What's UP with these $300 accessories that we have to rebuy every year?!?!

My 10-month-old digital camera just died a few days ago and now I've spent several dollars in phone calls just to find out that Minolta doesn't cover repair outside the US (as of April this year they've quit making cameras too, BTW), so I have to pay for shipping to and from home if I want them to repair it. The additional extended warranty I bought through a third-party won't cover it until after the Manufacturer's warranty expires! So where does that leave me?!

Also, Darin has discovered that only HIS I-Pod doesn't work at high altitude. It wasn't immediately clear WHY it wasn't working, but now that we've gone over the three highest motorable roads in the World we're detecting a pattern.

So, what IS it with these products that are only designed to last a year or two and then break down, forcing us on this constant cycle of rebuying? Seems a good strategy from their standpoint, but it sure is aggravating when you'd really like to rely on a piece of equipment to perform. It's also pretty depressing from a waste perspective as we add all this non-bio junk to our landfills :(