Offside Chat Archives (2014-2021)

Dear colleagues, you all have been incredibly constructive!

Jessica Gonzalez said:It probably depends on where you work. I suppose if you're working a government job, I agree that you probably won't get those perks. But I know some private companies have started handing out decent models to employees making around $60,000 net. Of course, management usually gets the flagships, but for someone like me who just uses a phone for messaging, Reddit, and news, I don't really need anything fancy. Maybe I'm living in a parallel universe, but over the last 5 or 6 years, I've spent about $167 on phones and laptops—including buying back a company laptop (a high-end model that cost $1,600 before tax, but I got it after three years for about $75). So, when I hear that people actually shell out thousands of dollars for phones, it feels a little strange to me.

To be more precise, I don't work in a position where I'd qualify for those perks. If I were just sitting around doing nothing at a federal agency for underwater fossil research, I wouldn't be surprised if they handed me at least a decent Samsung.

Honestly, when I see my friend who works at one of those government agencies, she’s already whining by Monday about how much she can't wait for Friday. For God's sake, she has never once picked up an extra shift, worked a weekend, or even touched a night shift. She’s protected like a grizzly bear in a sanctuary... yet she constantly grumbles about her paycheck being too small. Well, if you don't have enough cash, why don't you go find a side hustle? Work some Saturdays. Or just get outside and hustle for it...

I swear, these American government jobs... the whole mindset is stuck in the 1960s, back when the idea was just "I have an economics degree, so I sit in this one office until I retire." It's archaic.

Me? I work weekends and federal holidays. And of course, I actually get paid for it. At least with a German person, things are handled fairly; they'll pay you double for working Sundays or national holidays...

But her? Now comes the weekly cycle of complaining... maybe she'll finally get some rest soon...

Honestly, even looking at GQ, I can't remember spending a single cent on tech in the last few years—doesn't matter if we're talking PC or mobile. Maybe I'm just living in some parallel universe or something...
It’s also weird to me how nobody seems to be rocking the iPhone/Mac combo. In my little bubble, that setup is everywhere.
I guess people in America just don't go for it much.

Larry Fox5 said:Honestly, even looking at GQ, I can't remember spending a single cent on tech in the last few years—doesn't matter if we're talking PC or mobile. Maybe I'm just living in some parallel universe or something...
It’s also weird to me how nobody seems to be rocking the iPhone/Mac combo. In my little bubble, that setup is everywhere.
I guess people in America just don't go for it much.

Most of the time here, clients roll up with their Macs while we're stuck using HP. It’s just how things work, following the usual standards.
My girlfriend mentions they use Apple Macbooks in her school's computer lab, whereas over here, everything is just these cheap, low-end machines without decent graphics cards.😁

Whatever. At my firm, they give us a phone, but I don't really use it for anything personal because my number has been tied to my work since the early days of cell phones in the US.
Plus, my boss is a total jerk, so there, I said it—just being honest. Screw him.

Larry Fox5 said:Honestly, even looking at GQ, I can't remember spending a single cent on tech in the last few years—doesn't matter if we're talking PC or mobile. Maybe I'm just living in some parallel universe or something...
It’s also weird to me how nobody seems to be rocking the iPhone/Mac combo. In my little bubble, that setup is everywhere.
I guess people in America just don't go for it much.

Plus, Mac prices are just straight-up ridiculous anyway. And let's be real—for any actual job, Windows is all you really need. Like, 99% of software is built specifically for them and meant for the US market (at my office, we have like ten different programs that only run on Windows).

Larry Fox5 said:Honestly, even looking at GQ, I can't remember spending a single cent on tech in the last few years—doesn't matter if we're talking PC or mobile. Maybe I'm just living in some parallel universe or something...
It’s also weird to me how nobody seems to be rocking the iPhone/Mac combo. In my little bubble, that setup is everywhere.
I guess people in America just don't go for it much.

Like I mentioned before, people around here just don't have the cash for stuff like that.
From what I gather, you're living in Germany where a new iMac might be a third of your paycheck. Here, a paycheck is basically nothing.

Susan Kim2 said:Like I mentioned before, people around here just don't have the cash for stuff like that.
From what I gather, you're living in Germany where a new iMac might be a third of your paycheck. Here, a paycheck is basically nothing.

Well, sure...
I read somewhere that in Germany, twelve people live crammed into a single shack with only four beds, yet the pay is supposedly the same as it is here.
And apparently, you have to work 100 hours a day.
Plus, everything is filthy there and they don't even have running water like we do.

Does anyone actually know if the Huawei P20 is considered a legitimate best buy for this year?

The Pro version would definitely be the better way to go.
Isn't the screen on these standard models just a bit too small?
It feels similar to what I experienced with the Samsung lineup. The S8, S9, and S10 all have a width comparable to Newcastle's bench.
Then again, they are about as tall as the Liverpool and Tottenham defenses combined.

Amanda Evans2 said:Does anyone actually know if the Huawei P20 is considered a legitimate best buy for this year?

Also Sprach Amanda Evans2

Matthew Young35 said:The Pro version would definitely be the better way to go.
Isn't the screen on these standard models just a bit too small?
It feels similar to what I experienced with the Samsung lineup. The S8, S9, and S10 all have a width comparable to Newcastle's bench.
Then again, they are about as tall as the Liverpool and Tottenham defenses combined.

That’s why it makes sense to grab the Plus versions; they should be plenty big enough for anyone...

James Anderson5 said:That’s why it makes sense to grab the Plus versions; they should be plenty big enough for anyone...

Fair point. That was actually my intention when I suggested opting for the larger capacity variant.

Pretty decent game on SK 2, had Americans from the US facing off against Americans from Mexico

Classic move: some keeper playing in a local Brazilian league charged into the opponent's box, then hopped on a motorcycle just to get back to his goal.

Hey everyone, watch yourselves on the road. The highway isn't a racetrack. You'll get there eventually. Just take it easy...

Seriously, way too many news stories about crashes lately. Ugh...

Honestly, this isn't bad at all—it’s like an alternative ending for GOT

I've got zero doubt this guy's gonna have a fan club over on Reddit. 🤣

At first, I was thinking they’d just go with a flat rate
but
there’s definitely more to the story here ☕

Bryan Adams6 said:I've got zero doubt this guy's gonna have a fan club over on Reddit. 🤣

I'm all for it. It’s nice to see the truth being shared through sports, and I really hope the players out there support the movement just as much as the local fans do.🤣