Jump to content
xisto Community
The Simpleton1405241582

How Many Gadgets Do We Really Need Today?

Recommended Posts

In my childhood all I did for fun was watch TV or go out with friends. When I was too bored to do anything I simply took a nap or did some other work that didn't involve me sitting at a place for too long. Today the scene has changed completely. I carry around a number of gadgets depending on the time, and even when I'm out doing some work, I keep using these gadgets in some way or the other. Is it really hard to live without these gadgets? Can't we lead a normal day without having to run behind these gadgets?The top gadget in the list is the mobile phone. Without calling or messaging someone, my day doesn't seem to go well. Someone or the other keeps contacting me at odd times during the day and that is why I'm forced to carry around the phone wherever I go. It also functions as a music player to cure boredom in case of emergencies.Then there is the netbook. It seems to come along with me whenever I have some formal work to do. It hardly weighs 2kg but still is a burden to carry around at all times. I can't manage without it so there is no other option but to grudgingly carry it along.Next in line is the mp3 player, obviously inspired by the ipod. It's small in size and can provide music whenever and wherever I want. For now that is all I have on my list. The other gadgets which I don't carry around but still use a lot are my PC, PS2, and of course, when there is no other option, the TV.This is just an average person's list. There can be many other gadgets included in this list, like a smartphone, or a tablet PC, etc. We are getting used to using so many gadgets daily that we hardly bother to notice how much we are getting used to them. Can't we live without them? If they disappeared suddenly, or if we lost them, would be able to be at peace for a whole day? I doubt it.What do you think about this? Depending on gadgets that make our work easier is not a bad thing. We should just be careful that we don't depend way too much on them so that we are not in a miserable position if we are away from them for a while. I know a few people who can't stay away from their phones at any time of the day. Even while meeting other friends, they stay hooked to their phones, holding a two-way conversation! They may be good at multi-tasking, but it doesn't look nice to the people who are talking to them directly.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I would say that this is a poorly formulated topic, or a vary bad chosen formula.When you talk about "gadget" you talk about something absolutely not necessary. A gadget is something funny you don't really need.So, as soon as you name something a gadget, it's absolutely not necessary.When my car is broken, if I'm in the middle of nowhere, it's absolutely necessary to call for help. In that case, my cellphone is something absolutely necessary for my survival, it's not a gadget.If my cellphone simply stays in my pocket, just in case I receive a useless SMS saying "hi, man still boring?", the same cellphone is a gadget absolutely useless.My mp3 player is connected to my noise-reduction headset, because I am working in a very noisy environment, so it's absolutely necessary to isolate myself from the surrounding noise, else I will loose my ears. In that case my mp3 is absolutely necessary.And, of course, I am an IT engineer, so I absolutely need my laptop. However, when I use my laptop for surfing on the net, like I am currently doing, my laptop is a simple gadget, and in case of emergency I could survive without typing the current text.So, the question should be asked differently : among all the stuff we are carrying along, what is really necessary?I would say : the necessary things are the ID card and the blue card.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I would say that this is a poorly formulated topic, or a vary bad chosen formula.

When you talk about "gadget" you talk about something absolutely not necessary. A gadget is something funny you don't really need.

So, as soon as you name something a gadget, it's absolutely not necessary.

When my car is broken, if I'm in the middle of nowhere, it's absolutely necessary to call for help. In that case, my cellphone is something absolutely necessary for my survival, it's not a gadget.

If my cellphone simply stays in my pocket, just in case I receive a useless SMS saying "hi, man still boring?", the same cellphone is a gadget absolutely useless.

My mp3 player is connected to my noise-reduction headset, because I am working in a very noisy environment, so it's absolutely necessary to isolate myself from the surrounding noise, else I will loose my ears. In that case my mp3 is absolutely necessary.

And, of course, I am an IT engineer, so I absolutely need my laptop. However, when I use my laptop for surfing on the net, like I am currently doing, my laptop is a simple gadget, and in case of emergency I could survive without typing the current text.

So, the question should be asked differently : among all the stuff we are carrying along, what is really necessary?

I would say : the necessary things are the ID card and the blue card.


Well I guess I was confused by the meaning of the word 'gadget' :) Your reply makes good sense and the examples you give are very reasonable. Some devices are extremely important at times and sometimes they are merely used for fun. I think this topic is more inclined towards that fun part. In today's world some devices are absolutely necessary and we can't get our work done without them. So they can't be called as gadgets in those situations. But in situations where we are using these devices to keep ourselves entertained or just for fun, the question of whether or not we really need them arises.

 

The mobile (cell phone, if you will!) was originally used just for making calls. It still does that and is useful in case of emergencies. But with smartphones becoming all the rage today, we're using them for a lot more things than making calls. Are these other things really necessary? Once again, this is just in an informal scenario and not the work-scenario, where the phone is useful to check mail, etc. Even today we get phones which have limited functionality, i.e., making calls and sending messages. They come at a very cheap price, but aren't used by many people, because they want to flaunt the latest "in' phone! I think this sort of discussion only applies for the mobile phone. Other devices, like the laptop, mp3 player, etc are still used only for what their main function is.

 

So, the question should be asked differently : among all the stuff we are carrying along, what is really necessary?

I would say : the necessary things are the ID card and the blue card.


A good point :D Although after getting in you'd start missing all your devices (or gadgets :P)

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

lthough after getting in you'd start missing all your devices (or gadgets

Not sure.Each time I leave my home, I carry along a heavy case with each thing I should not miss. At the end of the day I did use none of them, but I felt quite Zen because, in case I would need one of them, I have it : my mobile, my 500 Gb USB disk, my three USB flashkeys, my GPS. And also my novel book, which is fully paper, but is very useful if I have to wait for the Bus.
So, I miss no device, although I know each of them is probably useless.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Not sure.Each time I leave my home, I carry along a heavy case with each thing I should not miss. At the end of the day I did use none of them, but I felt quite Zen because, in case I would need one of them, I have it : my mobile, my 500 Gb USB disk, my three USB flashkeys, my GPS. And also my novel book, which is fully paper, but is very useful if I have to wait for the Bus.
So, I miss no device, although I know each of them is probably useless.


Wow you sure have a tough plan :) It does seem to be a good idea to carry important stuff around in a case all day. For some it would seem to be too tiresome. Oh well it depends on how lazy or thoughtful they might be :D And it's good to know that you prefer traditional books to ebooks. Ebooks can never give the same feeling as the good old printed book does.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I always have my mobile phone with me and the usb key, sometimes I bring or walk with my mp3 player and more often I bring my laptop to work or to friends..Sometimes, when needed I take my not so long ago bought usb hdd of 640 GB when needed, but I try to avoid always walking with it, as usually usb key of 8 gb is enough for something simple..Don't really know anything more I can carry :) unless sometimes an electric screwdriver :D

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I just found a most accurate title for this poll : "how many objects do we really need in our pocket?"With this formula, "gadget" means "useless item", and "need" means "necessary item". :)---Edit : this made me remember the philosophical problem my father often raised :I need a job in order to pay my car.I need my car in order to go to my work.If I had no job, I would not need to pay my car.Then, a car (thus a job) is not something necessary.Where is the trap?----Re-Edit.I almost forgot my smartest useless item : my nice Ipad!No, it's a joke, I didn't buy an Ipad yet, but it would be quite a heavy item to be carried on, and not to be used because while driving my car I shouldn't surf the Internet, and if I show it in the train it will be stolen rather soon. :D

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I carry only my mobile phone whenever I go out. It sometimes offers music when I am bored, and stores some files when its needed. If If I ever think I need more, I would fork out of it --> ipod for music or portable HDD for storage etc + mobile phone. I don't even use the mobile phone itself, apart from occasional calls, and no I am not into text'ing on mobile.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now

×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Guidelines | We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.