No, what happened, that day that I flipped over to hear the iPad announcement (yes, I cared enough to even watch the liveblogs) was that I gave up on Apple. The new device, in general, is a big “meh” for me but then how its being positioned makes it an affront to everything I believe in. Closed device, you can’t connect anything to it (unless its Apple approved and goes through their single I/O port) and you have to get any software from the internets or the Apple Store. Those two things irritated me, but then they announced their new Apple book store. Here is what continues to get to me about Apple, they create devices dependant on THEIR stores and their DRM media, you’re not doing much on your iPod without iTunes, you’re not doing much on the iPhone with the App Store, and you won’t read much on the iPad without the iBookStore.

Apple is locking everything around them, forcing you to do everything their way, and its closing down innovation for everyone else. Or rather, if you innovate, do it on your own dime. Do it with your own everything else. They, rather than Microsoft, are turning into the Anti-thesis of Google (whom I probably love too much.) I now have Microsoft AND Apple to fill my mouth with bile at their products. Great… I’m getting old and cranky.

To be fair, I still like my MacBook Pro, it is MUCH better than any Windows based laptop I’ve seen for ease of use and general ease of use. But it breaks, I’ve been through 3 of them in the last 3 years, they over heat, they bog down, they’re far from perfect. To be even more out of character, I’m scared of Chrome OS as it is a new OS that no games will play on and no apps will install on. Maybe in 5 years, maybe 10, we’ll see enough high quality cloud based apps that its exciting but for now I’m likely to stick with Apple for my laptops and Google for my Phones. At least I feel I can trust the Google Phones to move along and the MacBook Pro is as open as I need… for now. *sigh*

• http://www.flickr.com/groups/whats_in_your_bag/
• http://www.flickr.com/groups/moleskinerie/
• http://www.flickr.com/groups/71332759@N00/
• http://www.flickr.com/groups/mymole/

And this isn’t getting into my Desktop, computer lust.

I came across a great post today that shows my nirvana, an “Every Day Carry” bag that has pretty much everything I’d be carrying had I started sooner and done the homework that he’s done. The Things I Carry just needs a shopping list to those important gizmos and I’ll click. (c: Of course his sexy colored pencil set doesn’t appear to be online, though I found an alternative (thats currently out of stock.) I’m poised to purchase but still wonder, why do I need colored pencils?

My short list of things to buy?

1. Muji Travel Organizer – This is small and will easily toss into my backpack or messenger bag. Finally I can convince myself to use the Messenger more frequently.
2. A&P Key Ring – Yay, I can make it myself!
3. MiniStaff Colored Pencils – 12 pencils, a sharpner and an eraser, all in a little pack about the size of a business card! (Whats not to love?)
4. Pico Pen – A tiny little pen that fits on your key ring (see above.) I’m constantly finding myself without. I’m 0 for 2 in the Space Pen battle, I need one that will be hard to lose.

I’ll proceed to snap some pictures of my gear as I hope to build out the sets, I’m giddy with these new finds though. Thank you internets.