After much deliberation, a new laptop arrived on my doorstep last week.
Well, “new” might be an understatement: it’s a svelte Chromebook called the Pixelbook, and it’s been around for almost seven years.
I ordered it for a few reasons: it’s one of the best-looking computers I’ve ever seen at work, and I found a good deal (the Pixelbook was $1,649 at launch, and I paid about a tenth of that.) But most importantly, I bought it because, somehow, this was the perfect machine for my needs.
At Helpdesk, we’ve said time and time again that it’s worth considering used or refurbished products when it’s time to upgrade. (And by the way, don’t just take our word for it: The Washington Post’s climate coaches agree.)
If you’re like me, you’ve found that what you need is so specialized that new products just don’t fit the bill. And that’s when the archives of gadget history littering eBay auctions and thrift store shelves start to make sense again.
Take my “new” Pixelbook, for example: What I really wanted was an ultra-portable laptop with a good keyboard that was handy for writing quick personal projects in a coffee shop, and something cheap enough that I didn’t feel the need to cherish it.
With this old Chromebook, I got exactly the tools I was looking for. Anything more ambitious or expensive would have been overkill, and frankly, I’m tired of overkill.
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Sometimes a more focused type of gadget is the one that’s most acceptable, and at least in my experience, that focus is easier to find in older devices.
One example is the reMarkable 2. I started using this e-paper writing tablet over three years ago, back when I still had a full head of hair and was making YouTube videos in my basement.
At the time, I was a little scared that a life of typing with no handwriting whatsoever would make me a bit dumb, so I decided to make an extended spree of writing to-do lists, story ideas, and all the other things that would normally be scattered across a bunch of little notebooks, on the reMarkable 2. That phase didn’t last long, but the tablet did function as a handy digital journal.
Even with the rise of new competitors like Amazon’s Kindle Scribe and Onyx’s quirky e-Ink devices, I still write on the reMarkable more than any other product because, of all the options, it’s the one that pays the most attention to the writing, note-taking, and sketching experience.
A growing love for retro technology
I’m not alone in my love for old gadgets. Over the years, a whole community has sprung up that appreciates even older types of devices, and it’s surprisingly full of younger people.
After the iPod’s quiet demise, fans of all ages flocked to Reddit and Discord to share tips on how to extend the life of their MP3 players. They continue to do so to this day. Part of the attachment to the iPod is nostalgia, of course, but many of the younger fans I spoke to said they wanted to hang on to their iPods because they were designed to do one thing so well: play music.
The same can’t be said for a one-size-fits-all device like the iPhone, which was built to be everything from the get-go. And with so few companies seem interested in building new affordable music players, the community’s obsession with the iPod may continue for a while.
More recently, I joined the growing crowd of twenty-somethings who have come to appreciate the gritty, grainy, harsh-light aesthetic of mid-2000s digital cameras (known as “digicams”).
Many of these young creatives don’t spend more than $50 on a digital camera, or even pay anything at all — some just dig out one from a closet or their parent’s desk drawer — and some of them are using digital cameras instead of smartphones as a lens through which they view the world. But why?
The reasons I hear most often fall into two categories: First, modern smartphones produce images that are more concerned with looking good than with looking authentic (and we tend to agree).
Second, and more importantly, they argue that mobile phones, unlike cameras, have a tendency to distract users: while they help us document our lives, they also make it harder for us to be present in the moment.
“If I’m at a party and I want a personal connection and I don’t want to have my phone with me, I always use my digital camera,” says Mia Moran, a 25-year-old filmmaker from Santa Barbara, Calif. “I don’t want the distraction of my phone.”
Clearly, there’s some appetite for new, purpose-built tech tools, tools that don’t require as much attention while they work. (A few examples in development come to mind, like this minimalist e-Ink BlackBerry lookalike and Humane’s intriguing AI Pin.) But until big companies embrace those appetites more fully, old gadgets may continue to be the best gadgets.
Things to keep in mind when looking for old technology
Whether you’re looking for an old-school digital camera or the ideal cheap writing computer, finding the right old tech can be much harder than buying new. Here are some points worth keeping in mind.
Be careful what you look for. It took me weeks to find the version of the Chromebook I wanted that had great battery life, which is unusual for a computer that old. Once you think you’ve found what you’re looking for, take the time to verify that it’s exactly what you wanted, and contact the seller to double-check if necessary.
Cast your net wide. Sure, you could set up eBay notifications for the items you’re looking for and hope for the best, but it’s also worth periodically checking other spots like online Goodwill auctions, local estate sales, and, of course, Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace.
What accessories will you need? Some older digital cameras use an obscure memory card format. Classic iPods famously used a 30-pin cable that Apple discontinued over a decade ago. Be sure to factor these essential additions (and replacements) into your budget.
Familiarize yourself with basic repairs; you probably won’t have any guarantees to fall back on, so it’s worth reading up on common failures and how to fix them. It never hurts to have a few decent tools for smaller repairs; iFixit makes a great set.
