Features

Consumer Demand

AS consumers, we might be good at knowing what product features we want, and maybe the price that we are willing to pay. We may even develop a running battle with the producers of these items, in our quest to remain trendy. The clever people who market the technology items are not standing still either.

If you stay abreast of the dizzy pace of technology trends, you would recognise that hardly a week goes by without some promising feature being announced in a product, making it more highly prized. These changes are usually desirable, valuable and expensive too. Have you noticed that trend? Just when a product seems sufficient, a must-have modification is made, and a new version announced. Eventually we need to consider, for ourselves, when a particular technology is good enough, and whether there is a limit to our demands or our expectations.

This thought may have struck you over the past week, after announcements from two popular mobile phone brands, Apple and Samsung. In one announcement, we learned that the new Apple iPhone 7 will no longer feature the old-fashioned headphone jack. To listen to your music, you would need to use some new wireless headphones, or rely on a bulky adapter to provide the previous headphone jack. As usual, the early adopters, the crowd that must-have the latest technology, will embrace this new way of using their phones, and impress the rest of us until we give in and follow their lead! Either that, or until there is an outbreak of another trend.

Fast followers should also beware. The past week also featured hot news of the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 being recalled, because of a problem affecting the battery and causing it to overheat and eventually catch fire. Even software users experience the effects of undesirable changes. The frequent updates to your already-installed software, especially the apps on your mobile devices, help to close the gaps that could be exploited by attackers. Thankfully, the Samsung phones may benefit from a software update to reduce the chances of the battery problem leading to a fire.

When planning changes or upgrades, it is useful to observe the following stages to prepare for the upgrade:
* Assess the impact of the change;
* Make a backup of your data beforehand;
* Register your product to receive important news;
* Carefully plan the timing of your upgrades.

If you heed this general advice, you should continue to enjoy your technology upgrades in safety. Otherwise, you may discover that the glow surrounding the early adopters may not always be a welcome sight. Be safe!

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