So trivial, yet it really ticks you off.

[Trenchfriend]

I don't know about Europe, but here in the U.S. there is a segment of the population who must have the newest device the very moment it becomes available, and these idiots will do whatever it takes to get one.

In Germany, the problem on such happenings is, that mainly no normal worker (ca. 90% of Germans) got the money, to buy such devices for their full launching-price. So, I always guess, that half of the shown people in such lines are students, student threshold-workers, journalists, journalistic threshold-workers, volunteers, trainees and so on. It is told, that they become the device-price partly sponsored, if they show themselves in these lines to the stores.

But, it's not proven! I think, they got duty to remain silent.

Or maybe, these lines to the stores are really all Preppys, with "no problem on money-parents".

I mean, when the Playstation 3 came out, the full price was 869 EUR! And the Playstation 1 were mainly available for 299 DM!

 

[Lean'n'mean]

Human beings can be whipped up into mass hysteria pretty easily, be it for the latest hi-tech gadget, sales or political party rallies.

 

[LizzieMaine]

One of the most wonderful things about rejecting modern consumer culture is that you never have to worry about standing in a long line to buy a new telephone. Or even buying a new telephone, period.

 

[GHT]

That is so true Lizzie, but the downside, if you can call it a downside, my wife and I rattle around in an absolutely, stuffed full, five bedroomed home, plus three sheds and a double garage. We have 50 years of what some might see as clutter, for us it's fifty years of living memorabilia and reminisces. All the same, as we get older and the need for a home without a staircase becomes more pressing, there will come a time when some of our chattels, clothing, knick-knacks et al, will have to find a new custodian. But hopefully, not for a while yet.

 

[LizzieMaine]

I don't actually "collect" stuff -- I'm not interested in cataloguing and displaying items museum-style, or watching the value appreciate. My policy is to buy something if I need it, and when I do, to always buy it second-hand unless that absolutely can't be done. Or, if possible, to not buy it all -- to pick it up for free at the side of the road or by picking the dump.

I do, however, accumulate stuff. I tend to save things for reuse or adaptation, and the loft in my garage is packed pretty full of radio parts, car parts, clothing scraps, and such things as that. And I never, ever throw away a book. So while my house isn't exactly "cluttered" -- I know where things are -- it's got a lot of stuff in it. I'm not too worried about that -- I figure the theatre kids can have a big yard sale when I die, and treat themselves to ice cream and pizza in my memory. All except the books, which have been spoken for.

 

[Zombie_61]

In Germany, the problem on such happenings is, that mainly no normal worker (ca. 90% of Germans) got the money, to buy such devices for their full launching-price...

Neither do many Americans who buy these devices. But they're "addicted" to these devices in a similar fashion to the way drug abusers are addicted to their poison-of-choice and will do whatever they can in order to get that "fix", usually by increasing their debt as GHT mentioned in post #2861.

What really appalls me is the fact that there are laws that limit or prohibit the use of cell phones while driving, yet we regularly hear or see news reports about some jerk who caused an accident (often with fatalities) because they were more concerned about their cell phone than they were about their driving. I can't recall the last time I drove anywhere without seeing at least one of these fools driving poorly because they were fiddling with their damned phone.

 

[swanson_eyes]

What really appalls me is the fact that there are laws that limit or prohibit the use of cell phones while driving, yet we regularly hear or see news reports about some jerk who caused an accident (often with fatalities) because they were more concerned about their cell phone than they were about their driving.

Here's a profound explanation that makes sense to me (sorry, possible language):

 

[Stearmen]

One of the most wonderful things about rejecting modern consumer culture is that you never have to worry about standing in a long line to buy a new telephone. Or even buying a new telephone, period.

For the life of me, I will never understand that! When my last phone went out, I just went online to my carriers website and there they were 99 cent phones. Sure they were last years fancy dancy phones, but that's fine for me. Yes, I did have to sign up for two years, but again, I am happy with them, so no big deal. The final kicker, they sent a box to me so I could send back the old phone for a $300 rebate on my monthly bill and I only paid 99 cents for that phone. Why would any one waist hundreds of dollars, just to get a new, new phone, when you can get paid to get a last years phone, which is still a new left over?

 

[HudsonHawk]

My carrier, AT&T has done away with contracts and discounted phones. Now you have to pay full price for the phone, $600 for an iPhone, but you're not locked into a contract. That's no kinda deal to me, but they say that's what the people want.

 

[Trenchfriend]

@swanson_eyes

I enjoyed the video very much!!

 

[Inkstainedwretch]

I have a Trackphone where every few months I have to buy a card to add minutes. I don't have an iphone or any of those others because there's nobody I want to talk to all that much.

 

[Zombie_61]

Here's a profound explanation that makes sense to me...

It's an interesting theory, and it got me thinking. Intellectually I understand what he means when he mentions not wanting to be alone, but I don't completely understand it because I can't recall ever having felt that way. My brother and sister were quite a bit older than I was (25 and 11 years older respectively), so from the age of six I grew up in the same way an "only child" would. As such, I was alone often so I have no difficulties being on my own and don't feel the need to be in near constant contact with other people.

Conversely, my wife grew up with two older brothers and an older sister, and also had a number of aunts, uncles, and/or cousins who were almost always visiting my wife's family, so it was not uncommon for her to have at least one other person with her while she was growing up. To this day she doesn't like doing things by herself, and is regularly talking on her phone with family or friends.

I suppose what I'm trying to say is that I believe my experience supports Louis C.K.'s theory--if you're accustomed to being alone, you don't feel the same need for constant contact as someone who is accustomed to being surrounded by others.

 

[Trenchfriend]

I think, He means the important "interplay" between sadness and luckyness, good weather and bad weather, family and friends, cold and hot, householding and going hobby and so on.

The human psych needs this interplay or "variety", otherwise we will be psychopathic on any point of time.

And look at the "smombies".

http://img.welt.de/img/Fuhrs-Woche/...0/Handysucht-Children-using-technology-on.jpg

 

[Edward]

It's funny, I remember twenty years ago when there were poseurs who would make a real show of having a mobile phone. Two decades on, and they're so normal that some of the poseurs are now the ones making a show of not having one. I wouldn't be without mine, but it's run for my convenience. The number stays off my business card (when the Man wants me to have a mobile number on my card, he can pay for the phone), and if it doesn't suit me to be reahable, I switch it off. The first thing I've done with every new phone is disable the voicemail. If it's important, they'll ring back.

My only real gripe about modern phones (apart from poor manners of other people, but to blame those on the phones is like banning cars becuase of drunk drivers) is that for now I'm still obliged to pay for a landline in order to have decent broadband at home. I certainly won't mourn landlines as soon as that's no longer the case.

I fear for Apple's future. No gotta-have-it new product in quite some time, and none on the horizon.

Microsoft looked to be in real trouble a few years back, but they seem to have relocated their footing. Maybe Apple can do the same. Maybe not.

Apple's real problem is that they never got beyond selling the box, whereas Microsoft had the suss to see that the real money was in the software. Even the Surface (which I adore) was only really brought out to showcase the software and help stimulate the market for newer Windows OS system designed with touchscreens in mind.
Apple are still playing the fashion market. Problem is, sooner or later something trendier or cooler with ome along, and they'll be in trouble. They're already making major missteps - killing off the high-storage IPod Classic series (thus guaranteeing that once my current model wears out, I will be going elsewhere rather than replacing the only Apple product in which I am interested with an Apple) for one.

My carrier, AT&T has done away with contracts and discounted phones. Now you have to pay full price for the phone, $600 for an iPhone, but you're not locked into a contract. That's no kinda deal to me, but they say that's what the people want.

It's a good move. I used to blindly buy the "free" phone until my last contract reached an end a little over a year ago. I heard of a couple of friends who had gone sim-free and bought their handsets outright. When I looked into it, staying with the same service provider, my monthly bill based on taking a sim only instead of a sim plus a "free" phone went down from about £55 per month to £15.99. Over two years, I'm saving in the region of £800; I bought myself a very flash new phone outright for £300. If I'd been happy enough with something much cheaper, I could have saved even more. I had always known that they would be charging a bit more than the phone would cost to buy outright, but even the most expensive phones in the UK are about £550, not £800. (And, of course, all but one of the UK providers carry on charging you the inflated rate even long after the jacked-up price for the phone has been paid off). While the initial outlay is certainly more if you want a fancy phone, even then you can save big in the long run. The only thing I lose out on is my provider's combined insurance and cloud backup system.... but for a pound a month I can have phone insurance, and online back-up services like dropbox can be had for free. As opposed to £10/ month from the provider....

 

[Edward]

One of the most wonderful things about rejecting modern consumer culture is that you never have to worry about standing in a long line to buy a new telephone. Or even buying a new telephone, period.

Quite! I am certain;y the last to support the idea of going quasi-Amish about it, but there's a lot to be said for buying into new technology when it offers something for which we have a use, rather than simply because it's new. Not feeling the need to have the latest whatever - and thereby being out of the ratrace of beingl ocked into paying for it all - is a very nice place to be.

 

[HudsonHawk]

It's a good move. I used to blindly buy the "free" phone until my last contract reached an end a little over a year ago. I heard of a couple of friends who had gone sim-free and bought their handsets outright. When I looked into it, staying with the same service provider, my monthly bill based on taking a sim only instead of a sim plus a "free" phone went down from about £55 per month to £15.99. Over two years, I'm saving in the region of £800; I bought myself a very flash new phone outright for £300. If I'd been happy enough with something much cheaper, I could have saved even more. I had always known that they would be charging a bit more than the phone would cost to buy outright, but even the most expensive phones in the UK are about £550, not £800. (And, of course, all but one of the UK providers carry on charging you the inflated rate even long after the jacked-up price for the phone has been paid off). While the initial outlay is certainly more if you want a fancy phone, even then you can save big in the long run. The only thing I lose out on is my provider's combined insurance and cloud backup system.... but for a pound a month I can have phone insurance, and online back-up services like dropbox can be had for free. As opposed to £10/ month from the provider....

I'm not sure how it's a good deal for me. Instead of paying $200 for a phone and $50/month for service, I'm paying $800 for the exact same phone and $50/month for service. Yes, the former locks you into a 24 month contract, but the penalty for leaving the contract early is paying the additional $600 on the phone or the remainder of your monthly fees, whichever is less. I'm not seeing how paying an additional $600 for exactly the same thing us much of a bargain.

 

[Stearmen]

I'm not sure how it's a good deal for me. Instead of paying $200 for a phone and $50/month for service, I'm paying $800 for the exact same phone and $50/month for service. Yes, the former locks you into a 24 month contract, but the penalty for leaving the contract early is paying the additional $600 on the phone or the remainder of your monthly fees, whichever is less. I'm not seeing how paying an additional $600 for exactly the same thing us much of a bargain.

That's how my plan works also.

 

[Stearmen]

It's a good move. I used to blindly buy the "free" phone until my last contract reached an end a little over a year ago. I heard of a couple of friends who had gone sim-free and bought their handsets outright. When I looked into it, staying with the same service provider, my monthly bill based on taking a sim only instead of a sim plus a "free" phone went down from about £55 per month to £15.99. Over two years, I'm saving in the region of £800; I bought myself a very flash new phone outright for £300. If I'd been happy enough with something much cheaper, I could have saved even more. I had always known that they would be charging a bit more than the phone would cost to buy outright, but even the most expensive phones in the UK are about £550, not £800. (And, of course, all but one of the UK providers carry on charging you the inflated rate even long after the jacked-up price for the phone has been paid off). While the initial outlay is certainly more if you want a fancy phone, even then you can save big in the long run. The only thing I lose out on is my provider's combined insurance and cloud backup system.... but for a pound a month I can have phone insurance, and online back-up services like dropbox can be had for free. As opposed to £10/ month from the provider....

You're lucky! I was out of the two year contract for well over a year, and my rates did not go down. If I bought out right, my rates would have stayed the same. I think the only reason they are able to sell the phones for 99 cents is, they are last years technology, which to most young people is the equivalent to 100 years old, so they are worthless! You are lucky at only 15.99 pounds, roughly $23.03. I pay roughly three times that and every time I talk to another carrier, they say they can't beat it. Unlimited talk, and texting, 3gb data. I would rather have unlimited data then texting!

 

[swanson_eyes]

Boost mobile, $30 a month, last phone I bought was $25. Oustide of a paper-saving notepad app, I only have one other: it is a coupon thing. I chose to have a mobile over a landline (no way I'm paying for both) because I'm sometimes gone 10 hours a day and payphones are virtually non-existent. I like having internet on it, but I rarely use my phone for that. It's a useful tool to me and that's it. I can't imagine caring enough about it to even bother buying a simple case, much less paying hundreds of dollars for it or insuring it. I feel the same way about cars. Well, I insure them because it's the law, but you understand the spirit of what I'm saying. I drive junkers and I don't care enough about makes and models to even identify them. I'm useless as a witness to a car accident, haha. "Um, it was blue...."

 

[Edward]

You're lucky! I was out of the two year contract for well over a year, and my rates did not go down. If I bought out right, my rates would have stayed the same. I think the only reason they are able to sell the phones for 99 cents is, they are last years technology, which to most young people is the equivalent to 100 years old, so they are worthless! You are lucky at only 15.99 pounds, roughly $23.03. I pay roughly three times that and every time I talk to another carrier, they say they can't beat it. Unlimited talk, and texting, 3gb data. I would rather have unlimited data then texting!

I still had to take active steps to change my contract, though - evne after the two years were up, unless I initiated it, there would have been nothing done to change the terms.

We're on about the same deal, though I think my data might be only 2GB. That said, I rarely use it much - just for the odd Google maps or quick Facebook flick on a bus. So many places now have free wifi, and I hook the phone up to Wifi at home. If that's not available, it's rare I feel the need to go online on the move. Funny how the business has changed, though - when I had my first phone, SMS wasn't even a known thing (it may have later revolutionised communication, but it was only ever intended as a way for engineers to check connections; it was only after punters discovered and started using it that they thought to market it and redesigned phones to better facilitate it). I suppose they know that with free wifi so widely available, a lot of folks will just download a Skype app and use that to make calls for less, they can email or What'sapp for free over wifi for text.... data is the last place left to make their money. Can't imagine it getting much cheaper for that reason.