My previous post about new gadgets got me to thinking about more gadgets. I have a lot of electronics, but none of it is top of the line stuff. When I want something, I watch for the price I'm willing to pay for it, and don't get it until then. If it's something I want/need right now, it's probably going to be low end. By low end, I mean cheaper brands which usually means lower quality. Although you can pay through the nose for high end crap.
I think about what I'd like if I had more disposable income. I'm not talking lottery-rich...that's a whole nother fantasy. I mean if I had a fairly decent bank of extra funds at all times. I'm lucky that I can have almost anything I want. I don't have expensive taste and I can usually afford that new gadget. But some I don't want so badly I'd go into debt for them.
A better tv. I don't need one right now. I'm content with the one I have. It's a flat screen HD tv, and bigger than the last tube tv. But a better one would be nice. Doesn't have to be bigger, I like the size I have now. Just better. Happily, prices for flat screens have come way down the last few years, and I can get a better one for less than I gave for the one I have. When I need it.
A new camera. A good camera is a fun toy. I have 2. The old one is a Minolta that I paid a fortune for before I retired (had more money). At the time, this was as close as you could get to a digital SLR. SLR didn't come on the market until several years later, and then they were so expensive, only professionals would afford them. This camera does almost what a SLR can do, or at least as much as I wanted it to do, but it has drawbacks. It's big and bulky for one thing. It's also a battery hog. It takes 4 AAs, and it chows through them in no time. I found an electric adapter for it, and now it just stays on the tripod with the stage for rabbit photo shoots. It also has issues...I guess it's aging. The other is a nice little point and shoot that I got at Overstock.com a couple years ago, and this is the one I can take anywhere. A digital SLR would be fun.
A tablet. Like an iPad, but not as a phone. Even if I had the funds for a fancy tablet phone with internet, I wouldn't own one. I prefer a plain ole flip phone for phone calls, and I just don't see me liking a tiny phone screen and keyboard for internet. The tablet with bigger screen would be for portable internet, and it would also be a toy. The other expense that might be included with this is the data plan. Something else I don't need, and I'm not willing to pay for right now. My little Netbook is serving that purpose without an extra data plan.
I didn't really need the Netbook, but I took advantage of the annual "tax free holiday" and got it at the same time as the desktop computer (which I did need). Saved quite a bit on both. I don't use the Netbook a lot, it's not very powerful as computers go. But it has come in handy, which is the reason I got it...for just in case. When I was without power for several days after the tornado, it got a lot of use. I bought a special charger for it during the outage that I can run off the car so I didn't have to worry about conserving the battery.
A Wii. I'm not really a gamer. I play little time-waster games, but I don't have much interest in the heavy duty type of games that you need a gaming console for. Wii looks like it would be a fun toy, so I'd get one if I had extra money. I might even get that new tv so I could dedicate the Wii to the old one, and keep the new tv for...well...watching tv.
You might have noticed a new computer isn't on the list. I don't want a new one. I love my current pc and don't see a need to upgrade again until it dies. Oh, but that reminds me...
Software. I'd buy some expensive software that I'd like to have but get by without.
Where do I go for my gadgets? Best Buy has always been the one for big ticket items like computers and tvs. Walmart is the best option around here for prices so I get small things there. I like The O for stuff that can't be found at Walmart.
BTW, if you're nervous about buying "refurbished" from The O, don't be. I've been very happy with everything I've got from there. Refurbished usually just means it was returned for reasons other than defect or damage, and usually doesn't include a manufacturers warranty (however, The O will stand behind it), but you save money on a perfectly good item. They also have good deals on new things that are just not the latest thing. If you don't mind an older version of a gadget, this is the place to go.
I usually buy myself something for Christmas from The O (like the little camera). They always run a free shipping deal at Xmas time. This year, it's a graphics tablet. I ordered it the day after Xmas and haven't got it yet. I've been looking at these for a while. I love playing with graphics and I think I'll like it. I went with a Wacom. It's (I think) the best, and I found a nice mid-range model. I saved a good $40 over what's in-store locally. Basically, it's so I can draw. I can't, not really. My mouse is a trackball controlled by the thumb. I love it because I have a hard time keeping a regular mouse on the desk. It tends to wander off, and I'm constantly picking it up to place it back where I need it. The trackball stays in place. I'm pretty good with it when it comes to editing graphics, but I still can't draw with my thumb. Can't wait to get my new toy.
Happy New Year from The Wee Dark Hours
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