As stated before this blog is intended to illustrate the relation between computers/technology and society. However sometimes this relation causes negatives reactions. Part of technology's impact on society is that most people think the latest hardware is a social requirement. This is in fact true. For instance cellphones and computers are now a part of everyday life and a business person without one of these devices is at a disadvantage to another that does. Similarly a doctor using outdated methods would not be at the top of their field. However we have come to a point in the technological world where this social pressure for the latest tech has gone a bit too far.
As a primary example let's use the iPhone. When the iPhone first came out it was a revolutionary concept. It was simple to use, powerful, and quite simply revolutionised the smart phone industry. It lead to several successors each more powerful than the one before (a trend that is quite common in the industry). However where this story takes a turn for the worse is the social reaction that came with each release of the devices. Consumers would flock to buy the latest version despite having fully functional versions of older models. See [1]. This is not getting the latest hardware in a healthy way, it is getting the same type of hardware with new trim.
Similar practices occur in the entertainment and automotive industries as well as elsewhere in the technological industry. For instance having already purchased a version of a film (say Lord of the Rings) individuals will go and buy the same movie but as an extended blu-ray version. The movie has not changed but has merely been updated.
The problem is, we all do similar things to this in one way or another. We do not need these upgrades and yet we pay obscene amounts of money for them. The only question is, is it social pressure or a need for new things on our part?
[1]http://tech.fortune.cnn.com/2010/06/25/77-of-iphone-4-sales-were-upgrades/
To answer your ending question, I think it actually depends on a particular individual in how they respond to the hardware upgrades available. Personally, If I buy something new, it would be because I need it, or like it not because everyone has it. But looking at today's younger generation: kids who are in middle school carry the latest tech just to show it off, and parents actually support them. I think that is where we may be going wrong. If the growing generation mistakes technology as a social pressure (partly the older generations fault) then the generations coming ahead will definitely treat technology as a fashion statement.
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This is true. But sometimes we don't even realize we're doing it. For instance Microsoft Word. The .doc file extension has all but disappeared. Instead the norm is now .docx. The only differences between the two formats are visuals and UI related things and yet many people upgrade despite the fact they can accomplish the same with both.
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