Tech as ubiquity...

I now have an iPod touch (first generation bought used from a coworker), my CrackBerry, a netbook (little aluminum HP--very nice!) and a MacBook Pro (I should have purchased the MacBook). Most of the time I have most of those items along with me when I go to work, when I travel, etc. Actually, I don't USUALLY carry BOTH the netbook and the MacBook but I do carry around a fair amount of tech with me on a daily basis.

I'm pretty sure that most people don't need this much tech with them and, in fact, I would probably be fine with just the CrackBerry and the netbook 90% of the time. I have a surprising amount of available local connectivity in spite of the fact that I live in Cleveland. When I travel, it's amazing how easy it is to find open wireless connectivity at coffee shops, restaurants, hotels, etc. The tech I carry is pretty cheap (the netbook was $299 and the CrackBerry was $100 with a two year plan). This tech allows me to check my email, listen to music, do a little programming or data analysis, and catch up with my friends just about anywhere I go whenever I like. Having Google maps on the CrackBerry allows me to even figure out where I am and what's close at hand with amazing precision.

My point? None in particular. I'm just stunned by the ready availability and minimal expense of tech that I would have KILLED for 20 years ago. :-)