When Our Devices Become Obsolete

OneEyedDiva

OneEyedDiva

SF VIP
Location
New Jersey
I'm on my second tablet which I've had for a little less than seven and a half years. Recently, some of the apps I had installed have been deemed incompatible with the operating system, which can no longer be updated, so I had to uninstall them. Three of my banking apps were among them. A couple of apps I tried to install were also incompatible. The first tablet I bought became almost useless after several years and I feel this one is on its way. I'm not one to rush out and buy the newest device, so I'll keep this one as long as I can. My tablet is a Samsung SM-T590.

Have you had devices that could no longer be updated and outlived their usefulness? How long did you wait to replace them?
 
OneEyedDiva said:
Have you had devices that could no longer be updated and outlived their usefulness?
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Not yet. I still have my first computer bought in 2010, which is Windows 7, and still use it as a back up to the Windows 11 laptop I now have. I gave my tablet to a friend since I only want to use a laptop and found no advantage to having both. I don't do contract phones through major carriers. I've only had Tracfone, then Straight Talk. If and when their phones become obsolete, they replace them for me at no charge. That happened a few years ago when 3G was phased out. Tracfone notified me my phone was no longer going to work, and sent me a new one.
 
I usually upgrade when I have no other options... when the device either stops working completely or it becomes too slow.

There's a big pile of non-working electronics sitting in the corner of my garage, waiting to be taken to the electronics recycling place. Maybe some day, I'll finally get around to doing that. I just keep adding to it. And there's all the obsolete and non-working electronics in the basement... several laptops, two PCs, a couple tablets... There are two obsolete Kindles sitting on my desk right in front of me, along with some old calculators. Then there are all the old cables that are of no use any more, such as VGA and S-video cables. There's an old CRT TV in the garage alongside the electronics.

The city has a free electronics drop-off once a year, but it's way up on the north end of town, and I'm in the south suburbs. It would take a good half-an-hour to get there.
 
I replace our phones when they are no longer going to get security updates. I replaced DW's iPad when it was no longer eligible for security updates, at 6 years of age. My laptops and 2 desktop computers can and do run the latest Linux versions, with no end in sight.
 
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