The Ongoing Pursuit of Minimalism

As I packed for my recent trip to Halifax you’ll remember, I ditched the big camera and laptop. The iPhone was going anyway and if it could act as camera and computer then this represented a significant weight savings, bulk, too — plus the worries of water damage. Adding the Bluetooth keyboard was the only luxury.

The Kindle got left behind, which was an easy decision — I read with the Kindle app on the phone. This boiled down to a pretty small footprint, electronics-wise.

Did I read much? Yeah, the solo ride had lots of quiet time; I’d go to bed early and read. Maybe I hit the sack early because of what I was reading: Daniel Suarez’s Daemon was a wicked read! Tech types will love it. I read all 448 pages on the small screen.

But what about posting to the blog?
Would it be a hassle, using only the WordPress app?

The keyboard was a big benefit here, but the app’s integration with photos and linking them to the posts was so slick that I’ve continued posting this way since my return. Yes, as I edit this on my giant desktop display, it has all been pre-loaded with photos taken on the phone and posted via the WordPress app on the phone. It’s easier than the steps I take on my desktop configuration.

Since the trip I’ve ordered a couple of stands for the iPhone; I’d prefer one where I can leave the protective cover on. I’ll let you know what I find.

My August tour in Victoria, BC will include an interview or two, so I’ve been fretting about a lightweight configuration for audio recording. I have a deluxe audio recorder and narrow cardiod hand held mic, but that’s a bulky combo for a couple of interviews. That’s when I dusted off this Sony recorder. Well, actually, it was after reading about the Olympus LS-100 in the New York Times this morning. This similarly svelte recorder has XLR inputs for pro mics, but as I dug deeper I found critical comments from users. So I’ve been re-testing this Sony recorder using the built-in mics; in a not-so-noisy venue it might do the trick and again, I’d have a pint-sized solution.