Refusing to upgrade to a new form of technology - Anyone done it?

[scfr]

Has anyone ever "jumped off of the technology upgrade" wagon before? If so, have you been happy with your decision or did you regret doing it?

I'm 42 years old, so over the years I have seen music go from LPs to Cassettes to CDs. Now the trend is to portable players like iPods or MP3s.

I have a collection of about 110 CDs, over 1/2 of it is classic jazz, that I love. I am at a point where I think my current collection is more than sufficient, and I may buy a new CD every one or two years. I know that if I never bought another CD for the rest of my life, I would be just fine.

Instead of changing to the new technology (with all of the costs involved), I am thinking of buying one or two small (inexpensive) spare CD players to put in storage, so that I have a replacement when my current one breaks down. That way, I can just (hopefully) go on listening to my current CD collection for as long as I live.

Sorry iTunes, but I just don't think I need you in my life ...

Have any of you ever done anything like this? If so, how did it work out for you?

[Ima saver]

Well, I managed to buy a record player a few years ago so i can still play my old LP's, not that I do that very much. This player also plays cassetts and CD's. I had never owned a CD and did not plan too, but it came in my vette, so i do have a few.

[jodi]

Well, I never made the switch from cassettes to CDs because music is such a low priority for me. I did insist on getting a tape deck in my car several years ago rather than a CD player so I can listen to books on tape. DH has a record collection of several hundred which he listens to regularly, although he does have CDs which he has loaded onto his computer so he doesn't have to mess with the disks. He told me that he wants an MP3 player for Christmas, so I guess he's upgrading, although I doubt I ever will.
If it were something more relevant to my life, I would probably make the upgrade (i.e. computers, cameras), but music I just don't care enough about. I think getting a few extra CD players is a great idea - we had a hard time finding a replacement part for our record player several years ago.

[Broken Arrow]

Oh yes, I do it all the time. You see, I LOVE technology. Love it! I get regular bouts of "gadget fever". It's really quite dangerous sometimes.

I'll never forget that historical moment when AMD announced that they beat Intel and created the first gigahertz CPU! Wow, that was the must-have for all computer power-users back then. The really cool geeks were the ones who were running dual processors of 1ghz Tbirds under the hood.

Long story short, I've watched all these generations go by, and still do. In fact, I currently do not have an upgrade path in mind. Nor the budget for it. Once upon a time, I had up to 5 computers running almost all the time in my house. Now, when this old laptop of mine dies... I literally won't have any more computers left.

Simple living I guess?

Incidentally, you can rip all the music from your CDs to a MP3 player. That is, unless you're locked out from some kind of copy protection scheme.... Otherwise, you don't have to rebuy your music at all. In fact, your music should be free to play on any music device you choose.

If you do plan on buying music onilne, I do recommend to check out emusic.com as well. They sell legal, non-restricted MP3s. That way, it can and will go with you for as long as you preserve them somehow. You can also burn them into regular music CDs if you choose.

[JanH]

Haven't gotten an ipod yet. Just now using the ole computer regularly! I do buy CDs for traveling. In fact the kids can't believe I know the names of their favorite singers. I finally broke down and got a digital camera this year. The kids just roll their eyes when I goof up with it. This summer I had a trip with DD. I had the flash on when I shouldn't and the flash off when I should have had it on. I've never tried to print out pictures though. I'll get it eventually....My DD had to recently reprogram my phone for vibrate--I had never tried it. It's weird cos almost all our immediate family members are engineers of some sort. And I have no electronic gene. However, I did buy a new printer with all kinds of abilities and am learning to use it. I just take my time.......

[dossin1]

I refuse to get a camera phone. When I want to take pictures I'll use a camera, when I want to make a call, a simple cell phone is sufficient. I have no desire to listen to music on my cellphone either, so no Mp3 deal. Also, I'm determined to boycott HDTV, at least until the prices come down to something reasonable ( and no, $1000 is not reasonable to me!)

[rduell]

Originally Posted by jodi

I did insist on getting a tape deck in my car several years ago rather than a CD player so I can listen to books on tape.

Books are available on CD also!

Part of our services at the Library System are to provide books on tape and CD to the members of our System to supplement their collection. Right now we are concentrating on building up our CD collection, but it looks like we'll soon be adding books on MP3s also. It's hard (and very expensive!) to keep up with the technology as it changes. Just when we get one area built up it's obsolete and we have to start over!

[tinapbeana]

Originally Posted by dossin1

I refuse to get a camera phone. When I want to take pictures I'll use a camera, when I want to make a call, a simple cell phone is sufficient. I have no desire to listen to music on my cellphone either, so no Mp3 deal. Also, I'm determined to boycott HDTV, at least until the prices come down to something reasonable ( and no, $1000 is not reasonable to me!)

i also refused to get a camera phone, and DH and the sales clerck both looked at me like i was nuts! i use my cell phone for emergencies, so i just need it to dial and have e911 capability that's it. if i want to take a picture, that's what my digital camera is for. not to mention that the picture quality of a cell phone picture is laughable at best...

[JBinKC]

All the time-Technology is designed for you to waste more money and much of it IMO impedes on my privacy. I don't own a cell phone, or HD/ flat screen TV, and heat with wood.

[Aleta]

As soon as you buy a new piece of technology, it's already on the way out. I refuse to have a camera on my phone. Personally, I have a pay as you go phone that I use only for have to's. I just don't think that we need all of this technology unless you're a reporter and you need instant feed. I'm a little concerned about the iPods being that close to your brain. I've read some articles and I'll think that I'll wait on that one. Why do we need to have music in our ears at all times. Sometimes we all need a bread from all of the noise. We can't hear ourselves think.

[sarah]

I refuse to buy a cell phone period. I used to have the excuse that I couldn't get cell service where I lived. That changed this week. I'll have to think up another excuse. I just plain don't want one.

[asmom]

I have a cellphone that I use to talk on only, for necessary stuff no chit-chat. I don't text message, take pictures, listen to music or watch videos on mine and I see no reason to. I don't have an IPOD, mp3 player or a PDA. I do have a CD player however; I had a cassette player up until about 3 years ago when I could no longer purchase cassette tapes because they are no longer sold! Sometimes you have to upgrade whether you want to or not. I agree with Aleta that as soon as new technology comes out, it is almost obsolete. This of course is a financial bonanza for technology manufacturers who delight in the dollars they rake in from consumers trying to keep up.

[Ima saver]

I thought I was the only one here that thought that way. I have no cell phone and would not have one if it was free. Music is not a big priority in my life. I only listen to the radio in the car and then I like oldies stations.

[shelbylovesmelby]

Well.......... I agree I'm not into the whole IPOD thing wich is just a fancy version of a transistor radio & or walkman. Big deal, I don't go anywhere that I'd just "die" if I couldn't listen to my music anymore. But I do borrow dh's mp3 player sometimes while everyones asleep & I'm online.

I'd love to get a new fancy tv but I just can afford to do so. I mean come on I know the pic quality is sooo much better but to be up 1000x the cost of your standard tv. Though I know we'll have to in 09 when everything goes HD-Digital GRRRR!

I too also have a pre-pay cell phone. Dh wanted to be "cool" & get the razor after the one he had was "giving him problems" (just an excuse of course) & course he was stuck in his contract (still is) & put out a whopp'n $500 for the phone 6 mo ago. Now he's decided he wants to go back to pre-pay & I called the service to see if he could use his fancy razor phone w/ their service & a lil reprogramming... NOPE! _________ <-- insert several choice words & and "I told you not to" as well. Hence why my $64 prepaid phone that's as basic as they are these days & my $15 every 90 days that I've had since my contract ran out 3 yrs ago has suited me just fine.

[scfr]

Thanks - I knew I could count on y'all to be supportive and not make me feel like a Luddite!

I'm definitely going to put away 2 new, inexpensive CD players so that I can go on listening to my current beloved collection in to the forseeable future.

Cell Phone: My prepaid cell phone got irrepairable water damage from being outside in the rain, so I had my husband add me to his Cingular plan with a free phone. When the new phone arrived, the "Quick Start Guide" covered the following topics:
Bluetooth
Instant Messaging (IM)
Mobile Email
Downloadable Fun
Quad Band
All I could do was sit there and think, what the heck? What if I just want to make a regular old phone call!?!

[Broken Arrow]

Hehe.

* Bluetooth, don't worry about it unless you need to do something wirelessly, like a wireless headset or wireless syncing with a computer.

* IM, don't worry about unless you actually use that feature. But then, unless the phone actually a full thumb keyboard, I would probably ignore that even if you do use IM.

* Mobile email, don't worry unless you want to be able to read your email from your phone. It's most likely that it would cost you more per month for that feature, by the way.

* Downloadable fun. Probably Java applets. I wouldn't worry about that either unless you like games on your phone.

* Quad Band, I wouldn't worry about that at all. It's a beautiful thing, and it's not something you have to tinker with.

Don't worry, be happy.

[StressLess]

DH and I have just been talking about this regards HDTV, and I came across this thread because someone mentioned just that. We're debating whether to start a new savings account to save up for the new equipment we'd need in 2009 when the big switch comes, or just let traditional tv go by the wayside. The way I look at it, how much money do I want to spend, how much hassle do I want to go through just to see our favorite local newscasters after work each day?

Beyond that, most of what we watch is from Netflix, the library, and the numerous VHS tapes we have from the years we had cable. We do watch CSI, The OC, and some public tv shows but they all eventually seem to come out on DVD.

If I'm understanding it correctly, you need a special HDTV. Then you have to get a separate tuner, after you decide whether you're going to use an antenna or pay for cable every month (different tuners). Then you have to buy an antenna and put it on your roof, or hire someone to do so. Or, pay the cable company every month. And I'll just bet they won't have a $10 a month option anymore. You may need a newer DVD player to play your old DVDs on the new kind of TV. You may also need a new kind of VCR to play your old tapes on the new TV (made only by JVC and Mitsubishi at this time, and costing well over $200). How does the FCC expect the average person to afford that many upgrades?

[boefixepa]

I am going out on a limb here as I don't have the complete knowledge, but I have many, many HDTV channels and they play on my normal TV just fine, I just don't get the benifits of the HD stuff...won't the switch be the same?? Like when color come out...if your tv wasn't color, you still saw a black & white picture.

Someone a little more savvy have the details??

[Ima saver]

I am so much older than you guys and I don't have a clue what you are talking about. My husband finally had to turn in his old cell phone and we got the simpliest one you can get. The book that came with it did not tell you the first thing about how to use the phone, it just assumed that you knew what to do. we still can't figure it out.

[Broken Arrow]

Originally Posted by boefixepa

I am going out on a limb here as I don't have the complete knowledge, but I have many, many HDTV channels and they play on my normal TV just fine, I just don't get the benifits of the HD stuff...won't the switch be the same?? Like when color come out...if your tv wasn't color, you still saw a black & white picture.

*Gasp!*

HDTV is the Next Great Thing Since Sliced Bread! It is the next bastion of the Shiney-Shiney!

It's like BASF. It doesn't let you watch the superbowl in your underwear with your drinking buddies while belching to your six pack and strategizing how you can get your grumbling wife to fetch you the nachos with cheese.

It let's you watch superbowl, in underwear, with buddies, drink, belch, and strategize better! With perfect High Definition clarity!

Honestly, I just can't see why anybody wouldn't want a little piece of this heaven!

Seriously though, once you have the right set of hardware in place, the difference can be stunning. You can glimpse the difference now, by comparing image quality on your computer monitor (already digital) to an image on a regular cable TV (which is generally analog).

Now, whether that is a compelling enough reason to upgrade, I don't know. Personally, I'm going to try to shirk the whole TV thing, including HDTV.