Want to know what I carry around with me on a daily basis, now that I'm studying Japanese? I have my Tuttle Kanji Cards, blank flashcards for making my own vocabulary cards, writing utensils, oh and a few notebooks for writing practice. Oh, and also my MP3 player for listening to Japanese dramas and things at random times. Oh, and sometimes my DS for My Japanese Coach (and hopefully for one of the better Japanese programs soon). So when an editorial on Japundit addressed the idea of Apple's new ipad potentially lightening my load, I stood up and took notice.

Now, there's nothing the iPad does that can't be done with a tablet PC, but the idea of having everything I need in a comfortably light 1.5 pound package really is pretty appealing. I've noticed that the greatest impediment to doing something that requires consistent effort (like learning a language) is the logistical complications factor. I've been good about doing my flashcards and such lately, but that's because I finally idiot-proofed my system for learning so that my cards are pretty much in front of my face all the time. With my flashcards, Kanji-writing software, MP3's, and Japanese ebooks all at my finger tips, won't that just make studying even easier still?

I'm not completely sold on it yet, but I'm seriously considering buying an iPad for this reason- also, the fact that I can use it as a digital sketchpad doesn't hurt. It may sound silly, but I can't emphasize enough how much organizing your study materials can affect your productivity; when you make it so that you can study while still being pretty damn lazy, you'll find you tend to study more.

[Via Japundit]