My Gadget Life - James Haskell

23rd September 2011

If I could pick one gadget it’d be my iPad 2. I use it for everything from video editing for my app, reading books, watching movies and writing blogs. My three essential apps are Flipboard, Skype – no, FaceTime is better – and Osfoora HD for Twitter.Tablets won’t replace laptops for a while. I’d never get an iPad without a laptop and frankly for someone with big hands it’s easier to type on a laptop. Also, while some apps are great, the detail you get using software on a MacBook is on a different level. Look at iMovie, if you need an example.I’ll try to resist buying the iPad 3 the day it comes out, telling myself I can wait until the next model comes out or see if there are any big differences. This philosophy normally falls apart about a month in, when one of my team mates has it, and it looks awesome.I couldn’t hold the first iPad for long without it making my arms ache. That made it difficult to use for prolonged periods, especially during travelling, something us rugby players do a lot. Tablet screens are great as they are, but typing can be tricky for the bigger gentleman. I can touch type but struggle on an iPad or iPhone.

I think tech is a good thing in sport – so many results could have been changed if there had been better tech. It doesn’t slow the game down from a player's perspective. It's always difficult to get the balance and sometimes, even with the TMO [television match official, or video referee], you can't clearly see if the ball has crossed the line even with loads of angles. I think in tennis it's shown that human error and what people believed they saw can differ dramatically.

If I could travel back in time, I'd go back to when Steve jobs first left Apple and shares were down massively in price. Then I’d invest everything I had knowing he would come back and steer the ship. I'd be beyond minted.

Who’s going to win the Rugby World Cup 2011? It’s a tough question. The All Blacks and South Africa look the teams to beat. But you have to believe that England can do it.