Laptops and Tablets and Cameras, oh my!

Before the day got too old, I made myself go to Best Buy yesterday to look at new technology.  (If I wait too long in the day, I talk myself out of it, so if I am not at the BB door by 10:15, forgetaboutit.)  New technology to me means anything newer than what I now have, which is a borrowed, old (at least 6 years) and very basic laptop.  It only works plugged in (no battery power), won't accept certain links to other sites, has some keys that often won't type (like the letter 'm' and 'd') and is generally annoyingly acceptable in its usefulness.  It reluctantly lets me get online, lets me check email, write a blog, google things but it is very slow and very old.  I think it has a form of computer dementia, and sometimes forgets that it is my tool to the online world. It will simply say 'no' at random times, refusing to access a site that it happily found the day before.  Temperamental and old.  Sounds vaguely familiar, actually, in a sadly personal way.

So into Best Buy I ventured. It was overwhelming. Station after station of shiny new electronic equipment. I thought I might want to get a tablet instead of a laptop but there were so many of both species that I quickly became like a zombie, eyes glazed over, fingers held out in front of my body, gingerly touching some of the shiny objects, moving to the next one, making small ferret-like sounds. At least I wasn't drooling.  At least, I hope I wasn't drooling.

Too many choices and not enough facts to know what to do with all those choices.  For example, two identical Samsung tablets right next to each other, $100 difference in the price and the only thing I could see that differentiated the two was one letter in their model number.  What does that mean? For what I want, does it mean anything at all?  Who can tell me the answers to these kind of questions?  One BB Geek salesperson came over, hesitantly, and asked "Do you have any questions?"  When I answered "I have too many questions, actually" he edged away quickly.  (I figured he was the new guy. The other salesmen obviously could read my technologically deficient aura and stayed aisles away from me.)

The Apple products were the most alluring but the most expensive as well.  But in other makes and models, there were lovely looking laptops for under $400 and equally lovely ones for $1400.  Tablets, the same.  In a daze, I just walked around and around the displays until I just couldn't look any longer.

I walked over to the camera section because I currently do not have a camera and I want one.  Something small, cheap, efficient and uncomplicated.  They had small and cheap, that's for sure. And larger and expensive as well, of course. But there were so many!  Dozens and in all colors.  I realized that I needed to do a little research on cameras before I bought one, but then I thought "Why? Does it really matter?  I am not looking to be Ansel Adams, just pick one up and buy it!"  But I couldn't.  Not just yet.

Right now, Tuesday morning, it isn't 10:00 in the morning yet, so I still have time to take a shower and go back to BB and actually buy something.  I might..... it will be a small and cheap camera.  I am not ready for the plunge into the computer/tablet purchase yet.  Maybe the camera will be like a gateway drug, one that will lead me to another, more substantial purchase.

One can only hope. 

UPDATE:  Without taking a shower or leaving my house, I bought a small, cheap camera!  Amazon had one that was recommended, with tax it's less than $90.00 and I didn't even need to talk to a Geek salesperson!  What a sense of relief.  Of course, now I need a new computer/laptop/tablet so I can post some of the outstanding photos that I will be taking, because this old demented computer does not like cameras or photos or uploading or processing anything other than a few keystrokes.  But hey, it will happen! I have new confidence.  HA!