Boy, does this ever bring up a good point. How do you really know when it is time to upgrade?

A new study by the Consumer Electronics Association shows that American homes spent $1,250, on average, for electronics last year. Though it may sound like a lot, that is barely enough for a medium-size flat-screen TV. So even gadget-crazy Americans have to weigh priorities - deciding what older gear they can still live with and what demands an upgrade.

For shoppers, it can be a difficult decision: buy products on sale that have last year’s technology, or get the latest even if it means paying more. (Or perhaps wait even longer, for the next generation.)

Sometimes the answer is to sit tight. “Almost everything my wife and I watch is in standard definition,” said Donald Russell, an engineer in Houston, referring to the format for traditional analog television. He and his wife do enjoy DVD movies, and for that they use a digital projector. But for regular television, they are happy with a small screen. [Read the rest]