He has never been impressed by computers and wanted to give them up when he retired. People still want to email him, though, so they send the email to his electronically with-it wife, who tells him about his messages. The other day, I said to him that he should get an iPad. He said,"I have an iPad." After picking my astonished self up off the ground, I asked when he of all people got an iPad. He told me that his wife wanted a new iPad and gave her old one to him.
That got me thinking about about the old version of things: old cars, old computers, old sewing machines, old cellphones. You probably realize that the general trend in manufacturing has been toward greater and greater reliability. Maybe you have heard of "Six Sigmas", just one of several programs to master and apply statistical, administrative and philosophical concepts that aim at making manufacturing and systematic mistakes, errors and mishaps rarer and rarer. It is all part of the move toward higher levels of quality. Higher quality means things last. Just look at the number of items shipped to less developed nations from our used supply of things.
As with my friend, you may be surprised. You say you don't want the bother and expense of a smartphone but your son offers you his old with plenty of use left in it. It was engineered to last ten years and it is only three years old. Why not? Your grandson's neighbor is getting rid of a jet-powered snowmobile, must have room for the new model coming in a few days and offers the boy and his parents a real bargain at $75. It is worth $300 so it is a bargain. They know it has been well cared for and they have a built-in contact with a good mechanic right next door. It would be dumb to turn it down.
So, it goes. You think things are based on price but it turns out contacts, friendships, aging, time and the push to bring out new models have all sorts of effects you wouldn't anticipate. In my neighborhood, the white elephant exchanges to get rid of older, unwanted stuff have new broader appeal and usage. In some cases, old models of husband or wives are on offer. I am not sure how that is going to go.
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