...and it was only 12 stinkin' bucks.

My whole life, I've zealously protected my gadgets with cases and screen protectors, and in recent times, cases with built-in stands for my tablets.

However, the current crop of svelte, super-sexy tablets like my iPad mini and Asus Nexus 7 demand to be used "naked." The iPad mini feels positively industrial, almost alien, due to its cool metal backing and extreme thinness. The Nexus 7 feels familiar yet sporty with its "perforated" rubberized back, which resembles (not coincidentally, I imagine) a leather-wrapped sports car steering wheel.

I don't want to experience these devices with "protection." I want to raw dog these gorgeous gadgets.

I can't hold it in any longer. I'm experiencing some serious cognitive dissonance here with some of my recent choices regarding technology. Back in the day, I was a hardcore dedicated DOS guy. Between running my own BBS (it was called The Laughing Dog. I need to dig up some of my ANSI/ASCII art one of these days) playing Doom over 2400 baud modem and watching demoscene intros, I couldn't imagine using a Mac. I ridiculed the PowerMacs we had at my high school -- they simply felt sluggish and limited to me.