Two Weeks Have Passed Since I Quit Using an iPad
Two weeks have passed since I started living without an iPad-like device, in other words, without a tablet. I want to write about how what I felt in the previous entry has changed since then.
Here is the previous entry.
Two weeks have passed since I reset my iPad and stopped using it. I was originally planning to buy an iPad mini, but I paused and thought, "Wait a second," and have left things as they are.
When I wrote that entry, I thought this lifestyle felt pretty good. But in fact, a few problems have come up.
Google Maps Was More of an Everyday Tool Than I Expected
For me, Google Maps was more than a map. It was a hobby tool. Even when I was not going anywhere, I would look at Google Maps and add various places to my favorites, but I stopped doing that as much. I thought I might do the same thing in the browser version on my MacBook Air, but I did not. Apparently, what I enjoyed was scrolling around a large tablet map by touch. Incidentally, on the iPhone, which is also a touch device, the overview is poor, so I only use it when I get lost outside. For now, I do not have an alternative.
I Watch YouTube Much Less
Until now, after work I often lay down on the sofa and watched YouTube. I do that much less now. If I watch it, I watch on the iPhone, but the screen feels too small and the sound is not good, so I do not watch for long.
I Do Not Have a Dual Display Setup When I Go Out
This was the biggest thing I had not expected. Of course, it is obvious, but when I go out, I no longer have a dual display environment. Until now, using the iPad with Sidecar gave me a stress-free external display setup. Honestly, I had not thought that far when I stopped using it, and I do find it a bit inconvenient when I am out.
Kindle Unlimited Magazines Are Still Best on a Tablet
I regularly read many magazines at once on Kindle Unlimited, but that has become harder. I can do something similar on a MacBook, but the sense of immersion is different. With Vision Pro, I can also spread Kindle Unlimited out to about the size of a newspaper and get a different kind of immersion, but I have not gotten that into it yet. Kindle on Vision Pro feels like it lacks resolution somehow, though I wonder how it really is.
Still, I Have More Time
The older I get, the more deeply I understand how valuable time is. By giving up the iPad, I have very clearly gained more time when I have nothing to do. For example, even if I watch YouTube, I do it with the MacBook open, which makes me feel like doing some light work while watching. As a result, tasks get done, and the time originally set aside for those tasks turns into free time.
I feel like I have more time for daily life and more time for research-like activities. So if you feel like you never have enough time and realize you use a tablet heavily every day, I recommend trying to let go of the tablet once.
Even if some forms of enjoyment decrease, I currently feel that gaining more time with no plans is more valuable than anything. This is a time when the era is changing. I want to quietly observe the world and think about what comes next.