Recently, as I have been in the process of moving, I came across a number of items in my electronics recycle bin that looked like they could be salvageable. My family has always given me their old tech, and sometimes they just tell me it doesn't work and throw it in my bin so I can recycle it properly. But sometimes, those things are actually perfectly good. In the last few days, I found a pair of 1st-generation AirPods and a FitBit Charge 2, both of which work perfectly fine, and both of which I now use daily after giving them a charge. Sure, the hardware is old, but it is still perfectly functional, and if I can get some more value out of those items, I don't see why I shouldn't instead of sending them to be recycled.

As I was setting up the FitBit,¹ I had the realization that basically everything I use on a daily basis was given to me, or otherwise salvaged. The sole exception to that is the new M3 MacBook Air 15" that I purchased a few weeks ago. Other than that, every other electronic device I own is many years old and came into my hands only after it had been used by someone else for a long time. As I look around my desk and at my server rack, I think the only things I've purchased are cables and adapters. I also purchased a network switch a few years ago, but it currently isn't even in use so I don't really count that. Maybe someday it will have a purpose other than being a shelf in my rack.

My USB-C dock, headset, and webcam all came from work. They're old-ish and kinda crusty, but they do the job just fine. The webcam might be 1080p, I'm not sure. My monitors, speakers, keyboard, and mouse used to belong to my dad. He used them for at least 5 years before giving them to me. No short supply of Ethernet cables, USB hubs, and other accessories have been handed down from various people or given as Christmas gifts. As I just mentioned, my FitBit and AirPods were in my recycle bin from my sister. She claimed they no longer worked but they actually are just fine, just a little dirty. A good clean has them in great working order.

Since I bricked my OnePlus 8 Pro and the PinePhone can't make calls or send texts over 4G networks anymore, I've been using an old iPhone Xs that belonged to my sister as well. It was too damaged to be traded in for a new one at our cell carrier, so it was given to me instead. But it still works, and even though it's 6 years old and incredibly cracked, it still works fine. The battery is garbage and can barely get through a day of moderate use, but if I just keep it in my pocket, I can typically make it home in the evenings with at least 20% battery left.

For a while, my parents' internet service provider had a promotion which would lower their internet bill if they had a Samsung tablet on a mobile line. They of course didn't need that, but since it was actually cheaper for them to take the tablet, they did, and they gave it to me. I now use it for doing my Greek flash cards and my Bible reading.

It's not just my personal computing devices that are old and used. My server, WiFi access point, and managed switch were also given to me. My server is an old Dell Optiplex mini-PC that was decommissioned from my work. It ran for at least 6 years on a hot, dusty plant floor. The WiFi access point was my parents' old router that they stopped using because of connection issues with their outdoor cameras, which a new router fixed. I presume that the antennas are starting to go bad, but it still seems to work okay for my use case. The managed switch was also decommissioned from work. It runs a little warm, and the web UI is very slow, but it still works fine as far as packet switching goes.

I don't even think I did this on purpose, but literally all of my computing devices and accessories—again, with the exception of the MacBook—have been given to me. They're old, and in imperfect condition because they were used heavily before they were given to me. But they work. And so I still use them. The point is, I'm actually extremely conservative with my tech. I am incredibly fortunate to have a lot of sources for old tech, and so I don't have to buy new things very often. Even though I'm a computer scientist and always trying to innovate with new software, and I'm very much up to date with tech news, all my tech is old, way older than the previous owner would've ever kept it. I really don't have any of the latest things, and that's totally fine with me.

For me, tech is a tool, and nothing more. As long as the tool still does its job, there's no reason to switch. In my early days, when I was first getting into computers, I wanted the latest iPod and the latest Android tablets.² Now I don't feel that way anymore. I buy new electronics, like a recent laptop, only out of necessity. As I was pondering all of this, I began to recall just how contrary this is to most consumers in the United States. We as a culture have made it such that you have to have the latest electronics to stay relevant, and because we don't prioritize repairability, we have to replace our devices frequently anyway. We kind of just take it to be normal. We treat technology not as tool, but as a consumable good, and we always have to have the best version of that good.

Except that we don't always have to have the latest version. A six-year-old iPhone is still perfectly functional. An 8 year old FitBit is still perfectly functional. Sure, the battery in both of those isn't great, but for day-to-day usage, it's fine. Based on all of the perfectly good usable stuff that people have given me, I think we have a huge problem with tech waste. There is a lot of technology that is certainly still useful and has a lot of life left in it that just gets thrown away or traded in for the latest and greatest. That is very unfortunate, and it's often really hard for me to justify buying new equipment when I still have perfectly functional equipment already, even though it's a little outdated. But, after taking stock, I think I can rest knowing that I am doing my part—I am using my electronics well past the duration that they were wanted and well past the duration they were intended by the manufacturer to be used.

Electronics actually last a surprisingly long time. Computer hardware can last decades before failure, and even though they just don't make things quite like they used to, things can still last. My only real complaint is with batteries. All of my electronics that have batteries in them have a much shorter battery lifespan than what they used to. It's not unusable though. I just have to charge a little more often, is all. I think that might be why I'm so blown away by my MacBook battery. I've been using it for a few weeks and it's been off the charger for upwards of four or five days at a time, and I still have yet to see the battery drop below 60%. It does spend a lot of its time docked, but over the weekends, I don't charge it at all, and it still retains well over half of its battery life. That, to me, is just insane. I think that's insane even by high standards, but even more so to me because all of my other batteries are so bad.

I don't know if there is really a moral to the story here. I'm really just observing and reflecting on my own technology usage. But if I had to add a call to action to this post, it would be this: hang on to your devices well after you think it's time for a new one. As long as it isn't causing you major inconvenience, why not? It'll save you money and prevent you from having to get used to a new device. I think we often conflate wanting a new device with needing a new device. Unless your phone is cracked to the point that you can't read what's on the screen, you probably don't actually need a new phone.

I personally have found that having an old phone that isn't the fastest is actually really good for me. If my phone is just slightly annoying to use—not unusable, just not as convenient as it could be—then I spend less time on it. That Samsung tablet I have? It's so slow and laggy that it is basically unusable, except for flashcards and reading. That prevents me from using it for YouTube or web browsing, both of which can tend to be addictive. Old devices that have stood the test of time help me to use them just as tools and nothing more, because they generally aren't good for much more, and that's a good thing in my opinion. They still do what they need to do, and don't do anything they don't. There's a certain minimalism to it that I can appreciate. I can still get my important work done, and that's good enough for me.