Technology turnover - how often do you really have to upgrade?

I like tech gadgets, I really do. The idea that in my hand I can hold a device (my Nokia N95) that is several orders of magnitude more powerful and can store more data than the entire computing setup I grew up with (TRS-80 + 5.25" Floppy drive) is pretty mind boggling when you sit down and think about it. When I was younger, Dad had one of the first mobile phones I'd ever seen in person - and it was only "mobile" in the sense that it was hard wired to a car..... "DAAAAD - your car's ringing!" (Mrrmm... 'horn alert')

Looking at the progression from there to now, however, I do wonder whether perhaps we too rapidly deprecate equipment before its useful life is expended.

Let's look at two specific examples...

Nokia N95, Rhythmbox and MTP support

Using Linux on the desktop as my primary OS, I very rarely use the software device manufacturers intend someone to use as part of my daily interaction with the hardware I have.

Case in point, loading music onto my Nokia N95 from Rhythmbox. The Nokia N95 appears to support MTP (Media Transfer Protocol) but then the fun begins.