iChat, therefore I am ...

So the last couple of nights while away at this event in the west of England, in a country hotel which provides little cell phone coverage, the broadband internet connection combined with my Apple laptop has allowed me not only to talk to my wife and friends but also show them around the place here using full screen video and pass web hyperlinks via text chat ... all using iChat, the conferencing application provided on every Mac.  The certificates issued to mobileme service members has also allowed these audio, video and text chat sessions to be seemlessly encrypted both ways - not that I believe there is anyone who would gain from 'listening' in!

The link has also allowed me to write this blog, to do my work and personal email, to confirm onward travel arrangements, share my calendar to those who need to know and keep in touch with the news ... both general and technology.  I am able to watch Apple CEO Steve Jobs perform on stage at the event that has launched the next generation of iPods in California and download the latest software updates released.  My laptop extends the ethernet broadband connection provided in the room here wirelessly to my iPhone.  I have all my required Internet apps to hand!

So do I really miss the coverage of my GSM cellphone?   Do I miss the GPRS data connection which it should provide?   No ... I would prefer the general Internet broadband connection anyday ... and in the future I believe this will be even more so for many more people.