When I was growing up, my mother would say to me, “You’re always late except to dinner.” I corrected my errant ways, and now I’m almost always early. I never thought that would be a problem, but sometimes it seems that way. For instance, after thirteen years of driving my big blue station wagon around, I finally bought myself a new car. A month after I bought it, the next model came out with a jack for an iPod or other mp3 player. Since my car doesn’t have one, whenever we take that twelve-hour drive up to Boston, I have to take a stack of CD’s to play on my single-disk CD player. How old-fashioned.
When we moved here we bought a new TV and blue-ray DVD player. Less than a month later, the new blue-ray players had streaming capabilities. Ours doesn’t. And the Bose speakers we bought? The next model had an adjustable bass. Ours doesn’t. You know where I’m going with this, don’t you? Yep, my new iPad, the one I got as a Christmas present, the one I’ve been lusting after since the ipad was first introduced, is being upstaged by the third generation iPad just being launched. Ah, technology. Gotta love it. Gotta hate it.
Coming East 
They’re always doing that, upgrading or updating something just that little bit too late for one to get it. I know the feeling…
Hey, Val, so nice to see your smiling face! The consumer will always be behind when it comes to technology, but it’s exciting to see the new gadgets on the market and the ideas they have for new ones.
It’s so hard to catch up, but you are certainly not alone. I also wish Santa had waited to get us the iPad, guess he didn’t have the foresight!
Do yogurt mean you have the iPad2, Shanghai? The more I’ve read about the newest iPad, the more I don’t care so much that I didn’t wait. It’s not that different. You know that the one that comes after this newest release, the one we’ll probably need to replace the knew we own now, will be even more spectacular.
Yep, we got the iPad2 for Christmas. I also read they are not that different. Maybe we should skip this one and go for the next one. That sounds like a good move.
Don’t you just love it, Shanghai? I can’t imagine being without it now. Do you think FaceTime would work for you and me being so far apart?
Good for you. I’m thinking of finally giving in and getting an iPad. Maybe.
You won’t regret it, Leah. Now that I have one, I can’t imagine ever being without it.
Hi Susan – there seems to be no way we can keep up with all the rapid changes in technology. My children both take after their late father and are gadget freaks, so they always have the latest while mother just poddles along with her now (and rapidy) out of date techno things.
Hey, Judith, your technology equipment and skills seem to be more than adequate todo what you want to do.
That is so true. We’re always behind on “the latest technology.” I think they like to keep it that way.
I love to see what they think of next, though, Patti. Someday I’ll have that new technology, even though it will be obsolete the week after.
Very true. I gave up trying to keep up, and I’m a bit younger. My car only has a single-disc CD player, I have an iPod Nano that doesn’t do video, I don’t have an iAnything Else at all… and my cell phone is of merely average intelligence. It does have a qwerty keyboard, though, and a touch screen on the front. Part of me doesn’t want to get a new phone because I know it’ll probably have to be a smartphone that will be upstaged the next week, like your dilemma!
My old iPod doesn’t have video or a radio either, Eye, and I also have a phone of average intelligence with a qwerty keyboard so I can text my granddaughter. I don’t go to many places all by myself anymore, so I don’t think I need a smart phone because my husband has one and were usually together when I leave the house.
The marketing new updates work for those who are compelled instantly to buy the latest model, whereas the rest of us wait another ten years and get it all in one go! But there’s always something new, apparently better, a week later. Always will be. 🙂
Sigh, I know, Eye. I will be keeping this iPad for a long time. Apple will probably have launched iPod 6 before I get a new one.
Ah well, take comfort in knowing that I’m not even there yet, I only got my first mobile with a colour screen and a camera last summer after all! 😉
It takes baby steps sometimes, Eye. Plus, technology ain’t cheap!
True, very true! 🙂
Absolutely on the mark, Susan. Technology has given a whole new meaning to “keeping up with the Joneses.” Except now it’s ourselves we’re trying to keep up with. In fact, while I was typing this comment, I got a pop-up that said “this computer is now obsolete.”
LOL, Al. The rapidity of the updates is astonishing. It’s exciting to see what they come up with. When we were kids, this was the stuff of our sci-fi movies. I won’t be surprised if one day Scottie will really be able to beam us up.
So sorry about your ipad. I have generally chosen to be a dinosaur ~ I am minus the disappointment but also the conveniences of life in the 21st century! Susan, I have you and Georgette both beat. I am driving a Subaru Legacy with 126,000 with plans for it to last as long as I do (because that’s what dinosaurs do).
Wow, that speaks well of Subaru, Carol! I’m trying to convince my husband to take a look at the Forester when his little Marriner SUV needs replacing in a year, but I think he feels they are a little too expensive.
The new iPad is just has more pixels. Our over-forty eyes can’t detect that anyways. Now the iPod jack, that’s a tragedy.
Pleases forgive my lack of editing. I am working on a piece about the surprising changes age imparted on my feet. I’ve come to terms with a lot of sagging and wrinkling, but my feet, too?
Looking forward to that post, Adela, I say, as I’m looking for a good podiatrist.
Oh, good info, Adela. See, I feel better already. I’ll wait for the iPad 4.
I have a son who’s an IT professional and loves all the latest gizmos. He is getting the same version of the iPad you have, the new one isn’t worth it. As for me, I’m waiting for a lighter version. I know it’s coming. I just know it.
Lighter, Adela! This is so much lighter than my MacBook that it feels light to me. I think my Nook Color might even be heavier. But I’m sure they will make it even sleeker and lighter in the future. In a few years, when this one needs replacing, I can’t imagine what the newest version of iPad will hold.
Oh my gosh! Bless your heart, it sounds like you have luck such as we do. It’s so curious how it all works out sometimes. 🙂
It’s a conspiracy, EC!
😆 You may be right! 😉
I’m never going to catch up, Carol!
Face it, where technology is concerned there will always be the “latest and greatest” always upgrading. Sigh! I have a light blue Passat station wagon. Just turned 100,000 miles on Wednesday. Yes, I pulled over to the side of the road to take a picture of the odometer with my phone. Now how do I download it? Rick! Help!
I’m the same way, Georgette. I haven’t tried to download a picture from my phone yet. Not sure I know how. My wagon had 120000 miles on it when I finally traded it in.
Our wagon just passed 111,111 and I wished I could’ve taken a picture of that!
What of car do you have, Darla? It’s hard to find a wagon anymore. People tend to buy SUV’s instead. Wagons are so useful. I think of all the things we hauled over the years when we had our wagons. All the college stuff we schlepped up and back to Austin.
You have a wagon too?
Not anymore. I traded in my old Sable wagon for a Sable sedan. Now that there are no more Sables, I don’t know what my next car will be. But I don’t have to worry about that for awhile. I keep my cars for a looooong time.
Ditto on that.