Why do the little things in life never last as long as you need them to?

Some things in life are practically guaranteed to run out at the least opportune moment: toilet paper, toothpaste, laptop battery, gasoline, and printer ink, just to name a few. 

When it comes to technology, Murphy's Law seems to be particularly apt. The below scenarios are examples of such inconveniences as they relate to modern technology: 

• After weeks of left-swiping, you’ve finally connected with the partner of your dreams via dating app. You have all the same interests: kayaking, cat videos, taekwando. Could this, finally, be the Tinderella you’ve been searching for? There’s just one problem: You’re waiting at the bar to meet for the first time IRL, and you’ve forgotten to charge your phone. You’re watching helplessly as the battery drains. Your phone dies; you don’t receive the apologetic message explaining that your date is running 20 minutes late; and you leave the bar, crestfallen, 19 minutes after the designated meeting time. The two of you never speak again. She moves to Fiji and marries a scuba diving instructor. 

• You could have sworn you'd charged your noise-canceling headphones all night before your 12-hour flight to Tokyo — but just one hour into the trip, they shut down completely. You're now stuck with regularheadphones that do little to block out the earsplitting sounds of the three crying kids in the next row over. You arrive to your business meeting bleary-eyed and in a fog — just in time for that crucial client presentation. 

• You’re a student at uni, in the midst of final exams. It’s a race against the clock as you frantically type, rapidly making your way toward the report’s required word count. Finally, with a mere 20 minutes to spare, you’ve reached the goal. A quick proofread, and it’s off to print! But, lo and behold, your printer is out of ink... which causes you to miss your deadline, fail the course, and ultimately change your degree to underwater basket-weaving. 

The above hypotheticals are, perhaps, a bit extreme. But even if you’ve never experienced a life-altering moment of crisis due to short-lived technology, chances are you’ve had to deal with smaller-scale inconveniences of a similar nature: missed connections, transportation snafus, or challenges printing an important report/paper for work or school.

Here’s the good news: We’re now living in a world in which longevity is becoming the status quo. We’ve got double rolls of two-ply, phone batteries that promise to withstand even the most draining of navigation apps, and unlimited data plans.

As for the printer ink situation, HP has come up with a solution to all your last-minute “inxiety” woes: The Smart Tank. This cutting-edge printing technology is perfect for those who need high-quality, high-volume printing — without requiring regular ink refills. You simply pay for the ink and printer upfront, and enjoy an entire two years’ worth of printing capacity.

Original image has been replaced. Credit: Mashable

Plus, with a refillable design, this latest ink stack is as eco-friendly as it is economical. It may not solve your internet dating woes or make long-haul flights less miserable — but at least you'll always make your deadlines.

In a world in which the little things never seem to last as long as you need them to, it's nice to know there's one technology you can rely upon: Your printer. Learn more about this incredible new technology — and how it can make your life a little easier — here.