Are electronic devices less reliable?

[Nitro Express]

In my case, computers aren't as reliable as they once were. I see more hard drive failures, video monitor failures, memory failures, power supply failures. Other electronic products seem to fail early well. I have some old stuff from the 1980's that still work.

I used to work for Hewlett-Packard in the day when they were high quality. I think Chinese and Malaysian manufactures are cutting corners and are not testing their chips as well. I think a lot of these failures are due to delayed electronic discharge.

Stack failures and chip failure seem to be a regular problem.

[fifth element]

since electronic devices are (for the most part), being made for the "average spender",
cheaper and cheaper materials are being used, and YES, more breakages and malfunctions occur...

if you are using computers as an example,

It seems that, since a computer bought today will be considered "old news" in 6 months,
people are more willing to spend $400.00 now and again in 3 years than they are to put
out $650.00 on a stronger machine that will last longer....but have problems because it needs updates....

now, in my case......i don't care if what I have is old, new or somewhere in between....
if it runs...it is good.

and when it stops...I don't care if it's 10 years old...I STILL feel like it should KEEP going...LOL

[jhale667]

I think it depends on the device...it seems phones are obsolete faster and faster...my last one had about a two-year life span, just got the new Blackberry that seemingly does EVERYTHING...not too shabby. My home computer has lasted over 5 years, but it's time to upgrade...I'm going to go the build it route again rather than buy something that I'll outgrow in two, hoping for a similar lifespan on the new one...

[Seshmeister]

There are a couple of companies here that you can send your old phones and mobile devices to and they credit your account wish cash. You only get about $50 for something that was good 2 or 3 years ago but it's hassle free as they send prepaid postage and packaging after you put your details online.

I'm sure there will be a US equivalent.

[Nitro Express]

There are a couple of companies here that you can send your old phones and mobile devices to and they credit your account wish cash. You only get about $50 for something that was good 2 or 3 years ago but it's hassle free as they send prepaid postage and packaging after you put your details online.

I'm sure there will be a US equivalent.

Is that to keep old electronic devices out of landfills? Each circuit board has a small amount of gold. In know there is a computer recycler in the San Francisco Bay area that recovers the gold and smelts it into bars. That's a lot of computers and devices but at todays gold prices, it's profitable.

[Seshmeister]

I don't think it can just be for the gold because for something like an old iPhone you can get $200 or more and they give you more money for a working phone.

Here is a US version I found http://www.cellforcash.com/

The UK one I used is http://www.mazumamobile.com/

[Hardrock69]

I can put a computer together for $600 with much higher-quality hardware that will beat the pants off one selling for $1,000. In general, out of all the machines I have built, I have had only a handful of hardware devices fail on me. A couple of power supplies. One hard drive. A scanner. And I think that is all.

[Nitro Express]

I've had horrible luck with Apple products. Two hard drive failures, one CD drive failure, fan failure on one iMac. Monitor failure on a second iMac, pieces of the plastic case started breaking off on my MacBook. My iPOD has been trouble free.

[Nitro Express]

I don't think it can just be for the gold because for something like an old iPhone you can get $200 or more and they give you more money for a working phone.

Here is a US version I found http://www.cellforcash.com/

The UK one I used is http://www.mazumamobile.com/

Sometimes they recycle the chips but maybe it's just a promotional ploy to get you to buy something from them. I know car dealerships take trade ins they really don't want in order to sell a new car. They will get a little money in scrap for some of these trade ins but they get the manufacture kickback plus the profit margin on the car sale.

[Seshmeister]

You're a bundle of laughs these days aren't you, your glass is 3/4s empty.

There was no scam or attempt to sell me anything and I've done it with 3 phones so far. You don't even have to talk to anyone as it's all on line.

[Bob_R]

I've had horrible luck with Apple products. Two hard drive failures, one CD drive failure, fan failure on one iMac. Monitor failure on a second iMac, pieces of the plastic case started breaking off on my MacBook. My iPOD has been trouble free.

That's very unusual. Apple products are made with quality, particularly the computers.

[Anonymous]

That's very unusual. Apple products are made with quality, particularly the computers.

Those days are long, long gone, B.

Apple products these days are "cheap" - that are actually quite expensive - novelty toys.

Macs nowadays are as reliable as good ol' Windows.

Yeah, we're fucked.

Cheers! :bottle:

[Hardrock69]

As for my experience with hardware, I think it is only luck that I have had such minimal trouble with the stuff I have used over the years.

[Little Texan]

I once had a Nintendo (NES) that my bitch former stepmother hid in the woods (along with some of my other stuff) under some plastic. I looked for that thing for years, and I finally stumbled across that stuff one day while looking for something else. Well, I found my Nintendo and dug it out from the other stuff and I figured there was NO WAY it still worked. I took it inside, hooked it up, and lo and behold, the fucker still worked! My Colecovision didn't fare so well...it was scrap. You couldn't hardly tear up a NES...tough little machines. I knew of several people when I was a kid that had one drop off of a high shelf onto the floor while they were playing a game and the thing would still work perfect. I'd bet good money that you wouldn't have the same kind of luck with an X-Box 360 or a Playstation 3 if the same situation occurred with one of those.

[ashstralia]

i've got a '95 powermac that still runs beautifully every day. i use it for archived databases, it's got 10 years of business records on it.

also a '98 imac. still works, but the cd drive shat itself.