Is technology getting a bit boring? (Interesting new tech thread)

[lovelyhead]

Have we hit the law of diminishing returns in the tech world? Technology these days is basically just iterative improvements on previous products and nothing really gets me hyped any more.

I started playing video games with a Super Nintendo and Super Mario World. We went from 2D to rudimentary 3D with titles like Starfox and then jaw dropping 3d (at the time) with Mario 64. Then with each successive generation of Console we got large improvements in graphics until about the 360 / PS3 generation. The same was true on PC. Remember being amazed at seeing Doom for the first time? Then we had Half Life, Half Life 2, Crysis etc.

In the music world we had Walkman's, then Mini Disc's and then Ipod's. We had Dolby Pro Logic, Dolby Digital, Dolby Atmos.

Mobile Phones started off as bricks then we had classic Nokia's that everyone could afford, Blackberries, then Iphones.

The most recent exciting technology for me was VR. That was mega exciting going from Palmer Lucky and John Carmack's ducked taped together VR headset to the DK1, DK2, Vive etc. That was about 10 years ago now.

All the above tech has reached a point where we are at iterative improvements and it is just a bit boring.

Do you think we will ever see another period of time where we get exciting technology again?

 

[lovelyhead]

What technology are the kids getting excited about today (assuming everyone here is at least 30 years old)?

Are they really getting excited about a new iteration of the iPhone?

 

[lovelyhead]

Speaking solely about phones. I useed to upgrade every 2 years without fail for the next generation iPhone. Then once the Apple Upgrade plan was a thing I went 7+ > X > XS Max >> 11 Pro Max.

Then one year I just couldn't be bothered to upgrade. Then I thought about it, in my mind cameras have been good enough on phones since the 7+. All I use my phone for is Reddit, Whatsapp, Chrome, Apple Music and CarPlay.

I've got a 14 Pro now but I'm just not the target market for yearly upgrades. Once I got out of the habit I realised it's a fools game

Mobile phones were the first type of tech I lost interest in. They are all just glass rectangles that basically all do the same thing. I have a Google Pixel 3 and I will keep it until it breaks and then buy another cheap £100 phone. I find mobile phones as exciting as a fridge or washing machine.

 

[lovelyhead]

I'm not sure it's age- I have decades of experience and am pretty sure I can gauge value better now.

PC upgrades are low priority for me now.

The cost of an upgrade is ridiculous, and there is diminishing returns. When people are pushing a £1500 graphics card as the "only value option" in the new generation, something is badly wrong.

Phones are "good enough", and I only upgrade when they die now.

VR is the only technology that excites me. Even though I don't use my rift much, that was a proper WOW moment.

Same for me. The first time I put on my Oculus DK1 was a massive wow moment up there with Mario 64.

 

[lovelyhead]

Maybe we could use this thread to post interesting tech advances?

The most interesting new(?) tech I have seen recently is the Bigscreen Beyond VR headset:

https://www.bigscreenvr.com/

Although it is technically just an iterative product, the fact that it is custom made for the shape of your face and is super light solves the biggest problem VR has for me and that is comfort.