About this episode
In this episode, Jeremy Caplan interviews Eric Athas about his book 'Saying No to New' and the implications of constantly upgrading gadgets.
I love new gadgets and gizmos, and I’m constantly trying new sites and apps. So I was intrigued by the title of Eric Athas ’s upcoming book, Saying No to New . Eric’s an editor at the New York Times, where he helps journalists make the most of new tools. He’s also a lifelong early adopter. He told me he used to wait in line for new iPhones. But his upcoming book is about thinking twice about new stuff. In our Substack Live conversation, we talked about old gadgets we still love and new gadgets we never use. Eric shared advice on how to tell the difference between things that might genuinely improve your life, and gizmos that will end up at the back of a closet. We even did a little show and tell with various odd gadgets in our offices. 📺 Watch the full conversation above, or read highlights below. 1. The Vanishing Gap Between Wanting and Getting When Eric and I were growing up, if you wanted to buy something cool you saw on TV, you’d have to drive to a store. You or your parents would have to spend cash. If you ordered something by mail, you’d wait weeks for delivery. Today, you can tap on a phone and the thing that caught your eye appears at your door the next day. You can even…
People in this episode
Host: Jeremy Caplan
Guest: Eric Athas
Topics covered
- gadgets
- technology
- consumer behavior
- decision making
- productivity
Keywords
- gadgets
- technology
- upgrades
- consumer choices
- AI shopping
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: New York Times
Books & works: Saying No to New
More episodes of Wonder Tools
- 📍 Pinpoint, Explained · June 5, 2026 · 8 min
- What I Learned About Time 🕰️ · May 8, 2026 · 1h 4m
- ✍️ Let AI Interview You · April 30, 2026 · 1h 12m
- My Quieter Toolkit 🌙 · April 10, 2026 · 7 min
- Meet Granola AI ✨ · April 4, 2026 · 14 min
- AI, Art, and Drawing the Line 🖌️ · March 27, 2026 · 47 min
Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Wonder Tools podcast page.