The other day we picked up a 55" LCD TV from Costco for my parents (their first big screen LCD). I don't keep up with the latest tech and I'm sure this is a barebones television, but the price really surprised me for the size and picture. But then, I haven't looked at TV prices in years (my 52" Sony Bravia is at least 10 years old). Just a pleasant surprise, if our TV ever goes out.

Whatever these features are that are listed on the box, they're probably not even applicable (have only basic Directv and no streaming availability).

Consumer electronics with a few exceptions (smartphones) have plummeted in price over the past decade or so.

Cool. Does this also apply to car audio?

Not that I'm itching to go aftermarket with my car stereo (well, I'm always *kinda* wanting to), but my '08 Element is getting old and I'm sure the radio or speakers won't last forever. Been a while since I've even looked at Crutchfield, hope I'm surprised with that as well.

I wonder what current car stereos look like? I'm assuming no CD player and lots of bluetooth capabilities.

While I continue dreaming about a 1988 Fiero GT with Alpine cassette (auto-reverse and Dolby NR, of course), I really don't listen to CDs in the car anymore, I just plug my Shuffle into the Aux jack. With a new head unit I'll go USB flash drives. In fact, I need to clean out the CDs in the driver's door and overhead storage compartment.

I put this one in my last Miata. MP3, usb on front, bluetooth for phone and streaming, Pandora and a bunch of other apps to go with your phone that I never even used. Every model above it was a touch screen, which I didn't want for that car. You can get a nice Kenwood touchscreen for $225 and up these days. Speakers are a LOT cheaper than back in the day. I remember paying $150 for some Pioneer's when I had my first job. Now you can buy some good brand component speakers for under 100.

CPC (Combined Precision Components) here sent me an offer on a 50" UHD 4K smart TV for £345, Yup them is getting cheaper! My 50" Pioneer Plasma that I've had for 9 years cost a little over €1000 and that was in a sale as it was €1700 normally

I was in Sams club about a week ago and they had a close out on a rack of maybe five or six Samsung 55 inch 4K UHD curved screen TV's that had originally sold for $950 when they first got them in about 6 months ago.

The close out price was $495. I probably should have jumped on that deal, but my old 42 inch Phillips hardly gets used as it is and it's still like new. However, I'm not convinced that the curved screen models are all that beneficial unless you get one that's really large.

Still there were plenty of good prices on other units also--especially the new Vixio's that don't come with an internal tuner. The majority of people who pay for their TV service via cable or dish don't need one, so these models save one having to pay for unused electronics.

Cheers

Just yesterday I got a Samsung UltraHD 4K OLE 65 inch for $999. They were about $3,000 18 months ago. The curved screens have really dropped. I agree that the curved screens just don't seem beneficial.

The curved screens are nice if you are going to be in a simpit, but they kinda suck for the living room couch viewing experience. If you're viewing from a fixed position, they're great. I should've gotten the flat LG panel.... *sigh*

our 2016 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited came with a CD player, but also has BT and Satellite radio.

check the price here on a 55" - https://www.walmart.com/ip/Sceptre-...0496311&affillinktype=10&veh=aff

I picked up a 43" 4k version of this TV to use as my computer monitor. For only $206. Works fantastic.

Wow, I didn't know TV's had become so cheap! Now I'm getting that itch again to put sound in my car, especially knowing it's not as expensive as it use to be. Plus, I don't need so much anymore. Active crossovers, multiple amps and component speakers (with hi-end cabling) is more than I want to fool with anyway. Besides a new head unit, maybe a single small 4-channel amp, replacement door speakers (x4) and a small self-powered bass enclose (possibly tube) for the back.

RK, your pic really makes me miss the type of car I long to drive, *especially* that short throw shifter. Wife has the same itch (our cars always had silky smooth clutch/shift action), we'll do something about it one day.

Sounds like one of those shopping trips were you were just going in for milk and eggs, and there it was. I wish the cost of mobile phones would come down. I want to upgrade from my Samsung Galaxy 4, but just can't do it at these prices. You would like that the prices have got to drop one of these days.

I'm waiting to be forced off my flip phone with actual number buttons, and I'm not going to be happy about it.

Blimey Raw Kryptonite, I am no mechanic but I'm pretty sure your handbrake needs some adjustment

Nah, the Miata is a girly car, that handbrake was designed to appeal to women buyers.

I kid, RK. You know I'd love to have a Miata!

I'm in the same boat. When I retired at the end of 2007, a former co-worker, knowing I lived alone, asked me if I had a cell phone. She and her husband plus son were getting a new phone plan, so she offered to add me as a family member to her plan for only $8 per month including a free flip phone. I've been on that plan since. The cost has gone up to $12 per month, and I finally had to replace the first LG phone about 4 years ago with a generic flip phone from the AT&T store ($39).

I'd love to have a smart phone, but just see no justifiable benefit for me personally. I'm at home most of the time, and stay on my desktop at least 75% of the day. I figure I have probably saved many thousands of dollars on mobile service over the last 9 and a half years in monthly charges and the cost of upgrading phones every other year or so.

Cheers

Heck, I've even started texting recently with my proper flip phone!

I receive a text and I can respond with one of the canned messages that came with the phone...

"Stuck in traffic. Sorry I will be late."
"The meeting has been canceled."
"Have a great weekend."
"See you at the usual place."
"Call my office number."
"Please call my home number."
"Please call me back."
"Sorry, I am in a meeting."

Now, why couldn't they have also included some simple responses like: "Yes", "No", "Maybe", "Ok", "Thanks", "No thanks"?

Anyway, after using canned messages as code for a while ("Stuck in traffic..." = "No.", "Have a great..." = "Yes", "See you at..." = "Ok"), my wife figured out how to add those simple one-word responses to my choices, so I'm all set because that's about as much texting as I ever want to do.