Hardware that was declared finished a decade ago is selling briskly again, and not only to collectors. Old handheld consoles, compact digital cameras and small laptops are all finding buyers who were not born when they launched.
Constraints turned out to be a feature:
A device that does one thing has no notifications, no feed and no reason to pick it up except the thing itself. That was a limitation when it shipped. To somebody carrying a phone that does everything, it reads as a relief.
The hardware was built to last:
Plastic bodies, replaceable batteries, and screens that were never the most expensive part to fix. A lot of this equipment has survived fifteen years because it was designed before thinness was the priority.
And the software stopped moving:
A device that no longer receives updates also no longer receives changes. What it did on the day you bought it is what it does now, which for a camera or a games machine is closer to a promise than a problem.
Buying one sensibly:
Batteries are the weak point and usually the cheapest thing to replace. Check the screen for pressure marks rather than scratches, and be wary of anything sold without being switched on in the photographs.