One consequence of spending most of your waking hours working in or around the technology industry is a certain loss of perspective when it comes to tech. Computer problems become a personal insult rather than a minor inconvenience, while getting one's hands on new gadgets can seem to be rather more vital than it might to an impartial observer.
On other occasions, however, the importance of such trivialities is suddenly and clearly thrown into sharp focus by genuinely important or horrific events. So it's very easy to note that, for example, the availability of some electronic doodad is of no consequence whatsoever when a natural disaster strikes leaving towns wiped off the map, thousands dead and tens of thousands homeless and without sufficient food, water, or shelter.
And yet, looking at today's news, you could be forgiven for wondering if some news outlets have considered this.
Specifically, several websites and newspapers - we're deliberately not linking, as visitors equate to money, and such reporting should not be rewarded - have noted today that Apple's new iPad 2 may be in short supply due to difficulties sourcing components from Japan following the recent disaster.
By way of an explanation for the shortage, one well known newspaper notes:
"The Japanese economy was crippled by last Friday's earthquake and tsunami, with Tokyo's streets increasingly deserted as people flee and stay in door in fear of radiation from the Fukushima nuclear reactors."
No mention of the dead, the trapped, the homeless or the desperate need for aid.
So here's my humble suggestion: if a shortage of iPad devices, or indeed any other consumer electronics, does transpire after the Japanese quake, then let's not dwell on such a minor inconvenience.
If anyone does end up with a few hundred quid that was earmarked for a now-unavailable device burning a hole in their pockets, then let's hope they remember that the same cash could be put to very good use by the charities aiding those who have lost everything in the quake. We've listed a few below.
And if anyone genuinely does feel genuinely aggreived that such a disaster has limited their ability to buy electronic doodads, and that this is somehow of more importance than those suffering the effects of the quake, perhaps they could do us all the service of keeping quiet.
Because, quite frankly, they are an embarassment to us all.
If you'd like to donate to help those affected in Northern Japan, the British Red Cross is collecting donations to be passed to the Japanese Red Cross - you can give online here.
Peace Winds Japan is a Japanese charity also helping the affected. UK citizens can donate using Gift Aid, which adds significantly more to the value of their donation, via this JustGiving page set up by the supermarket Ocado.
On other occasions, however, the importance of such trivialities is suddenly and clearly thrown into sharp focus by genuinely important or horrific events. So it's very easy to note that, for example, the availability of some electronic doodad is of no consequence whatsoever when a natural disaster strikes leaving towns wiped off the map, thousands dead and tens of thousands homeless and without sufficient food, water, or shelter.
And yet, looking at today's news, you could be forgiven for wondering if some news outlets have considered this.
Specifically, several websites and newspapers - we're deliberately not linking, as visitors equate to money, and such reporting should not be rewarded - have noted today that Apple's new iPad 2 may be in short supply due to difficulties sourcing components from Japan following the recent disaster.
By way of an explanation for the shortage, one well known newspaper notes:
"The Japanese economy was crippled by last Friday's earthquake and tsunami, with Tokyo's streets increasingly deserted as people flee and stay in door in fear of radiation from the Fukushima nuclear reactors."
No mention of the dead, the trapped, the homeless or the desperate need for aid.
So here's my humble suggestion: if a shortage of iPad devices, or indeed any other consumer electronics, does transpire after the Japanese quake, then let's not dwell on such a minor inconvenience.
If anyone does end up with a few hundred quid that was earmarked for a now-unavailable device burning a hole in their pockets, then let's hope they remember that the same cash could be put to very good use by the charities aiding those who have lost everything in the quake. We've listed a few below.
And if anyone genuinely does feel genuinely aggreived that such a disaster has limited their ability to buy electronic doodads, and that this is somehow of more importance than those suffering the effects of the quake, perhaps they could do us all the service of keeping quiet.
Because, quite frankly, they are an embarassment to us all.
If you'd like to donate to help those affected in Northern Japan, the British Red Cross is collecting donations to be passed to the Japanese Red Cross - you can give online here.
Peace Winds Japan is a Japanese charity also helping the affected. UK citizens can donate using Gift Aid, which adds significantly more to the value of their donation, via this JustGiving page set up by the supermarket Ocado.
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