How long do you cherish a gadget?

I still have a slide rule from 1957. Film cameras of various formats (120, 35mm and 110) are with me since 1960, The first Sinclair Spectrum computer from UK with a tape memory is around since 1980 as are a slew of calculators. An ancient Nokia that is not much smarter than the owner and can barely make and receive calls and SMS with a pathetic memory is still at work as its owner is.

Having said that I take time to get any gadget. I first read all info including operating instructions, check it out from actual users and quite often defer getting it. I am certainly not an impulsive buyer.

That's great, Sir! We all surely do read and research a lot before spending on all those expensive gadgets we buy these days. Just wanted to know how long does the craze last?

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Just as long as it is useful and relevant.

I'm no more in awe of my old phone which I showed off! So, I cherish any gadget as long as its the best I can have. Then the new thing comes up, and cycle continues..

Waiting, saving, spending, admiring and showing it off! 😁

I do a lots of research before buying any gadget, however charm remain till a limited time only (or rather I should say, till I get another gadget that works as replacement or alternate for functionalities).

I bought my first DSLR six years back, charm was there for first couple of years, and now I haven't clicked a photo with the gadget since last year or so (as carrying it is burden and my 12 MP phone works handy most of the time). Another list worthy buy for me was Dell XPS 'Z' series (a premium laptop), a fancy device which was luring me till we got galaxy series smart phone which took care of my surfing need and photography both.

So in nutshell, as soon as we get easy and better alternative option for our older gadget; love for that goes away.

That makes you stop and think if it is really worth spending so much time and effort for gadget. It's almost always like you go buy a gadget and the next day something new pops in that totally crushes your own gadget's specs or looks.

Have you ever loved something so much it hurt?
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I don't cherish ANY gadget - they just serve their utility function. But I do ensure that they are best engineered product for their function at a price that I'm willing to pay.

I'd read the specs over and over. The real fun part is comparison between devices. Back in my school days, my friends and I used to bunk tuitions to 'learn prices' of the latest mobile phones and also to see what 'second hand' options we had for our pocket money, while I was in Kuwait. We even used to switch our phones with each other for a full day or half so that everyone of us would get to 'like and feel' each new device. Truly miss that opportunity these days at the office! Still hunt for mobile phones more than any other gadget. Wish I'd start an electronics store someday so that all fantasies would turn up easily and without loss of bucks!

To sum it up - it's like wanting to taste every flavour of ice cream that's available out there!

I am a gadget-keeper for as long as I can hold it in working condition (greater than 5 years). After that its either a display set or scrap material. Most held used gadget was my Canon Point and Shoot which I sold for Rs500 as scrap after 10 years. Still have an old typewriter and a film camera which are not in use.

#-Link-Snipped-# I find it difficult to get rid of any well engineered product. Five film cameras, Two telescopes (useless in Bangalore skies), binocular, a German made vice grip pliers from 1962 (still in perfect condition) the list goes on as my wife's list of complaints about my hoarding habits...

Kaustubh KatdareJust as long as it is useful and relevant.

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I love my gadgets more I use it and have used all my gadgets to their optimal potential.
But I also like to keep some of them. 😀

A.V.Ramani#-Link-Snipped-# I find it difficult to get rid of any well engineered product. Five film cameras, Two telescopes (useless in Bangalore skies), binocular, a German made vice grip pliers from 1962 (still in perfect condition) the list goes on as my wife's list of complaints about my hoarding habits...

Well, added to gadgets I collect interesting objects as well i.e. chocolate boxes, prinkles covers, energy drink cans, old bottles, and anything that interests me. Then I convert them into interesting combos of penholders or office desktop add-ons using a little bit of creativity. To this day, my dad still uses one of my custom office add-ons at his desk. But, of lately the creative part is staggering but the collection never stops. I have to deal with my mom and my grandma for this. Best part is my grandma says I'm just like my grand-dad.

Blame it on genes!

"Best part is my grandma says I'm just like my grand-dad."

It is always the partner that gets the blame for something out of the way. If it is something good the grandmother's comment would have been, 'Ende grandson alle? Pinne?'

I cherish it as long as it serves properly. once it starts falling apart, i fast-forward it to the junk yard. That is exactly what i did to my motorola L9 silver.

Was wondering, has the word 'gadget' narrowed quite a lot to just 'mobile phones' these days! Mostly I feel so.

I like to keep those things I bought for the love of it in a working state. As time goes on, I might reduce the time I spend with it. But, I do keep them working. Well, I chose them for a reason! That doesn't mean I'm stuck with the past though 😁 Of course, I do get attracted to newer things as they pop up.

This reminds me of a joke on a local radio station:
Q: What is the similarity between choosing a gadget and a girlfriend ?
A: After you choose one, you always say should have waited for the next model.
Yes, this thing always happened in the past but now a days since a newer version of a gadget never adds something substantial to the experience, we a losing the trend of queuing for the next iteration.
For me a gadget's charm lasts for a month or in some cases up until it serves your purpose right. When you start expecting more things from your gadget that it cannot fulfill, you have no option but to move on.

Looks like almost everyone here is pretty well-to-do when it comes to spending money! 😁 For a gadget that we don't cherish for more than a year, we spend in multiples of 10K.

Thinking about all the e-waste that we all contribute too. ☕

Ankita KatdareLooks like almost everyone here is pretty well-to-do when it comes to spending money! 😁 For a gadget that we don't cherish for more than a year, we spend in multiples of 10K.

Thinking about all the e-waste that we all contribute too. ☕

If we spend this much money for gadgets, think of the odds of getting our kids satisfied in future!! Can't think of how much I used to bug my dad!