I get the question all the time.  When should I buy a new notebook?  Should I buy a new camera now or wait a few months?

Sorry to burst your bubble two sentences in, but when when it comes to technology, there is no easy answer.  Here are some tips with some examples from the goings on these days.

Smartphones

WAIT

Nokia has just announced their new Lumia 920 and Lumia 820 phones running Windows Phone 8.  I’m especially interested in the flagship Lumia 920, as the camera has been given the PureView tag, signifying the fancy tech under-the-hood for capturing your photos

There is talk that Google will be releasing a new “Nexus” handset or two in the fall.  Motorola and HTC, and possibly Amazon both have announcements coming shortly as well.

… and who could forget the new iPhone 5 will almost certainly be announced just a week from today on the 12th of September.

BUY

If you need a new phone ASAP, you still have some great options.

On a budget, the newest “Google phone,” the Galaxy Nexus is still the best value in a smartphone at $349 at the Google Play store (USA only). Everyone else, check Amazon.

If you must have an iPhone, but can’t wait a couple of weeks or don’t want to fight the crowds, you may be able to find a deal as retailers look to ditch their stock before the new iPhone comes out.

The Samsung Galaxy S III (check prices) is the king of the smartphone world at the moment, garnering rave reviews.  If you want the top of the line and you want it now, this is it.

VERDICT

If you’re looking for a new smartphone to tote around the world, now would be a good time to wait.  Everyone and their dog will be watching eagerly to see if the new iPhone will change the industry.

Cameras

WAIT

The imaging show “Photokina” is just two weeks away and there are some big announcements expected.

The most anticipated announcement from Photokina comes from Nikon who is expected to unveil a 24.7MP full-frame Nikon D600 DSLR for around the $1500 mark.  This is a change-the-DSLR-industry sort of move.

Sony has been receiving some rave reviews from its camera line-up recently, and they look to update their DSLR line with the rumoured A99, and a couple of new cameras in the NEX line.

If you’re looking for a Micro Four-Thirds camera, Panasonic will be updating their line-up, adding the new Panasonic GH3 to the top of the heap.

BUY

With all of these announcements around the corner, we’re seeing some price drops on some current models.  The Nikon D7000 (check prices) has just dropped $100-$200 in the past few weeks.  I have also seen retailers looking to blow out the Panasonic GF3 (a mid-range M4/3 camera) among others recently.

Verdict

If you are very interested in the newest camera tech, it would be best to wait out a few weeks to see what comes out of Photokina.  If not, now is a great time to score a deal.

One thing to keep in mind though.  With some of the pricier or flagship cameras ($800+), it could be weeks or longer before they are actually released.  Some models released in the past have been known to have supply problems for months after they are officially for sale.

Notebooks / Tablets

WAIT

With Windows 8 being released in October, and a host of cool and unique ultrabooks & tablet-hybrids announced from companies like HP, Dell, and others due out in the next 2 months, it is an exciting time in this space.

Apple is also rumoured to be announcing an “iPad Mini” of sorts in the near future, and with Windows 8 coming, expect to see a change in the way we see tablets.

Amazon has a press conference set for Thursday (there has even been a leak), and word on the street is that there will be some updates to the Kindle line (compare at Amazon), as well as a new and improved Kindle Fire.

BUY

If you’re after a Macbook or a Macbook Air, there isn’t anything new on the horizon at the moment.  Buy away! 

For tablets, there is always the ever popular iPad (check prices), and Google’s budget 7” Nexus 7 starting at $199 on the Google Play store.  Samsung has also just released its new Galaxy Note 10.1 if you’re keen on a stylus.

Verdict

There are some back-to-school type deals floating around if you’re in the market for a laptop, but if you can wait out a couple of months for the new models hitting the market around the Windows 8 launch, I don’t think you’ll be disappointed. 

I’m not really one to recommend picking up a notebook on clearance, as the new technology is usually cheaper and faster anyways.  Best to go new and current.

Walk the Talk

Sometimes you just can’t wait for the new stuff just around the corner.  In tech, there is always a corner just up ahead.  In my case, although I would have like to see what the new Nikon D600 launch would be like, the timing wasn’t great, and I picked up a discounted Nikon D7000 body yesterday ahead of my next batch of travel.

Are you in the market for some new gear or an upgrade?

Dustin Main

One of the editors of Too Many Adapters, Dustin just can’t get enough travel or technology.

When not directly feeding his above insatiable habits, you can probably find him at some far away ice cream shop taking pictures and tweeting of all the flavors to jealous followers. That, or on top of a mountain somewhere shooting panoramas with his DSLR.