I’m not sure whether we’re still keeping up with the Joneses or if its now the Jobses, but it’s tough to keep up with technology. I may have noted that I broke down and bought a new flat screen tv. And when I got there they were having a special deal that included a blue ray player.

Well the blue ray was basically free, so what was I going to do, not take it? I wasn’t planning on upgrading from my standard dvd player even though the blue ray is the latest superior technology and quality of picture, but I did. Though I had to buy a new fancy hdmi cable which I was able to find online for about $35 rather than the $80 that the store versions were.

And now I have lovely television but am refraining from doing the next two steps which are 1) getting hd cable ($7/mo) and 2) getting a new hd tivo ($299-599 + $12.99/mo or $399 lifetime). I have been wanting a new tivo for ages because I still have an early series edition that can only record one channel at a time. But I also have a lifetime membership that only applies to my current box so not only would I have to buy a new box but I’d have to pay for the service.

So then my friend tells me about this new Roku ($100) that she got that enables you to watch netflix streaming. Why am I just watching videos stream on my laptop when I can watch them on my new 32 inch flat screen television? Well although I won’t get the sweet wireless connection I think I can just use another one of those fancy hdmi cables (or an rgb + audio cable). Though of course the new tivos — and xbox ($200) and some blue ray players ($350-400) — can also stream.

And now that we’re switching over to the digital television apparently I’m no longer able to get tv through my old vcr. I mean I know vcrs are basically like 8 track tape players, but it was keeping me going with just that one channel recording on my tivo. So I guess I could throw down for a dvd recorder ($100-250).

So what else could there be? Well, there is the iphone ($200-300 + $75-150/mo service)… but for now I will make do with my ipod and lame mobile phone with no internet/email. That is until they introduce something new and irresistible or my old one craps out. Isn’t that the way…