2010 in review - Top ten

We're at that time of the year when it's mandatory to look back at the past 12 months - the good, the bad, and the poopy. I was doing some cardio the other day and a number of things popped into my head that I thought would be worth cataloguing. So, over the next ten days, here are the top ten experiences I had over the calendar year 2010.

There is no science to this - I wrote a short list very quickly on a scrap of paper and this is being written in a "train of thought" style.

#10. The iPad



When the iPad first came out, the amount it was selling was insane. 3 million units in 80 days! I had always followed the rule of never to buy a first-generation Apple product.

Through a work promotion in the summertime, however, I won an iPad. I upgraded from the base to get the 32gb wi-fi version (no 3G coverage), and from day one, it has been an impressive little gadget.

It's extraordinarily easy to use, and there are applications (the kids call them "apps") for every mundane part of life. It's easy, fun, and portable to watch a movie on, great for showing photos, and amazingly, it's become an integral part of managing our son William since his arrival in September.

As all you parents know, it's crucial to track all details of the baby's activity, sleep, growth and more, especially if you want to be able to predict later behaviour. Rather than write this all down in a workbook, we found that "there's an app for that": Baby Connect.



Tiffany has been using Baby Connect since William's arrival and it has proven indispensible. We're able to show statistics to his doctor, count hours of sleep daily, and make estimations for future resources.

Sadly, with it being so closely tied to William, the iPad has pretty much become his iPad. I don't really get the chance to sit in a coffee shop with it and look cool/nerdy/hipster/attention whorish.

I know that within a few months, this device will be outdated. Competitors are all coming out with their own tablets, and some will certainly improve on the iPad. Of course, Apple themselves will release iPad Gen 2 in 2011, which will have some of the features THEY DELIBERATELY LEFT OUT of the first generation, such as a camera for video chatting.

Still, it has been a fantastic thing to have, and one of the few times in my life when I haven't felt like I'm years behind technologically.




Tomorrow: #9