I'm not buying any Tech in June [Archive]

Phillip Dyson

05-02-2005, 11:42 AM

Thanks, I just realized that I was in danger of getting way out of control. Between software upgrades, accessories, and a Home Theatre PC I'm building that I need to do a "soft reset" and get my self back on track.

Not that I regret any purchases that I've made of course. They all have their uses. :D

PR.

05-07-2005, 12:48 PM

Been there tried that, all it does is make you draw up a shopping list of stuff your going to buy when the months up :)

Jon Westfall

05-07-2005, 01:36 PM

Been there tried that, all it does is make you draw up a shopping list of stuff your going to buy when the months up :)

Well, for the truly addicted, maybe set a monthly budget for technology, and if you want something over it, save up 2 months budget, etc.. After all, cold turkey is the hardest way to quit...

Dazbot

05-07-2005, 01:49 PM

I'm sat here with a new borrowed Dell X50v, trying to think of reasons not to go and buy myself one. So far all I have is poor battery life, no USB host and the fact that I just bought a car holder for my 2210 for my Tomtom.

dma1965

05-07-2005, 02:45 PM

One thing I love about my job is that, as CTO, I have a budget which allows me to buy and test out new technologies. Since we have a "fleet" of Pocket PC Phone Edition devices, I can purchase anything I feel may enhance or improve the devices. All I have to do is stay within my budget, and using the web based capabilities of the Pocket PC Phone Edition allowed me to create a business intelligence system which saves the company $1400.00 per month compared to the older system. That coupled with the fact that the former CIO was wasteful means I have plenty of budget to test new technologies with.

whydidnt

05-07-2005, 03:00 PM

Wow, I've thought of trying this before, but I have to admit I'm a tech addict. Combine that with some sort of weird gene that never let's me pass-up a good deal and BAM I have a house full of techno gadgets - some of them rarely get used. For example I recently purchased a new Dell Inspiron since Dell was offering $750.00 off a $1500 purchase. I have no need for the laptop, but couldn't resist (and of course upgraded it, so didn't even get a full 50% off).Fortunately I've been blessed with a career that provides sufficient income to feed my addiction. However, I often look around at these gadgets and think - "What if I had spent this money on some sort of greater good?" I'm not sure my life would be any less fulfilled.

Maybe we all need a 7 step program to get off the "juice". :mrgreen:

MikeUnwired

05-07-2005, 05:31 PM

Every addiction has a drug and in the absence of that drug a replacement will be found. The AA guys say one-day-at-a-time, but I've found that you can do alot of damage in a day. You have to vigilant that you don't replace your gear lust with books or wine or grills or whatever.

Kursplat

05-07-2005, 07:38 PM

Would it be cruel to offer Sojourner 75% off on all electronics purchased during the next 20 days? :twisted:

Phillip Dyson

05-07-2005, 08:44 PM

Would it be cruel to offer Sojourner 75% off on all electronics purchased during the next 20 days? :twisted:

I'm trying my best to keep my purchasing focused during the month of may. I still have to buy a TV tuner and remote for my HTPC (http:/www.circumspect.net/projects/heighliner.html).

I don't think of myself as addicted. After all, I can quit at anytime. Its no big deal. I can handle.

I'm hoping this will help me get my spending rhythm back on track.

For some of you I recommend that you consult your your physician first. :lol:

rmasinag

05-07-2005, 10:11 PM

I have easy solution to your problem. Be a poor college student on loans... that will set you right up in being not too techno purchasy... like women are with shoes :lol:

straysheepie

05-08-2005, 04:54 AM

I have easy solution to your problem. Be a poor college student on loans... that will set you right up in being not too techno purchasy... like women are with shoes :lol:

Well, at least you're not a woman with a passion for shoes AND gadgets! I just blew $100 on clothes today and $80 on a iPAQ car holder for my bluetooth GPS setup :D

I wouldn't be able to pass up deals and resist gadgets for a month, so I greatly admire anyone who can!

G M Fude

05-08-2005, 05:37 AM

Good luck, sojourner, you've inspired me to do the same. I'm going to do it in this "pay month", 15th May to 15th June (I could do a lot of damage to the Amex card before 1st June if I don't start soon). No new software, no new tech toys, no CDs or DVDs; nuthin'. I don't (yet) have any problem paying the bills but it's getting way out of hand. The past 6 Amex accounts have been 3, 5, 2, 3, 2 and 5 thousand dollars -- no wonder they're always trying to get me to sign up for stuff (like, I want to pay them $900 a year for a Platinum Amex card? Pffft... green is good enough).

beq

05-08-2005, 05:41 AM

Hmm, I find that suffering for my passion (emptying my bank account on gadget purchases so I have to brown bag for lunch everyday) gives me a sense of purpose and fulfillment...

;)

Jon Westfall

05-08-2005, 02:12 PM

Well, at least you're not a woman with a passion for shoes AND gadgets! I just blew $100 on clothes today and $80 on a iPAQ car holder for my bluetooth GPS setup :D

Yea, if I put as much money into clothing & shoes as I do technology, I'd be the best dressed person on the planet... Thankfully jeans & a t-shirt are my workplace's accepted everyday wardrobe.

Ed@Brighthand

05-08-2005, 02:54 PM

Some people get addicted to shopping -- whether its for handheld peripherals or shoes -- because we get a rush from buying something new. The problem is, the rush doesn't last very long, so shop-aholics go buy something else.

Here's my solution. Before I buy something, I spend a lot of time thinking about it, researching it, looking for the best deal, etc.

This does one of two things. Often I lose interest, which means I didn't really want the thing very much in the first place. But if I don't lose interest, my sense of anticipation builds. When I finally do buy whatever it is, it's a big thrill. I get the same amount of excitement out of buying one thing as I would otherwise get out of buying ten things. And this way costs a lot less.

It's like being a a kid at Christmas. It was such a big day because it was one of the very few times a year I got gifts, and I'd spent months looking forward to it. Christmas isn't such a big thrill if you buy yourself stuff all the time.

applejosh

05-08-2005, 03:45 PM

Being in college did do a lot to curb my spending habits. Now that I'm out, I don't have that limitation. But fortunately, I'm getting older and broken body parts are helping me to "forget" about my tech addiction.

Phillip Dyson

05-08-2005, 06:46 PM

Here's my solution. Before I buy something, I spend a lot of time thinking about it, researching it, looking for the best deal, etc.

Thats me. Which is why this sabbatical is (hopefully) going to get me back on track. I've alway been one to research my technology and gadgets. I just recently looked up and realized I was in a snowball effect.

Unfortunetly, being a researcher makes it difficult for me to offload some of my expenses on other people, under the guise of gifts. My girlfriend and family ask me all the time "what do you want for your b-day, or christmas" and I have a hard time giving them answers.

Usually when I ask, I'm not ready because I haven't dont the research. And once I've done the research, the moments gone and I'm ready to buy.

Fude: Good luck, we'll have to keep everyone up to day on how it goes. Its going to be tough if WM2005 is truly announced this week. I think that that places widespread availability (pre-orders in the least) sometime in June. By my estimation any way.

Kursplat

05-09-2005, 06:16 AM

Of course, you can always take the opposite route. Purchase your gadgets outside of your budget. Pick a gadget you want to do something to make the money to buy it.

So you could:

1. Hold a PSP car wash
2. Set up an iPod lemonade stand
3. Host a Pocket PC kegger
4. Don't forget to wear your "Cutting Grass For A New Laptop" t-shirt!

You will appreciate your gadget all the more and it didn't empty your buget to buy it.

I'm going to need a car wash, lemonade stand, kegger, AND grass cutting for my latest desire (http://www.rctoys.com/draganflyer5tipro.php) combined with a pair of these (http://www.eyetop.net/products/eyetop/index.php). Of course, I'm hoping to be able to use it to make money for future gadgets. :)

Don Tolson

05-09-2005, 08:32 PM

Here's my solution. Before I buy something, I spend a lot of time thinking about it, researching it, looking for the best deal, etc.

This does one of two things. Often I lose interest, which means I didn't really want the thing very much in the first place. But if I don't lose interest, my sense of anticipation builds.

I'm with Ed (up to the point selected), in that with a wife and two pre-teen boys (9 and 11), I have to justify why we need to spend THAT much money on a new toy for Papa, as opposed to a Nintendo DS or PSP or cappacino machine, etc. There just isn't that much cash floating around.

Sure there's lots of new toys I'd like to play with, and I can justify the need for each and every one, but the reality is, we need to cover the basics first and teach our sons about managing their money wisely.

Not spending anything on technology for month -- not a problem! That's easy!

Not being able to play with the new toys when they come out and tell yourself that you're hanging on to a 3 year old Pocket PC with a scratched screen to help teach your kids about not becoming part of a 'consumer' society, that's tough.

Kursplat

05-09-2005, 08:41 PM

Don, how about making them earn it. And teach them by example. It takes work, but it can be rewarding.

All three of you pick a gadget you want. As a team, go out on weekends doing yardwork in the neighborhood and put the earnings in a fund to buy the three gadgets. Tell mom if she helps she can get a new pair of shoes. :)

Spend time as a family, get some exercise, meet more of your neighbors, your kids better appreciate what they have because they earned it, and you get your gadget without grief from the wife. :D

Phillip Dyson

06-02-2005, 04:46 AM

Of course this is not just about resisting a new PDA. But new software, upgrades. New online services. Its about slowing down my pace to think through each purchase rather than making an impulse buy.

June is here and I'm wondering what I've signed up for (http://www.circumspect.net/wordpress/). So far the summer s moving pretty slow on PDAs but there are other things to tempt me. Like more components for my HTPC project (http://circumspect.net/projects/heighliner.html).

I'm sure that over the course of the next 30 days I'll find plenty of "much needed" tech enhancements. :worried:

Janak Parekh

06-02-2005, 05:36 AM

I find that when I'm very busy with work I can usually hold off buying gadgets. Of course, this means come summer (and considering I'm in academia), I'm desperate. :P

Of course, the fact that WM5 just came out will help me hold off on new WM devices. But still, man, I need a new camera and a laptop this month... ;)

--janak

ppc_md2b

06-05-2005, 03:04 AM

Peeps,

Forgive my newbie-ness, but are we waiting for new devices to come out just because of the new WM5? Or is it because the various PPC manufacturers have not been procreating recently? Are there any quasi-substantiated rumours (as much of an oxymoron as that is) that might be worthy of discussion?

Cheers,

JG

Darius Wey

06-05-2005, 04:23 AM

There will be new devices coming out with Windows Mobile 5.0 shipped on them. People may be waiting because of that, or maybe because they already have an up-to-date WM2003SE device. So far, Dell has announced a WM5 upgrade for their X50 line. HP has announced a WM5 upgrade for their hx2000 and hx4700 series, and Fujitsu-Siemens seem to be supporting their LOOX 700 series with an upgrade that's expected to ship Q3/Q4.

If you're after a decent device that has WM5, then I'd consider one of the aforementioned (you can acquire the WM5 upgrade when it is made available). However, you can always wait to see what the future devices will be like. So far, convergence appears to be a key theme in the already-announced WM5 devices.

Phillip Dyson

06-16-2005, 03:32 AM

I've reached the halfway mark I'm still holding strong. I've talked about a few temptations that I've encountered along the way. Check it out here (http://www.circumspect.net/wordpress/?p=33).

I actually had one person mention joining me on my original post (http://www.circumspect.net/wordpress/?p=20). Not sure if he followed through or not given the questions he was asking.

I can imagine some people shivering in there bedrooms at night breaking out in cold sweats, and of course the obligatory thunderstorm outside the window.

Phillip Dyson

07-01-2005, 12:19 PM

Its July 1st and I'm still alive.

Check out my closing remarks here (http://www.circumspect.net/wordpress/?p=35), and a list of items that I've accumulated over the past 30 days.

Thanks for all of your support. :lol:

Janak Parekh

07-01-2005, 03:34 PM

Congratulations. I think. :P

--janak

Ripper014

07-01-2005, 07:43 PM

Phillip Dyson

07-01-2005, 08:17 PM

If it makes you feel any better I have no plans to upgrade my PocketPC for a while yet... there is nothing in the market that has my interest even a little peaked. Though I have always wanted a Sony Vaio "T" series...

Barring any new device announcements I will probably be picking up the E-TEN m600 when its released. I was pretty close to buying the m500 a couple of weeks ago.

Luckily I was on sabbatical. :wink:

Jon Westfall

07-01-2005, 08:19 PM

Well Sojourner, you're off sabatical. Any tech this first day of July?

Phillip Dyson

07-01-2005, 09:26 PM

Well Sojourner, you're off sabatical. Any tech this first day of July?

Hmmm... its kind of like coming off a fast. You want to get a little of everything you had to pass up but end up freezing in your tracks from indecision.

My first two purchases:

SageTV (http://www.sagetv.com/). I think I've only got 3 or 4 days left on the demo.
Softtick's CardExport II (http://www.softick.com/pocket-pc/cardexport2/)

ctmagnus

07-03-2005, 02:49 AM

CardExport's awesome!

fwiw, I've managed to go as long as six weeks without making any tech purchases, but that was purely by coincidence. :oops:

Phillip Dyson

07-05-2005, 12:07 PM

CardExport's awesome!

fwiw, I've managed to go as long as six weeks without making any tech purchases, but that was purely by coincidence. :oops:

Hey thats still good. If you can do it unconsciously or without effort then it only shows that you have a problem.

Er... you don't have a problem.

Not that I have a problem.... 8O