The good news is that there is an increasingly vast spectrum of computing devices available to the tech consumer. Choice and competition, rather than monopolies, and everyone wins. The bad news is that there are a lot of decisions to make. Best we can hope is for a good deal and thorough use and/or enjoyment before obsolescence. It's a bit of a treadmill.
Some consumers of high-tech choose quickly, impulsively, instinctively, and/or purely by aesthetics It blew my mind to watch a friend choose an HDTV in about 10 minutes. His primary criteria was price, but the only sticking point was the garish logo on the one he liked. Some choose primarily by brand-loyalty (fanboys) or familiarity. In my office alone, we have those that currently belong to at least 3 different major smart-phone ecosystems. For what it's worth, as IT manager of my household, we try not to get too dogmatic about one technology religion. These days though I'm actually seeing a lot of people jumping off one bandwagon and onto another.
Some tech consumers respond to the marketing. A friend tells me that the recent "dancing and clicking" Microsoft Surface RT marketing really resonated with her mother, a real-estate professional who needs Office on a productivity-focused tablet. Some tech consumers still do an enormous amount research before pulling the trigger on buying a new device. "Flummoxed" is the word my 77-year-old Mom uses when feeling overwhelmed by this world of constantly evolving technology, barrage of marketing, and the increasing number of devices of all shapes and sizes. No matter what the rationale is for choosing the next device, the choices usually end up being emotional, rather than analytical.
I'd like to say my work makes it easier for me to make sure I have the optimal inventory of devices, accounts, services, and technologies that meet numerous use-models, personal and professional, consumptive and productive. To some degree, it does. However, I too can get overwhelmed by so much choice. Even after many years working the technology industry, it's challenging for me to decide exactly which device to spend hard-earned money on next, or more importantly perhaps, which current technology and ecosystem will be most prevalent to my home-life, work-life, or ideally... both.
I type this post and start this blog while trying to decide on my next computer purchase. We've staved-off some new technology purchases in my household for a while, but we've recently given-away all our 1st-gen tablets (iPad 1 and Kindle Fire), and most of our other traditional, non-work household computers are, getting "a little long in the tooth", as my wife likes to say.
"Haves"
- 2 aged tower PCs that need to go (one MCE, one workstation).
- 2 adequate smartphones (iPhone 4, 4S)
- 2-3 obselete smartphones (one of each: iPhone 3G, WP7, Froyo-era Android) that need to be sold/donated
- 1 2010 13' MacBook Pro (arguably plenty good enough for now)
- 1 Laptop PC furnished by employer
- 1 Retina MacBook Pro furnished by employer
- Various network attached storage devices.
- New Workhorse Laptop:
- Personal software projects and experimentation
- Personal records management, uploading, archiving, and sharing to NAS or cloud
- Writing/Blogging
- Family photo management, usually in Picasa
- Tablet
- Reading eBooks
- Entertainment of family while traveling
- AKA- when we're desperate with the toddler on a plane!
- Probably 7'
- New WP8/Android/iPhone
- Just because I always want the new hotness.
- Something that can simplify and do it all (well)... or short of that, is at least multi-use.
I'm evaluating if a Windows 8 hybrid (Surface Pro, Lenovo Yoga, Asus IdeaPad), an iPad variant, or a cheaper Android tablet would be the best choice for 1 or more of those use-cases.
Since I'm currently researching Android development , I'm leaning toward a Nexus 7, but man... I still want a Surface Pro too.
Yes, these are first world problems. It's a hard life, indeed.
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