I fall into this category but I do it willfully.
I look at new technologies for what they are… tools. If something really superior comes along, like compact disks, then I’ll take the plunge. I’ve learned to ask myself if the new technology will serve me or will I end up serving it. What started that philosophy was my first VCR. At $800 it was cutting edge technology that did everything. I used none of the high tech stuff and was frustrated with all the settings I had to make just to use it normally. It quickly dawned on me that I spent extra money on stuff I really didn’t want. So when I see combo technologies such as cell phone/PDA/camera/GPS units I usually walk away. They usually do everything poorly and cost a fortune.
I agree that kids will take to new technology quicker and that’s a good thing. I was that way when I was young and really put the effort into researching what to look for. I take advantage of that today by asking the younger generation what to look for when shopping new technology. As I see it, my job is to ask the right questions. My last laptop purchase was completely altered by the salesperson after I told her what I was going to use it for. I use this process for every product I choose. If I don’t know someone or can’t find a sales person who seems to know his or her product then I’ll go online. I chose a digital camera using advice from users on this site.
I think the trick is to rationalize the money spent on new technology. I have a very nice stereo system. When I looked at surround sound systems I was disappointed with the quality. I quickly learned that the spatial encoding used in surround sound works on a standard stereo. The absence of rear speakers did not compare with the loss of sound quality. On the flip side, I was using my film camera for presentation work. The hours spent creating slides made the decision to change over to digital technology an easy one. I can take my laptop, scanner and digital camera anywhere and get better images using a fraction of the time needed. What I do on my home computer is vastly superior to what I did with film processing. The high cost of switching over is offset by a savings in film development. The side benefit to my digital camera is that I can use my 1G compact flash chip as a small hard drive.
The changeover to CD’s was a no-brainer for me. I had a reel-to-reel tape deck and it was a pain to use (also not portable). I hated the quality of records so when CD’s came out I couldn’t abandon records fast enough. The dynamic range of a CD is much higher than a record and will play the same after 100 plays. They’re also easier to record. I click on what I want and walk away.
Ipods are a different story. The sound quality is reduced and I listen to music in only 2 places, my home and my car. If I was buying a new CD player for a car I would get one that reads MP3 files or had a plug for an external storage device. Other than that it doesn’t serve my needs. I think it’s a great idea though. If you can take your collection with you then there are no CD’s to steal from your car (I’m in the process of duplicating everything I have for this reason).
I finally broke down and bought a stand-alone DVD burner/VCR combo. VCR’s are great for 1 time use but the tapes take up a lot of space and degrade over time. I wasn’t going to spend $2000 for a burner so I waited until it came down to $220. I’m very happy with $220 but would have been disappointed with the loss or $1800 in disposable income. It was worth the wait.