Buy the hardware, and the software will follow...

This is an old post on Gizmodo - at almost two years old, positively ancient in the tech-news world - but still quite true: John Mahoney explains why it's safer than ever to buy first-generation hardware. He's right, and there are a few reasons that especially ring true: first, he states that "manufacturing is getting really good" - and I'd venture to say that there's a reason. Specifically, hardware is becoming less of modern products' unique value proposition: every phone is pretty much a touchscreen and a battery, with similar internal guts. So, manufacturers are getting better at making those components - and not much even changes from one revision to the other. Look at the first three iPhones, for example - the display and touchscreen have hardly changed at all, and the form factor of the whole thing is identical from 3G to 3GS. Second in this gospel according to John, "software updates are more powerful than ever." So, so true - these days, software is pretty much the whole product. Buy a device from a company with a reputation of making their updates free, and you're safely aboard for a whole ride of improvements. Finally - and I love this point - "Internet bitching is a powerful force." If something's wrong with the product, the collective feedback of users will persuade the company to change it - and with that previously-mentioned software update, you won't even need to buy a new one!
[Gizmodo: Why It's Safer Than Ever To Buy First-Generation Hardware]