Although the photo is not that good, you can notice the difference here. On the left you have the new screen. According to these users, the new machines have a wider view angle and better blacks. The unibody Macbook 13 had an LG Philips screen, but it looks like the latest boxes are coming out of the factory with a 13.3-inch glossy AU Optronics screen similar to the the one found in the MacBook Air. [Notebook Review Forums and MacRumors Forums via ComputerWorld]

Sefer's friend Bullent tells Macenstein:

He was sitting on the chair in the front [of the airplane]. Seat number seven. (3-4 chairs from the business class). He has his MacBook Air with him, he was watching a movie. When the plane began to land, he closed his MacBook Air, and put it in the skin. A couple of minutes [later] there was the crash."

Apparently Sefer broke his neck the accident—and his MacBook was bent all to hell. Miraculously, several operations have given Sefer the ability to walk, and sturdy unibody construction prevented his new MacBook Air from completely biting the dust. Despite their injuries, both "booted up" and are expected to recover. [Macenstein]

The patent shows that the iPod's new casing will be carved out of a single, large and thick block of sheet metal, making the device lighter, thinner and sturdier. Although it may be a significantly stronger product, with it being made out of one slab of metal, it seems that it would be harder to take the iPod apart for second-hand replacements and repairs, meaning that consumers would have to turn to Apple directly for all their iPod needs.

However, having it made out of one block of sheet metal would reduce the costs of creating it. Does this also mean it'll be cheaper for consumers as well? Please, Apple, let it be so. [iPodNN]

A dash of color is a good thing and so is the added protection from a hard case—but there are a few drawbacks. Heat buildup might be a major concern, there are no 17-inch versions, and the $50 price tag is a bit steep. [Speck via CNET]

Short version: Be careful with that latest QuickTime update if you have run any "DFU fix" Automator scripts on your unibody (Late 2008) MacBook or MacBook Pro. Do not upgrade to QuickTime 7.6 until you've repaired the alterations that the script made to your system. UPDATE: I am learning from commenters that this is not just limited to unibody Late '08 MacBooks, but it applies to ALL MacBooks running 10.5.6.

In this post, we outlined how to re-enable unlocking and jailbreaking functionality if you've upgraded to Mac OS X 10.5.6. To do it, you have to run an Automator script that "fixes" the system so that you can enter something called DFU mode. It's some hardcore juju, but the script seemed easy enough to run and reboot.

The now-mysteriously-missing original Hackintosh article mentioned that there were some issues with the unibody MacBook and MacBook Pros, but it never said that you should undo it after you finish jailbreaking.

I didn't even get the jailbreak itself to work on that machine in the end, even though Jason did on his unibody MacBook Pro, but the Automator DFU fix didn't cause any perceptible changes to my system's behavior, so I promptly forgot about it.

Fast forward two weeks. I get a notice of the latest QuickTime upgrade, so I OK it. When my system restarts, I have no access to keyboard or trackpad. Not only do I not have access, I can't even plug in a mouse or keyboard. I could use those controls when booting off of a system install disc, but I couldn't get the installer to repair my OS, since it was "newer." The computer was borked.

My solution was easy but nuclear: I turned an external 320GB drive into a boot disk, ran the migration tool to move every bit of data from my unibody MBP, then simply swapped drives. (Gotta hand it to Apple for that new swappable-drive design.) My machine is as good as new, and now totally up to date.

What you should do, if you already ran the DFU script and haven't installed that QuickTime update yet, is try the method I have since discovered outlined in this Apple Support thread. Apparently, I'm not the only one with this problem.

Here are a few solutions besides the one in the support thread:

• If you still have access to your keyboard and mouse, you can copy the backup files (it should be under Backup_IOUSBFamily_kext_10_5_6 on your desktop) to where the Automator script was, Install_IOUSBFamily_kext_10_5_5 on your desktop. Then, just run the Automator script again, and it will copy those "original" files to the right location, then change the permissions correctly and reboot your machine.

• If you already ran the QuickTime update and you're unable to access any input (USB or otherwise), you can SSH into your machine and run these commands one by one. If you had trouble with the Automator script, you can open up the terminal and do this too, manually. Note, some of these lines are too long, so they wrap to 2 lines. Make sure you copy it in its entirety. Commands are separated by empty lines in between.

sudo rm -R /System/Library/Extensions/IOUSBFamily.kext/Contents/PlugIns/AppleUSBHub.kext
You'll have to enter your administrator password here

sudo rm -R /System/Library/Extensions/IOUSBFamily.kext/Contents/PlugIns/IOUSBCompositeDriver.kext

sudo cp -R $HOME/Desktop/Backup_IOUSBFamily_kext_10_5_6/AppleUSBHub.kext /System/Library/Extensions/IOUSBFamily.kext/Contents/PlugIns/

sudo cp -R $HOME/Desktop/Backup_IOUSBFamily_kext_10_5_6/IOUSBCompositeDriver.kext /System/Library/Extensions/IOUSBFamily.kext/Contents/PlugIns/

sudo chown -R root:wheel /System/Library/Extensions/IOUSBFamily.kext/Contents/PlugIns/AppleUSBHub.kext

sudo chmod -R 755 /System/Library/Extensions/IOUSBFamily.kext/Contents/PlugIns/AppleUSBHub.kext

sudo chown -R root:wheel /System/Library/Extensions/IOUSBFamily.kext/Contents/PlugIns/IOUSBCompositeDriver.kext

sudo chmod -R 755 /System/Library/Extensions/IOUSBFamily.kext/Contents/PlugIns/IOUSBCompositeDriver.kext

sudo rm -r /System/Library/Extensions.mkext

sudo touch /System/Library/Extensions

sudo reboot

Your machine will reboot after prompting to update boot caches, and the files should be back to the standard 10.5.6 ones. Good luck!

The upgrades aren't trivial either—now the old-style MacBook almost matches the unibody model, spec for spec. The processor is updated to the newer Core 2 Duo, the RAM to 2GB (though still DDR2), and most importantly the integrated graphics to Nvidia's 9400m unit.

In other words, the extra $300 you have to spend to get a unibody model gets you a nicer-looking laptop, slight bump in HDD space, faster RAM, a proprietary display port and not much else. From the glass-half-full perspective this does mean that for once, $999 is all you'll have to spend to get a perfectly capable, latest-gen MacBook. [Apple via Engadget]

When I went to plug in my Verizon EV-DO card, all was well. But when I moved to hook up my digital camera's USB cable in the other port, my smile turned upside down—just like the old plastic MacBooks, there is almost zero clearance in between the two USB ports, meaning anything that's slightly above the normal plug size will block the other opening. Guhhhh.

On the old MBPs, there was a USB port on each side, for happier, double-connected times. Now if you use most any USB 3G card, you'll have to hang it limply from a short extension cable if you want to get at your other port.

Sure you can also buy a card reader for your ExpressCard slot (even though the CF cards found in most quality DSLRs require an ugly protrusion), but that doesn't help when you want to download images to your machine live via camera control software—a liveblogging essential. Also forget about using any USB card reader you had, certain bulky flashdrives or your prized USB Humping Dog without blocking the other port.

So if you're getting a MBP and a 3G card to go with it, go with ExpressCard for the 3G—a nagging little thing that the old MBPs had on this new version. Otherwise this thing is a dream, and our review is more spot-on every day. Just little things like this that you wouldn't normally think about that pop up. Have you ever been surprised by an unsuspected limitation of new gear like this? Let us know.

I'm a sucker for any Apple keynote, whether I'm in the stands with the press or F5'ing away at my browser like most of you. There's a certain hypnotic timing to them, a clean presentation and a controlled, meticulous unveiling process that makes even the less exciting products seem monumental in scope.

During today's last Apple Macworld keynote, not having been there, I actually forgot at times that Steve Jobs wasn't presenting with Phil Schiller taking his place instead. Indeed, from the text/content alone, I wouldn't have even noticed. The presentation style was intact—from the clean slides to the dramatic structure, it was an Apple keynote, even if it wasn't Steve's Apple keynote. But I want to know, do you feel the same way?

From a spokesperson at Apple:

It will likely be years before you need to replace it (1000 cycles at 200 cycles/year = 5 years). You can have the battery replaced at any Apple Store or Apple-authorized reseller. The replacement battery is priced at $179, which includes installation of the new battery and environmentally-responsible disposal of the old battery.

The non-removable MacBook Air battery costs $129 to replace, though the lifespan is not promised to be as great. [Apple]

From our original Macworld 2009 rumor roundup, here's the rundown on how all the rumors panned out.

Came True:
iLife and iWork '09 (with iWork in the cloud)
DRM-Free iTunes
17-inch Macbook Pro

Didn't Come True:
New Mac Mini
Updated 30-inch Cinema Displays

Didn't Come True Stretches:
iPod Touch Jumbo/XL/Pro/Netbook/Thing
iPhone nano
Home Server
Snow Leopard Availability
New iMacs

Seeing as many of the rumors were an admitted wild shot at best, we'd put the real rumor batting average around .400, even if it's closer to .266 on paper.

The 17" MacBook Pro is basically a supersized 15" with an Air no battery bottom, which is at the least aesthetically pleasing. But with no battery compartment there is now no way to easily change Ram or Hard drive. So have your #00 Phillips ready.

The unibody construction makes the machine feel much more compact when picking up and overall condenses the already thin casing. It does indeed feel heavier than any other MacBook model but that's to be expected from a 17" casing. The trackpad has also been updated to the same no physical button pad found in the other MacBook models and even though the 17" MacBook Pro is bigger the trackpad has not grown.

The 17" Glossy LCD looks crisp as it did on the previous version but the new black plastic border makes colors pop just as it does on the 15" Pro and 13" MacBook. For some reason apple is only showing the regular glossy LCD model today so we can't yet report on the new anti-glare model.

Overall the new 17" MacBook Pro with unibody construction is nothing we haven't seen from the other models in the MacBook line. With the 15" MacBook Pro look and the Air's no battery bottom the new 17" MacBook pro can now stand proudly inline with its smaller siblings.

I tried downloading Radiohead's Bodysnatchers in an area providing 3 bars of 3G reception. With no fanfare, I was able to enter the iTunes store without a Wi-Fi hotspot and purchase the song.

So far, so good. No firmware updates needed or anything!

Then the download stalled for a moment. Then the iPhone pulled that classic "you're on 3G, oops, you're really on EDGE" maneuver. I wondered what would happen. Would the download stall and wait for 3G? Or would it slowly trudge on?

It trudged on. I guess that's both a good an a bad thing. While I was able to download the song, it took me nearly 10 minutes to grab the 3.7MB file. Wilson Rothman ran the same test from nearby and was also booted to EDGE, though the download only took him about 5 minutes.

Overall, I'm glad that truly wireless iTunes downloads are here. Hopefully more and better 3G coverage will make them live up to the generally pleasant iTunes experience. [Gizmodo Macworld 2009 Coverage]

The new Pro has the unibody aluminum build—and virtually everything else—in common with its smaller 15" brother. But now you won't have to put your fancy new notebook next to the cheaper 13" variant to see what you've paid for. There are precious few under-the-hood upgrades:

Available late this month, it's just under an inch thick, weighs in at 6.6 pounds, and is claimed to be the "thinnest and lightest" 17" notebook on the market.

The 1920x1200 screen has LED backlighting standard, with a 140x120 viewing angle, an impressive 700:1 contrast ratio and 60% greater color gamut than the last 17-inch display. There's also an optional anti-glare coating option for the screen that'll run you $50.Overall, the specs are mostly identical to the last MBP iteration, with the notable exception of the battery.

Apple says it's the longest lasting MacBook battery ever—it's a non-removable lithium polymer battery with "three times" the industry standard lifecycle, courtesy of "adaptive charging." How long does it last? 7 hours with discrete graphics, 8 hours with integrated graphics. That's 3 more hours than the previous-gen 17" MBP. And it'll cycle through that at least 1000 times with minimal wear.

The new MBP comes in just one base configuration: At $2799, you get the 2.66 ghz processor, 4gb ram, the dual-video card solution, a 320GB HDD and the Superdrive. It's available for pre-order now.

This is roughly in keeping with the same pattern Apple set in 2006 with the original MacBook Pro, which debuted with a 15-inch screen and saw the two-inch upgrade just a few months later. [Macworld 2009 Coverage]

Apple Introduces 17-inch MacBook Pro With Revolutionary New Built-in Battery That Delivers Eight Hours of Use & 1,000 Recharges

SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 6 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — Apple(R) today unveiled the new 17-inch MacBook(R) Pro featuring a durable and beautiful precision aluminum unibody enclosure, and a revolutionary new built-in battery that delivers up to eight hours of use and up to 1,000 recharges for more than three times the lifespan of conventional notebook batteries. The new 17-inch MacBook Pro has a high resolution LED-backlit display and the same large glass Multi-Touch(TM) trackpad introduced with the new MacBook family in October. In addition, the new 17-inch MacBook Pro includes state of the art NVIDIA graphics and the latest generation Intel Core 2 Duo mobile processors. As part of the industry's greenest notebook family, the new 17-inch MacBook Pro is made of highly recyclable materials, meets stringent energy efficiency standards and is made without many of the harmful toxins found in other computers.
"We've developed new battery technology that is better for the user and better for the environment," said Steve Jobs, Apple's CEO. "Apple's advanced chemistry and innovative technology deliver up to eight hours of use on a full charge cycle and up to 1,000 recharges."

Apple uses advanced chemistry, intelligent monitoring of the system and battery, and Adaptive Charging technology to create a revolutionary new notebook battery that delivers up to eight hours of wireless productivity on a single charge and up to 1,000 recharges without adding thickness, weight or cost to the MacBook Pro's incredible design.* The longer battery lifespan equals fewer depleted batteries and less waste, which is better for the environment.

The new 17-inch MacBook Pro includes an ultra-thin, widescreen glossy 1920 x 1200 display with 78 percent more pixels than the 15-inch MacBook Pro and a 60 percent greater color gamut that delivers desktop-quality color in a notebook. The LED-backlit display has brilliant instant-on performance, uses up to 30 percent less energy and eliminates the mercury found in industry standard fluorescent tube backlights.

Measuring just 0.98-inches thin and weighing 6.6 pounds, the 17-inch MacBook Pro is the world's thinnest and lightest 17-inch notebook. The 17-inch MacBook Pro is the most powerful Mac(R) notebook yet with the latest Intel Core 2 Duo processors available up to 2.93 GHz, up to 8GB DDR3 main memory and a graphics architecture that allows users to switch between the NVIDIA GeForce 9400M integrated graphics processor for better battery life and the powerful NVIDIA GeForce 9600M GT discrete graphics processor for higher performance. The new 17-inch MacBook Pro includes a 320GB 5400 rpm hard drive standard with a 320GB 7200 rpm hard drive and 128GB and 256GB solid state drives as options. As with the rest of the new MacBook family, the 17-inch MacBook Pro includes a next generation, industry-standard Mini DisplayPort to connect with the new Apple LED Cinema Display featuring a 24-inch LED-backlit widescreen display with a built-in iSight(R) video camera, mic and speakers.

The new 17-inch MacBook Pro joins the aluminum unibody MacBook family in setting new standards for environmentally friendly notebooks with every model achieving EPEAT Gold status.** Each MacBook unibody enclosure is made of highly recyclable aluminum and comes standard with energy efficient LED-backlit displays that are mercury-free and made with arsenic-free glass. The new MacBook family meets stringent Energy Star 4.0 requirements, contains no brominated flame retardants and uses internal cables and components that are PVC-free. The battery in the new 17-inch MacBook Pro provides additional environmental benefit because its extended lifespan means fewer depleted batteries resulting in less waste. Depleted batteries can be replaced for $179 which includes installation and disposal of your old battery in an environmentally responsible manner.

Pricing & Availability
The new 17-inch MacBook Pro will be shipping at the end of January and will be available through the Apple Store(R) (http://www.apple.com), Apple's retail stores and Apple Authorized Resellers for a suggested retail price of $2,799 (US), and includes:

— 17-inch widescreen LED-backlit 1920 x 1200, glossy display;
— 2.66 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo with 6MB shared L2 cache;
— 1066 MHz front-side bus;
— 4GB 1066 MHz DDR3 SDRAM;
— NVIDIA GeForce 9400M integrated graphics;
— NVIDIA GeForce 9600M GT discrete graphics with 512MB GDDR3 video
memory;
— 320GB Serial ATA hard drive running at 5400 rpm, with Sudden Motion
Sensor;
— a slot-load 8X SuperDrive with double-layer support (DVD+/-R
DL/DVD+/-RW/CD-RW) optical drive;
— Mini DisplayPort for video output (adapters sold separately);
— built-in AirPort Extreme(R) 802.11n wireless networking and Bluetooth
2.1+EDR;
— Gigabit Ethernet port;
— built-in iSight video camera;
— three USB 2.0 ports;
— one FireWire(R) 800 port (FireWire 400 compatible);
— ExpressCard/34 expansion card slot;
— one audio line in and one audio line out port, each supporting both
optical digital and analog;
— glass Multi-Touch trackpad and illuminated keyboard;
— built-in, 95WHr lithium polymer battery; and
— 85 Watt MagSafe(R) Power Adapter.

Build-to-order options for the 17-inch MacBook Pro include a 2.93 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, 8GB 1066 MHz DDR 3 memory, 320GB 7200 rpm hard drive, a 128GB or 256GB solid state drive, anti-glare display for $50 (US), Mini DisplayPort to DVI Adapter, Mini DisplayPort to Dual-Link DVI Adapter (for 30-inch DVI display), Mini DisplayPort to VGA Adapter, Apple Remote, Apple MagSafe Airline Adapter and the AppleCare Protection Plan.

*A properly maintained Apple 17-inch MacBook Pro battery is designed to retain 80 percent or more of its original capacity during a lifespan of up to 1,000 recharge cycles. Battery life and charge cycles vary by use and settings. For more information visit
http://www.apple.com/macbookpro/17inch-battery.

**EPEAT is an independent organization that helps customers compare the environmental performance of notebooks and desktops. Products meeting all of the 23 required criteria and at least 75 percent of the optional criteria are recognized as EPEAT Gold products. The EPEAT program was conceived by the US EPA and is based on IEEE 1680 standard for Environmental Assessment of Personal Computer Products. For more information visit http://www.epeat.net.

Apple ignited the personal computer revolution in the 1970s with the Apple II and reinvented the personal computer in the 1980s with the Macintosh. Today, Apple continues to lead the industry in innovation with its award-winning computers, OS X operating system and iLife and professional applications. Apple is also spearheading the digital media revolution with its iPod portable music and video players and iTunes online store, and has entered the mobile phone market with its revolutionary iPhone.

(C) 2009 Apple Inc. All rights reserved. Apple, the Apple logo, Mac, Mac OS, Macintosh, MacBook, Multi-Touch, iSight, Apple Store, AirPort Extreme, FireWire and MagSafe are trademarks of Apple. Other company and product names may be trademarks of their respective owners.

While EMI is already offering DRM-free music on iTunes, they represent only 10% of the music market. With "the big three" on board, a majority of iTunes' music could be DRM-free. But the new pricing options may be the real cost of it all to consumers. While catalog titles will now start at 79 cents, the studios will be able to price music above 99 cents (to undisclosed amounts)—though CNET's source says that all music will eventually return to 79 cents.

So while it sounds like Apple finally caved to the music industry, at least consumers may get something decent out of it. Hopefully we'll hear about it all today at the keynote. [CNET]

The big news isn't the aluminum unibody construction—it's that the portable rig is getting a slimmer, more efficient battery. But, and this is a big (unconfirmed) but, the battery will apparently be inaccessible, a la the iPhone and iPod. What's the deal with that?

Expect more at MacWorld, which may or may not have big or small announcements of any kind. [9to5 Mac]

Used to be, diving into a whole new product line was something only for the crazy ones, those who live dangerously, the mavericks. "Wise men wait to buy" was the refrain that rang through the web, with fear of hardware defects and half-baked features tempering the go! go! buy! buy! fever of a new product announcement.

But things are different now.

Manufacturing is Getting Really Good
Whether it's a unibody carved out of a single block of aluminum or a smaller, more efficient and reliable die for a game-console processor, manufacturing is getting better. Across the board. Mark Kotkin, the head of survey research at Consumer Reports, says that on the whole, reliability is higher and frequency of repairs is lower than they ever have been for the major brands. In the repair department, two of the least problematic major electronics are LCD and plasma flat screens, a shocker given the fact that they are two of the newest product types at the store.

Put simply, companies have tons of incentive to make their manufacturing process better, incentives that aren't directly related to making customers happy. If manufacturing is simpler and has more quality control, more product gets out the door, reducing throwaways and padding the bottom line with less cost (ergo more profit). That's nothing shocking—manufacturing gets better as tech gets more advanced. But because there's a built-in financial incentive for this to happen, it's a factor that won't be ignored, even—or especially—when cashflow is tight.

Software Updates Are More Powerful Than Ever
Gone are the days when every piece of home electronics comes with a different set of core parts. Today, our gear is more defined by the software that's running inside. And while no amount of firmware patching or OS upgrading will affect a melted solder point on a GPU or a warped laptop lid that won't close evenly, software updates bring serious enhancements down the pipe. Even gadget novices know enough to stick flash drives into their TVs to get improved HDMI performance when the situation arises, or anxiously pounce on new updates for game consoles with the hope of a fix or a free new feature.

Apple may control updates to the Nvidia GPUs in the new MacBooks, but knowing they are officially upgradeable via software—to allow for all kinds of goodies, like 8GB of RAM, dynamic dual-GPU cycling, and the like—is a buying incentive.

Some phones have it even easier, getting updated over the air. The G1 wasn't even fully released yet when we caught wind of the first OTA update coming down the pipe, and within a few hours of going open source, bugs were already being filed and fixed in the main Android stack by outside developers.

And back when we said wait on the iPhone? We were proven 100% right, as we watched it come fully into its own, at long last, with the 2.1 software. But because it was a free firmware update for all iPhones including the first-gen EDGE models, early adopters who didn't heed our warning still benefited from the massive revamp.

Microsoft showed similar goodwill by letting its major Zune updates trickle down the entire line, the latest update giving it a song recommendation engine that bests the iPod's.

Software upgrades are not always advantageous—recent iPhone and PlayStation firmware releases are crowning examples. But what's broken in software can be fixed in software, and when the breaks are egregious, the fixes usually come fast.

Internet Bitching is a Powerful Force
It's hard to make over a million of something and not have a few duds slip through QA—that fact will never change. Even though Apple claims that the Brick process is so simple that they "can get it right every single time," there will always be anomalies. (Humans, after all, are still involved.) A quick scan of Apple Discussions right now shows people complaining about slightly tilted function keys—the solution offered? pull up on the sunken end slightly with a prying tool.

This level of minutiae is there because now, complaining about product defects on the Internet actually gets results, and major companies are shifting their strategies because of that. Not previously known for warm fuzzy customer relations, Dell was forced to take action after increasing unreliability (and the company's tight-lipped or non-existent response) threatened to bring the whole ship down. The reaction? They created the Direct2Dell blog and IdeaStorm feedback site. Now only days after a story with unaddressed hardware issues hits Digg's front page (bad battery life, 3G reception, and on), a recall notice or firmware update goes public. Companies are learning a fundamental lesson: Having thousands of angry product owners unite on Digg to flame your defective hardware is not good.

My favorite example was Creative's unfortunate suppression of an unofficial driver—written by a totally random guy in Brazil—that gave the company's sound cards the Vista-friendly capabilities Creative itself was too lazy or distracted to publish itself. After nearly 2500 diggs later and plenty of posts from us and others, Creative finally realized it was being foolish. That's the power of internet bitching.

Even When You Wait, You Can Still Get Screwed
The first point here was unsurprising—tech manufacturing is more reliable than ever. But maybe you were thinking, "That sure wasn't the case with Nvidia's massive GPU recall." True, but the weird thing about that was that the product had been in production a long time before the defect was discovered. It affected everything from Dell laptops to MacBook Pros, many products that had already stood the test of time. In these cases, when a widely used component is at fault, even waiting for a product refresh wouldn't have saved you any trouble.

Reputations Are Important
You can also greatly increase your chances with a first-gen product by being smart about who you buy it from. While this theorem could be pretty safely applied to new products from Dell and Apple, for instance, buying a brand new form factor from someone with a less than stellar repair record—Consumer Reports' latest survey ranks Gateway worst for desktops and HP at the bottom for notebooks—may be something to think twice about. Just because a company is huge and does not mean it is immune to reliability issue. (Red Ring of Death, anyone?)

Final Thoughts
Don't take this is a blanket excuse for not giving a second thought to buying brand-new hardware models; while all the trends here are valid, designing and manufacturing complex CE gear never will be a foolproof process. Prices will go down, and reliability in the future will be better than today, so waiting is still wiser, even if it's perhaps just not as necessary.

This argument doesn't factor in another more complex and in some ways unrelated fact about electronic: Planned obsolescence. Companies have a separate financial incentive to weighing disposability over long-term reliability. Gone are the days where you can be satisfied with the same television for 20 years—advancements move faster now, sure, but manufacturers now make sure to leave off some future-proofed hardware—or charge a lot more for it—to ensure that your TV won't last too long. Which is a sad, but different, issue.

When the scope is limited to more contemporary times, these trends can be taken as a sign that things are improving, bettering your odds of not getting screwed compared to a few years back. Which is refreshing news for everyone: Getting screwed less in the gadget world = good.