Geet Scorcha’ Week in Tech Prices ‘n’ Rockets
This week was quite the spectacle for tech enthusiasts, reminiscent of watching your nana’s Christmas pudding go up in flames – except this time, it’s the costs of some cherished gaming hardware and a Bezos rocket at stake. On this episode of GadgetLad, I’m joined by our resident tech gurus Richard Speed and Dan Robinson to chat about Valve’s price surge for the Steam Deck and the ongoing crises in memory and storage. We couldn’t overlook the significant explosion last week when a Blue Origin rocket met its end in possibly the biggest explosion in the space sector in ages. This little blunder from Blue Origin might push the Artemis mission back for quite a while. Tune in to GadgetLad right here, or find us on Spotify, Apple Music, or take a gander at the transcript. It’s been lightly edited for clarity.
Steam Deck Prices: Up in Smoke
Brandon (00:02)
Welcome back to another GadgetLad episode. And, wow, do we have some shocking news this week, both literally and figuratively. Forget your guessing games! Valve has implemented a staggering 40% increase on their much-loved Steam Deck. Richard, can you break this down for us?
Richard Speed (01:00)
Absolutely, the Valve Steam Deck, a fan-favourite gaming device, just saw a price hike. We now have two versions available, 512GB and one terabyte, both featuring OLED screens. The 512GB model, previously priced at $549, is now $789. The terabyte model’s gone up to $949. That’s quite a hefty sum for something that’s getting a bit older and isn’t as zippy as it used to be. Companies are rationalising this due to the AI surge consuming all the memory, and global politics are certainly influencing things too. Looks like this is the new norm for hardware pricing, folks!
Global Geopolitics: Making Prices Rocket
Brandon (04:00)
Besides AI devouring memory, Valve points to the world’s geopolitical drama for these price shifts. Dan, you wrote about this—shed some light on it for us.
Dan Robinson (04:36)
Right, oil issues, blockades, and ships going missing aren’t helping. Construction prices have surged by 20%, which is affecting server expenses as well. Memory is soaring in price as manufacturers opt for higher-margin AI chips over your standard PC components. It’s a real mess, I must say!
Chromebooks ‘n’ Minimal Specs: The Future?
Brandon (11:13)
You noted, Dan, that budget PCs might be on their way out, but could we anticipate a rise in minimal spec devices, such as Chromebooks? With everything shifting towards the cloud, recurring revenue models might be the next big thing.
Dan Robinson (11:44)
Chromebooks aren’t typically subscription models. However, minimalism could take center stage, particularly as memory prices climb. Keep an eye on that trend.
Blue Origin Explosion: A Spaceman’s Woe
Brandon (15:07)
Shifting topics, the Blue Origin rocket incident was quite the spectacle. Richard, what went wrong?
Richard Speed (15:46)
No one’s exactly certain just yet. During launch preparations, something exploded at the rocket’s base. It was akin to a massive fireworks display, but with higher stakes. Fortunately, no one was injured, but the blast was heard from miles away. This comes on the heels of their failed satellite launch. Quite the week for them, eh?
Impact on Artemis: Moon Dreams Delayed
Brandon (20:26)
With both SpaceX and Blue Origin facing challenges, NASA’s Artemis mission could be at risk. Richard, any insights?
Richard Speed (20:48)
Oh yes, NASA may have to accept that their timelines are as shaky as a dodgy bridge. Blue Origin’s predicament could set things back significantly, causing Artemis hopefuls to wait longer. Let’s see if they can get things back on track.
Summary: A Geet Week for Hardware ‘n’ Space
This week has been hotter than a vindaloo with all these tech and space developments. From prices soaring like Bezos’ failed rocket to political antics hiking up costs, it was a turbulent ride. Stay tuned, and keep your gadgets handy. Cheers!
