Here's A Better Idea…

You know, technology isn’t about making life better or faster or easier sometimes.
The way I see it, it complicates life mostly. People just can’t stick with one simple idea. They like to adorn their ideas and see it grow, with bling-blings and tassels and silverdust.
While I work with technology most of the time, there are times when I say “Enough!”. I mean, do we really need to have our handphones hanging off our left ear? Is everything so urgent that we simply MUST take that phone call or the world will go bust?
Come on…. I think most people fall in love with the idea of technology, not realizing technology is supposed to make our human lives better, not turn us into robots who’re on perpetual Go from the moment we wake up.
Another problem I have is with people who cannot live a day without their ‘canggih punya’ machines or tools. PDAs for instance. I’ve stuck out this long and I don’t think I’ll be getting one. Even if I did, it’s because I want to play some games on it…Bejeweled maybe. Not because I want to have this list of contacts, to-do list etc. piled into a tool when sometimes a simpler one would do.
That’s why I think we humans have this odd habit of complicating our lives when simple solutions would do. That’s why I love 43 folders, which incidentally is linked to the Hipster PDA, which in turn makes me want to do cartwheels. Or at least say, “There, I told you so!”
I’ve mostly wondered why people can’t understand that it’s easy to make things difficult and complex but so tough to make things simple.
Mostly people think simplicity is child’s play. Not so.
Simplicity is an art.
The Hipster PDA is one simplicity which I love. Well, it sounds ‘canggih’ like hell but it is actually a joke. A good one. You know how everyone flashes their PDAs around like an extra phone these days? Merlin Mann decided NOT to. He’s the brains behind 43 folders (even THAT is an interesting concept in itself) and he came up with the idea of a Hipster PDA.
Oh, you can get one too. In fact, Nic has been a pioneer of this PDA for the longest time.
Here’s how you can get your hands on the Hipster PDA.
Go to your nearest stationery store (ok, Borders, MPH, Kino or even the kedai around the place from where you work) and grab some 3 by 5 cards/papers. Buy a clip. Clip this bunch of papers/cards together and hey, you have just successfully rewarded yourself with a Hipster PDA!
(Time to go “What the….?”)
Yes, it makes you go back to the days of writing. Hmmm…remember that? As in take out your pen and write your To-Do List. I can tell you there is no better satisfaction than crossing out items that I’ve completed on paper. Hear the scratch of the pen on paper. “Deleting” an action item doesn’t give that kind of fulfillment. How about balling up paper? Nice sound huh?
For me, I think it’s best to retain some sort of sanity in an insanely technological world. I am in touch with IT all day, all the time and I feel overwhelmed sometimes and resort to traditional ways to make me feel less robotic.
I think that’s why some of us like to engage in crafting or handiwork. Because we’re missing this natural bonding with ourselves. Of doing things, of creating things with our bare hands. The satisfaction is indescribable.
So, if pen and paper can help me run my life more efficiently, I don’t see why not. Of course it is so not seen to be carrying clipped papers and running around town. So not done, dahling.
But then, when it’s nicely filed up in your electronic PDA, you’ll forget it and wonder why you can’t kickstart yourself into doing something.
Give me plain old usability anytime.
To check out Hipster PDA, go here.
To check out 43 folders (very interesting concept!), go here.