Technology Poll: By Your Guess, How Many Years BEHIND Are You?

I think a good example of this would be that I don't own a device of any kind that has a touch screen, and I just have a plain-ol' crap flip phone instead of a 3G/4G Smartthing. I don't even know what the buzzword du jour "cloud" means; I'm assuming it's just a conceptual black box related to mobile devices.

There could be any number of reasons for the lack of upkeep; the most obvious one is the empty wallet where your spare pay used to go to keep up with it all. Another would be the fact that once you buy whatever whiz-bang thing is being paraded around at any moment, it's almost instantly obsolete.

Then there's the other problem of plain and simple overload. I really, REALLY don't have the spare time to sit and study every device, every plan for that device, every cost, every feature out there . . . I didn't even mention the various millions of apps floating around for these devices. Do I buy an iPad? Do I stay away? Are there other devices that can do the same thing for less money? Does this plan cost less that that plan and why? What's the catch? What are the benefits?

Devices, features, plans, bundles, apps, clouds . . . I do not have TIME.

I have willfully stayed downsized and simplified. I do have a computer. That's about it. Works for me.

I tend to think that people who have to have all that gadgety shit and constantly be telling the world where they are, what they're doing, whom with, and the last time they farted have issues with 'being cool/trendy/accepted' and also suffer a tic of exhibitionism.

I prefer my lawn chair, an old fashioned hard-cover book and a hike in the woods.

But I do build my own computers and use Windows 7, have used Unix/Linux. Do have a cell phone.
Not sure where I stand in the overall scheme of things. Not much concerned about it either. :shrug:

...via iCloud.

Ask me anything.

:hi:

to make one buy and obsolescence schedules to keep one in debt trying to keep up.

A lot of things these days are asymptotic. One doesn't need the latest of the latest to be rather well 'kept up.' I still use, for example, high end vintage stereo equipment from the 60's/70's that blows the socks off much of the crap peddled today.

Additionally, many things today with lots of bells and whistles were never meant to work correctly/completely. All of the stuff is there for marketing hype. Many consumers IMO buy far more than what they need because it sounded good.

When I was back in R&D the idea was we never needed to get it all to work, because the next fad/hype will be released within a year or so and customers (suckers) will buy that.

And then others are true geeks and have fun with all of the stuff and in some cases truly need it all. I used to be there, anymore just working to downsize from it all.

It's a genetic thing.

digital camera and get along just fine. I don't need to constantly stay in touch with everyone I know or have known in my whole life. At times, I need a little solitude.

But really now, is it? As you say, technology is changing all the time, and if one were to be keeping up with it, you would be wasting precious time and money. Not to mention the incredible size of your technological waste stream if you were to keep up. Seriously, do people need to get a new cell phone every twenty three months? A new computer every three years? This goes on and on, and frankly I don't see how people can personally afford it, and I know that our environment can't afford it.

Our planet cannot handle waste dumps like the ones they have in over-polluted China. How many really recycle their old devices after getting new ones?

that I'm not sure what "the cloud" is, either.


Actually I'm only really current because Mr Pip is a tech junkie.


And I was happy with one of the non-4G phones too until he got one. I kept seeing all the stuff he could do with it. Then I wanted one.

Mine has 93 apps on it...

:7

I love to play with the new toys.

being ahead of the curve.

I have a desktop PC. I have a DVD player. 3/4 of my movie collection is on VHS, I do not, and will not, own a cell phone.

I admit, I have been mulling over buying a Kindle - it's getting harder and harder to read most of my massive book collection, so being able to adjust the type size would be nice. But that's about as far as I see myself going.

Have been an engineering technician in electronics R&D for over a decade, but don't have cable, satellite or smart phone.

edit to add - the one and only Facebook-less member of the extended family despite repeated demands.

I was disgruntled when I was forced to buy a cell phone that has a camera in it. I hadn't owned a camera of any kind in 25+ years. I do not use the phone - not a smart phone - for e-mail or internet even though it is possible to do so. My phone is a phone and my computer is a computer. That is more than sufficient. I wouldn't do social networking with a gun to my head. No teevee more than the basic-plus tier of cable either.

Like you, Hugh, I have better things to do with my time. Like listening to music on a real stereo and reading these funny, anachronistic things called "books."

I also don't have a computer at home (I use one at the library). I do have a cellphone for business.

I just don't like the idea of people being able to hack into my life.

I am a luddite.

I have a couple of touch screen devices, an e-reader and run the most recent OS on new systems, but I don't ever purchase anything in its first year of release. I also don't feel a need to social network with a bunch of ppl I didn't like enough to stay in touch with in the first place.

Oh, and I believe Cloud is going to change the way we use our electronics in the near future. I'm very excited about Cloud technology. :D

we have left.
"Cloud computing: Privacy and trust up in the cloud"
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/click_online/8625625.stm

I also know there are software developers out there right now working their brains to solve the problem. Later this year you're going to be seeing some very promising solutions coming down the pike. :D

in an AGP slot and ~ 700 GB of PATA HDDs in a raid 0 config...heh!!

oh well, being permanently dependent upon a fixed disability income, makes it very unlikely that I will be able to ever be close to "current" with technology again.

Our lone TV set is a humungous (weight-wise) analog 36" Sony WEGA CRT that is vintage 1999.

Can't afford a smartphone, we now only have pre-pay by the minute Tracfones, and only a few friends or relations left that very infrequently call/text us or vice-versa anyway.

Much more concerned about how we will ever be able to afford to repair/replace our ancient PU truck w/160K on the odometer, when I am flat broke 100% of the time by the last week of every single month, ever since I became disabled five years ago, and my wife then lost her halfway-decent career job to outsourcing soon afterward. She hasn't found a steady job that is any better than PT minimum wage since then.

Don't want to make it look like I am complaining, as I am well aware that there are tens of millions (and still growing) in the US that are now, or sooner or later will likely become far worse off financially than us, and we decided NOT to have any children after we got married in late '99.

Of course, many of the "improvements" are anything but.

:rofl:

no tee vee, still listen to FM radio on the STEREO, (while I also have a cd player, I still have a about 400 vinyl RECORDS too, and about 50 CASSETTE TAPES) 5 year old cheapo desktop and my monitor is a second hand CRT behemoth, frigging DIAL-UP (slow dial-up, not exactly by choice)

cell phone is so old that it has the logo of the company that got bought out by the current company (it's a flip with a decent camera - for some reason they dropped the qualities of the cameras in the last few years)

I have a three year old cheapo digital camera that was given to my father as a gift. He couldn't figure out how to use it so gave it back.

don't even own a laptop although I do wish I had one or some kind of portable computer-like device

I do have a digital max/min indoor-outdoor thermometer/rain gauge. Does that count for anything?:rofl:

I'm not afraid of new technology but I don't feel any particular drive to run get the latest, even if I had the $$$ (which I don't) some things just work, ya know?

they need to remember it will be broken and in need of fixing not too far down the road and often the fact it breaks is part of the design to make one buy another and/or upgrade. Much of the crap today isn't made to be repaired.

- make my menu along with shopping list on the phone. I NEVER forget my shopping list anymore. I keep up with my kids - and my grand kid - so I'm obviously not a youngster. Had to learn to text to stay in the "family loop". My workplace keeps all calendars on google and all planning data is "in the cloud". I'm the oldest one there so I had better know the current technology to keep up with the younger ones - some of whom would jump at the chance to take my job! Same thing for a group I volunteer with - everything is in the cloud.

As far as time goes, when you learn to use the new technology you will find it saves you time. Those who don't keep up with current technology will soon find themselves left out of EVERYTHING - from family to friends to job opportunities - if they don't watch out.

mostly due to economic reasons. I use technology for its functions, I can't compete in the game of status by having the latest thing. All my gadgets work fine for the tasks at hand. I have to the second the comment above about analog stereo equipment from the '70's, I have my TV sound running through it and it sounds way better than any surround sound. I even muddle through with ...gasp... Windows XP.

I live in a hand-me-down generation when it comes to technology. When cell phones came out, I used pay phones. Now there are few pay phones, I have a pre-paid phone with the functions I need. I don't have a problem with new technology, in fact it's quite impressive. I don't confuse the impressiveness of technology with me being impressive if I had it.

Computer is a PIII
6.1 stereo about 7 years old.
TV is about 12 year old tube but did have a DLP projector that I lost in a fire.
Android 2.2 phone, year old
Car is about a 16 year Saturn
Basic cable, no DVR.
Cable internet.

I guess, I'm within shouting distance of current on the strength of the phone, cable internet, and still modern stereo along with getting about 30mpg on the old car but nothing too fancy and little new.

Good topic. All these e-devices soak up a lot of time...so much e-gadget related activity is boring.
And it's just getting IMPOSSIBLE to "keep up."

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I consider what I have to be the absolute minimum for me:

Ipod
Cheap CD player
Not very smart cell phone
Digital Camera (2--pocket one and larger)
2 computers--ancient PC with Windows XP
Mac mini with OSX
flat screen TV--not big
Not social networking although strongly suggested by people re career. Do have website but don't have time to interface beyond email.

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:thumbsup: This thread makes me feel vindicated about perceived "lacks" -- I don't like NEEDING stuff. I don't like to feel pressured to buy it. I'm OK with being passe in many areas.

"The Story of Stuff"-- a good book I recommend.... http://www.amazon.com/Story-Stuff-Obsession-Communities-Health/dp/143912566X About all kinds of stuff.

Old computer only used for this and 1 other site plus standard e-mail
No twitter, face book, my space or other such sites
Rotary dial land line
No digital or high def TV
Still listen to tapes in the car and home
A simple cell phone, only because my work requires it and they pay for it