The year is barely on its second month, and yet IT vendors have already unleashed quite a mouthful of new gadgets and devices.

New computers — from the old, faithful desktops to the coolest tablets and slates — have been coming out of their makers’ dens, spoiling consumers with choices. The same thing is happening with mobile phones and other electronic devices and toys.

Planned obsolescence has never been as manifest as it has been lately. Understandably, for some consumers, there could be some pressure to let go of their present computers, mobile phones, and other electronic tools. And buy the new, shiny toys coming out of the woodwork.

However, consumers need not be part of the mindless herds that make their purchasing decisions based on what marketers tell them as the cool thing to do.

And if there is one thing I love the most with the endless parade of new gadgets and devices coming into the market, it would be how fast these new toys lower their predecessors’ prices.

After all, when new computers with new processors and features come out, vendors have no choice but offer the previous models at much lower prices.
 
Early Exposure

The father of Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg said that his son’s early exposure to computers and programming inspired his interest in technology. This early exposure eventually encouraged Zuckerberg to enhance his IT skills, and would later on lead to the creation of today’s largest social networking Web site.

This supports some people’s assertion that early exposure to IT can help children prepare for a technology-enabled future — giving them considerable advantage in coping with IT-dependent careers or even set up a successful IT business or two.

It might not be as gargantuan or as successful as Facebook, Google, or Apple, but a very productive one nevertheless.
 
No Broadband Cap in Canada

Canada’s Industry Minister Tony Clement recently said that his agency plans to overturn a regulatory ruling that virtually ended unlimited downloads offered by the country’s small Internet service providers. Earlier, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) ruled that telecommunications giant Bell can charge bandwidth wholesalers based on their usage.

These smaller ISPs offered their customers unlimited Internet access at fixed monthly subscription fees. The CRTC ruling was expected to effectively put in place a data cap for Internet users in the country.

Clement’s announcement, however, is expected to protect or at least extend unlimited bandwidth use for Internet users in Canada.

The Internet world is waiting to see whether that right remains alive forever or merely for the moment.

That’s all for the meantime, folks. Join me again next time as we keep on watching IT.