Skip to main content

Measuring the Price of Convenience

Measuring the Price of Convenience

Even the priciest cell phone and plan is unlikely to cost you nearly $2 million over the course of a lifetime, but that’s what many young British cell phone users say the convenience is worth to them. A survey of 16,500 people in the United Kingdom found that one third of folks between 16 and 24 years old said they wouldn’t give up for their cell phones forever if offered one million pounds.

The Carphone Warehouse and London School of Economics conducted the survey, called Mobile Life, to study the importance of cell phones in modern society, which turned up some interesting results [PDF]. Besides the hefty price tag many cell phone users would attach to the service, they also found that 92 percent of mobile owners can’t get through a day without their phones, and 9 percent of 18 to 24 year olds consider themselves addicted to their phones, meaning they don’t feel in control of their usage.

Recommended Videos

Now that the results are out there, we just need someone with exceptionally deep pockets to put the claims to the test with a briefcase full of bills. It’s easy enough to check off on a survey – but let’s see these people hold up to a rich oil magnate fanning a wad of $100’s in their faces. Reality show material, anyone?

Nick Mokey
As Digital Trends’ Editor in Chief, Nick Mokey oversees an editorial team covering every gadget under the sun, along with…
Amazon cut the price of this Jackery power station to under $200
Jackery Portable Power Station Explorer 300 sits on a table at a camping site next to a drone.

Jackery is one of the most trusted brands for shoppers who are planning to buy from portable power station deals, and here's a bargain from Amazon that you wouldn't want to miss -- the Jackery Explorer 300 for a discounted price of $199, for savings of $80 on its original price of $279. We're not sure how long you've got to take advantage of this limited-time offer though, so you should act like this is its last day. Add the portable power station to your cart and finish the checkout process as soon as you can, as it would be a shame to miss out on this chance to get it at 29% off.

Why you should buy the Jackery Explorer 300 portable power station
The Jackery Explorer 1000 received a rating of 9 out of 10 stars in our review, so we think very highly of its smaller cousin, the Jackery Explorer 300. Like its larger counterpart, it offers a wide variety of ports for charging all kinds of devices, including USB-A, USB-C, AC, and DC ports. You'll be able to recharge the portable power station to its maximum capacity of 293Wh by either plugging it into a wall outlet, connecting it to your car outlet, or using the Jackery SolarSaga 100 solar panel, though that's going to be a separate purchase that will cost you $299.

Read more
This Google Nest speaker deal cuts the price in half
Nest Audio speaker in a moody dark room.

If you're thinking about buying a smart speaker but you prefer Google Assistant over Amazon's Alexa, then the Google Nest Audio should be your choice. You're actually going to want to make the purchase right now, as the device is available from Best Buy with a 50% discount. From its original price of $100, it's on sale for only $50, which is a fantastic price for this smart speaker. We're not sure how much time is remaining on this offer though, so if you want to take advantage of it, push through with the transaction immediately.

Why you should buy the Google Nest Audio smart speaker
The Google Nest Audio is featured in our list of the best smart speakers as the top option for Google Assistant, which isn't a surprise. It's a proper Google Home successor, with our Google Nest Audio versus Google Home comparison highlighting upgrades such as a more modern design with small dimensions and an entirely fabric exterior, improved audio output with its 19mm tweeter and 75mm mid-woofer, and more far-field microphones so it can listen to you better.

Read more
This Roomba vacuum and mop combo has a $400 price cut
iRobot Roomba Combo j9+ smart vacuum and mop near kids and pets

If you're willing to spend a significant amount on robot vacuum deals, why not get one that's also a robot mop? Here's an offer that's going to be tough to refuse -- the helpful and versatile iRobot Roomba Combo j9+ for $999 from Wellbots, following a $400 discount on its original price of $1,399. We're not sure how much time is remaining before the bargain ends though, so if you want to pocket the savings when buying this 2-in-1 cleaning device, you should push through with your purchase of it immediately.

Why you should buy the iRobot Roomba Combo j9+ robot vacuum and mop
In our guide on how to choose a robot vacuum, the features to consider include sophisticated sensors, virtual mapping technology, automated scheduling, and automatic dirt disposal. The iRobot Roomba Combo j9+ robot vacuum and mop checks all of those boxes, and offers even more. As our top option for pet owners in our list of the best robot vacuum and mop combos, it's capable of avoiding accidents with pet waste, and it's got a swinging arm that lifts its mop so that it won't get carpets wet.

Read more