Putting off tech purchases because of impending innovation

[shmokes]

Don't you hate when you're ready to buy something, but the next big thing is right around the corner and you don't want to put down the investment on something that is about to become obsolete? Oftentimes I say, ignore what's coming and just get what you want right now. Because no matter what, tech will be obsolete soon, so it's no use fretting over it. But sometimes waiting makes sense, but it's not easy.

I've held off getting a data plan (though I've been using a Blackberry for years) because for the last few years I was in school rather than earning money and I couldn't really justify an expensive data plan. But my wife and I are finally thinking it's time to take the plunge. But both Verizon and AT&T are on the cusp of announcing shared family data plans. They could be a couple weeks away or six months away. I don't want to sign my wife and myself up for two year individual contracts just a couple weeks or a month before I could have got a single shared plan, saving us a ton of money. Moreover, a shared plan would also allow us to attach additional devices to it, like an iPad, without signing up for yet another data plan. But I don't want to wait six months either.

And so on. Tech lust sucks.



edit: lol . . . fixed typo in the title

[Donkbaca]

Your situation has nothing to do with technology, it has to do with a service being offered.  Your premise: that tech changes, has nothing to do with what sort of plan the cell people offer

[Nephasth]

Also, you can change your plan features with Verizon at any time without penalty. Add or reduce your minutes/txts/data whenever you want.

Thanks for the heads-up on the family data. My wife and I each have our own data plans, and that's a huge chunk of change. Not to mention, their phones that don't require data plans are going the way of the dinosaur...

[ark_ader]

You might want to check the fine print.

I am sure you have to add a data plan for each device on contract, which could negate the cost saving aspect of a family plan.

So say I have three devices, each one accepts a SIM, it could be 3/4G, GSM or Edge.  Each device would need a sim card and it would have to be paired to the master account. Minutes and text might be shared, but would the data?

I don't think it would.

http://www.verizonwireless.com/plans/nationwide-family-share.shtml

I remember last year I wanted to have a similar plan under AT&T.  I could not go that route as the plan didn't support additional devices (like a shared sim), but T-Mobile had a plan where you would PAYG or have a day of web for a fixed price.  That worked out, and I had shared minutes and text.  That included Laptops and Tablets but no VPN/VOIP and there was blocked port issues.

If I was you I would check various sources like stores, and Customer Services before taking the plunge.  Wifi is still a good option with a cheap VPN for added security.

[shmokes]

Ark, that's the whole point. Currently the situation is exactly as you describe. That's about to change. Both Verizon and AT&T are on the cusp of introducing shared data plans that act just like their current shared minutes/text plans, except for with data.

[shmokes]

Your situation has nothing to do with technology, it has to do with a service being offered.  Your premise: that tech changes, has nothing to do with what sort of plan the cell people offer

Potato potato. Hmm . . . that doesn't work so well in print. 

At any rate, it's not altogether unrelated to technology. The shared data plans require changes to their systems. They have to update software, and potentially hardware too, on the backend to make this happen. They've been testing it internally for some time now.

I get what you're saying, and for the most part you're technically right. Service is not subject to the same rapid obsolescence that tech is. But the practical effect for me at this moment is the same. I want to buy now, but a must-have feature is just around the corner and it's tearing me apart (well, maybe not quite, but still . . .). I just wish I had some way of knowing if exactly how far away said corner was.

[Samstag]

The only way to win the tech game is not to play.

I just dropped my verizon plan and put my droid on a page plus prepaid account.  I'm still on the verizon network with the same phone, but I'm paying about $80-100 per year instead of $80 per month.

[Vigo]

I pay $45 a month for t-mobile shared family plan. Screw text, screw data. I don't care to be the asshat with my face buried in my phone everywhere I go.

[knave]

AT&T will let you switch to a shared plan within your contract period. I've gone back and forth many times. As long as you keep the number active there is no issue. They may reset your contract time however but I've never ran into this being an issue as you are eligible for a new phone upgrade after only a year.

So...get the phones you want now and switch to family data when it's available.

[hypernova]

I pay $45 a month for t-mobile shared family plan. Screw text, screw data. I don't care to be the asshat with my face buried in my phone everywhere I go.

That's right.  You can be an asshat just fine with your face not buried!

[Donkbaca]

Meh, I've seen the world around me, the interwebs are much more interesting

[crashwg]

I don't care to be the asshat with my face buried in my phone everywhere I go.

Can I buy you a beer?

[fallacy]

I took the data plan plunge just recently and now I kind of regret it. Gps Map is awesome; having a nice camera on my iphone is pretty cool. There is nothing else I need or care about after the newness wore off. Now I am stuck from a $40 bill to an almost $90 every moth for something I hardly ever use.

[DaveMMR]

I get what you're saying, and for the most part you're technically right. Service is not subject to the same rapid obsolescence that tech is. But the practical effect for me at this moment is the same. I want to buy now, but a must-have feature is just around the corner and it's tearing me apart (well, maybe not quite, but still . . .). I just wish I had some way of knowing if exactly how far away said corner was.

I've always believed in getting what you want when you want (or need) it and not constantly waiting for the new thing.  There is ALWAYS something new around the corner - service-wise and tech-wise. It's a constant cycle - they're not going to suddenly say "okay, we're done innovating." 

But the big difference is that with service deals like you describe (i.e. the shared family data plans), any company worth doing business with will work with you if you're a current customer and want to take advantage of the new deals - especially with the competition ready to swoop in and entice you to switch.

For me, getting a data a plan years ago actually rewarded me. I was grandfathered into an unlimited data plan whereas new customers only get to choose from various limited data plans (2GB, etc.)

[kahlid74]

You should live life in the present, not the future.  Don't worry about tomorrow and instead enjoy today.  If you need it now, get it.  The future is always changing, nothing can be done about that.

Side note, you can get everything you want without a contract, you just don't get the great deal a contract provides.