If I were 48 and still had another 9 years or 10 years of career ahead of me, would my technology choices be any different?
Some choices would still be the same. For example, I would still have my iPod and Pocket PC. I would still have an iMac at home.
But, I would probably have a Windows Mobile Smartphone with Verizon, likely a Treo, instead of a BlackBerry Curve with AT&T. Two reasons for that. The first is that the company I worked for supported Windows Mobile, but not BlackBerry’s. And, the second: from my past experience with both Verizon and AT&T, Verizon seems to have the better coverage to the areas I traveled to, which often included remote areas as well as major cities. In the major cities, both are fine, but outside of that they vary.
There might be a couple of other differences, too. For example, I would look strongly at getting a Tablet PC for my travels (instead of using the company-supplied laptop). Thomas sent a link to me in which Tim Berry, founder of Palo Alto Software, discusses 5 things he likes about his Tablet PC. A pretty informative read.
I considered getting a Tablet PC about 3 years ago, but felt that the battery life was too short to suit me. But Tablet PCs do appeal to me. I am from a generation that grew up writing things by hand, instead of typing everything on a computer. Hence, for me, I sometimes organize my thoughts better when I am writing than when I am typing. I do okay with typing, but a lot of times I still prefer handwriting. For example, when I do a mindsweep, it is all handwritten.
I think the picture for Tablet PC users is better now than three years ago. For example, battery life is not as much of a consideration, since many conference rooms are now fitted with electrical outlets for all participants. Plus, it looks to me like battery life has been improved for Tablet PCs.
And, there is some great software for Tablet PC users. One that comes to mind that I would likely use is OneNote. I have the 2003 version, but haven’t used it in over a year, mainly because I use my iMac almost exclusively now. But, my sense is that OneNote could be a great project management tool, and, of course, if I were working I would likely use it a lot.
I would expect that a Tablet PC would work well for taking notes during meetings and for when I am interviewing people on the road. So, I am not 100-percent-sure I would get a Tablet PC, but I think I would. I would certainly evaluate it closely.
One other change I might make is to get a Kindle. No way for me to justify that right now, but I could see me using one a fair amount on the road to unwind a bit at night before bed. I am generally satisfied with how well my Pocket PC works for eBook reading, but of course it is not designed for it like the Kindle is, and there are not nearly as many titles available for it as for the Kindle.
Well, that’s the extent of my thought experiment. Your thoughts?