My Fascination with Touch Screen Laptops

I have always had a fascination with touchscreen laptops. Around the time I bought my current computer, companies were just barely starting to perfect the technology to make laptops touchscreen. You used to have to operate them with some sort of stylus like you would use with a Palm Pilot. Of course, since touchscreen laptops were not commonplace way back when, the machine I ended up buying was anything but a touchscreen.

Don't get me wrong. I have had my fair share of touchscreen technology outside of my computer. Several smartphones have come and gone along with a number of tablets. For some reason, I have continued to have a distinct fascination with touchscreens in laptops. I have looked at several models and watched as they continued to get better.

I know what you're saying. Who’s this tech guy going on and on about touchscreen laptops? Hasn't he ever seen one before? No, I have not. My laptop has performed well enough that I have put off getting an upgrade for several years. I'm actively pursuing getting one of these machines. The problem is I don't know which one to choose as they all seem so great.

Separating the touchscreen laptops from the 2-in-1 laptops that turn into tablets seems challenging. I would like to stick with the regular touchscreen laptops because they remind me of the cohesive unit I’m using currently. At the same time, the companies that are producing 2-in-1 laptops drive a hard bargain with the awesome features they’re packing into their units. Perhaps I’ll just have to go wild and choose both.

Upgradable Smartphones

I've always wondered why there's no such thing as upgradable smartphones. I understand that the answer is obvious and comes down to companies needing to make money. If companies allowed people to upgrade their smartphones on their own, they would not be able to have the pageants that they have every year to introduce the new models. Though upgradable smartphones are an impossibility, I would like to see them become a reality.

There was a time when cell phones were not these tight, waterproof little devices. You used to be able to replace the battery and open them up with no problem. I know that current smartphones can be opened, but you have to do so much twisting and prying that it's not worth it. You might as well wait for when you have enough money to spring for the new model.

I look to desktop computers as the beacon of upgradable technology. You can add to and tweak desktops in virtually any way you want. Eventually, you have to change out the motherboard to be able to handle new parts. The cost of most motherboards is not as much as what you would have to spend to get a completely new machine.

Laptops allow for some upgrading, but you're limited in what you can do because all the ports are attached directly to the motherboard. You have the option to upgrade the processor and add RAM to the mix, but that will only get you so far. You're left hoping that the specifications you chose when you bought your machine will see you through into the future.

While we might think that cell phones have been around for a long time, their lifespan has been short compared to other products. In the short time they have been around, we have seen them come from limited bricks that could just make phone calls to speedy devices capable of performing functions that used to require multiple standalone machines. Whatever happens going forward I'm hoping that we start to see upgradable smartphones entering the marketplace.

Looking to Work with Great Graphics Artists

I’m able to do a lot of things, but one thing I’m not able to do is design graphics. I would like to add some graphical content to my posts and on my web properties. I am unable to pay for this content currently, so anyone who would be willing to work with me at this moment would have to do so for free.

As a content creator, I understand the trials and tribulations of trying to get paid for your content. I plan on hiring the best and brightest creators when I’m able to get this project off the ground. I would love nothing more than to work with people in the meantime for the sheer love of the craft.

In my career, I have worked with countless writers. Being a writer myself, it has been difficult to find creators outside of the circles in which I run. I think that’s unfortunate. My goal for this project is to give life not only to technology and all it has offer, but also the wonderful creative people that are running around on the internet.

If you want to help me out with some graphics, please email me at allenglines@gmail.com. I want to get a sense of how many talented artists are out there. I am more than happy to dispense people’s content for the purpose of exposure. Knowing full well about how much content creators shudder at such an exchange, I understand if this one is not going to go over well.

I’m open to anything as long as I starts a conversation.

Looking to Review Some Phones Sold on Ali Express

A word of advice to anyone who might be reading this article right now. If you haven't been to Ali Express (aliexpress.com) right now, you're missing out. This website is like Amazon, except things can get a little more interesting the deeper you dig. I've often become disenchanted with what I'm able to find on Amazon. I feel like they're not giving the full scope of what's out there on the market today. That's not what I get from Ali Express at all.

I come from the school of thought that it's impossible to cover a topic in its entirety unless you cover every possible aspect of that topic. You can't separate yourself from your chosen topic and write about a tiny niche of it. You have to be willing to go to the deepest darkest parts of the internet and beyond to find things that other people wouldn't dare to cover. There are hundreds of people talking about Apple and Samsung. While I will talk about them in great detail, I won't talk about just them.

I would love nothing more than to partner with an outside entity for the sole purpose of acquiring a bunch of phones on Ali Express for the purpose of reviews. The phones on the lower end of the spectrum are not expensive at all, which is interesting because they look almost identical to their pricier counterparts. I've always wondered if there's a market for generics in the tech sector like there is with pharmaceuticals. Is it possible to get an iPhone for a cheap price just because it isn't attached to the Apple mystique?

This kind of stuff is why I decided to cover technology more than anything else. I get excited about things that are of no interest to other people. I'm like a dog looking for a bone in the yard that may or may not be there. I find a scent and keep digging until I locate something that I want to show to the world. I know full well that my decision to focus on this topic more broadly will lead to me covering a considerable amount of duds. I don't care. How are people going to know about which phone is the best if all they hear about are the phones that are amazing?

If any outside entity would like to partner with me for this project, please email me at allenglines@gmail.com. I will respond to each and every email I receive because I believe that people deserve that if they take the time to write to me. I'm often annoyed when I spend a lot of time composing an email and the person to whom I send it either doesn't open it or opens it and sends nothing back in return. I'm not saying that every person has to respond when I send them an email. A mere acknowledgement of my existence wouldn't hurt. I'm not afraid of people saying no anymore.

Knowing When it's Time to Give Up on Old Gadgets

Recently, I made a trade with someone for a stack of older laptops. I was head over heels about the idea of getting these machines for essentially nothing...or at least stuff I wasn't using anyway. I started the process to see what each of these machines needed to get up and running. Their ages varied from a 7 years old to nearly two decades. As I dealt with the headaches that came with picking through each of these machines, I realized that I was wasting my time. Even if I got them working again, nobody would be interested in buying them. I also would seldom use them as my daily computer because my main machine is superior to each and every one of them.

I admire the people who fix up devices and keeping them as part of a collection. I could not do the same thing. After struggling laptops that were well past their prime, I doubt that I could do such a thing again. The only way that it would be remotely interesting is if I acquired them for next to nothing like I did with these ones. If I had to invest money into purchasing laptops, I would not want to put money into repairing them. The overall costs of these projects would be hard to justify. Plus, I want to move forward in the world of technology, not backward. My main machine is being kept together with duct tape. I don't want to switch to one that's older and in worse condition.

I have nothing against older devices. In fact, I probably like them more than most. They have to be working though. The value of a device plummets the moment that it leaves the store and goes down even further when it's opened. If you end up using that device for any length of time, it becomes worthless to anyone other than you. The annual cycle of yearly revisions of products coming out has killed the second hand market. People don't want to buy something that could be nearing the end of its prime when they could go to the store and get a glossy gadget fresh out of the box.

I did find one machine that worked and was in remarkably good condition. All it needed was a keyboard and battery. I've turned it into my word processor and I'm kind of fond of it. I still kept a couple of the other machines because they just need minor repairs. The parts that they need are rare and fixing them would not be cost effective; however, the machines themselves are interesting enough to warrant me spending money. I like the gadgets that people think are too weird or never get the attention they deserve. That only makes them want me more. Someone worked hard to realize their vision and release the gadget. It's only right that someone takes it for a test drive.

I used to be reluctant to get rid of gadgets. I felt like I had to hang onto them because I might need or use them at some undefined point in the future. I abandoned this idea when I realized that devices start to deteriorate even if you never lay a hand on them again and keep them in the same place. If you're going to fix up a device and use it, do it now. You might be faced with a project that's much more intense than you previously anticipated if you pick it up later. Sometimes you have to know when you have done enough and it's okay to throw in the towel.

Wading Through the Delusional Waters of the Used Gadget Marketplace

I peruse listings for used technology all the time and I have come to the conclusion that people who sell their gadgets this way are delusional. They list their items at retail or close to it, even when it’s obvious that there are so many other people out there trying to sell the same way. Listing your used gadget for retail is almost like not listing it at all. You might as well include “Don’t buy this” in the title of your listing. People who look for used gadgets are trying to get them for a lower price. It’s impossible to recoup the cost of what you spent in the store unless your item is still in the box and wrapped in plastic.

From time to time, I message people about devices I find interesting to see if they have any wiggle room on the price they’ve chosen. More often than not they tell me that not only is their zero wiggle room, but they would love to list it for more if they could. I believe that this buyer’s remorse could be remedied one of two ways.

First, buyers need to do more research before they go out and buy something. We have a tendency to fall in love with things based solely on what advertising and word of mouth tell us. The reasons why a device works for a person differ depending on the individual. Just because a device works for someone you know doesn’t mean that it’s going to work for you. You have to look at each device individually and pick the one that gives you the most value, not what’s most expensive or listed at the lowest price.

Second, buyers need to resist the temptation to buy the newest version of a device the moment it comes out. This approach often leads to mountains of still usable devices falling by the wayside all because their owners wanted something new. If you are able to get the newest device every year, you are more than welcome to do so. I would encourage it. Don’t expect that people are going to pay off your old device or buy it outright though. The moment the new version of a device comes out its value plummets. When you get two or three version out, you’re looking at a device with zero resale value.

I feel bad for people who are anticipating a payday when they resell their old devices. I’ve been there and had to face the harsh realities of nobody being interested. I’m from a different camp of device owners though. I use a device until there’s none of it left. My devices are slow as molasses and look like a train has run them over by the time I’m done with them. That’s why I have a tendency to give them away to the places from which I buy my new devices. I’ve gotten my money’s worth and no longer have use for them. Whatever they do with them is fine by me.

I'm Finished with Bad Technology

I've realized recently that my fascination with all things technology is becoming more profound as I get older. However, my appetite for gadgets and gizmos is going unaddressed because of the sorry state of my current contraptions. I have a laptop that I have had for 7 years that gets the job done, but is being held together with duct tape and inaccessible innards due to a botched repair from a scammer repair shop. My phone is an iPhone 6 and there's far too much money standing between me and paying it off. Don't get me wrong. I enjoy my phone. I feel like Android has done a lot to catch up to Apple and the phones that are coming out in that segment of the marketplace are much better.

I get that it sounds like I'm doing more complaining than anything. It all has to do with the aspirations I have for the future. I want to be involved with the technology world. I can't do that if my devices are dusty and antiquated compared to what's currently out there. In the first stages of this blog, my content will be speculative as I lack the resources to purchase what's needed to convey first hand experiences. I don't want that to be the case for long though. I believe that the best content comes from people who have actually gotten their hands on the thing they're talking about. Anything else is a waste of time.

I plan to go to every corner of the technology world to talk about things you've heard of and a lot that you might not know about. I will even try to see what's coming on the horizon and let you know about it before anyone else. Nothing is off limits. Technology is important. People need to hear about it. They're not going to benefit from rehashed content talking about what the juggernauts. We all know what the juggernauts are doing. That’s why they’re juggernauts. I will talk about the titans of the industry because it would be irresponsible of me as tech correspondent to do so.

The way I cover technology will seem unusual to some. I will discuss specifications, but I won’t get as deep into them as some of my competitors. I feel like the main thing that most consumers are interested in is how well a device works. That’s the point I want to get across. It’s great that a phone has this screen or that processing chip. What can all those things do for the consumer when they are put together? The audience is not going to care unless they can grab onto something they can use. Otherwise they will just buy what everyone else is buying or a bargain bin unit with no shred of value.

I will never disparage any other content creators. While they’re my competitors, there’s enough room out here for all of us. I’m a big fan of each and every one of them and look forward to the possibility of collaborating somewhere down the line.