Monday, April 11, 2011

I is for iProbably-don’t-have-it

Yep, I realize that technology is moving at a breakneck pace. And yep, I realize that all these cool gadgets and gizmos actually can make my life easier. Do I have any of 'em? Nope. Well, not many. Besides the actual computers in my house, a very basic GPS unit, and a mini-recorder that I take to band practice, I literally have nothing cool or “with-it”. I guess that makes me old. Okay.

Don’t get me wrong, here, it isn’t because I don’t desire some of these items. I just don’t believe I actually need them and so I don’t have them. Would I love to try out a Kindle or a Nook? Absolutely. But, as long as the local thrift store has books for one-dollar, I can’t see me spending all that money just to try something I may not like. All I need is something else to charge or buy extra batteries for. Naw. Books work for me.

Ah, yes, the iPhone. You bet your socks I want one. But they cost a *lot* of money, and the plans are ridiculously expensive, too. I don’t give a hoot about giving or receiving text messages or games or applications of any kind. I would, however, love to jump onto the Internet from wherever I happen to be at the time. That, friends and neighbors, sounds super cool. But worth hundreds of extra dollars? Nope. Guess I’ll just continue to check messages when I get home. Not that big a deal.

The iPad? Fuggetaboudit. That thing just oozes awesome. Unfortunately, the price tag does, as well. Looks like it’s Etch-A-Sketch and Lite Brite for me.

The one iPod we had, the great big model that was just slightly smaller than a microwave oven, broke years ago and we haven’t replaced it. I have a tiny MP3 player made by Sansa that was like forty-bucks at the Radio Shack. No, it doesn’t have ten gigs of space and it won’t tell me when I’m lost, but it plays music and does so reliably. Is the iPod cooler? Sure. Is it way more expensive than forty-bones? You bet. Looks like the Sansa stays.

One technological device I’ve been trying to get my hands on is an EMF reader. The Sweetie won’t let one in the house because she’s afraid the needle will ping at a certain spot, and she’d rather not know if ghosties are here. Sigh. Looks like I’m even relying on good old fashion intuition for that stuff, too.

Is there anything currently available that you do not or will not have? Why? Does price play a part in that decision, or do you just not feel the need to be constantly connected to the rest of the world, during every single waking minute of your life? For me, it’s a little of both. I’m a writer, not a real estate investor, and so I don’t have a lot of money to throw around. However, even if I did, I’m not sure I’d get the iNewst-things-available. Just saying.

8 comments:

Teri S. said...

I'm with you on some of this. Sometimes Iphones go on sale for a penny (at at&t and amazon)believe it or not - I think the next time that happens I might get one. But I'd never spend the big bucks for one!

Unknown said...

I love my I-phone, pictures, texting, internet access. It is worth every penny to me. But I am still buying my books, though I would love to have a kindle too, I just can't justify that expense at this point.

Christina said...

iPhone fan fo life. I justify the price by not having any other phone except for my iPhone. And if it weren't for the iPhone I wouldn't be able to harass everyone from work all day on FB.

I like gadgets. I want an iPad just because it looks fun. I have a Nook color. I can download my homework reading to it and don't have to carry around a bunch of textbooks like I'm in High School. It's awesome...

Marie Anne said...

I don't even understand what most of the things are that are available today, I wouldn't know one from the other.

I guess that makes me a lot older than you.

I do have a cell phone, though. Does that count?

Popping in by way of the A-Z Challenge. I’m blogging at:
Write, Wrong or Indifferent
Marie Anne’s Missives
In the Garden With Sow-n-Sow
Every Day Crochet

Theresa Wiza said...

I'm lucky. My son and his wife bought me an iPhone a couple of years ago, and I was really happy about that.

Now I want an iPad for all those innumerable times when my Internet didn't work (difficult to type on an iPhone).

An EMF detector? Oh, yeah! I'd love to try one of those. And a digital recorder, and everything else that comes in a ghost hunting kit.

Interested in reading my latest A-Z Challenge blog? It's here: http://myheartblogstoyou.blogspot.com/

Anonymous said...

We have lots of gadgets. No iPhone, but I'm loyal to my Crackberry, er, Blackberry. My hubby bought an iPad last year and I have to admit that I was an unattractive shade of green. He's a gold-star-earning sharer, though, so I've played with it a bit. Eh.

It needs a flash player (doesn't have one, can't get one) and the ability to write more than a note on it. If they equip one with Word, I'll be first in line and will knock over little kids and old ladies to get my hands on one.

A post you might like: http://www.word-nerd-speaks.com/2011/03/dirty-little-secret.html

Lisa Mason said...

We have more gadgets in our house than some, but we are not "addicted" to them, which I think is important. I have an iPod Touch and a Blackberry. The latter was a Christmas gift and it's fantastic for working on the go- which I am often doing, especially with four kids. The former was a gift to myself, partly because I like to run and as a writer (sedentary profession) I needed that extra motivation to stay in shape.

That being said, I consider all these gadgets and flat screen TVs and what-not to be extras, not necessities. And I didn't rush out the buy them the second they were released. We try to make purchases that we will get the most out of. Our kids all have Nintendo DSis but they can use them for multiple things- like taking photos and we incorporate them into their homeschool.

Anyway, great post. Something we should all think about today. Do we own our gadgets or do they own us?

Anonymous said...

The only thing I want is a Nintendo 3DS. It just came out last month. I don't care about ipads or ianything. lol