Are You a Tech Perfectionist?

This past weekend our naughty feline, Eero, made her way up into our tiny home office's overhead shelving. How do we know this? Because of the loud sound of a shadowbox falling from the 9ft. drop and onto our Apple Magic Mouse (our sea urchin shell collection was the other casualty). The mouse's glass surface top is now cracked and the Bluetooth transmitter intermittently drops connection during use...

We fortunately had a backup unit, a Microsoft Bluetrack model, but we're really missing the seamless design of the Magic Mouse (despite some ongoing issues with over-sensitivity we hope Apple revises). After opening up the case and some tinkering within, we got the Bluetooth connection back up and running. The only problem now is the clear and obvious wound left by our cat's mishief: a visible corner crack.

Ouch!

Some of you might consider a small crack a non-issue as long as the mouse is working fine. You wouldn't be incorrect in believing a product should be used until it doesn't work any longer. But then the flipside is for someone such as ourselves, cracks and once-broken, barely fixed elements mar any design enough to warrant replacement. We do have one excuse: the crack actually bothers our palm just enough to itch every time we move our hand on and off the mouse throughout the day. Is it bad enough to go out and go spend another $70 for a new one? Not quite yet...but getting close.

At what point do you considering a working tech item worthy of replacing? Do you keep it till it doesn't work any more, despite physical damage? Or are you a tech perfectionist and like to keep your gear pristine?

(TV image: Flickr member Kevin Steele licensed for use under Creative Commons)

(Camera image: Flickr member jACK TWO licensed for use under Creative Commons)

Comments (4)

Yeah, if the damage doesn't affect the actual functionality of the device at all, it almost never bothers me. But functionality is widely defined: if it feels uncomfortable; or distracts my attention negatively; or obfuscates a display, it will bother me. But otherwise I actually like it when my tech gear gets a little worn and dinged. It makes it a unique artifact and not a mass produced clone sitting in perfect regiment on a shelf next to its sisters. I had a blackberry with a duct taped on case, worn plastic and cracks on the edges, but I held onto it for a long time because it worked just fine and I could always pick it out of a lineup. For the same reason, I find charming the small crack in the upper left hand corner of my G1's display. When I replace it, it will be because I want something with more horsepower.

I like it when my stuff looks as beautiful as it did out of the box but I also try to be practical and not throw stuff away for frivolous reasons. I dropped my iPod touch, which was less than a year old, on the pavement and broke the glass in one corner. I consoled myself with a lovely new case and some screen protectors to help hide the damage rather than buy a whole new one.

My Zune 80 (which I love btw) has been slowly dying. The hold button doesn't work anymore and the headphones are worn out. I now use my GK-Ultraphones all the time and cope with the lack of hold button.

My Sony Ericsson W350i Walkman Phone (A piece of garbage when I got it) has been broken for a long time but I keep gluing the broken bits back together whenever it breaks. I refuse to get a new phone when there are other things I want more. If it makes calls I will keep using it. When it finally breaks I'll get another cheap thing. I don't want to pay for overpriced contracts and data plans.

Not really. I rarely buy my tech stuff brand new, so it already has a (small) dent here or a (small) crack there - it doesn`t bother me as long it doesn`t impair the device`s functionality. Actually, I feel kinda relieved when my perfectly-looking tech trinket gets its first "mark" - it has lost it`s virginity and now can be used as a normal tool, not an object of worship :)