The Upgrade Syndrome

[meeera]

Originally Posted by LovesMacs

This might sound inflammatory, but I think it's wasteful to buy the latest model of something just because it's new, if what you currently own suits your needs. Spending money like that stimulates the overall economy but it's not so good for your personal finances and probably not good for the environment either.

It's not wasteful unless you're going to be tossing the old device in the bin. Round here, everything still usable goes to a family member, a friend, or if no takers, Freecycle. Zero waste.

[spindlegirl]

Originally Posted by meeera

It's not wasteful unless you're going to be tossing the old device in the bin. Round here, everything still usable goes to a family member, a friend, or if no takers, Freecycle. Zero waste.

That's how it goes around here. I've bought 3 e readers and my husband and 2 oldest daughters now have them and I have my Kindle. I have no interest in buying any more because our family's reading needs are met.

I understand the need for a company to keep their models current and changing, because, well, that's the business, but to just leap on a gimmick is something we cannot afford., but it is good to know that a few years down the road, should the need arise, there will be different choices.

[Hellmark]

Originally Posted by Solicitous

Hi All. Something that has been ticking through the back of my mind of late is the number of blogs, news and forum posts about the 'absolute possibility' of new devices being released, and it got me thinking - Why are we now so constantly obsessed with product upgrades?

Many posts have been sprouting about a new front-lit Kindle, a larger Kindle Fire (with a wish list of wants), new iPod touch, new iPhone etc. These are not confirmed by anyone, merely speculation and from what I can gather driven by desire of the writer.

I recall a year ago Amazon released the K4 and K-Touch. Now the Kindle Keyboard came about 2 years ago and has not had a firmware update in how long? Yet it supports a microphone (which is unused) and is sold as a current product. The Kindle DX is in worst shape. Supposedly the Kindle Touch has a microphone but if new Kindles are announced in the coming week will this become a product sold but merely forgotten about in terms of firmware improvements?

The Sony PRS-2 has just been released, which from what I can gather all new functionality could have been provided in a firmware update for the PRS-1 - but demand obviously was for a new ereader with the current model less than 12 months old rather than update the firmware to provide a better experience.

I look at the Jetbooks and no firmware updates have been released (other than the new colour eink model) for a number of years, yet they still sell each model they have made as part of their current line up. Looks like they got to a point where "ah this'll do" and moved onto the next product.

I can't comment too much on the Nook, though I did like the concept of the glow light - not by releasing a completely new ereader, merely just a minor hardware change.

I really get the feeling that as consumers we're more than happy to settle for a gadget that firmware-wise half works, and live under the anticipation of "oh I will only have to put up with it for a year until the new model comes out".

Its not just ereaders I'm getting at either, mobile phones are the same. I have a Motorola Defy and reading on the forums a few people posted similar issues (I don't recall exactly as I never had the issue) and the fix was to buy the Defy+ which is essentially the same phone with a few tweaks and updated firmware by Motorola.

Am I missing the point? Have I been left behind when it comes to the thrill of potential new devices coming out? Are my expectations of a gadget working as intended too great, and should perhaps tolerate what I have and upgrade in the 'hope' the fixable flaws in my current gadget are resolved in the new product upgrade? Am I just getting old and grumpy in my old age?

Most of us are the more hardcore users, and so prefer the bleeding edge. I know I've had a twinge of want lately to get another reader, despite still loving my 505, especially since the Glowlight was released.

[Indio777]

I used to try to be bleeding edge when it came to some devices, but now pretty much not.

My problem is that I realized that in most cases, I could buy the latest version of a product and it would be out of date the next day (okay, I exaggerate a bit), or shortly thereafter. And in most cases the "improvements" were not really that significant.

Of course we are encouraged to buy the latest version of a products, and as Moore's law still seems to hold, that means more frequent upgrades.

I still get pangs of "gadget lust" at times, but have been pretty good lately at resisting them.

Not that I am being critical of those who buy the latest gadget. It IS fun to get the latest version or the first version of something new. Especially (for me at least) the unpacking of the box bit when the "wonderful" gadget is fully revealed.

[LovesMacs]

I think my comments reflect several people I know who get new mobile phones every few months because they simply must have the latest model, and one person who does this annually with cars.

[Chi Cygni]

I bought Kindle 3 3G June last year, mostly for the 3G option which indeed proved very useful. But I didn't like it somehow. Only after I put Times New Roman on it and another year passed... now I start to like it. At the beginning it reminded me a bit of my very first ereader which was nothing but stress and disappointment. Anyway when my Kindle successfully supplied me with Poirot books in a remote village in the middle of nowhere AND I could check weather and local events (with no internet access otherwise) I started to have warm feelings towards it.
So, I will not upgrade. I actually should get rid of 2 ereaders instead.

[Hellmark]

Originally Posted by Indio777

I used to try to be bleeding edge when it came to some devices, but now pretty much not.

My problem is that I realized that in most cases, I could buy the latest version of a product and it would be out of date the next day (okay, I exaggerate a bit), or shortly thereafter. And in most cases the "improvements" were not really that significant.

Of course we are encouraged to buy the latest version of a products, and as Moore's law still seems to hold, that means more frequent upgrades.

I still get pangs of "gadget lust" at times, but have been pretty good lately at resisting them.

Not that I am being critical of those who buy the latest gadget. It IS fun to get the latest version or the first version of something new. Especially (for me at least) the unpacking of the box bit when the "wonderful" gadget is fully revealed.

The biggest thing, is that if someone wasn't at the bleeding edge, most products wouldn't get off the ground, because the companies would think it didn't make sense fiscally to put money into that area. How many of us here bought into ebooks when readers were several hundred dollars? We fueled the drive to make cheaper readers, and have more books available digitally, and that brought in even more people to support the new technology.