Hi Folks,
Some thoughts about costs and upgrade rates from an OG Technoid. At least the latter is slowing (the rates too).
The vendors who make computers with cell phone components are running out of upgrade justifications to lighten our wallets (even contrived ones like unreplaceable batteries).
These devices are already at about maximum size limits for hand use--and lots of powerful and useful apps require tablet size screen real estate, if not LED TVs. For example, Wolfram mathematical simulations and most games aren't really for these devices, despite their amazing processing power. How much more can they really tweak the amazing biometrics and cameras? Here, we're about into picking nits. Anyone needing more will buy separate cameras or video recorders with tripods, filters and such. Really, the best thing added in the past couple of years are biometrics replacing the zillions of passwords we all kinda, sorta, manage.
Plus, the firmware and software upgrades can rival Microsoft for maintenance hassles.
But they'll keep the marketing hype machines whirring. Hey, capitalism is great as long as we don't fall for silliness. That said, if six helicopter wings extended from the new Galaxy 10 Drone to take aerial photos and strafe the neighbors, count me in
Take care of these well-designed electronics and they'll last a good while. Example: the GPS satellites have been humming for at 12,000 nautical miles for about 30 years. The basic electronics and even the atomic clocks adjusted for special and general relativity, earth wobble, etc, still work just fine.
A little fun perspective from an OG Technoid.
Regards