I don’t anthropomorphise my technology. I don’t have cute or clever names for it, and I don’t think it has any particular personality. Still, today I am a little sad about something.  I bought an iPad 2.0 back in June of 2011, just on two  years ago. I have carried it with me around the world, recorded (and lost) some wonderful podcasts on it, read books, read graphic stories, listened to music, watched television and music, whiled away flights, blogged, photographed, and even played games, performed bank transfers and who knows what all else during that time. I doubt that a day has gone by when I haven’t used it extensively for some purpose or other, and I’ve become very attached to it.

So, today, when I had to while away a little time sitting on my front porch I decided to kill ten minutes playing a game (Asphalt 7, for the curious). And, as has never happened before, the iPad slipped from my hand, skidded slightly down the step, and hit the concrete path just *s0*.  At first I thought I’d escaped, but I quickly saw that one corner has been crunched, that some glass was missing there, and then noticed hairline cracks extending over most of the screen (including a great big diagonal doozy of a thing). Basically, though the device is still functioning, it’s cactus.

It’s something I wish hadn’t happened. I’d no plans to replace the iPad, and I’m not sure what I’ll do. I’ll take it to Apple tomorrow, who will probably replace it rather than fix the screen. A fee, I believe, of about $280. There’ll be some fiddling around, then onwards I guess. I am considering switching to an iPad Mini, but am doubtful since I use the iPad to watch TV, and I could switch to an iPad 4, but the 5 is apparently not far away. Something to ponder.

In the meantime, though, a moment of very mild melancholy. “Jonathan Strahan’s iPad”, nifty Coode St sticker appended to the back, has been a faithful servant these past two years and will be missed.