s a 27″ Apple Mac.
- At work, a Dell Optiplex running Windows 7
The Mac also runs Parallels, which through the use of a Watchguard VPN allows me to connect Outlook to my work mailbox. My own personal mail is collected in Mail on the Mac. At work I’m a Development Director for a software company so most of my time is spent in Visual Studio 2010 and now 2012, Outlook and YouTrack, our bug tracking/ticket software from JetBrains.
Secondly, laptops and mobile devices.
- The work laptop is a Dell 15Z
- There’s an Apple iPad 1st Generation
- Recently I added an Amazon Kindle to the party
- My mobile phone is a Nokia Lumia 900
- iPod, fourth generation I think.
The Kindle is my most recent purchase. Sure I can read books on the iPad but the first gen iPad is very heavy when you’re trying to read a book and for that reason I wasn’t into using it as much as I could have. The Kindle is exceptionally light and fits very well in the hand. The battery life is phenomenal and I love the integration with the Amazon website. Using the WhisperSync service means you can buy a book from the Amazon website and it will turn up on your Kindle almost moments later.
I’ve often been asked why I haven’t updated to a second, or now third generation iPad. Well, the first gen still does what I need it to do. I can’t see any real gain for me as the apps I use on the iPad still work, they still do their job and the cost of upgrade is just too hit for me to accept.
On the topic of the mobile phone, one day I will write a blog post on my choice as I used to have a Blackberry Storm.
Gaming, both handheld and console.
- Xbox 360 (oh yeah!)
- Nintendo 3DS
- Playstation Vita
I’ve been a 360 fan from day one. Thanks to the Red Ring syndrome I’m actually on my second box – my first was a launch day. I have Kinect plugged into the Xbox and, as with the mobile phone story, I’m sure I’ll blog more about it in the future.
Now, last but not least, cameras.
- Nikon DSLR D3000
- Nikon Coolpix S3100
I’ve always had a soft spot for Nikon so it was a no-brainer which camera make I would go for when I bought my first DSLR. Finding the right model was a little more tricky though. After much reading of reviews and some friendly opinions I chose the D3000 as it was, and still is, a great starter camera.
As I get a chance to play with new tech I will post new blog entries. When I purchase new tech I’ll post about it seperately as well as updating this post too.