A few weeks ago, my 11-year-old television quit.
My first course of action was to ask two tech-savvy friends for TV advice.
Both suggested a “smart” TV. One specifically suggested an Amazon Fire TV that he had purchased online earlier this year.
Being a middle-aged, traditional shopper, I wasn’t quite ready to purchase a TV online.
So, off to Best Buy I went.
No doubt the young salesperson saw opportunity when I walked in aimlessly asking about smart TVs.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not totally new to this technology. I’ve had an Amazon Fire Stick for a few years now.
But now it was time to take the next step. It was time for a true smart TV.
After an acceptable amount of questions and research, and the kind of pointless delay that only someone as frugal as I can muster, I made the big purchase – a 55-inch, Amazon Fire TV with full Alexa capabilities. Basically a giant computer that you can watch TV on.
I was feeling pretty smart.
I called my tech-savvy friend from the Best Buy parking lot to brag about my purchase and the good deal I got.
In just a few days, the Best Buy installers arrived to deliver and install my new smart TV. And then things went downhill quickly.
As soon as the young men entered my living room, one commented on the age and size of my cable box. It was too old and too simple for my fancy new TV. Enhanced service was a must, according to these experts.
I wasn’t feeling so smart, now.
Then it was time to connect my Wi-Fi to this new TV that’s so smart. I could almost see the judgment on the faces of my Best Buy guests when they walked into my home office and saw my aging modem and router – also not good enough for my super smart purchase.
Enhanced service was a must.
I told the Best Buy guys I’ve always lived by the old adage, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” My Wi-Fi was good enough for my computer and Netflix so it was good enough for me.
Until it wasn’t smart enough for my Smart TV.
So now it was time to call the cable company.
After the kind of negotiations that only someone as frugal as I can muster, I arrived at a price-acceptable plan for wireless streaming cable TV and greatly enhanced internet.
One week later, the friendly Bluepeak technician arrived and brought with him all kinds of smaller, fancier, nearly wireless equipment.
After installing new boxes, resetting Wi-Fi connections and programming a new remote, we were in business.
My new TV is bigger, clearer, and much smarter, my internet is faster and my bill should be smaller.
My technology has officially joined the 2010s. Maybe even the 2020s!
And maybe I and my home are just a little smarter.