NET RESULTS:Sometimes it's a good idea to make computers, devices and online connections just shut up

BACK IN the 1960s, LSD guru Timothy Leary coined the counterculture phrase: “Turn on, tune in, drop out.”

These days, I propose rewriting this as “turn off, tune out, drop out.” Not all the time, of course – I love my computer and devices, and online connections and connectivity. I enjoy texts and discussion boards, e-mail and various social media networks. But sometimes it’s a good idea to make that side of life just shut up.

The need for occasionally living an unplugged life really hit home after a long bank holiday weekend that for me started two days early – on Thursday at the Bloom garden festival in the Phoenix Park, then on Friday with a trek over to Galway and the Volvo Ocean Race.

Given the weekend that was in it – and the fact that I need to reduce my use of keyboards generally due to worsening symptoms from repetitive strain injury – I figured this was a good time to shut down my laptop and leave it off for a little tech break.

So off I went to Bloom, where the closest I came to technology was the giant reclining robot made out of discarded electrical appliances in one of the marquees. His feet were made of old computer boxes painted green – and he was there to advocate recycling through European Recycling Platform (ERP) Ireland (more information at www.befreewitherp.ie).

After that, everything was the living green of plants. I’ve been to all three Bloom events, and each year it gets even better. The highlight is always the garden competition and seeing how different entries re-imagine a garden space (my favourite was one with a deck and wooden hammock next to a pond and waterfall that in the warm sunshine sang out for a good book and a glass of wine).

Looking at gardens and plants recalibrates eyeballs grown tired and strained from peering at screens, and is incredibly calming and relaxing. This was a good start to a mostly tech-free weekend.

Or at least, tech usage-free weekend because I spent most of Friday afternoon looking at the next wave of broadband technology with Ericsson over in Galway. The Swedish company has two yachts competing in the Volvo Ocean Race and this made for a happy excuse to party in a geekish way – do some eating, drinking and sailing with guests, and to set up a briefing centre and closed network in the Radisson SAS in town and bring clients and journalists in for some tech sessions.

I found the LTE demo especially fascinating ( LTE stands for long term evolution, the next generation of mobile network technology). Okay, so this was a closed network set up within the Radisson, and actual network speeds for real users on broadband will be lower than what is flagged as “possible”.

But when the “possible” speeds with LTE are roaring along at around 150 megabits per second – compared to a few megabits per second on most of the best in home broadband connections – that still means significant boosts. This promises an amazing transformation in how we use mobiles and other connected devices and opens up home broadband options in a very significant way.

However, this was a briefing, not a hands-on session, and I deliberately didn’t bring a laptop for the weekend of talk, food, sailing and general enjoyment. Ericcson gave our group the chance to sail on one of its retired racing yachts from a previous ocean race – one of the thoroughbred, multi-million euro, carbon-fibre beautihedes – it was to sailing what Formula 1 is to a Smart Car.

Even a leisurely 10mph wind translated into taut sails and a brisk skate over Galway Bay on one of these efficient, lightweight, responsive yachts. And a chance to lose oneself in watching the racing yachts and their puffy gossamer spinnakers, the shifting horizon, the late afternoon wisps of clouds moving across the sky.

Peace. Calm. No Twitter alerts, no pop-up advertisements, no mobile calls, no e-mails, no blog updates. Yes, those yachts are the highest of high-tech but didn’t require me to use a screen or keyboard, and yet another day passed in a personal, low-tech heaven.

Back in Dublin on Monday, it was down to the docks to see the tall ships and enjoy the carnival atmosphere, the booths, the street entertainment, friends, and a very tasty grilled bratwurst washed down with weissbier.

Really, this annual Docklands maritime event brings out all that is best in Dublin and reminds just how fabulous the transformation of this once derelict area of the city has been. And again, it was a low-tech experience for me. Masts, rigging, music, food, chat offline rather than online.

Monday night I turned on my laptop for the first time in nearly five days and discovered – surprise! – that the discussion lists and board that I run got along just fine without me, as did all those other online communications spaces that I love. My e-mail life managed not to fall apart too.

So, tech: you can love it and leave it for a bit without losing the relationship. I’m looking forward to turning off and tuning out on a regular, mind-enhancing basis.

klillington@irishtimes.com Blog and podcasts: www.techno-culture.com