No doubt we all love our electronic toys but for me I'm a little gob smacked at how my Android Tablet, Nexus 7, has taken over my life. It's more than practical it boarders on an obsessive love. The size, the interface, the speed, all add up to a very satisfying experience.
It is a very useful device in that it has replaced my much used note books. I'm using an app, Free notes, that allows me to use one of my favorite tools the pen to quickly capture my handwritten notes. I can easily organize and utilize my notes that were once just jammed into one paper book. There are some foibles and things to get use to but it really gets the job done and I like the pen-tablet interface. It feels good to scribble and the pen feels satisfying smooth on the glass. I suspect this feature will only improve with new generations of devices and I will be lining up to buy one.
Since having the Android I've been experimenting with lots of different apps. And to my surprise I have found several that really work well. Of course we all need word processing and "Office" capabilities and there are lots of apps that give us that, I use Office Pro and it works very well. The most satisfying apps that I like to play with are; Big Fat Canvas, Sketch Book, and Sho Do.
Big Fat Canvas allows me to write and zoom unlimitedly on an infinite sized canvas. I use this for mind mapping and brainstorming. It is so cool I find myself doing stuff on it just to play with it. Creatively this is a powerful allies.
Both Sketchbook and Sho Do are drawing apps. Now I am no artist, but the pen interface seems so natural and fun that I find myself making little sketches and drawings just because it's so fun. Who would have thought that this Android would allow me so much creative freedom.
Because of it's portability and the pen interface the Android has become both a professional and personally effective tool that has opened up new creative blood in me and allowed me to be increasingly organized and effective. I am writing and drawing more while enjoying the experience. Like all love affairs this infatuation may not last but for now I'm loving it.
