Technology & Today

It seems to me that everywhere I turn there is always something bigger, better and faster than what I just walked out of the store with.

Is it just me, or is this pattern of technological advancements somewhat frustrating and close to highway robbery?

I also find that it isn't slowing down at all.

For example: Apple's second generation iPad is being released well before it was planned while the first generation iPad owner's products will be essentially obsolete ; NVIDIA has just released its roadmap of new GPU's - 2 new GPU's within 3 years (that will equate to about 10+ cards for each type - Kepler and Maxwell) - All of which are offering 2 to 3 times the performance of the GPU just before it; mobile phone manufacturers are the worst of them all with a new BETTER version of the one just released; Intel is going bananas over the Core i7 with more of those than I have fingers and toes.

It's a cluster f*** of companies suing each other over patents, companies playing the consumers for all their money, and we as the consumers being caught in the middle of it all.

......My nerves.

Its all business. =P All these companies just trying to make more money. Personally I think the worst is college textbooks, they release a new edition way too often with minor changes. They switch up chapters and topics around so students can't really use a previous edition.

It's because consumers think they need to have the best. It's not robbery when you spend money on technology! Now being gouged for gas...that's different, being gouged for the new second gen ipad? What's wrong with the first gen...other than people don't want it because something else is new.

Technology has always been fast paced...but P.T. Barnum said it best "There's a sucker born every minute". I really don't get how the consumer is the one being screwed, all this competition drives prices down!

Now the college text book thing...yeah, totatly agree! I wish ebay international sellers were more prevalent when I was in college!

Don't forget these companies, while trying to sell you their stuff, are all competing with each other to bring out the fastest / best / koolest thing out there so you will want to buy it. They do this because if they don't, they will fall behind the other companies which will.

Technology is always progressing forward and these companies can't stand still for a second lest they be left behind (OMFG MY PROFITS!!!).

I used to handle auto claims. It was my job to represent our policyholders' interests. Often I would have a weak case, but the opposition was incompetent. It was not my job to do their job (which in insurance is also the law). So I would do my job and win.

It's not the job of a company to NOT make money. It's their job TO make money. Simple as that.

ahh, so it is my Job to hold On to My money
but that is soo hard.

Yeah, but it does get easier once you see the results.

ajrettke said:

It's because consumers think they need to have the best. It's not robbery when you spend money on technology! Now being gouged for gas...that's different, being gouged for the new second gen ipad? What's wrong with the first gen...other than people don't want it because something else is new.

Click to expand...

The companies just play into the people who see the new shiny thing and have to have it. I have a good example from work. Now the CFO wanted an Iphone. I fought against him getting one, but in the end lost. So I try to make the best of a bad situation and say well lets get him the 3gs or whatever the one before the IPhone 4. Since the IPhone 4 was having so many issues. But I lost that fight too based on the fact that version 4 was new and shiny. Most people don't care if the new version is the same or worse then the last. They see the shiny parts and lay down the cash.

Us techs are the ones that have to deal with the problems that people have. Because they just bought the shiny thing, even though it is the same or worse then the old version. Not everyone is an educated consumer and companies make a lot of money off of that fact.

The upside is that you can at least use that truth to some benefit.

If someone doesn't like their computer, sometimes just cleaning it up makes a difference. I've had users swear there's a problem, I take it in and can't find the issue, but clean it out entirely (dust and whatnot) and tell them I went over it thoroughly and at least cleaned it. They are much happier seeing that I cleaned it because it gives them the impression I did not just blow them off and leave their computer on a shelf, and also, it's the "nice shiny object" thing as well. Something clean just looks better. Tap into that psychology. And if you fix it AND clean it, people will swear by you.

Point is, that psychology is just reality. You can either whine about it or use it to your own advantage.

Or sell something shiny and make millions... that works too.