I can remember a time when upgrading my phone was a major source of excitement. If there was something shiny and new available, then I had to have it. More often than not it was simply the allure of the next big thing and there were no significant gains or benefits in upgrading. Unless you count that vicarious short term fix one gets when conspicuously consuming. At the time I was happy to remain on the technology treadmill and had no intention of getting off. However in the last decade there’s been a major shift in my relationship with consumer electronics. I now buy according to my needs rather than just for the sake of having what’s currently perceived as best. Once you cease to see gadgets and electrical devices as fashion accessories but simply as functional tools, then a lot changes. Furthermore it changes for the better.