A 37-year-old technology writer reflects on his growing irritation with modern gadgets that often fail to perform reliably. Once thrilled by innovations from childhood calculators to today's smartphones, he now wonders whether the problem lies with evolving technology or his own advancing age. His experiences highlight common annoyances in gaming, audio devices, and wireless connections.
For 14 years, this CNET contributor has immersed himself in the latest tech, from testing the Pixel 10 Pro to Arctic drives in electric vehicles. His passion began early, with excitement over Casio watches featuring calculators, family Acorn Archimedes computers, and homemade tape-recorded "radio shows"—a hobby that foreshadowed his adult podcasting career.
Yet, recent years have brought disillusionment. Gaming consoles like the Xbox Series X and PS5 demand lengthy updates before play can begin, often derailing the user's enthusiasm. "By the time I've made a coffee and stared out the window while the updates install, I've usually lost that urge to play," he notes. Titles such as Cyberpunk 2077 arrive with major day-one patches, contrasting sharply with reliable analog alternatives like a simple Scrabble set.
Wireless audio devices compound the issues. Bluetooth earbuds—including AirPods Pro 2, Anker Soundcore Liberty Air 2 Pro, and OnePlus Buds Pro—frequently drop connections or fall out of sync, causing audio delays between ears. The first-generation Apple HomePod delivers excellent sound via AirPlay but disconnects mid-song, rendering it invisible in apps like Spotify. Similar problems plague other Bluetooth speakers and in-car systems, which routinely forget pairings upon shutdown.
In response, the writer has turned to a vinyl record player gifted by his brother, amassing records from bands like Periphery, Incubus, Tesseract, Green Day, and Linkin Park. "I drop the record onto the turntable, move the needle and it just plays," he describes, appreciating the hassle-free experience and the joy of curated album listening over Spotify's endless shuffle. Physical record shopping feels more rewarding than digital browsing, though he admits DVDs might not recapture the same appeal amid Netflix indecision.
At 37, stereotypes of mid-30s nostalgia—such as embracing vinyl or film photography alongside his Canon R5—loom large. He still invests in premium gear like a Hasselblad and an $8,000 Leica, suggesting his tech affinity persists. However, persistent glitches—dropped connections, mandatory updates, buggy software, and unfinished launches—prompt a core question: "What happened to tech just working?" He cherishes tech's benefits, from gaming to family FaceTime, but yearns for seamless reliability without the constant battles.
