Last week, as I was setting up for a meeting, I felt a twinge of annoyance at the reliance we have on cables, cords, and power outlets. Despite the high-tech, wireless option available for projecting in the meeting room, I still had to spend 20 minutes running around looking for the right adaptor and a cable.
Initially I was pleased to see that the meeting room was equipped with a smart board. A smart board can be used as an electronic white board, a projector screen, and more, usually with a wireless connection. I quickly discovered that I didn’t have the right app installed to connect wirelessly. I was disappointed, but knew I could connect with an adaptor and cable.
The smart board would only accept an HDMI cable, which generally isn’t a problem, except the cable wasn’t there. I found instead a large bundle of cables, snaking across the table like a giant boa constrictor into the floor close to the smart board. The bundle ended in a thick coil with several different ports sticking out of it, including a shredded HDMI. However, nothing in this jumbled mass of options was actually connected to the smart board, or it seemed, to anything else in the room. The only port that could be used was an HDMI one that could be felt, but not seen, behind the screen.
After I secured the necessary adaptor and cables, I then had to figure out where to plug in my device so the power wouldn’t run out during the meeting. Even more tripping hazards. Argh.
We have access to so much great and innovative technology including wireless options. So how come I’m always running around looking for cables?
Even when I don’t need cables and adaptors to use a projector, it seems I’m always stumbling over chargers and wires. The one flaw of all these neat gadgets and devices we’re always tethered to a power source. At one point in time I did use a wireless charger for my phone, but it was slow. And I could either use the phone or let it charge. When the phone is plugged in directly I can do both.
No matter how free and mobile we feel with our devices, we’re still reliant on a power source.
1 comment for “Totally Tethered”