In Praise of my iPad

I would like to take a moment to say a word about my iPad. I bought it just two weeks before I left the states. I had never had an iPhone or an iPod larger than a Shuffle, so this was all new to me. With the help of my son I hurriedly downloaded apps, books, & podcasts for my journey.





In the past I have carried English books with me, enough to last the whole summer. With books & art supplies taking most of the room in my suitcase, I pack very few cloths. I am a real lover of books. So the idea of reading on an electronic devise was not, I will have to say, very appealing. But I have been won over.
To save money I downloaded free books, classics, I had always meant to read. I started with Dostoyevsky, The Brothers Karamazov. I quickly remembered why I had never gotten through this book, all those long Russian names. However, with the iPad one can simply click on a name & be reminded of all the places you have already met a character. Amazing! And there is a dictionary too. With a click you can find any word you may be uncertain of. This really does change how we read.




As far as the internet is concerned, in years past, I had ridden my bike the 8 kilometers to St. Antonin. At the library there, I could use a computer for one hour, with a reservation. Although I love the library this was not a fast or easy solution. I still must travel the 8 k to hook up with wifi, but having the iPad makes all the difference. The door to the library is pictured above & just beyond, through the archway, is the cafe, where I now go to use the wifi & my iPad. For the price of a cup of coffee I can sit there all day. And best of all, I can download photos & publish my blog. So I would have to say that the iPad has been the perfect tool for this summer's communication. Plus, since it is so new, it has proven to be a real conversation starter.

Location:France