Mobile & Gadgets
 Posted by - October 5, 2011

Mid-Week Poll: What Portable Electronics Do You Carry?

I have a subway commute to and from work every day. Used to be, I’d see people around me reading newspapers, books, or heaven forbid even talking to each other. These days, everyone’s eyes are on their phones, iPads or Kindles. This got me to wondering what portable electronics our readers carry around. Tell us after the page break.

I’m currently carrying just an Android smartphone. It gets me on the internet, which is good enough to get me through my commute. I may occasionally watch a movie or TV episode on it as well. I’m still not sold on the usefulness of a tablet computer, and I don’t read enough books regularly to justify investing in an eReader. I’m not overly interested in playing videogames beyond those I can download for free from the Android Market.

How about you? What do you carry around? Vote for as many options as you’d like.

What Portable Electronics Do You Carry?

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About Josh Zyber

Josh Zyber is a veteran movie and video disc reviewer from Laserdisc to DVD and beyond. He previously wrote for DVDFile.com, DVDTalk.com, and Home Theater magazine.
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23 comments

  1. HuskerGuy
    October 5, 2011 at 6:28 am -

    The only thing I typically ever carry around at all times is my smartphone (Droid Bionic). It does pretty much everything and anything I need to entertain myself when out of the house.

    I didn’t vote for these, but I also own a modified Nook Color tablet that runs android (dual-boot), but I mostly use that for browsing the interwebs at home. I have a PSP Go as well, but I only use it on trips which are few and far between.

  2. Jonathan Doan
    October 5, 2011 at 6:50 am -

    I love having a smartphone. I switched from an iPhone 3GS to a Verizon phone because AT&T SUCKS and I was ready for a change. I have an HTC Droid Incredible. I don’t like it much, after having it for a year. It’s an OKAY phone, but only OKAY. I’ve been having major issues with the touchscreen accuracy, such as when I text. I always text while holding the phone vertically, as it is just more comfortable. Yet, the touchscreen seems to be too slow on the right side, because it doesn’t register many letters I type with my right forefinger and as such, auto-correct is always misinterpreting my desired words. Android, however, is better than Apple’s iOS in some ways, and iOS is better in others. It’s like a tennis rally, to be honest. Plus, HTC’s “Sense” additions to the Android operating system are very nice.

    As for other portable electronics, I REALLY want an iPad 2!! They are awesome things, and I’d love to have one, though I really can’t justify paying $500+ for a toy. At this point, it’s still just a toy and not a serious business tool. They need to allow for input/output processes to truly make it a tablet computer. Then it will be unstoppable.

  3. Dail Whiteley
    October 5, 2011 at 7:36 am -

    i have both ipod classic and a i pod touch. i use my ipod classic to fall asleep to and i use my touch form the time i go out the door to the time i get home.

  4. Jane Morgan
    October 5, 2011 at 9:20 am -

    Since I can’t vote None, I voted Other.

    I read a hundred books a year, all on paper.

    Kindle’s e-ink just looks ugly. But the Kindle Fire intrigues me.

    I’ve played with an iPad, but tablets aren’t good enough yet. When the iPad 3 comes out next May with an HD screen, that might be sexy.

    Nintendo can fuck off.

    Amazon is also prepping a 10″ tablet this holiday. If they can pack in Tegra 3, and hit $399, I might succumb to the temptation.

    Mostly I’m waiting for 2014. For Tegra 6 and the PS4.

  5. ilovenola2
    October 5, 2011 at 9:29 am -

    Well, since I can’t vote None, I did NOT vote. I use a cell phone for phone calls and nothing else. Like Jane, I read a large number of books a year…all on paper as well. I have no interest in tablet reading.
    As for email, etc., I do it at home and sometimes at work. I use no social media (burn me once….) and will probably stay old-fashioned as to the use of these items.
    However, having been through the Katrina Experience (away, thankfully), I can see the value of these hand-held devices….when you can get a signal.

  6. William Henley
    October 5, 2011 at 9:44 am -

    I carry my Android phone everywhere, but I take my laptop with me quite a bit, especially if I know I can get on Wi-Fi.

    As for books, I prefer paper, and I buy most of my books used for a couple of bucks. If they drop e-books to under $3 a book, I may look at the Kindle app. I plan to get an Android tablet within the next six months, as I have several friends who have them, and they are just so cool! The Kindle app is really good, I just don’t like paying that price for a book.

    • T.J. Kats
      October 5, 2011 at 9:51 am -

      You can use the kindle app to get library books. I just got my iPad and am doing that to read Girl with a Dragon Tattoo.

      • William Henley
        October 5, 2011 at 12:47 pm -

        Yeah, but I am sure this depends largely on the city. I live in a small town (that is commonly mistaken as a suburb of the larger city surrounding us), and we have a single library, which just recently started renting DVDs. I expect e-books to show up in roughly 15 years.

  7. T.J. Kats
    October 5, 2011 at 9:53 am -

    160gb iPod, iPhone 3GS, and iPad 2 for me. I don’t always have them all on me but do carry them all from time to time.

  8. KR
    October 5, 2011 at 11:44 am -

    I ride the Long Island Railroad back and forth into Manhattan all week, and have for the past 5 years. Smartphones are definitely in the majority there. Kindles and iPads are becoming more widely-used. Still see the ocassional “regular” iPod (Shuffle, Nano, Classic) as well.

    Surprisingly, there are a huge number of people still reading hard-copy books, newspapers, and magazines. I’d say that I definitely see more people using actual paper than ebooks or tablets. I’m sure that won’t be the case within the next couple of years though.

    Personally, I always bring my iPhone 4 and iPad 2 along for the ride.

  11. Julian
    October 5, 2011 at 11:17 pm -

    I always carry an N-Gage, my Palm and a Psion. Being a nerd, I also have the major portable consoles (Game Boy, Game Boy Advance SP, Game Boy Micro, Nintendo (3)DS, Sega Game Gear and PSP). Still searching for an Ataxi Lynx, a Sega Nomad, a Neo Geo and a WonderSwan.

  12. Thulsadoom
    October 6, 2011 at 1:53 am -

    I voted smartphone, kindle and laptop (Although strictly speaking, it’s not my laptop I take many places, but my netbook for writing). Never bothered with an mp3 player, since my smartphone serves that purpose. I also don’t see the point in tablets. It’s like paying more for a netbook without a keyboard, or a smartphone that’s too big for your pocket. 😉

  13. Chad Lawless
    October 6, 2011 at 2:22 am -

    iPod every day. Helps me keep an idea of what wines we have on-hand at my restaurant, and where to find them in the massive wine racks. Plus, it’s so much better to listen to a playlist or a podcast than the radio…..