November 24, 2023 at 12:00 am
Comments posted to this topic are about the item Black Friday 2023
November 24, 2023 at 10:26 am
I would quite like to experiment with a 3D printer. One of my hobbies is building model railways and after trying to scratch build the Victorian bridge at Millers Dale in the UK Peak District national park I think the only way to build it to sufficient quality is to use 3D printing to build the parts. Somewhat nervous that what I want to do is rather advanced for a beginner.
Failing that, I would like to get my digital piano repaired. Sometimes repairing tech is as rewarding (and more cost effective) than replacing tech.
November 24, 2023 at 2:36 pm
I've never really been much into tech gadgets, but I would like to have something like a 50" wide-screen display with a wrap-around screen for multi-tasking - or playing Red Dead Redemption.
"Do not seek to follow in the footsteps of the wise. Instead, seek what they sought." - Matsuo Basho
November 24, 2023 at 3:06 pm
My Christmas shopping for my wife is done. We are just making the move of all her 'stuff' from a 14-year-old Dell desktop to a brand new custom-built Win 11 desktop in a Zalman case with the glass side-panel and the glitzy rotating lights inside. Out local goto tech guys put it together for us and she is loving it. This is our first venture into the Win 11 territory. She's an 80-year old capitalist who over the years created and operated three various businesses which she has sold, and is now down to an Etsy site and an independent online entity for her crafts. Due to her propensity for trying new tech stuff I call her my 'gadget girl'. I really need to cancel her Amazon account!
By the way, this latest custom-built tower machine is more powerful that the IBM closet-sized thing I use to run the IT department for a large food distribution company back in the 1970's.
Just a few days ago I got the ultimatum about clearing the tech overflow from our guest rooom next to our office before Christmas company arrives. So now I have to build more storage space in the basement. At 10am she is still laying in bed sending stuff to the printer behind me.... just got a text saying she needs more coffee!
Rick
Disaster Recovery = Backup ( Backup ( Your Backup ) )
November 24, 2023 at 3:17 pm
I've never really been much into tech gadgets, but I would like to have something like a 50" wide-screen display with a wrap-around screen for multi-tasking - or playing Red Dead Redemption.
Go for it. Treat yourself. We love our 53" Sony in the living room across from our Lazyboys. I don't do gaming any more, but it is great for seeing our digital picture collection in life-size. I ran ethernet from our NAS device in the office to the LR for my laptop and HDMI from it to the TV.
Rick
Disaster Recovery = Backup ( Backup ( Your Backup ) )
November 24, 2023 at 3:37 pm
So far, I've never experienced the poor shopping experiences that you referenced on a Black Friday. I've seen some Black Fridays where there were a lot of people around the latest must have gift, but people behaved well, thank God.
In the past I've wanted to get some tech during the holiday shopping season, but not so much this year. I've been trying to replace my old, failing thermostat with a smart thermostat, for more than a month. What's taking me so long is I am not an electrician, so I need to hire someone to look into it. And my house is old enough that it's a challenge to do. I've had two electricians come in. One of them said my furnace is too old, so I'd have to upgrade it to make it work with a smart thermostat. If that's the case, then that's just crazy. Anyway, I'm still in the process of finding a way of doing this without replacing my furnace. If this gets too expensive, I'll just forget the whole thing.
Rod
November 24, 2023 at 3:59 pm
I work for a retailer, and we have our version of a Black Friday sale, but we mostly lease / sell furniture and appliances, so it's not the same as "door buster" events at Walmart.
But let's take a moment to memorialize those who have lost life or limb while in pursuit of a deal on a TV or air-fryer.
https://blackfridaydeathcount.com/
"Do not seek to follow in the footsteps of the wise. Instead, seek what they sought." - Matsuo Basho
November 24, 2023 at 4:29 pm
Very sobering, Eric.
Rod
November 24, 2023 at 4:49 pm
Same as you this year Steve - there are some decent reductions on security cameras so I'm extending coverage, which I was looking to do anyway.
I think it's rare these days to get the bargains you used to be able to get on BF, and many retailers will do the trick of increasing the price on something in advance so they can lower it and make it look like a deal. TVs/monitors can be good picks, as manufacturers/retailers often use BF to drop prices on last year's models.
https://sqlrider.net - My technical blog
November 24, 2023 at 6:40 pm
Rod, I hear you on the old furnace. We bought a home right across the street from my youngest son who owns an HVAC company. He had earlier done some patch work for the previous owners. One of our first projects ( we spent $50k on upgrdes and remodels) was to have him replace the furnace that was over 25 years old. We don't have many smart devices (other than an Alexa thing the keeps sending me emails that my ink cartridge needs replacing) but we do like the thermostat that warms during the day and cools for us at night when we want less heat. It's not online, just has its own clock.
I like devices that give me information but really detest those that try to decide things for me.
Rick
Disaster Recovery = Backup ( Backup ( Your Backup ) )
November 24, 2023 at 7:12 pm
Good point, Rick. I'll just wait and see. They'll be here on Dec. 1. Our home is almost 40 years old (we're not the original owners), so the electronics are old.
Rod
November 27, 2023 at 6:41 am
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November 27, 2023 at 11:27 am
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November 27, 2023 at 2:12 pm
Rod, our electricity went out about 8:30am on Thanksgiving and was out until around 1:00pm. I'll bet lots of folks were upset about their holiday meal prep. Then yesterday a truck stops at the foot of my drive and unloaded a Christmas present from my 'gadget girl' wife. We now have an emergency generator that my son is having one of his electricians install in a few days. At least Black Friday wasn't entirely black.
Rick
Disaster Recovery = Backup ( Backup ( Your Backup ) )
November 28, 2023 at 2:58 am
Failing that, I would like to get my digital piano repaired. Sometimes repairing tech is as rewarding (and more cost effective) than replacing tech.
I repaired a broken cable on one NEST camera, but the second one was different. Too thin wires, and frustrating. However, I agree. Always nice to get something fixed with your own hands.
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