If you want to save money on technology, you know that buying brand new is a mistake. But when you browse Amazon, eBay, or Best Buy, the terminology is confusing. You see “Renewed,” “Refurbished,” “Open Box,” “Pre-Owned,” and “Used.” Are they the same thing? Absolutely not. One of these labels means “Brand new device with … Read more
Every September, it happens. The big tech companies—Apple, Samsung, Google—hold a flashy “Keynote” event. They use words like “Magical,” “Revolutionary,” and “Fastest Ever.” They show beautiful videos of the new phone spinning in slow motion. For years, I fell for it. I would watch the event, look at my “old” phone (which was only 11 … Read more
I have a drawer in my desk that I call the “Graveyard.” Inside, there is a pair of $200 wireless headphones, a sleek smartwatch, and a thin ultrabook laptop. They all look brand new. No scratches, no dents. The screens are perfect. But they are all useless trash. Why? Because the lithium-ion batteries inside them … Read more
I love music, but I hate overpaying. For the last three years, I have exclusively used “Premium” earbuds (the ones that cost $250+). I convinced myself that I needed them. I told myself that the Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) was “magic” and the audio quality was “studio grade.” But last week, my premium earbuds died … Read more
If you walk into any electronics store or browse Amazon right now, you will see them: shiny new laptops selling for $299 or $349. They look great in the photos. They have slim bezels, decent-sized screens, and the marketing promises they are “Perfect for Students” or “Great for Home Office.” I used to fall for … Read more
I had exactly $500 to spend on a phone last week. Naturally, my first instinct was to look at the “New Arrivals” section. The marketing posters were everywhere, promising me that the latest mid-range phone (let’s call it the “Galaxy A-Series” or the “Pixel A-Series”) was a revolution. It had a shiny new box, a … Read more