When I think about my first computer the image that immediately springs to mind is one of a gigantic, ungainly unit covered in pale blue plastic, with all the grace of a hippopotamus attempting to do the tango. On a tightrope. The monitor resembled an old TV from the 70s, the CPU was about the size of a cupboard, and the machine moved slower than rush hour traffic in London. In those dark days, just getting the thing to work was a minor event. The idea of actually being able to take your computer with you on the go would have never even occurred to me, as I would have needed a private army to help me carry the thing.
I still find it incredible to think that not too long ago mobile computer technology was the stuff of science fiction. Nowadays carrying our computers with us wherever we go has become the norm. We have become accustomed to surfing the internet, writing school/work papers, connecting with family and friends and shopping via our laptops and netbooks. Just the other day I bought myself a brand spanking new tablet and it is a thing of beauty. A sleek, streamlined machine with a nice, clear 10 inch screen – no keyboard, mouse or wires required thank you very much. It comes with the latest touch screen technology and can easily fit into your pocket. I have already found so many uses for it in my day to day life that I would be lost without it. It’s fascinating how these tiny machines we couldn’t even conceive a couple of decades ago have now become almost an extension of ourselves.
Technological innovation in portable computers never really ceases and my little tablet might be obsolete in a few years’ time, but I’m having a ball trying to keep up.