Wise Device Selections

Devices devices. Too many devices. These days we rely on devices to increase productivity and bring convenience to our daily life. Take the latest Apple Air pods Pro for instance, what you see in this miniature device is not simply elegance, but functionality as well. In this day and age, devices need not be beautiful but they must be useful. Our utilitarian society demands that what we possess be holistic and functional such that when we need its assistance, it will be available.

This system has brought about the rise of compact devices that are not simply multi functional but complementary as well. Put into perspective, we can’t simply be mixing unique functionality into a device without consideration for the usability of a device. Just like how an Iphone shouldn’t be paired with a graphics card, sometimes we find functionality that is overly excessive in certain devices more than others. Do we really need a wireless router if mobile hotspots are available? What about hard disk drives when there’s cloud storage available for us. Often we find ourselves in a dilemma of choice. Our priorities for the products we purchase and consume changes overtime, be it for work or play it seems that there isn’t a set standard for how we should purchase these modern items that has an array of functions that we do not know if we really need. Thus let us break it down for you and we hope that you would have a clearer picture on which devices are truly worthy of your every dollar.

Functionality

From a philosophical standpoint, it seems only natural that what we buy should be functional else it’s a waste. Yet when faced with a huge influx of luxurious items, we often find ourselves purchasing an item out of pure novelty over it’s practicability. Don’t be fooled. Ask yourselves, will I use it? How often will I use it? How quickly will it be phased out? Not only should our items be over everyday use, it should be future proof. In this sense, we must consider the likelihood of improvements being made on an existing product before purchasing it, else we might wish to delay our purchase till the time where upgrades have been implemented to supplement the usability of said product.

Price Point

Value for money, make each dollar count. What are you truly paying for? When faced with advertising words such as ‘latest’ , ‘best’ and ‘value’, how sure are you that that product isn’t just another fluke or hype. We must make comparisons across different brands and types of similar substitutes and henceforth find the best product with a reasonable price tag that suits your budget. This is where top 10 lists would come in handy in helping you shortlist a few of these items worthy of consideration but do bear in mind that most of these lists do come with a certain degree of bias!

Design

Aesthetics and ergonomics have become a popular design philosophy in recent decades where consumerism is the popular trend and tailoring designs to customers for their comfort has become the norm. Long were the days where we chose a product simply because it’s usable, today we choose to use a product for a wider variety of reasons. Some products feel like it resonates with us while others give us an impression of an abstract mess upon viewing. Whatever your personal preference might be, design is definitely a top priority on your bucket list for a reasonable purchase. Get what you feel looks desirable and pleasing, after all, you will be using this item for years to come, won’t you?

Technology

Now this is a recent one. Smart items are increasingly becoming ever popular especially with smartphones, watches, vehicles, drones, wallets to even traditional notebooks. The application of technology to retrofit products of old has been on the rise lately, look out for these new designs and products. They are new in the market which may represent innovation and excellence but consequently they are often untried and untested. Perhaps it’s your first time out purchasing a smart weighing scale, you do not know what’s best and if it’s actually accurate. These question marks shouldn’t be left unanswered when buying a new item. You need information and what’s better than that but product reviews. Beware though, not all reviews are legitimate and sometimes it takes a few tries before you get that item that really suits your taste.

Popularity

Fame and vanity seems to come hand in hand. Often we are influenced by celebrities who promote certain products that are quirky and cool looking. From a conservative standpoint, don’t simply buy into it, research it. From a liberal viewpoint, don’t just try it, know what you’re getting into. Search for product reviews, look at examples of its usage, always do your homework when you invest into these items you have never seen before. Things that are used by the masses need not necessarily be beneficial to the masses. The solution? Demonstration videos or unboxing videos wide available for your viewing pleasure.

Quality

This seems like an obvious factor but is often used as a marketing ploy to get you to buy their items. Statistics are often quoted with numbers that aren’t particularly familiar for the everyday man like you and me. Comparisons are often made with averages that frankly aren’t the best method of aggregating market research data. This is where spreadsheets with graphical charting data often presented in benchmark tests and test-benches will come in handy. Often people simply mistake being better than average is simply good enough but just imagine if your average is skewed and misrepresented by outliers in the market, are you really getting a better deal out of it?

Branding

This is quite a sensitive and controversial topic especially in a market where competition is ever increasing. Brand loyalty or value comparison often comes into place and as a consumer peeking in into the markets without much understanding or data analytics, we often simply just take word of mouth recommendations as they are more trustworthy and reliable. This then leads to us perhaps consistently choosing certain brands over others as we tend to err on the safe side out of caution. That’s fine. However, when a better value proposition comes into play, will you just leave it dangling? Purchasing items are not necessarily commitments, get what’s best for yourself, not what you think is a safe pick. Being safe is good, but being worthy is even better!

Reputation

Reputation precedes trust and most marketers and producers earn that trust through quality and warranty. What sort of corporation are you buying your items from? Are Green products, recyclables material, reusable plastics your niche? Perhaps, subscription services and no contracts or no commitments are your go to favorites. Your items should come from reputable sources that you acknowledge and other accreditation. If the brand is just starting off, you could give it a shot but make it a point to inform others and your friends of the product reliability. Through forums, discussions and threads, you can post reviews of new brands and learn from primary sources of the quality of others. Ultimately, reputation is key, impression is utmost, and in this era of massive consumerism, it’s okay to try new things but better yet to share it with others.

Takeaways

Don’t just research on the functionality of a sole product, find alternatives and compare across the price range. Supplement it with research data and reviews by experts, then shortlist products with sufficiently reputable accreditation. The final list you get are items worthy of consideration. Price is not the sole factor, you don’t wish to be changing wallets every 6 months. Pay for the long term and spread that information with others, buy and build the fraternity you always wanted!