Gadgets

I was reading a thread on slashdot about how Americans are "addicted" to technology - notable being high-speed internet and devices like MP3 players, cellphones, etc. Some posters made the point that the thread is pointless, seeing as everyone is dependent on technology in some way or the other and calling it addiction is not quite correct.

Made me think about myself - high-speed internet? Hardly. 256kbps is not high-speed. But if you hear the providers here, it's the top-end package I have and I should be more than happy with it. Am I addicted to it? Perhaps. I need the daily dose of news and tech stuff, but I don't feel lost without it. MP3 player? Nope, I don't have one. At least, not a portable one. Yet. And I don't listen to music 24/7 anyway. Cell phone? Yup, I have one, but am not dependent on it in any way. I don't call anyone, nobody calls me. The phone's there just in case anyone wants to call me, or if I need to call for a pizza delivery. I don't have a so-called landline. Radio/music system? Nope, I don't have either. I do have a TV and a DVD player, but both are not in use right now.

One of the reasons for not having too many gadgets is price, I think. There are so many things to buy and only so much money!