Saturday, August 17, 2013
Q: Do I really need a mouse pad? I've had the same one for years and it's pretty scratched up and gross. I'm going to chuck it soon, but do I even need to replace it?
A. Mouse pads used to be an essential tool. However, unless you still have a very old mouse with a ball, you don't need one.
Most computer mice use laser or optical sensors these days. They don't need a rubber surface to provide grip for the ball. So they'll work on most surfaces without trouble. Newer laser mice can even work on glass.
That doesn't mean you have to ditch yours if it's still good, though. In fact, mouse pads can be a great way to express your individuality. They can show how big of a fan you are of something - like a certain blonde tech expert.
Mouse pads aren't the only thing that the tech world has rendered obsolete. But don't take it to the digital dump just yet!
You might still need some of those things that many think are past their prime. Here are four other tech "relics" that I still see people using to this day. Let's see if you still need them.
A screensaver
Here's another great expression of your hobbies and interests. Screensavers protected your monitor from burning one image into your screen. They've probably saved millions in replacements and repairs over the years.
The once-mandatory screensaver isn't necessary now. You don't have to worry about screen burnout with modern monitors. You can leave them on for hours, if not days, without having to worry about anything but your power bill!
That doesn't mean you have to ditch your screensaver altogether. In fact, I still use a screensaver on my HDTV today! They're a great way to show off pictures, your favorite team and more.
Your Home Phone
Did you ever think landlines would be irrelevant in your lifetime? If someone told you that 20 years ago, would you have laughed?
With most people owning smartphones and even more having some kind of cellphone, it's totally possible!
However, there are still plenty of reasons to keep your landline. In fact, many home-security systems and some medical implants require it. Until those services update to wireless, your home phone isn't going anywhere.
That's not a bad thing, either. Landlines don't rely on power or cellular towers like cellphones, so they won't go down in an emergency.
CD/DVD Drive
People originally thumbed their noses at the MacBook Air's lack of a DVD drive. Fast forward a few years and this is becoming the rule, not the exception, with laptops. Many premium laptops have ditched the drive in favor of portability.
It makes sense. Cord cutters are streaming most of their movies online and digital downloads are cheap. Heck, even some software is moving to the cloud and spurning discs. Still, most people still need at least one computer with a physical drive.
If you've got a big CD library, you want a way to rip it so you can listen on the go. You might have software you need to install that's only on CDs.
Fortunately, as with floppy drives, companies make external versions. You can plug them into any computer using USB.
VCR
Though Blu-ray and DVD dominate the sales, I still see VCRs in just about everyone's closet. People cling to these for their old VHS home movies. But there's no need to do that.
There are plenty of affordable gadgets that can digitize your home movies. In fact, I sell a very popular converter in my store. You just plug it in and it does the work for you.
This does a lot more than let you ditch your VCR, too. It makes your movies live forever and can even let you upgrade the quality. It'll be like watching them for the first time all over again!