How many gadgets do you actually use frequently? How many gadgets do you actually need? Take a look around your house at the number of gadgets you own. It’s likely you’ll find things like a PlayStation, iPhone and iPad, iPod, camera, laptop, MP3 player, printer and even an eReader lying around.
Do You Use Them?
Try to work out how many of the gadgets you own you actually use. One way of telling if you have too many gadgets is if you don’t have enough power sockets to plug them all into. Another is if you have unused or discarded gadgets hidden away in a wardrobe or under your desk. If you have a gadget which is covered in dust then it’s likely that you do not need it.
Ten years ago, most of the gadgets listed above did not even exist. We all managed fine without them. Now we are being told they are indispensable and you are definitely not considered ‘cool’ if you don’t have at least some of them. If you count up all the devices that technology companies tell us we really must have, you would have to walk around with a haversack to carry them all.
Sell Them On
It’s time to take a step back and look at what you use and why you bought the gadgets you have. If you don’t use it, get rid of it. Sell it and make a little money. Even if a device is damaged or not working properly, it can sometimes be sold for parts. It’s easy to sell netbook or laptop parts on web auctions or technology sites.
Overlapping Functions
Many of the gadgets we own have overlapping functions. If you have both a camera and an iPhone with similar capabilities, you don’t need both of them. A laptop and a tablet perform almost identical functions. There is an argument for having both, because a tablet is far more portable, but if you don’t use your tablet frequently you’re better off just using the laptop.
It’s the same with a smartphone and an iPod. A smartphone can hold a lot of music. It sounds just as good as the iPod, so do you need them both? Or have we been convinced by technology companies that want to make a profit that we need them? Perhaps you could decide which three devices you simply cannot do without and rid yourself of the rest.
If you care about the environment there’s a strong case for cutting back on gadgets. Millions of computers and phones are dumped into landfill sites every year. They contain heavy metals such as platinum and lead, which pollute the environment. The metals get into the water system and enter the food chain.
Heavy use of gadgets such as mobile phones is now officially recognized as being bad for your health. There is no argument about the ill-effects of radiation from mobile phones, especially on children’s brains. Most scientists agree mobile phones should not be used by children under eight years of age.