How many tech devices do you have?

Questions on how we spend our money and our time - consumer goods and services, home and vehicle, leisure and recreational activities
jharkin
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Re: How many tech devices do you have?

Post by jharkin »

I think we scared the OP away..... :twisted:
takeshi
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Re: How many tech devices do you have?

Post by takeshi »

kjvmartin wrote:I'm trying to figure out if I might be a little overboard.
Polling others isn't the way to determine this. Your needs and other criteria are how to sort this out just like anything else whether tech or not. Do you have stuff just to have it or does each thing have a purpose and do you find a given thing to be useful? Are you living within your means to buy these things? The number itself isn't really a concern as much as all the other considerations IMO. Even if you're not average (either below or above) does that really matter? Why just follow the herd?

That said, there are only 2 of us and we have 6 devices like what you counted in your OP -- 8 including TV's but that becomes a slippery slope. What about Tivos? Do we count our Bluray since it streams? Does a docking station count as a separate piece of tech? Do I count our Lantronix airprint server? Do I count our router since it's also a backup device? Do I count our Airport Expresses since we stream music through them? If we're counting stuff like that as well as items that others have been counting then our number is much, much higher.
kjvmartin wrote:but I do love technology
Nothing wrong with that. I do too. That sort of thing should be among your considerations though you do have to ensure that it doesn't cause conflict with your family.
Last edited by takeshi on Wed Jun 14, 2017 9:04 am, edited 13 times in total.
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Doom&Gloom
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Re: How many tech devices do you have?

Post by Doom&Gloom »

jharkin wrote:I think we scared the OP away..... :twisted:
Probably just at Best Buy on a shopping spree :D
bluebolt
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Re: How many tech devices do you have?

Post by bluebolt »

3 iPhones
2 Macbook Airs
2 Macbook Pros
1 desktop Windows PC
3 Smart TVs
Wireless headphones for TV
Harmony Companion/Home Control
Tivo Premier
Tivo Mini
Connected Blu Ray Player
Wifi AV receiver
Whole home audio system controlled from phones
Wifi thermostat
2 Raspberry Pi 3
1 Raspberry Pi Zero
GPS running watch
Kindle
Google Chrome
Amazon Fire Stick
Slingbox
Amazon Echo
Wifi thermostat
Wifi/smart irrigation controller
SmartThings smart home hub
Connected car wifi hub
Dash cam
A large number of smart home connected devices:
Dimmers/lights
Switchable outlets
Motion detectors
Garage door openers/sensors
Door/window sensors
4 connected cameras

Umm, maybe I have a problem...
LiterallyIronic
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Re: How many tech devices do you have?

Post by LiterallyIronic »

lazydavid wrote:I shudder to count:

2 4k TVs
2 1080P TVs
1 1080i TV
1 768p TV

Household of 4.
What is the logic behind having six TVs, particularly given that there are only four people in the house? I'm sure there's a reason behind it, but I can't think of what it might be. Are they used for different purposes in some way?
DSInvestor
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Re: How many tech devices do you have?

Post by DSInvestor »

LiterallyIronic wrote:
lazydavid wrote:I shudder to count:

2 4k TVs
2 1080P TVs
1 1080i TV
1 768p TV

Household of 4.
What is the logic behind having six TVs, particularly given that there are only four people in the house? I'm sure there's a reason behind it, but I can't think of what it might be. Are they used for different purposes in some way?
I had a neighbor who lived alone in a 3 BR apartment who had 5 TVs. 1) Living room, 2) Master bedroom, 3) Guest Bedroom, 4) Study, 5) Kitchen. Works well for her and her guests.
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lazydavid
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Re: How many tech devices do you have?

Post by lazydavid »

LiterallyIronic wrote:
lazydavid wrote:I shudder to count:

2 4k TVs
2 1080P TVs
1 1080i TV
1 768p TV

Household of 4.
What is the logic behind having six TVs, particularly given that there are only four people in the house? I'm sure there's a reason behind it, but I can't think of what it might be. Are they used for different purposes in some way?
4k TV in the front room is our primary for moviewatching/sports/etc. It replaced an old 1080i RPTV, which has been moved to the basement. Plasma in the Kitchen/Family Room is primary for everything else. The other 4k is on the wall in the Master bedroom. Then there's a little 19" over the bar which has actually never been used other than as a test, but was moved over from the kitchen in our old house (where it had been used every day). Finally, I use a 37" 1080P TV as my computer monitor in the office.
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kjvmartin
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Re: How many tech devices do you have?

Post by kjvmartin »

Doom&Gloom wrote:
jharkin wrote:I think we scared the OP away..... :twisted:
Probably just at Best Buy on a shopping spree :D
Apple Store! Not really. Better deals elsewhere on that.

One thing I've noticed is that people here are really holding onto old tech. Several people have unusable or very dated iPads and computers.

I've typically been a 1 in, 1 out guy, but with the family growing and wife getting more interest in screen time I'm tempted to add a 2nd iPad instead of replacing.
badger42
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Re: How many tech devices do you have?

Post by badger42 »

kjvmartin wrote:
One thing I've noticed is that people here are really holding onto old tech. Several people have unusable or very dated iPads and computers.
We hold onto a fair bit of old tech, but only if it gets the job done and isn't a significant security risk.

The 2011 Macbook Pro with lots of RAM / SSD is a fine kid laptop.

The c/a 2006 720P TV with a Chromecast and Fire Stick is just fine for running Netflix, Amazon and PBS streaming, and doesn't come with Smart TV headaches.

The 2010 Thinkpad running Ubuntu as a media server does the job just fine, no reason to upgrade. Transcode performance is more than adequate for the max number of streams we run.

The cheap wireless B&W Laser will be replaced with another cheap wireless B&W Laser when it dies. Until then, why bother?
DSInvestor
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Re: How many tech devices do you have?

Post by DSInvestor »

Bestbuy has a 4hr flash sale today 11am-3PM CT. iPad mini 4 128GB is $299. This is $100 off the regular price of $399.
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/searchpage. ... &keys=keys
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MrNewEngland
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Re: How many tech devices do you have?

Post by MrNewEngland »

I have:

iPhone
iPad mini
Kindle Paperwhite
Amazon Fire TV
... and that's just about it. I think; technology is so integrated into our lives now that I may be forgetting something.
lazydavid
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Re: How many tech devices do you have?

Post by lazydavid »

DSInvestor wrote:Bestbuy has a 4hr flash sale today 11am-3PM CT. iPad mini 4 128GB is $299. This is $100 off the regular price of $399.
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/searchpage. ... &keys=keys
Grr, the Cellular one is actually $200 off ($329), but only the Verizon Wireless variant. The AT&T one is the regular $529 price. I totally would have upgraded the original Mini that I use in the car.
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pennstater2005
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Re: How many tech devices do you have?

Post by pennstater2005 »

1. Two tv's, one smart
2. Two iPhones
3. One Macbook air
4. One Apple tv box
5. One Kindle fire for kids
6. One Bose Bluetooth speaker
7. One Bluetooth wireless FM transmitter for car (no aux input for iPhone) and don't have this yet but will for Fathers day :happy
8. I'm missing something.....that can't be it.
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jharkin
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Re: How many tech devices do you have?

Post by jharkin »

kjvmartin wrote: One thing I've noticed is that people here are really holding onto old tech. Several people have unusable or very dated iPads and computers.

I've typically been a 1 in, 1 out guy, but with the family growing and wife getting more interest in screen time I'm tempted to add a 2nd iPad instead of replacing.
I think its part of the use it till its used up mentality you see here - trying to maximize value. Same reason this forum is full of people with 2 comma NW driving old beater cars with the wheels falling off.

I work in high tech for a living, but for my personal devices at home I use them until I see a compelling reason to change. I still use an 8 year old desktop because the first gen i7 still runs any program I throw at it without complaint. I updated the graphics, disk, ram a few times but that old CPU is still holding up. Same with the tablets, I dont replace one until it either goes out of support, runs out of space or just gets unusably slow.

Now cars are a different matter - I like a comfortable ride and buy much newer than Boglehead norm... :twisted:
momo54
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Re: How many tech devices do you have?

Post by momo54 »

Here is my list of toys I have. Looking over the list I think I have some unique items that others do not have !

MacBook Pro
Ipad Pro
Apple TV
2 iPhone 7"s
Google Home
Google mesh wifi
4 LIFX light bulbs *
2 Phillps Hue bulbs*
2 Wemo mini smart plugs*
1 Wemo smart dimmer switch*
Rachio Smart Wi FI sprinkler controller* ....Love it
2 Nest outdoor cams*
Ecobee 3 WIFi thermostat *... This is cool too
Several rooms in my house have motion sensor switches installed . When people leave the rooms after several minutes the lights turn off. This probably has paid for itself a long time ago!
LiterallyIronic
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Re: How many tech devices do you have?

Post by LiterallyIronic »

jharkin wrote:
kjvmartin wrote: One thing I've noticed is that people here are really holding onto old tech. Several people have unusable or very dated iPads and computers.

I've typically been a 1 in, 1 out guy, but with the family growing and wife getting more interest in screen time I'm tempted to add a 2nd iPad instead of replacing.
I think its part of the use it till its used up mentality you see here - trying to maximize value. Same reason this forum is full of people with 2 comma NW driving old beater cars with the wheels falling off.

I work in high tech for a living, but for my personal devices at home I use them until I see a compelling reason to change. I still use an 8 year old desktop because the first gen i7 still runs any program I throw at it without complaint. I updated the graphics, disk, ram a few times but that old CPU is still holding up. Same with the tablets, I dont replace one until it either goes out of support, runs out of space or just gets unusably slow.
Yep. I was running an i7 930 from 2010 to 2016. I could still play GTA V on medium settings with it and my GTX 560TI from 2011. But the RAM was giving out (blue screen of death was happening on one of five boots or so). So I replaced my entire rig. I probably could've cheaped out and just replaced the DDR3 RAM, but it was my "compelling reason to change." I replaced it with cutting edge stuff - i7 6700k, GTX 1080, and 32GB DDR4-3200 - making me good for the next six years or so.

I like having a really nice computer (like you like having a nice car). Other stuff, I don't care about. I'm using a phone from 2012, running Android 2.3.6. Still works fine. Maybe someday I'll drop it and the screen will crack. I'll replace it then. My TV is from 2006. Can't hang it on the wall, since it's rear-projection DLP, but it's 61" 1080p and it still works fine (though the original bulb is dying (I purchased its replacement awhile back, in case they go out of manufacturing)). Maybe someday someone will throw a Wiimote through the screen. I'll replace it then. My gaming consoles from the 80s aren't going anywhere, though! They'll keep sitting hooked up to my TV alongside my consoles from the 90s, 00s, and 10s!

So I can definitely agree with the assessment of buying nice stuff and holding onto it for a long time.
bonglehead
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Re: How many tech devices do you have?

Post by bonglehead »

For a family of 3 (2 adults and a 11yr old)
3 iPhones
2 iPads
3 Windows Laptops
1 Desktop PC
1 PC on a Stick
1 Apple TV
1 Chromecast
1 PS4
1 XBOX 360

I want to buy few more but the BOSS will kill me!
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Thrifty Femme
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Re: How many tech devices do you have?

Post by Thrifty Femme »

28 in use.
Tiffku08
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Re: How many tech devices do you have?

Post by Tiffku08 »

.....
Last edited by Tiffku08 on Thu Nov 26, 2020 8:15 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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telemark
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Re: How many tech devices do you have?

Post by telemark »

My skateboard bearings are lubed with a nanoceramic grease that fixes problems on the roll, as it were. Or does it have to be internet connected? Does my heart rate monitor count? It does Bluetooth.

Almost every appliance sold in the last thirty years has at least one microprocessor in it.
H-Town
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Re: How many tech devices do you have?

Post by H-Town »

Family of 2:

- 2 iphones
- 1 iPad
- 1 Macbook (personal laptop)
- 2 work laptops (free while still under employment)
- 2 fibit Charge (replaced by 2 free Alta by fitbit customer support)
- 1 Apple watch

We don't have a TV as we watch shows and movies on iPad. Except for the macbook, we use all the devices extensively.
Time is the ultimate currency.
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nisiprius
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Re: How many tech devices do you have?

Post by nisiprius »

Related question: if you get up at night, how many LED pilot lights can you see glowing in your house? Including e.g. the ones in the smoke detector that only flash once a minute or so. I haven't made a formal count, but I'm sure it's an average of well over ten per room.
Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure nineteen nineteen and six, result happiness; Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure twenty pounds ought and six, result misery.
jharkin
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Re: How many tech devices do you have?

Post by jharkin »

LiterallyIronic wrote:
lazydavid wrote:I shudder to count:

2 4k TVs
2 1080P TVs
1 1080i TV
1 768p TV

Household of 4.
What is the logic behind having six TVs, particularly given that there are only four people in the house? I'm sure there's a reason behind it, but I can't think of what it might be. Are they used for different purposes in some way?
Maybe they same reason why the build houses with more bathrooms than bedrooms today :confused
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Alexa9
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Re: How many tech devices do you have?

Post by Alexa9 »

I have a smartphone but I hate it and leave it on silent mode especially when with family/friends.
I also have a desktop computer that I couldn't live without.
Had a tablet for a while but gave it up.
radiowave
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Re: How many tech devices do you have?

Post by radiowave »

Lets see for spouse and I . . .

2 iPhone 5S
1 microcell
1 router plus switch in the basement
4 laptops (2 Win7 2 Win10), also old netbook I'll convert to Linux some day and enough parts to build a desktop
3 LCD monitors
2 TVs, amps, blurays
1 Raspberry Pi 2
1 wireless printer, 1 Epson pigment ink printer
several insteon wireless house receptacles and light switches plus an ISY controller

if you count my ham radio stuff
1 HF base station
4 handhelds (HT)
2 mobile radios
a digital interface (keyboard to keyboard worldwide on the radio without the internet)
and of course the original text messaging device - a Morse code key :)
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