Our gadgets
 

Now this is interesting on the Beeb news web site. A bunch of graphs
showing gadget ownership. Phones, CD players and video recorders have
all peaked, and are on their way down. DVDs and mobiles are just about
plateau-ing. Internet related stuff is still climbing. For how long, I
wonder?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-12058944

d

Our gadgets
 

"Don Pearce" wrote in message
...
Now this is interesting on the Beeb news web site. A bunch of graphs
showing gadget ownership. Phones, CD players and video recorders have
all peaked, and are on their way down. DVDs and mobiles are just about
plateau-ing. Internet related stuff is still climbing. For how long, I
wonder?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-12058944

d

Any survey of this sort depends rather on what the question is, and how it's
answered. For example, the decline in telephone availability is pointless.If
almost everyone has access to a mobile 'phone, then the need for a fixed
telephone, which is I presume what the question asked, goes away. Ditto with
the question of a video recorder: If they mean tape based, then of course it
is in decline, but if they include hard-disc based PVRs, then I suggest that
the availability of video recording will possibly be greater now than
before.

What's sad for me is the decline in CD players, because these will not have
been replaced with networked audio players of the Sooloos or Squeezebox
kind, but have been largely replaced by portable players, of the iPod kind,
or on-line players of the Spotify kind, both playing heavily data-compressed
audio. Nevertheless, both at least (especially Spotify) encourage listening
to a wider genre of music, so are helping to widen musical appreciation,
which has to be for the good.

One question not asked was the availability of a fixed installed HiFi
system, the sort of Must-Have of the 1970s, even if it was a Curry's rack
system. I wonder how many of today's households own such a thing compared
with, say, 1980 or 1990.

S.

Our gadgets
 

In article ,
Serge Auckland wrote:
One question not asked was the availability of a fixed installed HiFi
system, the sort of Must-Have of the 1970s, even if it was a Curry's rack
system. I wonder how many of today's households own such a thing compared
with, say, 1980 or 1990.

Thank gawd for fashion. I've been looking recently for a half decent sound
system for a charity unit I'm involved with - and within a couple of weeks
of looking on the local FreeCycle group, got a pair of KEF speakers, a
Sony CD player and a NAD amp - all in mint condition. Also a matching
MiniDisc unit from the same source as the CD player - but not sure if
it'll be of any use for this purpose.

--
*Honk if you love peace and quiet*

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

Our gadgets
 

"Serge Auckland" wrote in message
...

"Don Pearce" wrote in message
...
Now this is interesting on the Beeb news web site. A bunch of graphs
showing gadget ownership. Phones, CD players and video recorders have
all peaked, and are on their way down. DVDs and mobiles are just about
plateau-ing. Internet related stuff is still climbing. For how long, I
wonder?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-12058944

d

Any survey of this sort depends rather on what the question is, and how
it's
answered. For example, the decline in telephone availability is
pointless.If
almost everyone has access to a mobile 'phone, then the need for a fixed
telephone, which is I presume what the question asked, goes away.

I'm not sure I agree with that. A mobile phone is a personal phone, a
fixed-line phone belongs to a premises; though I grant that this distinction
is more relevant to businesses. Also of course a fixed-line phone is much
cheaper to use, and isn't going to fail because the batteries have gone flat
or there isn't a signal.

I was also surprised that the domestic penetration of phones in 1970 was
only 30%, bearing in mind that they had been available in all except the
most remote parts of the UK since the 1920s, and in central London since
1880.

David.

Our gadgets
 

"David Looser" wrote in message
...
"Serge Auckland" wrote in message
...

"Don Pearce" wrote in message
...
Now this is interesting on the Beeb news web site. A bunch of graphs
showing gadget ownership. Phones, CD players and video recorders have
all peaked, and are on their way down. DVDs and mobiles are just about
plateau-ing. Internet related stuff is still climbing. For how long, I
wonder?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-12058944

d

Any survey of this sort depends rather on what the question is, and how
it's
answered. For example, the decline in telephone availability is
pointless.If
almost everyone has access to a mobile 'phone, then the need for a fixed
telephone, which is I presume what the question asked, goes away.

I'm not sure I agree with that. A mobile phone is a personal phone, a
fixed-line phone belongs to a premises; though I grant that this
distinction is more relevant to businesses. Also of course a fixed-line
phone is much cheaper to use, and isn't going to fail because the
batteries have gone flat or there isn't a signal.

I was also surprised that the domestic penetration of phones in 1970 was
only 30%, bearing in mind that they had been available in all except the
most remote parts of the UK since the 1920s, and in central London since
1880.

David.

When I was a teenager growing up in Surrey, which even then (late 60s) was a
reasonably prosperous area, many of my school friends didn't have telephones
at home. If one extends to other less well-off areas, I'm not surprised at
the 30% figure overall.

As to fixed lines, my son doesn't have a fixed line at home, he and his
partner work entirely off mobile communications even for internet. These
days, with the right package, it works out pretty much at a fixed cost
regardless of usage, so they have never seen the point, as they will need to
have mobiles as well as a fixed line, so why bother with the fixed.

S.

Our gadgets
 

"Serge Auckland" wrote in message
...

"David Looser" wrote in message
...
"Serge Auckland" wrote in message
...

"Don Pearce" wrote in message
...
Now this is interesting on the Beeb news web site. A bunch of graphs
showing gadget ownership. Phones, CD players and video recorders have
all peaked, and are on their way down. DVDs and mobiles are just about
plateau-ing. Internet related stuff is still climbing. For how long, I
wonder?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-12058944

d

Any survey of this sort depends rather on what the question is, and how
it's
answered. For example, the decline in telephone availability is
pointless.If
almost everyone has access to a mobile 'phone, then the need for a fixed
telephone, which is I presume what the question asked, goes away.

I'm not sure I agree with that. A mobile phone is a personal phone, a
fixed-line phone belongs to a premises; though I grant that this
distinction is more relevant to businesses. Also of course a fixed-line
phone is much cheaper to use, and isn't going to fail because the
batteries have gone flat or there isn't a signal.

I was also surprised that the domestic penetration of phones in 1970 was
only 30%, bearing in mind that they had been available in all except the
most remote parts of the UK since the 1920s, and in central London since
1880.

David.

When I was a teenager growing up in Surrey, which even then (late 60s) was
a reasonably prosperous area, many of my school friends didn't have
telephones at home. If one extends to other less well-off areas, I'm not
surprised at the 30% figure overall.

At the same time (or possibly a few years earlier) I was growing up in an
only moderately prosperous area of Middlesex, and I was not aware of any of
my school friends not having a telephone at home. Though I wasn't basing my
surprise on personal reminiscences, but on the fact that the telephone had
been available for 90 years, it seems a very slow uptake.

As to fixed lines, my son doesn't have a fixed line at home, he and his
partner work entirely off mobile communications even for internet. These
days, with the right package, it works out pretty much at a fixed cost
regardless of usage, so they have never seen the point, as they will need
to have mobiles as well as a fixed line, so why bother with the fixed.

I accept that there are those who take the view that your son does, but your
phrase "then the need for a fixed telephone.... goes away" implied that the
need has gone away entirely, which I disagree with.

I was talking about phones, but in terms of lines high-speed broadband still
requires a physical connection, either wire or fibre. And unless somebody
can discover a whole new radio spectrum it's likely to stay that way.

David.

Our gadgets
 

"Serge Auckland" wrote in message
...

"David Looser" wrote in message
...
"Serge Auckland" wrote in message
...

"Don Pearce" wrote in message
...
Now this is interesting on the Beeb news web site. A bunch of graphs
showing gadget ownership. Phones, CD players and video recorders have
all peaked, and are on their way down. DVDs and mobiles are just about
plateau-ing. Internet related stuff is still climbing. For how long, I
wonder?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-12058944

d

Any survey of this sort depends rather on what the question is, and how
it's
answered. For example, the decline in telephone availability is
pointless.If
almost everyone has access to a mobile 'phone, then the need for a fixed
telephone, which is I presume what the question asked, goes away.

I'm not sure I agree with that. A mobile phone is a personal phone, a
fixed-line phone belongs to a premises; though I grant that this
distinction is more relevant to businesses. Also of course a fixed-line
phone is much cheaper to use, and isn't going to fail because the
batteries have gone flat or there isn't a signal.

I was also surprised that the domestic penetration of phones in 1970 was
only 30%, bearing in mind that they had been available in all except the
most remote parts of the UK since the 1920s, and in central London since
1880.

David.

When I was a teenager growing up in Surrey, which even then (late 60s) was
a reasonably prosperous area, many of my school friends didn't have
telephones at home. If one extends to other less well-off areas, I'm not
surprised at the 30% figure overall.


I remember in 1968 or '69 an American girl landed in the UK to accept a
friend of mine's invitation to stay (they had been on the same kibbutz in
Israel) and she was astounded to find that he didn't have a phone when she
tried to contact him!

Our gadgets
 

On Thu, 23 Dec 2010 17:31:38 -0000, "David Looser"
wrote:



I'm not sure I agree with that. A mobile phone is a personal phone, a
fixed-line phone belongs to a premises; though I grant that this distinction
is more relevant to businesses. Also of course a fixed-line phone is much
cheaper to use, and isn't going to fail because the batteries have gone flat
or there isn't a signal.

You obviously haven't looked at BTs prices recently. £13.29 P.M.
standing charge, 10.9p connection charge and 6.4p per minute daytime
calls. Most mobile contracts are much cheaper than that.

Our gadgets
 

"Bill Taylor" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 23 Dec 2010 17:31:38 -0000, "David Looser"
wrote:



I'm not sure I agree with that. A mobile phone is a personal phone, a
fixed-line phone belongs to a premises; though I grant that this
distinction
is more relevant to businesses. Also of course a fixed-line phone is much
cheaper to use, and isn't going to fail because the batteries have gone
flat
or there isn't a signal.

You obviously haven't looked at BTs prices recently. £13.29 P.M.
standing charge, 10.9p connection charge and 6.4p per minute daytime
calls. Most mobile contracts are much cheaper than that.

Oh no they aren't!

David.

Our gadgets
 

"Serge Auckland" wrote
in message
"Don Pearce" wrote in message
...

Now this is interesting on the Beeb news web site. A
bunch of graphs showing gadget ownership. Phones, CD
players and video recorders have all peaked, and are on
their way down. DVDs and mobiles are just about
plateau-ing. Internet related stuff is still climbing.
For how long, I wonder? http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-12058944

Some of the charts reflect trends in Europe and the UK, but not in the USA.
Central heating and washing machines have been at the 90%+ level since or
before the 1950s in the US. Even people living at or below the poverty level
had them. I surprised by the difference when I lived in Germany in the
1960s.

Any survey of this sort depends rather on what the
question is, and how it's answered. For example, the
decline in telephone availability is pointless.If almost
everyone has access to a mobile 'phone, then the need for
a fixed telephone, which is I presume what the question
asked, goes away. Ditto with the question of a video
recorder: If they mean tape based, then of course it is
in decline, but if they include hard-disc based PVRs,
then I suggest that the availability of video recording
will possibly be greater now than before.

DVRs are very common in cable boxes that are used in the US. I believe that
some US cable-TV networks don't even offer cable interfaces that lack DVR
features.

What's sad for me is the decline in CD players, because
these will not have been replaced with networked audio
players of the Sooloos or Squeezebox kind, but have been
largely replaced by portable players, of the iPod kind,
or on-line players of the Spotify kind, both playing
heavily data-compressed audio. Nevertheless, both at
least (especially Spotify) encourage listening to a wider
genre of music, so are helping to widen musical
appreciation, which has to be for the good.

The presumption that portable players are necessarily playing
lossy-compressed files is false. At least three lossless compression
formats are in wide use, and many players (even my tiny Sansa Clip) support
plain old .wav files. There is considerable evidence that
lossless-compressed audio files play with identical fidelity as uncompressed
files.