We’re a very tech generation, aren’t we? The fact that you’re reading this blog and I’m writing it are pretty clear demonstrations of the fact that we are. But if you’re anywhere over the age of 25, you can likely remember a time without the internet. You will fall right into the area of the early adopter, which means we’ve grown up with tech at our fingertips.
Some of us, of course, are more tech-dependent than others. We’ve seen and heard jokey portrayals of the couple who go out for a meal, one of them looks at their starter and says “I must Instagram this!”. Their partner, frustrated, tweets their displeasure.
We turn to digital solutions without even thinking these days. Tech has infused our lives. And if you think you’re exempt from that group, ask yourself the following.
- Have You Spent A Bundle On Gadgets, But Winced At Paying For An App?
The phone that is in your pocket or hand right now, how much did it cost? Now, without casting aspersions on how much you earn, a safe guess is probably enough for at least a short-break holiday. A good smartphone these days costs enough to cover a family’s groceries for a couple of weeks. Excitedly playing with your new phone, you hit up the app store. You want to download that app you’ve been reading about.
“Five dollars? What? I’ll bet I can find something just as good for free!” you tell yourself. You’ve just dropped hundreds on the phone, and you’re now quibbling over paying the price of a hamburger to get an app you want. Yes, you probably can get a (more limited) version for free. It won’t be quite as good, but it shows where your priorities are.
- Have You Taken Hours Deciding Between Two Identical Gadgets Over One Detail Of Spec?
When you get a new phone, tablet or laptop, and you show it to a friend, it’s always a joy to hear them find fault. “Yes, it’s nice. But why didn’t you get the [insert name here]? It’s better.” From fingerprint sensors to speaker quality – every specification is picked apart.
A quick check on the specs, and you see what they’re talking about. It may be a slightly higher-def camera or a faster processor. It won’t be anything to do with how easy it is to make calls, even if it’s a phone we’re talking about.
But on a few data points, it will be a better model. “Not next time I upgrade!”, you tell yourself. So you spend hours reading reviews, talking yourself out of a hasty purchase.
If you’ve ever lost hours comparing between two different models of almost identical quality, welcome. You’re a techie. You’re ridiculous. You’re not alone. Nice speakers, by the way. But there are new ones out now with better sound quality. Sorry.
- Do You Judge Others On Their Tech Purchases?
Your sister, your dad or your long-lost friend comes around to chat and have dinner with you. They say “Wait until you see the pictures of the new house!”. They bring out a tablet and scroll through the photos they’ve taken.
They’re pointing at the beautiful craftsmanship on the roof and the ornate wooden floors. You’re looking at their device thinking “What in the world possessed them to buy THAT? Nice house, but maybe they could have sprung the extra $20 for one that works!”.
Most people are happy with their phones, tablets, and other devices. They will blink uncomprehendingly at you if you address your shock at their tech purchase. What does it matter? It’s just for games and pics! Too late, you realize. You’ve nerded all over them, and they’re judging you for judging them.
- Do You Have Chargers For Things You No Longer Own?
Every time we buy a new piece of tech these days, it comes with a charger. We may pass on or recycle the old phone, but the charger is in a drawer somewhere now. If you did a sweep of your home, you’d probably have more chargers than devices. How did that even happen?
If you’ve been upgrading your phone regularly, then the chances are you have enough chargers to open a small store selling them. But don’t. It is worth keeping hold of them because you never know when one is going to become faulty, or be left behind at work – even with the prevalence of USB now. If you’re one of those people who gets nervous when their battery gets to 25%, that drawer of chargers will save your sanity.
Phone companies are now aware of the fact that people do this, and some of the market leaders are launching green initiatives. The thinking behind it is that if you’ve just changed your phone you probably already have a charger. If you need one, you can buy it from them. However, by producing fewer of them, they use up fewer resources. It’s a cool move.
- Have You Ever Watched TV And Wondered Why They Use Old Phones?
Here’s one for all the nerds out there. You’re watching a TV drama, and in a tense scene, the criminal boss barks an order down the phone. Satisfied that his underling will do what needs to be done, he flips his phone closed.
You’re sitting there thinking “He’s got millions in the bank and he still has a flip phone! Why doesn’t he have an iPhone?”. Yes, you’re watching a TV show in which people run unscathed from burning buildings, and your suspension of disbelief is pricked by tech.
There is a reason for it, too. It’s a purely visual thing – they want to show that the call is ended, but in a way which comes across on TV. Someone tapping a phone screen or sliding their thumb across it isn’t very visual. It’s the same reason that their text messages are in a ridiculously large font. They’ve made the decision to do away with some reality for the sake of the show.
Of course, you probably knew that already. After all, with all the apps you have you most likely read it somewhere.
