In 2012 Charles Duhigg wrote an amazing article in the NYT called "How Companies Learn Your Secrets". The article is still fresh after all these years and depicts a consumer society gone bad. Sadly these days consumer data is the new gold for corporations, social networks, search engines, online markets and other corporations will go to … Continue reading Consumerism gone bad.
consumer
Ebay the Chinatown of the world.
Don't get me wrong from the title because I love China, it has a beautiful culture, amazing views outside the urban areas, and pretty badass Ebay shops. The Chinese I know are very hard workers, they take their work and income very seriously and thus Ebay is the perfect window to sell stuff to a … Continue reading Ebay the Chinatown of the world.
Buying a laptop, need or desire?
First of all I should say I have a old Intel Core2 Duo 2Ghz laptop and a newer Intel Celeron 1037U Dual Core ultrabook. The laptop now running Microsoft Windows XP is a decent workstation for writing and editing my site when I have a electric outlet near. One hour of batery power is not … Continue reading Buying a laptop, need or desire?
Audiophiles and status.
The love for better audio reproduction reaches all types of audiophiles, we all strive to achieve the same goals or at least similar ones. That’s why a tube fan understands a headphone enthusiast and also the reason we as a community usually visit the same discussion groups and comment in the same sites. Objective, subjective, … Continue reading Audiophiles and status.
Affordability and reviewers.
Reading an article by Art Dudley on Stereophile made me think again about audio quality and affordability, plus he does enjoy writing the word “bullshit” as much as I do! 🙂 Affordability is a funny thing, what I is affordable to me might not be to you. Its as simple as that. I often see audiophile reviewers on … Continue reading Affordability and reviewers.
Why I love second-hand tech stores.
There was a time when I was a bit of a snob about second-hand tech items, the idea of having something already used by other people was not a nice one, but I must admit at the time I had more money that I have now so having new stuff was easy. Having a family … Continue reading Why I love second-hand tech stores.
On plastic covers for portable gear.
When a designer makes portable gear he/she thinks about every little detail possible, the final piece is usually nice to the eye, easy to use and easy to get damaged. Enter the plastic (silicon) cover to the rescue. You got a amazing top of the line cellphone? Want it to last more? The cheap condom … Continue reading On plastic covers for portable gear.
Vinyl resurgence, because people want beautiful stuff.
The other day I read somewhere that vinyl sales are on the rise again, people are buying more and more records and the amazing fact is that the buyers all mostly young people. In a Mp3 and file sharing world young people are actually buying big, not practical records of old days, but why? My … Continue reading Vinyl resurgence, because people want beautiful stuff.
Consumerism and desire.
Like all people I fall victim of my own consumer desires, the “I want" becomes the "I need”, but do I really need new stuff to enjoy my music, it’s a personal question that touches the core of the consumer society we live on. If my desires had their way I would have some top of the line … Continue reading Consumerism and desire.
Headphones marketing, teens & parents.
Tumblr is a funny thing, I see some teens with really expensive headphones, that would not be a problem if they or their parents were buying really good stuff but most of the time that's not the case. You guys & gals should already know that I really don’t like marketing bullshit and with headphones … Continue reading Headphones marketing, teens & parents.
A curious tale of prejudice in a audiophile store.
So I said to an audiophile store owner that I don’t like to call myself audiophile and that I really didn’t get why so many audiophiles only hear Jazz in their systems, like it was the holy grail of audiophiles. True Jazz audiophile lovers I’m sorry but even you guys must notice that people who … Continue reading A curious tale of prejudice in a audiophile store.
The Portuguese crisis of dedicated portable audio players.
The big stores in Portugal don’t have much choice if you want a dedicated portable audio player. Ok, you got the typical Apple products, some stuff from Sony and Philips and a lot of white brands on the shelves! It sucks hard because the stores have tons of cheap stuff and a lot of expensive … Continue reading The Portuguese crisis of dedicated portable audio players.
Collector, special, limited or bullshit edition?
Like all fans I always try to buy the most complete edition of an album and this means I sometimes need to choose between many different editions to find the best one. I find this task boring and not even the Internet saves the day! I loathe multi-edition music albums! As an example I´ll give you the … Continue reading Collector, special, limited or bullshit edition?
Ultra-expensive gear and normal wage.
I live in Portugal, a country in the economic tail of Europe, my monthly pay is about 750€ after all discounts, it’s not bad if you think about the minimum wage they pay here. That brings me to the fact that most consumer audio websites and magazines make me uncomfortable with my bank account. Maybe … Continue reading Ultra-expensive gear and normal wage.
The lust for upgrading tech gadgets.
People love new stuff, from smartphones and tech gadgets to furniture and clothes. Most people don’t like keeping the same old stuff around, but why are we so in need to upgrade tech gadgets? We live in a consumer oriented lifestyle, there is a constant need to consume or economic shit happens. Don’t believe it? … Continue reading The lust for upgrading tech gadgets.
