As everything gets more expensive, it's time to make do and mend - Engadget

Users are going to have to reassert control over their devices. During World War Two, Britain launched a campaign to reduce clothing waste called Make Do and Mend. The government sent out training manuals and local groups ran classes to teach people how to make and repair their clothes. In the face of skyrocketing component costs, it's time for all of us to adopt a similar attitude with our devices. The AI bubble's demand for data center capacity has swallowed the tech industry pipeline whole. But there's only a handful of companies in the world making the components that make all of those machines work. Only one company is capable of making cutting edge chips, and only a handful more making RAM and SSDs, none of which can satisfy rising demand. According to consulting firm Kearney, the global RAMpocalypse is likely to remain an issue until 2030. We've known for a few years this squeeze would juice costs, and things are really starting to bite. Apple is raising device prices across the board. Valve's much-vaunted console alternative, the Steam Machine, is priced at $1,049 without a controller. (Valve said that the figure is far in excess of what it wanted to charge for the hardware

Jun 25, 2026 → Jun 25, 2026