Worst Christmas Ever For Gadgets?

An anonymous reader writes, "CNet says this will be the most disappointing Christmas ever for gadget-lovers. The Playstation 3 is delayed across most of the world, the Zune MP3 player is cancelled for everyone outside the US, Vista won't be out for home users before the big day, and even Final Fantasy XII won't reach Europe in time. From the article: 'It's enough to make you slit your wrists with the shards of a smashed Christmas tree bauble... Santa fails to deliver on almost all of his Yuletide promises. Most of the major technologies that were supposed to be ready for purchase have been delayed until next year.' The writer goes on to suggest phrases to use over Christmas dinner when the offending companies' products are mentioned. To reduce the pain of a Zune-less party, he suggests remarking: 'Imagine the stability and usability of Windows migrated to an MP3 player. In short, imagine a small portable version of Hell.'"

Comments

Wii!

[skeib]

In one word - Wii!

Re:Wii!

[Zigg]

Yeah, holy crap, what's TFA got against Wii? You can point at your TV to play games. Instead, we're going to whine about the incrementalist PS3?

Maybe it's time to go low tech

[locksmith101]

seems like it's high time for an unplugged Chistmas - how about we all go back a few years back in time and forget about all that never ending search for silly gadgets that have a life time span of 3 minutes...what ever happened to pets? to imagination? to communication skills?

Re:Maybe it's time to go low tech

[MustardMan]

Pets? Do you have any idea how many animals end up at shelters because some jackass thought "hey a puppy would make a cute christmas present"? Buying (or better yet, adopting) a pet should be an informed decision involving everyone in the household, not a surprise.

Re:Maybe it's time to go low tech

[Kadin2048]

Mod parent up; seriously.

Anyone who's thinking about getting somebody a puppy, or any other animal, as a surprise for Christmas ... do them, you, and not least of all the poor animal a favor and get them a Wii instead.

If you get tired of playing with a video game system, it just sits in the closet. Chances are, if people get tired of that puppy, it'll be sent to a shelter to be slaughtered.

Re:Maybe it's time to go low tech

[Fallon]

Probably the best present my parents ever got me and my brother was our cat, and later over the years hamsters, gerbils & guinea pigs. However they made an informed decision and planned for all the responsibility that went along with it. Pets help build immune systems in growing kids, don't ask me why, google it, there have been studies. It amazes me how much companionship, stress relief and quality of life improvement pets can bring to a family They also provide a good education on responsibility if the parents properly supervise the kids taking care of the pet.

But remember:

• Pets need constant attention. You can get away with leaving a cat home alone for a day, maybe 2, but dogs, especially some breeds need somebody around all the time. I've seen several neighbors leave their dogs alone all day only for them to spend the whole day howling for attention.
• Get your pet fixed, or be ready to deal with a lot of puppies/kittens/whatever
• Puppies and kittens are cute, dogs and cats aren't. Not only do you have to deal with "the new wearing off" like any other toy, but baby pets are always cuter and more adorable than when they grow up. Don't forget you'll be caring for this animal for upwards to 20 years (possibly longer than you'll be responsible for your kids)
• Make sure your pet is properly cared for. Kids can care for them at certain ages, but parents need to make sure everything is done right.
• Pets are messy. YOU or possibly your kids will be doing a lot of cleanup after them, especially dogs, and especially when they are young.
• Dogs in particular needs lots of training (cats not so much, they usually end up training you). Sit, Stay, No, etc. don't come naturally, it will take a lot of time and effort to get your dog to behave properly. And an untrained dog makes a very poor pet.
• Do some research on the breed or species of pet your going to get. Some are MUCH MUCH harder to train than others. Some may look cool, but just don't have good dispositions for being a pet.

If your unsure about your ability to care for a pet properly, don't do it. Start small if you need to, goldfish are about as low maintenance as you can get, if you or your kid can't keep one alive, the ASPCA would be after you if you got something furry and four legged. If you can handle a fish, then think about a hamster, they are cute, reasonably easy to care for, and not as longterm of a commitment as a cat or dog.

My wife and I are in Afghanistan for the year, and leaving our kitty was probably one of the harder things to do. However she is being well cared for by my in-laws who already had a couple cats that our kitty grew up with.

Re:Maybe it's time to go low tech

[dasimms]

1: Keeping pets is barbaric
Let me ask the opinion of the happy, well-fed, joyful bulldog sharing my home. Sorry, I can't ask him right now because he is asleep on my lazy boy and he gets cranky if i wake him up. But I guess since you think keeping pets is barbaric, I should turn him loose to scrounge garbage bins for food, get hit by a car, and have no love or care the rest of his days. Maybe it will work out for him. He can find other dogs to run around with and with a pack he should have no problem bringing people down for food. Maybe he'll get lucky and feast on you!

I'll take the coal, please

[cpuh0g]

What kind of person says "I really want Windows Vista for Christmas"?? For that matter, what kind of dork asks for any specific operating system for Christmas anyway? I can see wanting a new computer, but a specific OS, for Christmas?

Regarding the Zune thing - aren't there already like 50 different MP3 players on the market - not counting the iPod family? So again, who the hell cares? What a stupid article.

Look at the bright side

[jawtheshark]

You can use that skeleton for a real nice case mod ;-)

Back away from the tinsel, we're here to help...

[mogrify]

It's enough to make you slit your wrists with the shards of a smashed Christmas tree bauble...

Is it just me, or is the list of events requiring ritual seppuku getting a little crowded?

Title is misleading

[MrCopilot]

Title hould Read: Worst Christmas Ever for Gadgets in the UK

Here in the US all these gadgets will be here. Good Luck laying your hands on one of those overpriced-ForcednewMedia-PS3s though.

Speaking of the PS3. I just realized this High Price, Low Volume, pre order only console strategy is a valid strategy. A strategy to sqeeze one more Xmas out of the PS2. Selling at 129 for the slimline/bundle, it is the Wii's only real competition. And they managed to sneak it up on us. And I thought they were Idiots.

Wha?

[Rob T Firefly]

What a silly article. Personally, I feel it's high time there stopped being one or two overhyped "must have" gifts every holiday season that everyone suddenly wants, filling the pockets of whoever crapped out the flashiest ads. Whatever happened to getting people thoughtful gifts you know they'd like, out of the large number of things possible to actually get without a second mortgage and a sideline dealing heroin to metal bands?

There are pantloads of gadgets and non-gadgets out there I'd love to receive this holiday season, chances are you've never seen a television commercial for any of them, none of them will cost you a week's pay, and if you know me you can guess what they are. And I hope whatever I give you is just as appreciated.

Re:Wha?

[The PS3 Will Fail]

"What a silly article."

Amen to that. Not only does it not saying anything new or interesting, it fails in even coming close to evaluating the thesis of the piece. Is it the worst gadget Christmas ever? Who knows, they've done nothing to put the situation into historical perspective.

If you're going to say something is the worst ever, it's important to actually describe how you are judging and why other entries are so much worse. For instance, did they consider the dredded gadget year of 1998? Let me take a stab at being as shallow and without journalistic merit as the author of this article by saying, 1998 was the worst gadget Christmas ever!

Who gives:

[Upaut]

Who gives gifts of several hundreds of dollars in electronics? One can geek out in holiday shopping without breaking the bank. Thinkgeek sells fine geeky gifs at a great range, for example.

Or a good book? "The Ascent of Science" by Brian Silver is quite a nice read. Buying for an eight year old? May I reccomend a reprint of "the Golden Book of Chemistry" (Go to LuLu books. Several versions of differing quality. Some are very good labors of love, others not so much, yet still useful.).

Or a subscription to MAKE, CRAFT, National Geographic, or some other magazine?



Or if you are going to break the bank on a gift, how about something not obsolete in a couple of years. How about a chemistry set? The CHEM C3000 doesn't suck. And given todays "chemistry sets", that is high praise. Or go all out if its a son/grandson/daughter/granddaughter. Buy a nice shed, build a chemistry workbench. Cover it in bronze sheeting (or copper. or brass). Buy some surplus glassware and an inkwell burner at American Science Surplus. And a lot of mason jars of varying sizes. A golden book of chemistry. A pack of three moleskin notebooks for their notes, and to top it off, privacy if they want it. Or get involved in their lives. Make it fun. Bond.

How about we cut consumerising Christmas?

[Hamster Lover]

So there isn't any compelling must have Christmas gadget this year, well, that is readily available (I am talking to you PS3). Boo hoo. How about sitting around the Christmas dinner table with your family and friends and give thanks for your good health, good friends, a place to live, a job and a full stomach?

Since I became an adult I am far less worried about what gifts I receive at Christmas and far more thankful for the gifts I already have. Not all gifts come wrapped in pretty paper and bows.

Merry Christmas!

But...

[tsa]

I thought Christmas was about being together en caring about other people. We must be happy that all these gadgets are delayed and/or cancelled, because that leaves us more time to spend with our loved ones!

Re:Not many gadgets for the first Christmas

[Moofie]

Um, there also wasn't a Christmas until several hundred years later. But thanks for playing!