Kuala Lampur, Oct. 15 -- Over the years, I have spent enough money replacing mobile phones that, looking back, I could probably have saved enough for the down payment on a car.

Each new phone came with better technology, more sophisticated features and the brief excitement of owning something new.

Somehow, I hardly use half of these features and probably never will.

Each new phone promises to make my life easier, although I suspect I still use it much as I did 10 years ago.

Manufacturers keep adding features, while my ability to appreciate them remains remarkably unchanged.

Unfortunately, this fascination with new technology appears to have found its way into public policymaking. Announcing something technologically sophisticated cer...