I’m old, granted, but I still have a magnificent stereo, a great camera, and a couple of game machines. Heck, I even have a few PCs! Oh, and I do have a smartphone, and it makes great phone calls….
The data usage is surprising on mobile devices and has grown considerably in the past 6 years.
" …
On average, U.S. wireless customers consume 1.8 GB of cellular data every month. That’s according to Mobidia, which analyzes data from hundreds of thousands of wireless subscribers.
….
What’s not surprising is that Americans are using much more data than ever before. In 2012, average data usage was just 450 MB per month, according to Nielsen.
…
Citing research from Ookla, The Verge wrote last year that Verizon charges about $4.05 per Mbps (the measurement of speed for wireless connections), while carriers in Europe might charge up to 45% less than that.
…So while U.S. carriers are seemingly in the middle of ongoing price wars, it appears we’re all still overpaying for that 1.8 GB of data.
The third panel hurts. Not necessarily the mediocrity aspect; cameras on phones keep improving, to the point that a few professional photographers are experimenting with them, albeit mainly on landscapes. But the camera store business has almost completely faded away. I think it’s the convenience. A phone that produces decent pictures (the “mediocrity” aspect) from a flat device I can carry in my pocket, vs a blocky camera and maybe gigantic and hugely expensive lenses? It’s no contest.
Now that Obama and Clinton are out of office, Rall seems to have calmed down a lot, talking about iphones and consumer issues instead of drones and painting Obama or Clinton as some kind of fascist, while a true fascist resides in the white house. I gotta wonder what his beef was. Why all the hate against the best and nothing against the worst?
People who weren’t around a few decades ago don’t know how just about everything they buy is magnitudes more expensive while being of magnitudes poorer quality than in the post-war years. I’m glad I can remember how it used to be…and no, I don’t want a litany of all the “good” things. Having the Internet does NOT make up for everything lost.
VHS and Beta video recorders came out about the same time. Beta was said to be higher quality while VHS had longer recording time per tape. People chose quantity over quality back then.
.I have always loved taking pictures with an SLR camera and I still like my digital version. However, there were many times I didn’t get a picture because I didn’t have my camera with me.
My first computer (1983) was a T/S 1000. It was not much more than a keyboard with a memory chip. You had to connect it to a tv for a monitor and it required knowledge of BASIC. For roughly the same amount of money I now have a low-end Android. Like all tools it is what I make of it. I very rarely listen to music on it because the sound sucks. I get much better sound from my iMac and even better from my stereo but I obviously can’t carry them around. It’s nice to have an adequate camera for those unplanned photo opportunities, but I’d much rather use my SLR camera. Unfortunately, it’s now getting difficult to use a film camera. I very much like not being tethered to a land line and it has a couple apps (AtBat and AccuWeather) which I use frequently. The reality is that I can now carry around in my pocket computing power that previously required a large room full of hardware and cooling equipment which needed frequent maintenance. Who wouldn’t appreciate that? I’d love to have an iPhoneX but I’d rather spend that money on nice things for my family. I do see people doing incredibly stupid things like texting while driving or crossing the street while never looking up from their phone. I just shake my head a little (I’ve been around long enough that incredible stupidity does not surprise me.) and think, "Is that device your servant or your master?)
Packratjohn Premium Member over 6 years ago
I’m old, granted, but I still have a magnificent stereo, a great camera, and a couple of game machines. Heck, I even have a few PCs! Oh, and I do have a smartphone, and it makes great phone calls….
superposition over 6 years ago
The data usage is surprising on mobile devices and has grown considerably in the past 6 years.
" …
On average, U.S. wireless customers consume 1.8 GB of cellular data every month. That’s according to Mobidia, which analyzes data from hundreds of thousands of wireless subscribers.
….
What’s not surprising is that Americans are using much more data than ever before. In 2012, average data usage was just 450 MB per month, according to Nielsen.
…
Citing research from Ookla, The Verge wrote last year that Verizon charges about $4.05 per Mbps (the measurement of speed for wireless connections), while carriers in Europe might charge up to 45% less than that.
…So while U.S. carriers are seemingly in the middle of ongoing price wars, it appears we’re all still overpaying for that 1.8 GB of data.
…"
https://www.fool.com/investing/general/2015/01/24/the-average-american-uses-this-much-wireless-data.aspx
Radish the wordsmith over 6 years ago
Looks like someone is talking themselves out of buying a thousand dollar phone.
Cerabooge over 6 years ago
The third panel hurts. Not necessarily the mediocrity aspect; cameras on phones keep improving, to the point that a few professional photographers are experimenting with them, albeit mainly on landscapes. But the camera store business has almost completely faded away. I think it’s the convenience. A phone that produces decent pictures (the “mediocrity” aspect) from a flat device I can carry in my pocket, vs a blocky camera and maybe gigantic and hugely expensive lenses? It’s no contest.
Mr. Blawt over 6 years ago
At least they cut off all forms of person to person communication in the streets, restaurants and cars.
nomomaniacs over 6 years ago
Now that Obama and Clinton are out of office, Rall seems to have calmed down a lot, talking about iphones and consumer issues instead of drones and painting Obama or Clinton as some kind of fascist, while a true fascist resides in the white house. I gotta wonder what his beef was. Why all the hate against the best and nothing against the worst?
dogday Premium Member over 6 years ago
People who weren’t around a few decades ago don’t know how just about everything they buy is magnitudes more expensive while being of magnitudes poorer quality than in the post-war years. I’m glad I can remember how it used to be…and no, I don’t want a litany of all the “good” things. Having the Internet does NOT make up for everything lost.
Nantucket Premium Member over 6 years ago
VHS and Beta video recorders came out about the same time. Beta was said to be higher quality while VHS had longer recording time per tape. People chose quantity over quality back then.
.I have always loved taking pictures with an SLR camera and I still like my digital version. However, there were many times I didn’t get a picture because I didn’t have my camera with me.
mgstrick over 6 years ago
Still have a great camera, a decent desktop PC, a great stereo and the best phone $20 can buy
KathyShellorne over 6 years ago
HHH
KathyShellorne over 6 years ago
THOUGHT PROVOKING. ILOVE MY CONNECTIVITY BUT IT SURE EATS A LOT OF MY INCOME.
KathyShellorne over 6 years ago
THOUGHT PROVOKING. ILOVE MY CONNECTIVITY BUT IT SURE EATS A LOT OF MY INCOME.
mattro65 over 6 years ago
My first computer (1983) was a T/S 1000. It was not much more than a keyboard with a memory chip. You had to connect it to a tv for a monitor and it required knowledge of BASIC. For roughly the same amount of money I now have a low-end Android. Like all tools it is what I make of it. I very rarely listen to music on it because the sound sucks. I get much better sound from my iMac and even better from my stereo but I obviously can’t carry them around. It’s nice to have an adequate camera for those unplanned photo opportunities, but I’d much rather use my SLR camera. Unfortunately, it’s now getting difficult to use a film camera. I very much like not being tethered to a land line and it has a couple apps (AtBat and AccuWeather) which I use frequently. The reality is that I can now carry around in my pocket computing power that previously required a large room full of hardware and cooling equipment which needed frequent maintenance. Who wouldn’t appreciate that? I’d love to have an iPhoneX but I’d rather spend that money on nice things for my family. I do see people doing incredibly stupid things like texting while driving or crossing the street while never looking up from their phone. I just shake my head a little (I’ve been around long enough that incredible stupidity does not surprise me.) and think, "Is that device your servant or your master?)
theherb95 over 6 years ago
Soon it will be almost as fast to buy a pizza with a phone as it is to hand the guy a $20.
Rush Strong Premium Member over 6 years ago
Tap and pay is already faster.