Netbooks versus Smartphones versus Laptops

Your life is currently a jumbled mess. You can no longer figure out what time you need to feed your cat because of your busy lifestyle. So, you decide to go pick yourself up a netbook and a smartphone thinking that life will get less complicated. Well, my friend, I believe that life may just get a bit more complex with that many electronic devices hanging around…unless you can utilize them properly.

Speaking from experience, I currently own a full size laptop, a netbook, and a Palm Pre and I use them all but it has taken me just about a year to figure out how to utilize them all to get the most out of owning each electronic.

I’ll start with the smallest: The Smartphone. In my honest opinion, everyone could use a smartphone. I think they’re great for doing just about anything you could possibly need. With a data plan, anytime you need to find anything the internet it is only a few clicks away. I basically use my phone to schedule my days and surf the internet…oh and make phone calls. I just decided that if you’re going to carry a small device to make calls and text during office meetings, then why shouldn’t it also surf the internet and have a good scheduler?

Secondly, I think having a laptop (or other personal computer) is important…vital even. In our “connected” society, having a full sized computer is imperative in most cases. There are so many things that you can do with a full sized computer that the smartphone can’t do, like (until recently) copy and paste. Multitasking on a personal computer is a breeze. Also, at least I find it to be true, it is so much faster and easier to type and find things on the internet with the computer. If I have my phone in my pocket, but am only a room away from my computer, I am going to get up and go search with my computer.

So, that’s when I get to the netbook. For months, my netbook laid lifelessly to the right of my laptop, plugged in and just sitting there. I’m sure that you’ve noticed by now that my life revolves around staying constantly connected. So, how did I finally begin utilizing the netbook with my phone and laptop always around? When my laptop started acting up badly (I can’t unplug it without it immediately losing power), I started traveling with my netbook. Now, I carry it everywhere. Even when I’m sitting at my desk with my laptop open, I typically leave my netbook on and on a site like Facebook with another instant messaging program open. This makes it easier for anyone who needs to get in touch with me to get in touch with me.

I think it’s all a balancing act between the three if you own them and you have to figure out if they are necessary for you.