My oldest son loves to research outdoor equipment. This past weekend he came to me and told me it is time to replace my current avalanche beacon (or transceiver as it is sometimes known). The company that made my mine is recommending I replace it with a newer model. The justification is that mine is an older 2-antenna model and the latest 3-antenna models have faster search times, are easier to use, and are more efficient.
That begs the question: What do I do with my old one? After all, I haven't used it that much and know it still works well. We make sure to test our beacons all the time. It helps reassure us that they function as advertised and that we are not learning how to use our equipment when we really need it. You don't want to be fumbling around with a new toy when someone's life is on the line.
With Christmas just around the corner, I am in no hurry to replace my current transceiver as Santa may have one for me under the Christmas tree. If I don't get one a month from now then I will go out and purchase one and have to do something with the old one. My wife suggested that we use it for practice. That is not a bad idea. Another idea I had is to use it as a loaner for someone coming along with us on an adventure who may not have one. It sounds like a good idea but I am afraid it will promote a false sense of security.
I think the best course of action is to do what I do with all other outdated electronic devices and that is to utilize the services of an e-waste company. Our local Best Buy has a number of bins at the entrance of their store where you can drop off old electronic devices and they will dispose of them in a way that is better for the environment than just putting them in landfill. As with old climbing ropes that should be cut into unusable sections, I may take a hammer to mine so that nobody is tempted to used the antiquated device. If I have tears in my eyes as the hammer comes down, it is probably just allergies . . .
Showing posts with label electronics. Show all posts
Showing posts with label electronics. Show all posts
Tuesday, November 26, 2019
Friday, May 16, 2014
Online Updates
This morning I looked at my Android phone and noticed that it automatically updated 2 of my applications. Then I looked at my iPhone and noticed there are 7 applications that should be updated. Then I turned on my surround sound system and noticed it needed updating and so I did that. Once my surround sound completed, my son told me my PlayStation 4 also needs an update. I feel like I am in a never-ending cycle of updates.
I think it is great that all of these applications and devices can get updates when they are needed. I do think it is getting out of hand though. It seems like I can't turn on an electronic device, play a video game, or make a phone call without being told there is an update that needs to be installed.
I think I am going to read an old-fashioned book with real paper for pages. It may be outdated technology but it doesn't require any time to power up. It never runs out of batteries. Most importantly all major updates were included at time of printing, long before the book entered my house.
I think it is great that all of these applications and devices can get updates when they are needed. I do think it is getting out of hand though. It seems like I can't turn on an electronic device, play a video game, or make a phone call without being told there is an update that needs to be installed.
I think I am going to read an old-fashioned book with real paper for pages. It may be outdated technology but it doesn't require any time to power up. It never runs out of batteries. Most importantly all major updates were included at time of printing, long before the book entered my house.
Monday, November 25, 2013
Broken Electronics
This weeks has been a bad week for electronics in our family. The only problem with owning something is that you get used to it and really hate it when it breaks.
Yesterday I got a call from my son down at college and he was pretty upset. He had been cleaning the screen on his relatively new Sony Xperia Z phone when it cracked right down the middle. When that happens, the touch screen no longer works and the phone is almost useless. He was only able to call me because he has a smart watch linked to his phone and could use the watch to interface with the phone. As long as the number he wants to call is in his phone's address book, he can make calls. He can also receive calls through the watch.
To add insult to injury, the power supply on my son's 40-inch Samsung TV went out on Saturday. There was the Bronco's game on last night that my son's room mates wanted to watch but couldn't because of the broken TV. They were giving him grief over it and my son was pretty bummed. Never mind that the TV was a free gift from someone at work and none of my son's other room mates had a TV.
My wife and I got done consoling my son when my daughter called and complained that her MacBook's charger had died. She is using a room mate's to charge her computer for now. This is the second time her charger has failed.
There are solutions to all of these problems but it is tough to deal with them all at the same time. Furthermore, Three of the major electronics brands are represented in this week's failures. Guess what they all have in common? Every single one of the failed parts was made by the same company in China. We really need to find another source for our electronic products as this is not the first time I have written about Chinese crap failing.
Yesterday I got a call from my son down at college and he was pretty upset. He had been cleaning the screen on his relatively new Sony Xperia Z phone when it cracked right down the middle. When that happens, the touch screen no longer works and the phone is almost useless. He was only able to call me because he has a smart watch linked to his phone and could use the watch to interface with the phone. As long as the number he wants to call is in his phone's address book, he can make calls. He can also receive calls through the watch.
To add insult to injury, the power supply on my son's 40-inch Samsung TV went out on Saturday. There was the Bronco's game on last night that my son's room mates wanted to watch but couldn't because of the broken TV. They were giving him grief over it and my son was pretty bummed. Never mind that the TV was a free gift from someone at work and none of my son's other room mates had a TV.
My wife and I got done consoling my son when my daughter called and complained that her MacBook's charger had died. She is using a room mate's to charge her computer for now. This is the second time her charger has failed.
There are solutions to all of these problems but it is tough to deal with them all at the same time. Furthermore, Three of the major electronics brands are represented in this week's failures. Guess what they all have in common? Every single one of the failed parts was made by the same company in China. We really need to find another source for our electronic products as this is not the first time I have written about Chinese crap failing.
Tuesday, March 5, 2013
Chinese Crap
I had hoped to write something here last week but got stuck late at work every night. Just when we were ready to go live with a new release of some software hosted on our new hardware infrastructure, we lost one of our networking switches and had to delay. It is probably a good thing as waiting to replace our hardware gave us time to fix some configuration issues with our software. However it was really frustrating to have everything ready to go, only to have quality issues because one of our vendors decided to move all manufacturing to China. It seems like I am seeing an astronomical failure rate for products made in China.
Unfortunately it is impossible to buy anything these days that isn't made in China. If you want the best price for computers and electronics, you can bet that a lot of the components come from there. I have decided that I can no longer afford to blindly purchase goods. The first question I ask myself before purchasing a product is, "Where is it made?" If the answer is China, then I look around for the next 2 or 3 competing products. If they are also made in China, then I don't really have much of a choice. If they are made somewhere else, then there better be a significant price break or I will buy the competitor. In fact, I would much rather purchase a bicycle built in the USA than an automobile built in China. Trust me when I tell you that you will get more miles out of the bike than the car.
Unfortunately it is impossible to buy anything these days that isn't made in China. If you want the best price for computers and electronics, you can bet that a lot of the components come from there. I have decided that I can no longer afford to blindly purchase goods. The first question I ask myself before purchasing a product is, "Where is it made?" If the answer is China, then I look around for the next 2 or 3 competing products. If they are also made in China, then I don't really have much of a choice. If they are made somewhere else, then there better be a significant price break or I will buy the competitor. In fact, I would much rather purchase a bicycle built in the USA than an automobile built in China. Trust me when I tell you that you will get more miles out of the bike than the car.
Monday, December 10, 2012
2012 Christmas List
It is a bit later than usual, but I thought I ought to put out my annual Christmas list. All of my kids have shopped for me, but my wife is still looking. At least she says she is looking. I gave her a few ideas last week and she may have picked one of them up. She likes to play her proverbial cards pretty close to the vest this time of year.
I am really wanting a new TV, however they are still rather expensive unless you want something small. I don't. I want a big one and so that will have to wait for next year. I also want a new phone but still have not decided which one to get. It will probably take me several months of vacillating back and forth before I make a decision. While it would make my life easier if my wife would just get me a phone, it is something I want to pick out myself.
Here are some other ideas that almost everyone can afford:
An Electronic Transmitter Kit - Computers have replaced the hardware tinkering that used to take place, but building something you can show your friends without having to lug your computer around is still cool.
An Electronic Game Kit - Here is a kit that helps you build a small electronic memory game. While the game is pretty fun, building the kit is half the excitement.
A Remote Control Helicopter - Something to get the one you love outside. Well you could fly it inside, but might mark up the inside of your house.
A Hand-Crank Radio - Just in case those Mayans were onto something and the world really will end this year. You can open this gift a little early and listen to the news long after the power has gone out.
A Cable Tamer - To keep all of those computer cables from getting tangled behind your desk, or worse, in front of your desk.
A Computer Joystick - After playing with video game consoles, it can be tough to go back to the keyboard and mouse for computer games.
Hopefully this gives you a few ideas for that hard-to-shop-for guy in your house. If not, I'm sure there are a ton of other gift ideas on the Internet. Merry Christmas.
I am really wanting a new TV, however they are still rather expensive unless you want something small. I don't. I want a big one and so that will have to wait for next year. I also want a new phone but still have not decided which one to get. It will probably take me several months of vacillating back and forth before I make a decision. While it would make my life easier if my wife would just get me a phone, it is something I want to pick out myself.
Here are some other ideas that almost everyone can afford:
An Electronic Transmitter Kit - Computers have replaced the hardware tinkering that used to take place, but building something you can show your friends without having to lug your computer around is still cool.
An Electronic Game Kit - Here is a kit that helps you build a small electronic memory game. While the game is pretty fun, building the kit is half the excitement.
A Remote Control Helicopter - Something to get the one you love outside. Well you could fly it inside, but might mark up the inside of your house.
A Hand-Crank Radio - Just in case those Mayans were onto something and the world really will end this year. You can open this gift a little early and listen to the news long after the power has gone out.
A Cable Tamer - To keep all of those computer cables from getting tangled behind your desk, or worse, in front of your desk.
A Computer Joystick - After playing with video game consoles, it can be tough to go back to the keyboard and mouse for computer games.
Hopefully this gives you a few ideas for that hard-to-shop-for guy in your house. If not, I'm sure there are a ton of other gift ideas on the Internet. Merry Christmas.
Monday, October 29, 2012
Rules For Everyone
I am watching a CBS special on Hurricane Sandy. It has already pasted the East coast of the United States and they are running short stories about the storm. Among a few of the reports are mentions of people sticking around even though they were told to evacuate. I guess some people think certain rules don't apply to them. We call those people idiots.
This morning I had to catch my weekly flight from Salt Lake to Oakland. I use the flight to catch an extra hour of sleep on Monday mornings. When the Southwest passenger took the middle seat next to me, I knew I would notice him for all of about 5 minutes. Then he pulled out his computer and started working. There is only so long before passengers are asked to turn off electronic devices and so I didn't give that a second thought. Soon the flight attendant asked passengers to shut down computers and cell phones. My neighbor did, but only long enough for the attendants to pass by. Then he pulled his computer out and began to work again covertly during the safety briefing. I thought about letting him know that he should turn it off but couldn't figure out how to do so without looking like an angry passenger. So I tried to get back to sleep. I guess he didn't think the electronics rule applied to him.
Certain rules exist to keep up safe. The electronics rule on airplanes is not because the electronics do anything to the plane or its navigation system. It is there because those electronics devices turn into projectiles during takeoff and landing. My seat neighbor was kind enough to put his computer away before it could cause harm. That was good for me as I hate getting hurt because someone else is an idiot.
This morning I had to catch my weekly flight from Salt Lake to Oakland. I use the flight to catch an extra hour of sleep on Monday mornings. When the Southwest passenger took the middle seat next to me, I knew I would notice him for all of about 5 minutes. Then he pulled out his computer and started working. There is only so long before passengers are asked to turn off electronic devices and so I didn't give that a second thought. Soon the flight attendant asked passengers to shut down computers and cell phones. My neighbor did, but only long enough for the attendants to pass by. Then he pulled his computer out and began to work again covertly during the safety briefing. I thought about letting him know that he should turn it off but couldn't figure out how to do so without looking like an angry passenger. So I tried to get back to sleep. I guess he didn't think the electronics rule applied to him.
Certain rules exist to keep up safe. The electronics rule on airplanes is not because the electronics do anything to the plane or its navigation system. It is there because those electronics devices turn into projectiles during takeoff and landing. My seat neighbor was kind enough to put his computer away before it could cause harm. That was good for me as I hate getting hurt because someone else is an idiot.
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