Modern Technology and You

[-Mark-]

So, I just got an iPhone 4S the other week.

No, I didn't make this topic to brag about it (for a start a lot of people have them these days anyway), but rather, it got me thinking; the last couple of years have really been the first time I've been relatively close to having up-to-date technology.

Sure, I've always got new consoles pretty much straight away, but that aside, I've usually lagged a good few years behind when it comes to technology; I didn't get a DVD player until 2005, a HDTV in 2008 (which amusingly I didn't know was HD until a couple of years later- and even then it's a cheap no-name brand and an odd 768P rather than full 1080P), and when you take into account how underpowered the Wii is, I only got a 360 back in 2010, too. I had a pretty basic phone up until recently, and made do with tacky Chinese MP3 players until I got an iPod a few years back. Basically, until a few years ago when I decided "I'm sick of making do with cheap, tacky technology", I'd basically, well, been making do with cheap, tacky technology.

Whilst I'm slowly clawing my way up the technology ladder, I'm still not really at the front end of new tech. Sure, I'm still keeping up to date with console and handhelds, and I have a pretty high-end phone now, but that's about it. Okay, my TV's hardly an antique (although one would argue that HDTV is fast becoming commonplace these days). I don't have a Blu-Ray player, and my laptop is (wait for it) a 2003 model. Okay, I've basically upgraded it as much as is possible, but even then, by today's standards it'd basically pass for a low to mid-range netbook.

That said, I don't really need a high-end laptop. I'm not a PC gamer, and whilst I was contemplating a better laptop, I decided against it after buying a Roku streaming box. All I'd use a good laptop for would be high-quality streaming video and TV out, which the Roku can do just fine.

So yeah, how about you guys? Have you got all the latest, top-of-the range technology, or do you generally lag behind by a few (or a lot, as I am in some cases) years until it's cheaper or you actually need it? Of course, I imagine that realistically in most cases it'll be somewhere in between, dictated in terms of importance of various technology from person to person.

Edited February 8, 2012 by -Mark-

[Solkia]

I got a gamecube, a ps3 slim, a plain old cell phone, a 2008 laptop, an ipod nano, and that's about it.

Yeah, can't afford to stay up-to-date atm.

[Stacy]

I think its impossible to stay up to date with everything.

[JezMM]

Let's see:

Console-wise, Mollfie and I combined have every major console from current generation, plus 3DS (no plans to get Vita yet).

PC-wise my computer is fairly up to date as of 2007, lol. It still gets by but with each new year I have to use lower and lower settings on newer games, alas. I'd love to upgrade but can't afford it.

As for phone, I have a Nokia 3220, which I got in 2004. Phones aren't a big deal for me, so as battered as it is, I won't be replacing it until it actually breaks. Also I've had it so long I have no plans to give it up until I absoloutely have to, since at this point of course using it is second-nature to me. I know all the shortcuts and exactly where everything is, etc. I know it'll take me months to get used to a new phone, lol.

[Vertekins]

Hmm...

We have a 1080p HDTV, my mother owns an Apple Iphone 4S and a MacBook, I own a Wii, Xbox 360 S, 3DS, DSi, Gamecube, a Kinect and a Wii Fit board as well as a Dell Inspiron Mini Laptop. I personally don't own a Mobile phone because I don't like them :/ I do own a MP3 player. Specifically a 2GB Alba. I don't see the point in investing in an Ipod or anything of the sort. My mom wants a Blu Ray player but is beating around the bush in getting one.

I'd say my family is pretty "With the times" when it comes to modern technology. I had a perfectly working Xbox 360 Elite yet my mom replaced it with the S model...for no apparent reason ^^;; I still wonder what tangent she went off on when it came to buying that S model...

[Silencer226]

I like trying to keep up with technology but it's impossible with my income being minimum wage (which I don't complain about, just glad to have a job and being able to attend college).

Consoles: XBOX 360 (latest model), PS3, Wii, PSP, PS2, I'm pretty satisfied with this, this was the first generation I was ever able to own more than 2 systems and that's because I got a job. Unfortunately... the XBOX gets little play time, because MS messed up and now I can barely find any interesting games for it.

PC: I had 2 pc's one for gaming and one connected to the tv, the one connected to the tv suffered from HDD failure and I didn't feel like dropping $60 to get a new.

Other: Since the hdd failed and I didn't want to bother with a new one, I went out to Best Buy and dropped $100 on a Roku, love that little device so far, and it got me to resubscribe to Netflix, and Hulu Plus, now I can watch all of my anime, and shit without having to wait on the stupid slow pc to load, unfortunately I can't get my mkv files to play anymore but the plex media server allows me to stream shows to my Roku from my PC so that's one solution only downside is that it's not as good quality as getting it from the actual source. I also bought a Kindle Fire 2 weeks ago (yes I've been a busy little bee for the past couple of weeks) with a christmas gift card of $200, I love this thing, all of my classwork files are stored, I can watch netflix, hulu, etc, and read my pdf files and surf the web while at school or if I don't feel like turning on the pc, lay in my bed and surf the web.

And now I've plopped money down for a Vita, I'm spoiling myself silly now, but I'm getting some nice checks from severance, regular paycheck, and income tax so Silencer's enjoying his ass off at the moment... Until he goes back to being poor again .

[Solkia]

I'm hoping to build a computer with a Radeon HD 7970 soon :<

[Silencer226]

I'm hoping to build a computer with a Radeon HD 7970 soon :<

I'm waiting for the Ivy before I do any upgrading to mine, the waiting is the hard part... and the fact that I pretty much have to rebuild the thing from scratch (minus, the case, hdd, and power supply) but I'll gladly give away any old parts to whoever would want them (Radeon HD 6850, Motherboard, and Phenom II X4 955 Black Edition), it'll make a nice cheap rig for anyone, it'll run your games and squeal like a bitch on BF3 maxed out . Of course, that's down the line, way down the line at the moment.

Edited February 8, 2012 by Silencer226

[Solkia]

I'm waiting for the Ivy before I do any upgrading to mine, the waiting is the hard part... and the fact that I pretty much have to rebuild the thing from scratch (minus, the case, hdd, and power supply) but I'll gladly give away any old parts to whoever would want them (Radeon HD 6850, Motherboard, and Phenom II X4 955 Black Edition), it'll make a nice cheap rig for anyone, it'll run your games and squeal like a bitch on BF3 maxed out . Of course, that's down the line, way down the line at the moment.

Ivy?

[Mollfie]

I like technology. I find it interesting and I like seeing what new things we've accomplished as a race. I love technology that can improve our quality of life but I find it really sad that we spend so much money on these things too. I find it pretty mind boggling when people I know will spend £40 a month (or more) on their iPhone and then moan that they are broke, and they barely use the thing anyway. Or when someone buys a super huge TV that takes up half the room...I just don't get it.

I also love robots.

I do wonder if we'll reach a plateau eventually with personal technology. How far can we push it?

Personally I'm not that fussed about owning a lot of the stuff that's available. It's nice and all but I can't justify the price. I would like an iPhone but at the moment I pay £10 for my perfectly good phone and barely use it. I love my laptop and need it to work so that's justifiable but the TV and consoles we have are purely because we want them. We don't really need them. Not that I see anything wrong with having things because you want them, that's fine and most of us work hard to earn those things but it weirds me out when people think it's their right to own it. Especially kids. But then I remember us not having a TV for a while when I was a kid and we were fine. I just read more. I dislike how our society seems to think we have the right to all these gadgets and junk. It makes me sad to see kids feeling that they need to own the newest phone or whatever. It's so selfish and I think we've lost touch with what is important to some extent.

I'm cool with being behind everyone else when it comes to technology, it's not the end of the world to have to wait and it makes it cheaper too. I also really like saving up for things, probably because I was brought up that way. I can remember being stupidly excited when my Dad said he would buy me an MP3 player and I could choose it (I got a zen micro) and again when he got me my own digital camera. I want my kids to be that happy. I would be seriously disappointed in my kids/sisters kids/friends/whoever if they felt they deserved it. I can also remember being so proud the day I bought my PS2 (a good few years after everyone else lol) because I'd saved up for ages. But then I was brought up to have to wait for things, we got presents at birthdays and Christmas and that's it, you had to wait. When I wanted an MP3 player and camera I had to wait, which in some ways was fun because I got to shop around and find out which ones were the right ones for me. My parents always had a "do you need it or just want it" view on things that aren't necessities.

So, uh...yeah I like technology but I don't like some people's attitudes that you have to have the latest thing otherwise you might as well just give up because you're committing social suicide by owning anything more than a year old.

Edited February 8, 2012 by Mollfie

[Silencer226]

Ivy?

i5 Ivy Bridge.

[Solkia]

i5 Ivy Bridge.

as in the intel processor series? isn't it already complete? the one i'm getting is the i7 2600k o.o

[-Mark-]

I do find it really, really stupid that quite a lot of people will rush out and buy each new iPhone every year 'just because'. Yes, I got my 4S the other week, but it's very much a luxury item for me and I certainly don't plan on buying another phone for at least 3-5 years now. I got mine on Pay As You Go since I don't actually use my phone enough to warrant a contract. To be honest, even with an iPhone, the phone part is probably the part that gets the least use from me- I mostly use it for the fact it lets me get Internet anywhere with signal.

But yeah, it was quite sickening this Christmas to see how many kids were bitching and saying they hated their parents/ Christmas was ruined because they didn't get an iPhone. Some kids are so spoiled these days.

[Nintendoga]

I do find it really, really stupid that quite a lot of people will rush out and buy each new iPhone every year 'just because'. Yes, I got my 4S the other week, but it's very much a luxury item for me and I certainly don't plan on buying another phone for at least 3-5 years now. I got mine on Pay As You Go since I don't actually use my phone enough to warrant a contract. To be honest, even with an iPhone, the phone part is probably the part that gets the least use from me- I mostly use it for the fact it lets me get Internet anywhere with signal.

But yeah, it was quite sickening this Christmas to see how many kids were bitching and saying they hated their parents/ Christmas was ruined because they didn't get an iPhone. Some kids are so spoiled these days.

Funny enough. Apple WILL make you go out and buy another ipod touch/phone eventually. I just got an ipod touch 2G last year, only to find out it was obselete the moment I got it. Half the apps I need or would very much like to have, will not work because Apple doesn't support a device they released 3 AND A HALF YEARS AGO. At least whenever Nintendo/Sony releases a new version of the DS/PSP, they still continue to support the original versions. Oh well, at least I can listen to music on my ipod touch, or is Apple gonna take that away from me too?

Otherwise, I recently just got up to date with technology. I just got a Laptop last year because the old computer I had for 8 years broke, I just got a new Galaxy phone last year because the other one I had was broken, and I just got a new HD TV for Christmas (Though this was a surprise gift). I got a 3DS last year, had a DS but it broke( a lot) and I had a PSP (which also broke).I had a Gamecube and N64, but gave those to my brother/donation, I have a Wii and an Xbox 360 Elite. So Yeah, I'd like to think I'm up to date. I'll probably sell my Wii for the Wii-U when I learn more about it, and I'll probably get a PS Vita if I ever have some left over money for it.

[Tori Himemiya]

I don't have the latest and greatest in technology.

I have the basics, computer and labtop, but that's all I need anyways.

Everything new is pretty expensive for me but I don't need it anyways. I'm happy with what I have and I'm thankful for it.

[Stacy]

I have a really basic phone, its a phone not a super gadget that controls my life.

[Match]

I have a really basic phone, its a phone not a super gadget that controls my life.

Well, that's a rather close-minded way to look at it. Technology has ALWAYS been a major tool in one's life; these smartphones are great in the way that they simply condense these things, not add to the load of things people already have.

[Stacy]

Well, that's a rather close-minded way to look at it. Technology has ALWAYS been a major tool in one's life; these smartphones are great in the way that they simply condense these things, not add to the load of things people already have.

I don't see the point in them not really a mobile phone to me, they like mobile computers, personally I would hate to have one when I am out and about. When I am out I want to be away from computers, you know?

[Match]

I don't see the point in them not really a mobile phone to me, they like mobile computers, personally I would hate to have one when I am out and about. When I am out I want to be away from computers, you know?

Well, people often have jobs that require constant communication or access to certain files or things.

[ovarloard]

Up until the year before last, I wasn't "with the times", if you will. My phone was a hand-me-down dumbphone, as was the basic, early 2000s (also hand-me-down) laptop I had for school research. My parents swore that they would never pay more then they had to for the very basics ("cell phones were just for emergencies, not for games/music on the go", they said).

Suddenly my parents went crazy (that's the only way I can explain it) and I ended up with two new laptops, as well as an iPod Touch 4 and an iPhone 4.

yay redundancy

[Autosaver]

My cellphone can text.

Yeah, I suck at being up-to-date.

[Old dead account]

Funny, you made this topic just as I was about to get multiple updates on my tech. I too have always been a few years behind on it. Right now I have a 3DS, a Wii & 360 slim, a 19" HDMI Sylavania TV from 2008, a 2007 Rumor LG phone, a 2009 Windows Vista laptop, and a 2nd Gen 8gigabyte iPod Touch.

Later this week I'm getting an 8gigabyte iPhone 3GS(not exactly the most up to date, but still), and I am guaranteed a job later this month with a decent pay. With it I'm hoping to get a more up to date laptop, and a 64 gigabyte iPad 2 (how else will I fit all my MLP episodes? a tiny 8gig?) and if posible I want a new TV eventually. Not a very tech savvy person, but it's fun to learn about these things and the blazing dast pace at which they progress.

Edited February 9, 2012 by Prince Solaris

[Velotix von Skruviktorrius]

as in the intel processor series? isn't it already complete? the one i'm getting is the i7 2600k o.o

You're thinking of Sandy Bridge. Ivy Bridge is the 3XXX series and is supposed to be as big a gamechanger as Sandy Bridge was before it.

[Sean]

The only consoles I bought within the last seven or so years were a PS2 and a DS. Every other console I've been given since are of equal or higher age (SNES, GameCube, Japanese PS1).

I have a flip phone (I don't know what kind) that can take pictures and my PC is at least three years old. Generations, which sadly is my most graphically intensive game on Steam compared to the rest of my indie game-filled library, runs pretty well at 30-45fps on average, so that's about all I can say on its power.

[Kevin]

It depends if said piece of technology will bring value and benefit to me in the end.

The last game console I got was the Nintendo Wii. I'm not sure if I'm going to replace it with the Wii U right away or not. It depends depends on what features the console has and its game library.The last computer I brought was a Macbook Pro to replacing my aging 5 year old HP laptop, and the last phone I brought was an iPhone to replace my old flip phone at the time since I needed a smartphone for work and it's nice being able to listen to music, play games, and look up information on the go.

I don't have an HDTV or a Blu-ray player, nor do I have plans to get one anytime soon. My current TV and DVD player are just fine for my needs.