Does anyone else no longer recognise the tech community?

[mrochester]

I’ve always felt like the tech community thrived on new technology, eagerly adopting new technologies.

Yet in recent times it feels like things have changed. The so-called tech community seem to now want things to stop changing or improving, and in some cases for progress to be reversed. Some areas I’ve seen this are the roll-back of USBC to USBA, roll back to 3.5mm headphone jacks, roll-back to micro-SD cards, roll-back to fingerprint sensors rather than Face ID type authentication.

Why is it that some people have stopped embracing new technologies? I’ve not changed as I continue to still thrive on and embrace new technology.

What has changed do you think?

M.

 

[mrochester]

I suggest that one possibility is that many people prefer what works well for them, especially if they've already paid for it. Adopting new technology purely for the sake of it being new technology is an expensive hobby.

I think it might have been less common for a while because new technology was markedly superior to previous technology. Take video, for example. Reel to reel and a projector --> videotape --> optical disc --> streaming or saved on a variety of media. Each time there were definite, useful improvements that clearly outweighed any drawbacks and justified the cost. Compare that with removing headphone sockets, which reduces functionality and provides no improvement except possibly to water resistance, maybe. Or replacing fingerprint sensors with facial ID, which serves the same purpose but not as well and seems creepier and more intrusive to many people. Or an internet-connected kettle that sends you a text message when it's boiled...and provides yet another route for hackers to enter your home network. And costs a lot more. More expense and less security in exchange for an absolutely trivial benefit. Change is not necessarily improvement.

Then there's the "good enough" thing, which has been a growing problem. For example, my workplace is still using PCs from the 1990s. Why? Because they're good enough. They still work and they're still powerful enough for the things they're used for. So why spend money on new kit that will provide the same functionality and just do nothing more often in between?

But a tech enthusiast doesn’t care about ‘good enough’ in my view. That speaks or a ‘normob’ rather than an enthusiast. For instance, removing the 3.5 socket was simply getting rid of a redundant port that’s no longer used because a tech enthusiast would have gone Bluetooth a long time ago.

 

[mrochester]

Tech moving on for tech's sake isn't really a good thing - none of the replacements for 3.5mm headphone jacks are really a complete solution that have the same level of convenience and micro-SD cards are very useful and serve a function.

But isn’t that the point of a tech-enthusiast? You’re pushing the envelope and adopting new things before most people see the value in it? For instance, Bluetooth headphones, lightning/USBC, cloud storage rather than local. All things I’ve been doing for years but have only become popular with ‘normobs’ much more recently now they see the value.

 

[mrochester]

Roll back? My phone is pretty new and has all of the above.

There are some products that try to cater to users who won’t move on from these things (why give up a market if you can serve it) but it’s clear the direction of travel.

 

[mrochester]

Pushing the envelope and trying new things sure - but adopting tech for the sake of it because it is newer IMO nope - a real tech enthusiast should embrace good innovation and treat the rest proportionally or even reject it depending on the advancement it offers.

True, I agree with that, but then surely all of the above are much better than what came before? Certainly in my books they are. I couldn’t imagine being tethered to a pair of headphones anymore never mind how would I connect them to my smart watch? Wires are just so in the past for that sort of use.

 

[mrochester]

I think that is going to depend person to person - I like Bluetooth headphones, actually using them quite a lot these days, but for me they are extra faff in a lot of cases over just having a plain old pair of wired earbuds stashed so I'm certainly in no hurry to see the port go.

Surely being tangled in a wire is more faff than simply putting headphones on and pressing play though? I’ve never understood this over-egging of how much ‘faff’ Bluetooth is given it’s actually much simpler and easier than a wired set of headphones! And the whole ‘but you have to charge them’ doesn’t make sense either. A device you occasionally have to plug in to charge is definitely more desirable than a device you ALWAYS have to plug in.

 

[mrochester]

I don't really understand the topic if i'm honest. Some technology isn't worth the additional cost, some is. There's plenty tech sold on the premise of better, but isn't. And changes just to increase profits. Non removable batteries, no ta. And some technology costs more to manufacture so is no longer viable.

Does a non-user removable battery result in increased profits? Firstly, any manufacturer worth their salt will have a reasonably priced and quick battery replacement program. And most people get rid of their phones long before the battery is ever an issue anyway. Where do you think the increased profit element comes in?

 

[mrochester]

Faff in different contexts - though personally I've never really had much issue with wires getting tangled with my earbuds. I've also had issues sometimes where Bluetooth headphones just don't want to play ball and can take messing about to get them paired/seen properly at times though not a common occurrence not completely infrequent.

I think USB-C was a better illustration of your point as although the simplicity and low cost of the older standard had some benefits the new version has substantial feature improvements as well as convenience factors that the old version didn't have but there seems a lot of resistance to adopting it.

Well exactly that’s my point. I’ve no idea why some ‘tech enthusiasts’ are so resistant to progress.

 

[mrochester]

Oh i know how this thread will go.

Nope, in some cases it's different strokes for different folks. But in others, i mean roll back to micro sd? what have we rolled back from? Do you mean internal storage, in which case you really mean internal storage vs expandable? If that's the case then the issue is cost, obviously. So there's no rollback, it again is simple a choice. Well, simple when that choice is given to the consumer anyway. *cough*.

I was thinking more along the lines of cloud storage. No real need to store things locally anymore just stream from a cloud storage solution.

 

[mrochester]

I agree with you.

Back in the 80s and 90s not many people were really interested in technology, and those that were, were really pushing it forward.

Now every man and his dog are in on the act. Changing things is difficult when millions of people are using your product.

Maybe you are right that the sphere is now inhabited by people who are not really tech-enthusiasts but fancy themselves as such. That could be the reason for so much push-back on progress in recent times that we’re seeing.

 

[mrochester]

You've never been to Norfolk have you? Where my parents live both me and my other half have zero phone signal, broadband tops out at about 6mbps. Cloud storage is right out.

Plus with 512gb in the phone I can store and awful lot locally. Also cloud storage that works with media players? Not found one that works reliably yet.

As for bluetooth headphones. I have them. They're running over AptX. They're fine. Battery doesn't last an entire day so have to charge them if I'm out and about. That means battery pack, cables... Extra weight and faff. 3.5mm headphones don't need a charge and actually sound better. Admittedly they did cost significantly more and have custom moulded earpieces... but...

I can’t say I’ve ever heard of Bluetooth headphones that don’t last a day! I can go maybe 7-8 days of use with 2-3 hours usage a day or so.

 

[mrochester]

For me a day in London is about 14 hours. Mine are pretty small iem's and have about 8 hour life. 1.5-2 hour charge time.

Oh yeah, streaming on the London underground?

You’d use headphones for 14 hours a day?! That sounds.... uncomfortable!

I use my car or walk/run/cycle to work so sorry, can’t sympathise with using the underground

 

[mrochester]

OP all these roll-backs you mentioned what examples? Who has gone for USB C to A, face ID to whatever etc

I’ve seen lots of people asking for USBA ports on all USBC laptops etc.

 

[mrochester]

Buy decent headphones.

I already have decent headphones! But there aren’t 14 hours in a day where I’d be able to use them.

 

[mrochester]

much of that is a case of people not feeling that the benefit is worth the hassle.

for example by now folk have lots of usba cables around, and whilst usbc might be better, it's easier if they just stick to the standard especially when few people really exploit the benefits of the new system.

same with headphone jacks, you can't get around the fact that the standard 3.5mm headphone jack means you have infinite battery life, and a good unit is much cheaper. and people are happy to accept the trade off of having wires.

microsd cards too are handy, means (within limits) you can expand your phones storage according to your needs and available technology rather than being stuck with whatever the spec was when you bought the item.

i wouldn't say that face id is a better system than an actual fingerprint reader, in fact the very opposite. facial recognition might have some cool tech behind how it works but it's arguably worse as a security measure.

when "advancements" don't make things any easier or more practical for the end-user then they're not really advancements.

But those things do makes things easier and more practical. That’s the point I’m making. ‘Normal’ people tend not to see the benefit until after the tech-enthusiasts have long since adopted these things. The fact that we are having the very conversation where some people don’t want these advancements is precisely the point I’m making. I don’t recognise a forum of so-called tech enthusiasts not being enthused by tech and actively shunning it!

 

[mrochester]

or you are adopting tech that goes nowhere like beta max and all the other failed media types over the years

Im much too young for Betamax I’m afraid but I can’t think off the top of my head anything I’ve adopted that hasn’t gone anywhere. Thunderbolt over mini display port maybe?

 

[mrochester]

because to most people its not an advancement to lose for example a few grams of wires so you have some headphones you have to keep recharging all the time.

same reason many of us use a network cable instead of wifi at home.

its not an improvement over wired if your using something that you don't walk around the house with.

It’s not just losing the weight of wires (that’s quite a bizarre benefit you’ve thought of there!) it’s gaining freedom to not be physically tied to another device. I don’t even know how you’d attach headphones to your smart watch. But again it highlights the main point of my thread of me not recognising this community of people who are actively shunning tech advancement despite being on a tech-enthusiast site.

 

[mrochester]

why would I need a smart watch? I have a smart phone already that does more than these smart watches?

When you’re out running/at the gym and you haven’t got your phone with you?

But thanks, you are very clearly highlighting what I’m talking about in this thread.

Out of interest would you consider yourself a tech-enthusiast or do you recognise that you are not?

 

[mrochester]

I cycle for exercise I have a garmin on my bike that measures my speed, rpm, distance travelled, maps my route , estimates calories, tracks my heart rate etc.

I don';t need a smart watch

I used to be a tech enthusiast some years ago before I realised companies will try to sell you anything and tell you its an improvement and you really must have this device to be part of the in crowd .

everything is just about influencers these days, oh look people have these which they were given for free, you too must own one to be considered "normal"

tech snobbery or something like that

I don’t think it’s necessarily about being part of the ‘in’ crowd it’s more about having a sense for where technology is going and being onboard from the early stages before the vast majority of people get there. That’s what I’d consider a tech-enthusiast. It seems that that has been lost on a lot of people recently.

Like it’s blindingly obvious that Bluetooth headphones are the future and the ‘normobs’ are catching up now to where enthusiasts have been for a few years. This is why the removal of the 3.5mm jack was a non-event to enthusiasts but more painful for ‘normobs’ who had to find a different solution.

 

[mrochester]

OP is some super rare Elon Musk/Rainman hybrid and appears to ignore the replies which point out that change on its own is not sufficient. Benefit should be the outcome of change.

Benefit should always be the outcome but that’s what we get from the things I listed.