None of which affects the fact that all three of those technologies are in decline.
Defunct technology....
- Thread starter Warped9
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None of which affects the fact that all three of those technologies are in decline.
^ So you say.
Are you seriously going to argue that none of those things have been on the decline?
I am a little tired of seeing people claim a trend isn't happening just because they aren't part of it.
Mobile computing is killing the desktop PC. That is one article among many.
TVs, landlines on decline among Americans. Again, this is not a new trend.
The death of the answering machine is a little more ambiguous--I can't find any definitive articles on their decline, and it seems some people are defecting back to answering machines thanks to the proliferation of VOIP landlines. The specific kind of answering machine I was talking about (the kind with tapes) appears to have been almost totally replaced by digital units, though.
Most gamers are switching to consoles rather than gaming on PCs. I am not part of that trend but I'm not going to deny that it's happening. The things I was talking about going out of common usage aren't based just on my experience but also broader consumer trends. I also don't have a Blu-ray player but I wouldn't deny that their sales have continually increased.
Do people just not like admitting they are outside the trends or what?
Maybe they just don't like being forced. I can see where that would be a problem.
Who is forcing you to give up your desktop, landline, or answering machine? I never said anyone was being forced, just that those are in decline.
Same thing. The implicit threat is still there.
Unless someone is going to come pry those things from your cold, dead hands, there is no "threat" implied.
I was surprised to see a bin of disposable 35mm cameras for sale at my local supermarket last week. I was confident those were long gone.
I think the "threat" is that you won't be able to replace these things when they break or wear out.
When the majority of people flock to the latest shiny-new gadgets, it's no longer profitable to produce the old tried-and-true gadgets. So companies quit making them, and the minority who still like tham are out of luck.
In such a situation, I can see someone feeling practically coerced into giving up what they really want for something they don't. I know I've been disappointed when products I like are discontinued. That's economics, but it still sucks.
That, plus the natural tendency of majorities to scorn and ridicule such minorities. "You still talk to people? With your mouth? Instead of texting them? You're so old! Get with the 21st century, grandpa.
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I think the "threat" is that you won't be able to replace these things when they break or wear out.
When the majority of people flock to the latest shiny-new gadgets, it's no longer profitable to produce the old tried-and-true gadgets. So companies quit making them, and the minority who still like tham are out of luck.
In such a situation, I can see someone feeling practically coerced into giving up what they really want for something they don't. I know I've been disappointed when products I like are discontinued. That's economics, but it still sucks.
That, plus the natural tendency of majorities to scorn and ridicule such minorities. "You still talk to people? With your mouth? Instead of texting them? You're so old! Get with the 21st century, grandpa.
Yeah, but none of the things I mentioned are going to go away, they just won't be as widespread as they used to be. So, they'll still be available, you just might have to pay a premium for them.
I actually read an article on this recently. It seems the notebook will lose maybe half its market to netbooks/tablets, while netbooks won't ever be as ubiquitous as tablets. Then again, I'm of the opinion that a large chunk of low-end computing needs will be taken by large format smartphones, the ones with 4" screens that are a little large for a phone, but do so much better of a job with computing and entertainment needs.
Point is, the desktop has seen its sunset and still survives. It will persist because it is 1) the most powerful personal computer, and there are still niche needs for that power. 2) They're half the cost of mobile solutions in a dollar per performance measure.
STR's prediction: 10% of the market will be desktops, 30% notebooks, the remainder will be a spectrum of limited capability devices that blur the current tablet and smartphone form factor.
I'd chalk both of these up to the larger trend of completely digitizing media.
My parents still have a functioning wall mounted Bell red rotary phone in the dining room. That thing is loud enough to wake the dead when it rings.
Anyone think the wrist watch has peaked? I know I stopped wearing one about 5 years ago. Who needs it when you have a cellphone in your pocket?
Anyone think the wrist watch has peaked? I know I stopped wearing one about 5 years ago. Who needs it when you have a cellphone in your pocket?
Quite.
And as I said, sometimes I literally have no choice. My home security system requires a landline phone. It's unavoidable. So I could not give up my landline even if I wanted to. But what would I do if landlines were discontinued? (I suppose then, my security company would be forced to change, so I guess that would be a way out.)
That's a good one. I haven't worn a watch in years--mostly thanks to my cell.
When I was flying regularly earlier this year, I was really tempted to buy one of those simply because I wanted to take some pictures when I was still close to the ground, and they don't allow any electronics on at those times. The quality would have probably been crap though, plus there's the fact that they can't zoom.
Oh, definitely. But like Holdfast, I can't see them disappearing entirely. They'll just become a luxury item--a piece of jewelry, really. Conspicuous consumption--just like a fountain pen.
I too stopped wearing a watch about 5 years ago--not because I had a cellphone in my pocket, but because I couldn't find one that fit my big fat wrist. But I recently tracked down a specialty clock and watch shop, and bought a nice big new one.
The annoying thing about the decline of the wristwatch, for me, is that for years I've used it as an example of the cultural impact of the First World War. Before 1914, only women wore wristwatches: a man who wore one would have been considered effeminate. But pocket watches just were not practical in the trenches.
I don't know about that. A watch is always there (or can be except when you shower) on your wrist. You don't have to take it out or flip it open.
I haven't worn a watch in close to 15 years. But that's mainly because I don't need to have anything on me that tells the time - I'm never far from a clock at work, or in my car. And on vacation? There's clocks all over the place in NYC so I don't need a watch there either.
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