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Over-priced consumer technology?

  • 08-11-2018 8:33pm
    #1
    Registered Users Posts: 431 ✭✭mammajamma


    Following on from the "scared of technology" thread. When you look at the technology companies from a common consumer point of view, are they actually producing much of worth at all, or is it all an emperors new clothes scam?

    Email was a fantastic enhancement to everyday life. The general internet, not so much.

    Mobile phones were a fantastic enhancement to everyday communication. The apple iPhone 600000000000, not so much. The iterations are practically negligible, but still costing 6/7/800 quid for the "latest"? Nah.

    Google/facebook/Instagram/twitter, all companies that, when you strip it to bare economic basics, are gloried advertising companies. Somehow they are "worth" billions and trillions, despite producing sweet FA in reality.

    Computers/laptops/operating systems, their utility for the average person peaked like 10 years ago, everything since then has been 1 step forward, 1 step back ad infinitum. A joke to maintain their prices. Now you can load a webpage in 0.001 seconds instead of 0.002 seconds. Wow, let me give you another 600 euro for that life-altering thing! :P An average, capable laptop should be around the hundred euro mark by now, IMO.

    Consumer technologies, generally, have to be the most over-hyped products going, to a ridiculous degree. Are there any exceptions were these things are actually justifying their prices over time? Should people start screaming about the emperor being in the pure nip?

    Edit: I see the guts of the thread has devolved into my phone versus your phone. Maybe that says it all!

    Edit 2: Now with added poll-a-thon technology. To be worthy of such innovation and improvement to life will cost 800 euro. Next year? We're adding sidewards polls for the life-improving price of 800 euro. That's right, bar graphs that go from left to right, not just up and down! Who are you to resist it?

    Are we being totally ripped off or not? 16 votes

    The Emperors new clothes are fabulous!
    0% 0 votes
    The Emperors penis is tiny!
    100% 16 votes


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Comments

  • Registered Users Posts: 431 ✭✭mammajamma


    Televisions, generally, have become cheaper over time. You can see companies trying to inject new (useless) angles like 3d, 4k, 8k, etc. But nobody seems to want them, hence the price direction.

    How have the other technologies managed to swindle people?


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 26,658 ✭✭✭✭OldMrBrennan83


    Want - buy.
    Don't want - don't buy.

    I feel the same about holidays and numerous other things but the reality is that it doesn't matter when nobody is forcing you to spend your money.


  • Registered Users Posts: 109 ✭✭Jasper_


    mammajamma wrote: »
    Televisions, generally, have become cheaper over time. You can see companies trying to inject new (useless) angles like 3d, 4k, 8k, etc. But nobody seems to want them, hence the price direction.

    How have the other technologies managed to swindle people?

    Eh... 4k useless? LOL

    4K is the only tv people buy these days.


  • Registered Users Posts: 10,684 ✭✭✭✭Samuel T. Cogley


    Anything Apple TBH. They used to offer a point fo difference, albeit at a cost, now the stuff is poorly designed muck they're rightly getting reamed by the right to repair laws coming into the States.

    HTC Vive - over priced for what it does.

    nVidia in the PC market being let run riot. Intel up until recently - although they still can't keep up with demand.

    As for most other things there's a cheapo alternative available that may or may not be decent value for money.




  • Anything Apple TBH. They used to offer a point fo difference, albeit at a cost, now the stuff is poorly designed muck they're rightly getting reamed by the right to repair laws coming into the States.

    .

    Absolute and utter nonsense. Apple products are expensive but they are superior. I wouldn’t touch an android phone or a windows laptop.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 10,206 ✭✭✭✭Birneybau


    A bit of research will give most people value and quality.

    I actually buy Moto Gs (was Motorola, Google and now Lenovo). Cracking phones for the price and do exactly what I need.

    https://www.amazon.co.uk/motorola-5-7-Inch-Android-Sim-Free-Smartphone-Deep-Indigo/dp/B079SQF4BD/ref=sr_1_1?s=telephone&ie=UTF8&qid=1541709856&sr=1-1&keywords=moto+g


  • Registered Users Posts: 10,684 ✭✭✭✭Samuel T. Cogley


    Absolute and utter nonsense. Apple products are far superior.


    LOL bollocks. At best they're in a nice box, they've had endless issues with design in the last few years. Then they try and make you repair through themselves, that's even if they'll do the repair. They've never been better, just different. Now they're 'different' in all the wrong ways just using off the shelf tech for double the price. And for some reason the fanbois keep trying to defend their anti-consumer nonsense.


  • Registered Users Posts: 43,017 ✭✭✭✭SEPT 23 1989


    You tube is the one that can stay

    For the old records


  • Registered Users Posts: 6,480 ✭✭✭SteM


    Jasper_ wrote: »
    Eh... 4k useless? LOL

    4K is the only tv people buy these days.

    Not sure I'd agree with this "fact", any figures to back it up? 4k TV is useless to the huge amount of people that don't have a 4k source to play on them.


  • Registered Users Posts: 431 ✭✭mammajamma


    Jasper_ wrote: »
    Eh... 4k useless? LOL

    4K is the only tv people buy these days.

    So, you just bought one, in other words :P

    I have the same television for nearly 6 years now. Absolutely perfect. Every now and then I'll have a gander round the shops, have a good look at the tvs on display. Tempted to get a new one, then come back down to reality.

    If mine broke today, I would be more than happy to spend the price-adjusted amount to buy the same model, say, probably 200 quid by now. But looking at all this "amazing" difference with the likes of 4K (bearing in mind 4k sources are very few and far between)....at those prices? Nah, people are 1) being robbed of choice, 2) being fooled.

    Yeah those things are nice. But not nearly worth it.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 10,684 ✭✭✭✭Samuel T. Cogley


    Decent 4K HDR TV's - given the right source - are far superior. It's like anything though to most a €25 bottle of Moet will taste just as good as a €500 bottle of Dom Pérignon.


  • Registered Users Posts: 12,753 ✭✭✭✭mfceiling


    I wouldn’t touch an android phone or a windows laptop.

    Galaxy s9 and the new Google pixel phone are deemed to be better than the latest iPhone.

    I find the iPhone to be behind Android tbh. User ease isn't as good. Remember apple making a big fuss that you could slide right on someone's contact to call them or swipe left to text....eh you could do that on Android for ages!!

    Samsung looking at introducing a foldable screen next year....Apple will probably make a big song and dance out of this technology when they release it in 2026.


  • Registered Users Posts: 7,631 ✭✭✭Doctor Jimbob


    Absolute and utter nonsense. Apple products are expensive but they are superior. I wouldn’t touch an android phone or a windows laptop.

    That might be true if you're comparing the Apple products to cheaper windows/android alternatives. If you get an android/windows product for the same price as an apple one, you'll get a far better product.




  • LOL bollocks. At best they're in a nice box, they've had endless issues with design in the last few years. Then they try and make you repair through themselves, that's even if they'll do the repair. They've never been better, just different. Now they're 'different' in all the wrong ways just using off the shelf tech for double the price. And for some reason the fanbois keep trying to defend their anti-consumer nonsense.

    You haven’t a clue, a MacBook is miles ahead of any windows laptop that are uslesless after a no time macs last for years more same for iPhones far far better designed, better made and much better software as the software and hardware integration is vastly better than android and the million phone makes that use it.

    The resale value of a few years old Mac or iPhone just shows they last.
    That might be true if you're comparing the Apple products to cheaper windows/android alternatives. If you get an android/windows product for the same price as an apple one, you'll get a far better product.

    You won’t.


  • Registered Users Posts: 5,700 ✭✭✭fonecrusher1


    I read somewhere that 80% of the components inside Apple products are not actually made by Apple. Its basically generic parts from various companies but nicely packaged externally.


  • Registered Users Posts: 13,365 ✭✭✭✭McMurphy


    Absolute and utter nonsense. Apple products are expensive but they are superior. I wouldn’t touch an android phone or a windows laptop.

    They're expensive because of the billions of dollars ploughed into the marketing behind their products.

    Which seemingly has worked a treat on you.:p


  • Registered Users Posts: 12,753 ✭✭✭✭mfceiling


    same for iPhones far far better designed, better made and much better software as the software and hardware integration is vastly better than android and the million phone makes that use it.

    Is this the same iPhones that deliberately slow themselves after a couple of years to get you to upgrade?


  • Registered Users Posts: 10,684 ✭✭✭✭Samuel T. Cogley


    You haven’t a clue, a MacBook is miles ahead of any windows laptop that are uslesless after a no time macs last for years more same for iPhones far far better designed, better made and much better software as the software and hardware integration is vastly better than android and the million phone makes that use it.

    The resale value of a few years old Mac or iPhone just shows they last.


    As said above, spend the same on a Windows device as you do on a macbook and you'll get all the benefits of a Macbook and more besides. You're trying to compare the likes of a €699 device from Argos to a €2199 mac. Furthermore macs don't last - that's been an issue for years.


  • Registered Users Posts: 24,214 ✭✭✭✭lawred2


    mammajamma wrote: »
    Following on from the "scared of technology" thread. When you look at the technology companies from a common consumer point of view, are they actually producing much of worth at all, or is it all an emperors new clothes scam?

    Email was a fantastic enhancement to everyday life. The general internet, not so much.

    Mobile phones were a fantastic enhancement to everyday communication. The apple iPhone 600000000000, not so much. The iterations are practically negligible, but still costing 6/7/800 quid for the "latest"? Nah.

    Google/facebook/Instagram/twitter, all companies that, when you strip it to bare economic basics, are gloried advertising companies. Somehow they are "worth" billions and trillions, despite producing sweet FA in reality.

    Computers/laptops/operating systems, their utility for the average person peaked like 10 years ago, everything since then has been 1 step forward, 1 step back ad infinitum. A joke to maintain their prices. Now you can load a webpage in 0.001 seconds instead of 0.002 seconds. Wow, let me give you another 600 euro for that life-altering thing! :P An average, capable laptop should be around the hundred euro mark by now, IMO.

    Consumer technologies, generally, have to be the most over-hyped products going, to a ridiculous degree. Are there any exceptions were these things are actually justifying their prices over time? Should people start screaming about the emperor being in the pure nip?

    The general internet not so much!?

    What do you actually think the internet is?


  • Registered Users Posts: 543 ✭✭✭sbs2010


    Not all but many consumer electronics seem to have a fixed average price point for a high range model.

    A couple of years ago I found an old newspaper from 1995 or so with a full page ad for phones. They were £200.

    An €800 iPhone is similar money today taking inflation and disposable income into account.

    The manufacturers keep innovating to keep justifying the high price which would fall otherwise due to competition, market saturation, etc.

    But for a given item the "high price " remains remarkably static in real terms over the years.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 24,214 ✭✭✭✭lawred2


    I read somewhere that 80% of the components inside Apple products are not actually made by Apple. Its basically generic parts from various companies but nicely packaged externally.

    Same goes for pretty much all electronic devices and components




  • As said above, spend the same on a Windows device as you do on a macbook and you'll get all the benefits of a Macbook and more besides. You're trying to compare the likes of a €699 device from Argos to a €2199 mac. Furthermore macs don't last - that's been an issue for years.

    I’m doing no such thing, my work laptop in my last job was more expensive, higher spec on paper and newer than my MacBook Pro and it couldn’t even get close to it. Ended up in the drawer and I used my personal MacBook for work. Windows is awful and the hardware like touch pads etc are like trying to move an mouse with an oven glove when you get used to the Mac.

    Thankfully my new job provides macs by default and only give a windows machine if you specifically request it.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 6,168 ✭✭✭Ursus Horribilis


    lawred2 wrote: »
    Same goes for pretty much all electronic devices and components

    Ah but when they're Apple generics they're special </sarcasm>


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 7,480 ✭✭✭wexie


    lawred2 wrote: »
    The general internet not so much!?

    What do you actually think the internet is?

    Probably depends on who you ask, seems to be plenty of people* that don't use it for much beyond social media, porn, music and Youtube (giving that it's own classification as it seems to have developed a whole new generation of ****e)

    Of course for others it's more akin to the greatest repository of knowledge that the world has ever seen, all right there at your finger tips.

    (*the kind of people that don't know the difference between repository and suppository)


  • Registered Users Posts: 24,214 ✭✭✭✭lawred2


    I’m doing no such thing, my work laptop in my last job was more expensive, higher spec on paper and newer than my MacBook Pro and it couldn’t even get close to it. Ended up in the drawer and I used my personal MacBook for work. Windows is awful and the hardware like touch pads etc are like trying to move an mouse with an oven glove when you get used to the Mac.

    Everyone gets all hetted up about widows and Mac OS

    I work with both. Find them both perfectly usable. They both have their individual strengths.

    Windows 10 is in the main an OS gets out of your way. That's pretty much all I expect from it.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,058 ✭✭✭Mookie Blaylock


    One Plus 6... Sweet as a nut


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 7,480 ✭✭✭wexie


    lawred2 wrote: »
    Same goes for pretty much all electronic devices and components

    Yup, once you start looking a bit deeper there's only really a handful of manufacturers that make components. That goes for pretty much any kind of electronic hardware.


  • Administrators, Social & Fun Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 74,773 Admin ✭✭✭✭✭Beasty


    No-one is forced to buy any of this stuff. Of course if people wish to pay over the top for things, someone else will in all likelihood step into the breech to sell it to them....


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 26,658 ✭✭✭✭OldMrBrennan83


    I’m doing no such thing, my work laptop in my last job was more expensive, higher spec on paper and newer than my MacBook Pro and it couldn’t even get close to it. Ended up in the drawer and I used my personal MacBook for work. Windows is awful and the hardware like touch pads etc are like trying to move an mouse with an oven glove when you get used to the Mac.

    You like Macs, great. Apple isn't a football team though so you can put the scarf and flag away.

    Both are equally useful to those that want to use either.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 10,684 ✭✭✭✭Samuel T. Cogley


    I’m doing no such thing, my work laptop in my last job was more expensive, higher spec on paper and newer than my MacBook Pro and it couldn’t even get close to it. Ended up in the drawer and I used my personal MacBook for work. Windows is awful and the hardware like touch pads etc are like trying to move an mouse with an oven glove when you get used to the Mac.


    I'll give you the touch pad. Apple have managed to perfect that. To get that you have to take a device that's basically made to go wrong as soon as the warranty is up. This has been shown over and over again by people like Louis Rossmann and even Linus Tech Tips did a piece on how anti-consumer apple were with him over his work station.


    I'll just plug in a mouse thanks.


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