Author Topic: Dealing with tech gadget-lust.  (Read 6755 times)

alsoknownasDean

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Dealing with tech gadget-lust.
« on: June 22, 2015, 04:49:25 AM »
Hello all,

I've started to contract this tech disease called upgraditis.

I've got a perfectly good iPhone 5 that I've had for almost three years. It still works OK (aside from a slightly discoloured screen), and I'm on a cheap SIM-only plan so the thing doesn't cost too much to run ($35AUD a month).

All would be well if it weren't for this upgraditis. I keep eyeing new phones.

Even though the new phones I'm looking at aren't that antimustachian, I've still got a perfectly usable phone already. I know that hedonic adaptation would soon mean the phone doesn't seem as nice as it did when I opened the box.

Stupid upgraditis. What would a Mustachian do? :)
« Last Edit: June 22, 2015, 04:51:35 AM by alsoknownasDean »

Rural

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Re: Dealing with tech gadget-lust.
« Reply #1 on: June 22, 2015, 06:15:54 AM »
Quit looking. :)


Or go without the iPhone 5 for a few days - either you'll appreciate it more when you take it back up, or you'll discover you don't want even that. Win either way.

vhalros

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Re: Dealing with tech gadget-lust.
« Reply #2 on: June 22, 2015, 06:32:04 AM »
Just imagine that, in two or three years, the new one is going to end up in some junk drawer with other discarded technology.

arebelspy

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Re: Dealing with tech gadget-lust.
« Reply #3 on: June 22, 2015, 08:57:27 AM »
What would a Mustachian do? :)

Depends on what that Mustachian valued.

I upgraded my 4S after 3 years (I suspect you're not yet at 3 years, but may be this fall if you bought it right when it came out).  The 4S was working perfectly fine.  I just wanted a new one.

My wife took my old one, cause she doesn't care, and it isn't worth the money to her.  It was worth it to me.

Upgrading now is silly though with a new model coming in 3 months.  At the very least I'd wait until then to upgrade, if you do decide it's worth it.
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monstermonster

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Re: Dealing with tech gadget-lust.
« Reply #4 on: June 22, 2015, 09:46:05 AM »
I would love advice in how to curb this in my otherwise Mustachian high-earning SO. So many robots and hue bulbs in their life..

Mother Fussbudget

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Re: Dealing with tech gadget-lust.
« Reply #5 on: June 22, 2015, 09:52:39 PM »
I work with "smart" phones (I call them 'stupi-phones') on a regular basis, and have had the opportunity to test drive many new phones before they're announced.  There's nothing to make you want your FULLY PAID phone than having 2-or-3 supposed "iPhone killer" devices at your disposal.  Bigger screens have battery trade offs.  Faster processors can have the perception of slower performance depending on the network bandwidth in your area. 

In the end, when I have 2-or-3 devices, I download the latest & greatest apps to all of them, and switch back and forth between them like a kid in a candy store.  Was even given a Samsung smart-watch for FREE (it went on eBay).  In the end, I always came back to the device I OWNED OUTRIGHT, and it works very well thank-you-very-much.  I've replaced batteries, and screens, but at this point I won't bother with those teeny tiny screws.  Now I pay some guy $50 to do repairs at a local repair shop. 

If you buy the top-of-the-line iPhone even in 3 months (6s perhaps - if you read the gossip columns), you'll be paying around $800 over 24 months for a device that you won't "own" for 2 years.  And during that 2 years, there will be two (2x) more iPhone releases - something like the iPhone 7, and you'll pay off your iPhone 6s just in time for the iPhone 7s.   

But it won't bring greater joy into your life.

alsoknownasDean

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Re: Dealing with tech gadget-lust.
« Reply #6 on: June 23, 2015, 09:16:15 AM »
I work with "smart" phones (I call them 'stupi-phones') on a regular basis, and have had the opportunity to test drive many new phones before they're announced.  There's nothing to make you want your FULLY PAID phone than having 2-or-3 supposed "iPhone killer" devices at your disposal.  Bigger screens have battery trade offs.  Faster processors can have the perception of slower performance depending on the network bandwidth in your area. 

In the end, when I have 2-or-3 devices, I download the latest & greatest apps to all of them, and switch back and forth between them like a kid in a candy store.  Was even given a Samsung smart-watch for FREE (it went on eBay).  In the end, I always came back to the device I OWNED OUTRIGHT, and it works very well thank-you-very-much.  I've replaced batteries, and screens, but at this point I won't bother with those teeny tiny screws.  Now I pay some guy $50 to do repairs at a local repair shop. 

If you buy the top-of-the-line iPhone even in 3 months (6s perhaps - if you read the gossip columns), you'll be paying around $800 over 24 months for a device that you won't "own" for 2 years.  And during that 2 years, there will be two (2x) more iPhone releases - something like the iPhone 7, and you'll pay off your iPhone 6s just in time for the iPhone 7s.   

But it won't bring greater joy into your life.

Yeah, I've been trying to decide whether it will make me happier. Which is kinda silly because it's just a tool.

Oh, I'm not concerned about the new-gen iPhone being released, I'm planning on going to Android. A 64GB iPhone 6 is now $1149AUD (or about $85AUD a month on contract), and honestly I reckon that's too expensive (plus iOS/iTunes is beginning to shit me). I can buy a last-gen Android flagship for under half that, and it's probably 99% as good. I've seen the LG G3 for a pretty reasonable price (~$450AUD outright or $60AUD a month on contract).

Part of it is that I've also got an iPad 3 that's starting to feel a bit heavy and slow. I was eyeing a new iPad Air 2, but then thought, why not get a bigger phone and replace both devices?

I should really hang onto the old devices until one or the other breaks, but there's that pull of a fancy new all in one device. Yet I know that if I buy the new phone, in three months hedonic adaptation will set in.

Stupid consumer weaknesses. :)

What would a Mustachian do? :)

Depends on what that Mustachian valued.

This is true. I find it's worth using decent quality tech devices, but I'm not going to go crazy and buy a new phone every six months.

Of course, if I buy a new device, then I've got to get around to selling/giving away the old device, and that just makes it more of a pain in the arse.

dantownehall

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Re: Dealing with tech gadget-lust.
« Reply #7 on: June 23, 2015, 09:38:58 AM »
Maybe it's because I still have a flip-phone, but this is one that I really don't get (and yet see all the time out there in the world).

Perhaps there's a real difference to a daily user, but to me the iPhones 1-6 all look and act exactly alike? iPads too (but again, not a user).

A good question to ask might be: If Apple had gone out of business two years ago and there were no iPhone 6 in existence, would you be unhappy with your iPhone 5?

Paul der Krake

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Re: Dealing with tech gadget-lust.
« Reply #8 on: June 23, 2015, 09:46:52 AM »
1) Read tech sites' comments of product launches from 5 years ago.
2) Put your wallet back in your pocket.
3) ???
4) Profit!

Sent from my $300 Samsung netbook from 2010.

alsoknownasDean

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Re: Dealing with tech gadget-lust.
« Reply #9 on: August 09, 2015, 08:30:22 AM »
OK so lately I've noticed that there's a lot of what looks like dust in the camera lens of my iPhone 5.

I booked a Genius Bar appointment, and took it in. The person there said that they'd have to replace the whole phone, and because it was out of warranty, it was $269.

That much was definitely out of the question, so I decided to ask around at a few phone stores. One of the best quotes was $80 to replace the whole camera.

I ultimately decided that I didn't want to spend that much on a nearly three year old phone (especially since I'd have to spend more still to get the yellowing screen properly fixed), and ended up succumbing to the upgrade bug and ordering a new phone online (at least it was a previous-generation Android flagship, which is far cheaper than the current generation models). I'll use it on my current plan for the time being until I get a good deal for a plan on a network better suited to the device (LTE band support).

I know, hold me down and repeatedly punch my face. At least I didn't drop $1100 on an iPhone 6, or sign a two year contract. :)

iamlindoro

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Re: Dealing with tech gadget-lust.
« Reply #10 on: August 09, 2015, 10:01:53 AM »
OK so lately I've noticed that there's a lot of what looks like dust in the camera lens of my iPhone 5.
I know, hold me down and repeatedly punch my face. At least I didn't drop $1100 on an iPhone 6, or sign a two year contract. :)

But... were there any actual symptoms of trouble?  I was using a phone with a completely mucked up lens for a long time, but the pictures were still fine.  If there were no actual problems, yeah, facepunch. :)

zolotiyeruki

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Re: Dealing with tech gadget-lust.
« Reply #11 on: August 09, 2015, 06:51:09 PM »
Here's my strategy:
1) look at my phone (Samsung Galaxy Light) that I bought for $75
2) as myself "what do I need my phone to do?" and make a list
3) see if there are things on the list that my phone won't do
4) if there is nothing from #3, skip to step 7.
5) ask myself "Is it worth $500/600/800 to get that one feature?"
6) answer myself "heck no."
7) be happy with current phone

Syonyk

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Re: Dealing with tech gadget-lust.
« Reply #12 on: August 09, 2015, 08:22:30 PM »
I buy broken crap, refurb it (usually replacing screens/batteries/etc), turn a profit, and occasionally keep one for myself if I need an upgrade. :)

alsoknownasDean

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Re: Dealing with tech gadget-lust.
« Reply #13 on: June 17, 2016, 10:18:07 PM »
OK so lately I've noticed that there's a lot of what looks like dust in the camera lens of my iPhone 5.

I booked a Genius Bar appointment, and took it in. The person there said that they'd have to replace the whole phone, and because it was out of warranty, it was $269.

That much was definitely out of the question, so I decided to ask around at a few phone stores. One of the best quotes was $80 to replace the whole camera.

I ultimately decided that I didn't want to spend that much on a nearly three year old phone (especially since I'd have to spend more still to get the yellowing screen properly fixed), and ended up succumbing to the upgrade bug and ordering a new phone online (at least it was a previous-generation Android flagship, which is far cheaper than the current generation models). I'll use it on my current plan for the time being until I get a good deal for a plan on a network better suited to the device (LTE band support).

I know, hold me down and repeatedly punch my face. At least I didn't drop $1100 on an iPhone 6, or sign a two year contract. :)

A small update.

Still happily using the Android phone, and I don't regret the change (the bigger screen is awesome, and the battery life is far better).

However, I ended up getting the dust out of the iPhone camera (by taking it apart and using a bike pump to blast the dust away), and replaced the screen with a third-party unit (which admittedly isn't as good as the Apple ones).

Now I've got to work out what to do with the iPhone. Those 'sell your phone to us' mobs probably won't offer me a heap as it's got a third-party screen on it. I'm too lazy to put it on Gumtree or eBay, and I can't use it as a spare because it uses a different size SIM to my Android phone (I've got a first-gen Moto G that takes the same SIM which is used as a spare).

I can either sell it, hang on to it, or look at giving it to my mum once her Nexus S finally stops working.

If I'd known how easy it was to repair the camera on the iPhone 5, I probably would have done so and kept it a while longer.

pekklemafia

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Re: Dealing with tech gadget-lust.
« Reply #14 on: June 17, 2016, 10:28:00 PM »
iPhone 4 user here (hoping to make it to five years this coming December). Old girl doesn't quite work like she used to, but I've deleted most apps anyway and it does what I need it to do - text, email, phone, and occasionally map things. I guess it does help that I have an iPad mini (bought with work benefits) for home use that let's me do all my fun stuff, ie: Pinterest.

I definitely don't use my phone as much as I used to, so I don't really notice how crappy it is!

johnny847

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Re: Dealing with tech gadget-lust.
« Reply #15 on: June 18, 2016, 05:12:32 AM »
OK so lately I've noticed that there's a lot of what looks like dust in the camera lens of my iPhone 5.

I booked a Genius Bar appointment, and took it in. The person there said that they'd have to replace the whole phone, and because it was out of warranty, it was $269.

That much was definitely out of the question, so I decided to ask around at a few phone stores. One of the best quotes was $80 to replace the whole camera.

I ultimately decided that I didn't want to spend that much on a nearly three year old phone (especially since I'd have to spend more still to get the yellowing screen properly fixed), and ended up succumbing to the upgrade bug and ordering a new phone online (at least it was a previous-generation Android flagship, which is far cheaper than the current generation models). I'll use it on my current plan for the time being until I get a good deal for a plan on a network better suited to the device (LTE band support).

I know, hold me down and repeatedly punch my face. At least I didn't drop $1100 on an iPhone 6, or sign a two year contract. :)

A small update.

Still happily using the Android phone, and I don't regret the change (the bigger screen is awesome, and the battery life is far better).

However, I ended up getting the dust out of the iPhone camera (by taking it apart and using a bike pump to blast the dust away), and replaced the screen with a third-party unit (which admittedly isn't as good as the Apple ones).

Now I've got to work out what to do with the iPhone. Those 'sell your phone to us' mobs probably won't offer me a heap as it's got a third-party screen on it. I'm too lazy to put it on Gumtree or eBay, and I can't use it as a spare because it uses a different size SIM to my Android phone (I've got a first-gen Moto G that takes the same SIM which is used as a spare).

I can either sell it, hang on to it, or look at giving it to my mum once her Nexus S finally stops working.

If I'd known how easy it was to repair the camera on the iPhone 5, I probably would have done so and kept it a while longer.

You can use the iPhone as a spare if you want. You can get adapters to adapt a nano SIM To a micro or full size SIM, or one to adapt a micro to a full size. And you can cut down any SIM to the appropriate size.