
The Joys of Being a Late Tech Adopter - sneeze-slayer
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/28/technology/personaltech/joys-late-tech-adopter.html
======
spodek
Besides phones, other applications:

\- Wait for movie hype to end to avoid crap movies with great marketing. I
usually wait to borrow them from the library.

\- I buy all my computers used from Craig's List. I'm typing on one I paid
$500 for that would have been $2,000 new.

\- Latest news about "superfoods" or nutrition. I heard about someone who
waited 5 years to act on food trends. None lasted that long before more latest
nutrition news superseded it.

\- Reading daily news. Doesn't improve my life nor make me better informed.

I still check my email too much.

~~~
iamkroot
It shocks me how many people get upset when you tell them that you avoid
following the latest daily outrage that the news media presents us. A while
back I realized that exactly nobody spends time "catching up" on daily news if
they are required to unplug for any significant amount of time, so why should
I bother to follow it in real time?

~~~
alexashka
They are shocked you are not like them, you are shocked them are not like you.

The loop feeds itself unless one of the parties ceases being shocked. I've
found it easier to cease being shocked on my end, than waiting for the
universe to change to suit my fancy.

~~~
beerdoggie
Great perspective.

------
esotericn
I just wish that smartphones had a more standardised OS.

Old laptops are fully usable in exactly the same way as a modern machine. They
might be slightly slower.

Well, I mean, it's getting more difficult to deal with 32bit hardware, but
that's about 10-15 years old now.

My 32bit atom netbook is still usable; still gets security patches; runs the
latest everything (it's just very slow, and e.g. some distros dropped 32bit
support).

I think that the phone manufacturers, Google, etc, should address the fact
that they are creating mountains of e-waste for no good reason. The last new
phone I bought was partly because old software stopped running on my version
of Android. That's really a shame.

I'm keeping an eye on the progress of the Librem but that's a tiny niche
market for nerds like me and doesn't address the wider problem.

~~~
leetcrew
> I think that the phone manufacturers, Google, etc, should address the fact
> that they are creating mountains of e-waste for no good reason. The last new
> phone I bought was partly because old software stopped running on my version
> of Android. That's really a shame.

this might be naive, but I do suspect we are getting close to an inflection
point with the two year phone lifetime. up until the last few years, phone
hardware was advancing rapidly and major features were being added to the
mobile OSes every year. no one who could afford to _wanted_ to keep a phone
more than two or three years. now that mobile tech is more mature, they will
start having to cater to people who want to buy a quality device and keep it
for longer. arguably apple is already doing this; iOS 13 will still support a
phone from 2015.

~~~
esotericn
I'm not so sure. We need an "IBM PC" of the smartphone world.

It's not a matter of the hardware manufacturers "supporting an OS". It's about
the lack of standardization, hardware drivers, fragmentation etc.

Samsung don't support my 15 year old laptop, but it works and works fine,
because it's a PC.

If the kernel drivers for my phone were mainlined that would be a huge step.

~~~
ianai
We need a tech recycling law and oversight. Many valuable materials are put
into phones never to be seen again nor properly disposed. Standardized
components would help. There will never be market pressure to recycle nor
standardize without a mandate.

------
davnicwil
I think particularly with phones, 5-10 years ago it was necessary to get a
flagship model to get something that at least wasn't awful, and you wanted to
upgrade that flagship as often as possible to get to 'good' as soon as
possible.

The last 5 years we reached 'good' for all flagship models, and so you bought
one to get that but could then just keep it until it broke.

Now, and going forwards, I think we're in the phase where non flagships are
reaching 'good' too, so it's really compelling to just get something that's
cheaper and more of a commodity device.

As the article points out, it'll be fantastic when we reach the point of
having good phones that are perfectly nice to use day to day, but if we
occasionally lose or break them the reaction is 'ah well, I'll just go buy
another one tomorrow' because they cost $50 brand new.

~~~
drcross
I agree that we've reached "peak phone". The newer models don't have any
features you particularly need so keep using your existing one as a commodity
until it breaks. The sales cycle is now looking like it's supposed to skip a
generation of users. Unless you are getting it for free that 1000 or 1200
dollars you spend on a flagship could be used to enhance your life, either
through having more disposable income, a holiday or investment. Enjoy your
life and don't be a slave to devices.

~~~
koonsolo
The foldable ones look to bring 2x the screen size. It's like having a tablet
in your pocket.

But I'm a late adopter too, so I'll wait until that tech is robust enough.

------
drevil-v2
I treated myself to the 2019 Kindle Oasis and compared to my two year old
Kindle Paperwhite (which has been donated to a grateful family member) it is
miles ahead. The larger warmer screen is just incredible and I have no
regrets.

On the other hand I am quite happy driving a 15 year old car and would not
spend money on a brand new fancy car even though I can afford it. No Tesla or
BMW or Merc for me.

It's different strokes for different people.

~~~
castratikron
A couple years ago I bought an almost new video iPod circa 2005. It was my
first Apple product so I didn't have the cable to charge it. I went to a
Sprint store near my apartment and asked if they had a cable. They told me
that they didn't carry "budget items" and that maybe I should try the
Walgreen's next door. Ten short years this iPod was center stage at an Apple
keynote and considered the best in the world, and it still worked just as well
as it did when it came out. It just goes to show that the value of tech is
relative to the times.

I'm waiting for the day when I can pick up a cheap Tesla that "only" goes 200
miles and "doesn't even drive itself". I'm already seeing Craigslist ads for
Teslas where they have to state no autopilot. No car ad five years ago that
would have to say that.

~~~
steelframe
> I'm waiting for the day when I can pick up a cheap Tesla that "only" goes
> 200 miles and "doesn't even drive itself".

I just sold my first-generation 2016 Model X to a dealer at 80% of its
original cost 3 years ago, which to me indicates a profound level of delusion
in the marketplace about the long-term reliability of Tesla vehicles. Going
through my own personal experiences and following stories of what Tesla owners
have had to go through when they needed repairs, I've finally accepted what my
friend said long ago about Tesla cars being repair-hostile:

[https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=11233898](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=11233898)

Speaking as someone who has gone through 3 years of repairs with a brand new
Tesla (fortunately all being under warranty), if your objective is to buy a
car that will be reasonably reliable and easily and cheaply repaired as its
aging parts break, an old used Tesla would be the absolute last car I'd ever
consider.

~~~
castratikron
The Model X is a luxury vehicle. Luxury vehicles have always been expensive to
maintain. Example:

Front strut for a 2016 Ford Fusion, $92 [1].

Front strut for 2016 Mercedes S550, $1,406 [2].

So I'm hoping the Model 3 will be different since it's a high production
vehicle.

[1]
[https://www.autopartswarehouse.com/sku/Ford/Fusion/Monroe/Sh...](https://www.autopartswarehouse.com/sku/Ford/Fusion/Monroe/Shock_Absorber_and_Strut_Assembly/2016/SE/TS72638.html)
[2]
[https://www.autopartswarehouse.com/sku/Mercedes_Benz/S550/Bi...](https://www.autopartswarehouse.com/sku/Mercedes_Benz/S550/Bilstein/Shock_Absorber_and_Strut_Assembly/2016/4Matic/BIL44240004.html)

------
TazeTSchnitzel
I always wanted a MacBook (the 2015+ Retina one), but they always seemed too
expensive once the storage was upgraded, and sadly this year Apple
discontinued it. But last month I happened to look on the right Amazon site
and hey, they have unsold brand-new stock for the latest model with the
upgraded storage in the colour I want, discounted several hundred euros.
Finally a good price :D

~~~
eisa01
Note that the 2015 MBPs are a great buy - you can upgrade the SSD yourself
using a $10 adapter:
[https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/upgrading-2013-2014-mac...](https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/upgrading-2013-2014-macbook-
pro-ssd-to-m-2-nvme.2034976/)

Grabbed a used 13" model with 16 GB RAM, and put in a 1 TB drive myself.
Couldn't be happier upgrading from a 2010 edition

If they release new models with fixed keyboards next year, I might upgrade and
shell out for the SSD and RAM upgrades.

------
EliRivers
_“We’re in the golden age of smartphones,” he said. “Your smartphone from two
years ago still works great and will continue to work for a while.”_

If this is where smartphones peak - usable for two and a bit years - we need
to take ourselves out to the car park for a strong conversation.

~~~
mantas
I'm still on iPhone 6. 4.5 years old. I want to upgrade for bling factor, but
it just doesn't die. I'll probably try DIY battery replacement once next
iPhone is out. Either I get to brag about my battery replacement skills or I
have a reason to upgrade.. Win-win!

~~~
pddpro
With people looking forward to upgrade their mobile and hand-held devices for
multiple reasons (including the "bling factor") I can't help but think about
the current e-waste management policies and mechanisms in place. Especially in
third world countries where new electronic devices are pouring in as gifts or
imports (thanks to the migrant workers and inflow of remittance) and older
devices are just being dumped as normal trash. The environmental impacts of
the improperly discarded batteries just pile up becoming severely unmanageable
day by day.

~~~
CogitoCogito
I only recently moved from an iphone 5 to a 6. I actually consider it largely
a step down due to the larger form factor. The 5 worked fine except for some
applications I needed moving passed 32 bit support. If not for that I never
would have upgraded. I'm always amazed at how people just must have the newest
phones. Other than my issue with the 32 bit I saw no reason to change.

~~~
mantas
Why not iPhone SE? It was possible to get it real cheap in clearance sales.

Fingers crossed for iPhone SE2 in iPhone5 shape :|

~~~
CogitoCogito
Well I never bought either phone. Both were from family members that had them
left over. Beggars can't be choosers.

------
ZoomStop
Most of the authors examples involve buying a generation or two older and
buying used. I would certainly expect previously owned gadgets to cost
substantially less. While there is a lot less early adopter risk in this, most
of the savings are realized from buying second hand.

------
karmakaze
Funny how it uses the original iPhone as it's example. I also got the original
when released (though I used the buy from store and don't activate
workaround). In my case, it didn't bother me at all when the next model came
out, I just kept using my just as useful as when purchased it. Less true today
as OS updates accelerate obsolescence.

Where I agree is with product updates. Version 1 can be significant as it was
when I got my first iPod (Apple's first killer product). I got subsequent
generations but not every one, mainly to increase storage, and never regretted
any purchase. The difference between having an iPad or no iPad around the
house is greater than having the prev gens iPad or the current.

~~~
fmajid
The question is whether the extra year of having the first usable smartphone
was worth the price, and the answer in my case was an unequivocal yes.
Nowadays smartphones have reached a point of good-enough sufficiency, and
that's why upgrade cycles have risen to one every three years.

------
mojuba
I think Apple knows this perfectly. I'm not even sure whether the "I'll wait
for the S upgrade" people (myself included) outsmart Apple or it's Apple who
created the market for those who want to _feel smarter_ than the rest.

At the end of the day, the economics of major upgrades vs. incrementals is
very straightforward: major upgrades do bring significant new convenience
features (e.g. once you are used to Face ID you don't want to go back) and if
you want to own them today, you pay more. There's nothing smart about not
benefiting from the new features today for the sake of saving a few hundred
dollars.

~~~
kd5bjo
> There's nothing smart about not benefiting from the new features today for
> the sake of saving a few hundred dollars.

Sure there is. For every life-changing new feature, there are a dozen that end
up not going anywhere. For the ones that are, their true advantages and
disadvantages only become clear after they’ve been in the world for a while.

I’m thankful for all of the early adopters out there that hapily deal with the
churn and find out what’s actually good so that I don’t have to— I can spend
that time focusing on what’s important to me and still get most of the
benefits, if only a year or two later.

~~~
mgkimsal
"For every life-changing new feature, there are a dozen that end up not going
anywhere"

"3D Touch" (IIRC?) would seem to fall in to that camp, no? I've never had a
device that offered it, and the folks I know that do didn't realize they had
it.

~~~
iamtheworstdev
I left Apple phones before that feature came out, and because of that feature
I feel like I have no idea how to use a new Apple phone. I want to say it's
just error but I really feel like they just forced a bunch of UI into that
feature too hope it would catch on.

------
steelframe
Meanwhile the battery in my trusty and otherwise-perfectly-functional Sony
Xperia Z5 Compact just swelled up and popped the back cover off. Just like
what happened to my Z3 Compact. And apparently replacing the battery is an
exercise in completely disassembling the phone and re-assembling it, which can
take an experienced repair technician over an hour of time. The process also
has a high failure rate, since it involves disconnecting and reconnecting both
front and rear cameras, the loudspeaker, the LCD screen, and the NFC antenna.

I'm particularly salty about this because not only does this ruin a perfectly
good device, but it can actually be quite dangerous.

[https://www.macworld.com/article/3162109/beware-the-bulgy-
ba...](https://www.macworld.com/article/3162109/beware-the-bulgy-battery-
lithium-ion-batteries-removed-from-laptops-can-still-be-dangerous.html)

------
zitterbewegung
I generally buy products when I need to than when I want to.

For other products I usually wait 3 months or more for all of the tech
reviewers to get in their 2 cents on each product.

Although, waiting for longer periods of time might be more beneficial because
then you know more information about the devices long term durability.

I have started to buy used Macs due to a bad experience with buying a Macbook
Pro 2017. I think I may have had some processor issues at that time. The other
problem was that during repair my laptop was lost for a few weeks. I had other
concerns on the long term durability so I sold it for a large loss.

I have a Desktop computer that I use as my "lab" computer. I generally use it
for video games but I have also used it to do some freelance work in the past.

I try to avoid version one of any product that I could own also.

------
rienbdj
Does this argument hold up when the next generation is significantly
different? I would take an iPhone 6 over a 5S any day.

~~~
fmajid
The non-S are usually a much bigger improvement over their predecessors than
the S. Almost as if Apple have an A-team working on the non-S and a B-team
refining them into S with minor iterations.

~~~
afthonos
However, the S is almost always the version I prefer; your so-called “B-Team”
are the ones who polish the designs, and the results are clearly superior.

As the saying goes, a trifle makes perfection, but perfection is no trifle.

~~~
kingkongjaffa
This rings true for me, I got a iphone 6plus at launch and hated the large
form factor.

it broke and I bought a used 6s (non-plus) and it was so much more refined.

Not to mention the smaller size was way more practical. The only time I wished
for a larger screen was to watch movies on flights and an iPad is way better
for that anyway.

------
alexashka
This may be sensible advice if being educated is not an option you're not
interested in.

Blanket advice is great for dummies. We have the internet, with every
opportunity to become knowledgable. You don't even have to read! Youtube alone
has a dozen excellent tech channels that'll break it all down for you, in a
somewhat entertaining manner too.

