Why I don’t like PDA

Last week I finally bought a new mobile phone. Yeah, finally after it failed to ring and lastly i could not pick up any call :-). I insisted that I only want to buy a new mobile phone when it’s broken. Si Anak Bandel wanted to buy me a mobile phone for a birthday present last year because he knew it did not ring, but of course I'm too proud to receive a gift like that from a guy ;-) (biar miskin asal sombong, man! :-)). Then I got a reason when I dropped it again (for maybe the 50th time :-)) in menteng and it rang again! :-)

Now I’ve a Nokia N80 internet edition. It has wifi, email, yahoo on the go ready installed, symbian operating system, quick office, etc, etc. From all Nokia, only N80 and N91 that have a wifi, but N80 even has UpNp. N91 is good for music because it has the standard headset plug, but I already have the “Ipod-wannabe” that I bought in Mal Ambassador ;-). That is enough to relieve my stress (it has good quality sound!). Also, N91 is just too big.

I need a mobile phone like my N80 because I often work from anywhere. In the DPR building, in DC, in Medan, in Wamena, in Aceh, in a ferry to another island, in the street, in a warung, in a café, etc.

Some friends (and Frank) asked: why not a PDA Phone instead? It's practical for a person like me, so they said. I just raised my shoulders: no reason, I just don’t like it. Then I thought about it again. And now I know: I just don't like the touch screen! :-)

I think I live in between the outdated culture of hand writing and the sophisticated electronic gadget culture. I love the gadgets. But I still use my hand to stimulate my brain. I still have my well-organised blue book where I write down any interesting and important stuff from meetings and discussions and a conservative agenda (it’s the cute one now, though, not the boring brown leather anymore!). The touch screen annoys me so much. And the shape as well!

I once wrote here that I believe that I have a brain that has a limited capacity. Unlike some people around me who are genuinely smart, I got all this knowledge and academic credibility (if I can claim that I have it!) because of an extra hard work exactly because I know that I have to work harder than anyone else to be able to record and analyse things in my brain like they do. I always need a mean in doing so. And the fascination of having the organised conservative book and the process of writing by hand seeing the ink goes out of the pen have been the mean. Those gadgets, on the other hand, help me on the other sides of my activity: networking (and lobbying) and updating the information.

N80 has all functions one would want from a PDA anyway (OK, I'm not a real gadget freak, those who are :-P, pls check here to confirm or reject my statement). Scheduling can be done and be synchronised with outlook. Emails can be retrieved easily. Office docs can be read using the Quick Office (I can even read pdf files in my N80). It has 3mega pixels dual camera (though I don't really want the camera), I can watch TV, browse the net using wifi or 3G. I've been even thinking since yesterday about buying the wireless keyboard so that I can write down some notes or easily reply urgent emails during a meeting. It only doesn't have the annoying touch screen! :-) Well I would want an Iphone of I have a mac, and then I'd also buy an ipod and the nice speaker. But I don't have the luxury to fully decide which gadgets I could buy, because it costs! :-) So long as I still have to handle bills of two other households, plus my study plan, say goodbye to the dream. Just enjoy it through the net :-). My laptop (her name is Iteung the II) is actually the office's and the previous laptop was given by ats.

Now I have been playing with my N80 for the whole week. I set up almost everything. Only the UpNp with my laptop I haven't tried.

Me, my mobile phone, my laptop, my agenda, and my blue book: they are inseparable... hihihi