Ways modern technology can be more inconvenient

paralysed

I'm beginning to see a pattern with new things I buy - like a kettle, PC mouse or TV. You buy the item, and there's always something inconvenient about it that you didn't account for. And all the little inconveniences they bring about aren't good for my blood pressure. I guess there's sort of nothing left to invent so all they can do is make things worse.

For example, I hate the way the modern kettles continue to boil to completion after you're finished with it. And I'm just glad that I don't have one of those smartphones - they look so ridiculous bulging out through people's pants! I can only imagine the amount of unnecessary hassle there is involved with them. The guys that design them must be fair stupid for how smart they are!

And I would way prefer if electric car windows only moved when you're actually touching the button. I preferred the old kettles, that when you'd put it back on it's cradle, you'd have to re-press the button to have it boil again. And to think insurance companies in this country won't take on new clients if they've a car over ten years old! What's the purpose of having an NCT at all so?!

At least the illuminati can't force me to get a smartphone phone!

Boom_Bap

sounds like someone needs a new phone

paralysed

Boom_Bap wrote: »

sounds like someone needs a new phone

You could be banned for your sarcasm. You've now been warned.

Senna

You seem oddly proud that you don't have a smartphone, odd.

Crazyteacher

iPads and in particular reading books on iPads. Waiting for them to charge when you just want to finish your book. I like reading a book straight through until completion. I've gone back to buying physical books. It's the only way.

The J Stands for Jay

paralysed wrote: »

I hate the way the modern kettles continue to boil to completion after you're finished with it.

Somebody needs to learn about the off button.

Crazyteacher

Crazyteacher wrote: »

iPads and in particular reading books on iPads. Waiting for them to charge when you just want to finish your book. I like reading a book straight through until completion. I've gone back to buying physical books. It's the only way.

Oh and the modern dishwasher. Why can't it just finish quietly. There's no need for the big song and dance to let people know it's finished.

mfceiling

Crazyteacher wrote: »

Oh and the modern dishwasher. Why can't it just finish quietly. There's no need for the big song and dance to let people know it's finished.

Washing machine and dryer in this house. Alarms so loud that you could hear them a mile away. I don't care if you're finished.

Turtyturd

I doubt anyone has a smartphone that boils to completion after they are finished with it.

If your smartphone is shaped like a kettle it's going to stick out in your pants. Get a normal phone and put it in your trouser pocket.

Why the f*ck are you putting a boiled kettle in your pants?

Junkyard Tom

Trousers.

Jimoslimos

Turtyturd wrote: »

I doubt anyone has a smartphone that boils to completion after they are finished with it.

Note 7

Ol' Donie

Crazyteacher wrote: »

Oh and the modern dishwasher. Why can't it just finish quietly. There's no need for the big song and dance to let people know it's finished.

Same with the washing machine.

Shut yer stupid hole, washing machine.

learn_more

paralysed wrote: »

I'm beginning to see a pattern with new things I buy - like a kettle, PC mouse or TV. You buy the item, and there's always something inconvenient about it that you didn't account for.

Yeah I see your point. Like if you own a car. All a car will do will get you from one place to the other. What else would you wan't a car for.

But to own the thing you have to spend thousands on it. Tax. Car Insurance. You keep having to put petrol in it. Top it up with oil. Have a place to put it when you not using it. Bring it to the garage for maintenance from time to time. All of that inconvenience just to bring you from one place to another. Such a pain owning things.

Andrewf20

Windows 10. Reinventing the wheel and making life more complicated and downright infuriating at times.

Alf Veedersane

Self-checkout at supermarkets.

Why can't they just idiot-proof them fully?

Ol' Donie

Alf Veedersane wrote: »

Self-checkout at supermarkets.

Why can't they just idiot-proof them fully?

What about the sh*tty ones in the airport that make you root out you boarding pass?

RayM

Senna wrote: »

You seem oddly proud that you don't have a smartphone, odd.

How do you know when someone doesn't have a smartphone?

They fuckin' tell you...

Alf Veedersane

Ol' Donie wrote: »

What about the sh*tty ones in the airport that make you root out you boarding pass?

You know the drill in the airport, Donie

Ol' Donie

Alf Veedersane wrote: »

You know the drill in the airport, Donie

What? Get in a scorp and leave the stupid magazine?

paralysed

McGaggs wrote: »

Somebody needs to learn about the off button.

It's not that I dont know where the button is, but the fact that I have to hit it each time.

paralysed

learn_more wrote: »

Yeah I see your point. Like if you own a car. All a car will do will get you from one place to the other. What else would you wan't a car for.

But to own the thing you have to spend thousands on it. Tax. Car Insurance. You keep having to put petrol in it. Top it up with oil. Have a place to put it when you not using it. Bring it to the garage for maintenance from time to time. All of that inconvenience just to bring you from one place to another. Such a pain owning things.

Misplaced sarcasm! Those are things that a normal person would account for.

You might eventually learn more about sarcasm!

Turtyturd

Kettles that don't automatically switch on every time I want water boiled. I know where the button is, but having to press it every time...

lazybones32

RayM wrote: »

How do you know when someone doesn't have a smartphone?

They fuckin' tell you...

Of course they tell you...people who don't have smart phones look at those they are talking to.

bodhrandude

AVAST VIRUS DATABASE HAS BEEN UPDATED! blaring out of your PC speakers without any warning, fcuk to hell off.

Harry Palmr

Modern cars are stuffed with new tech and built with fancy composites in whole or part and as a consequence cost a ****ing fortune to fix - inconvenient for one's pocket.

Grayson

bodhrandude wrote: »

AVAST VIRUS DATABASE HAS BEEN UPDATED! blaring out of your PC speakers without any warning, fcuk to hell off.

avoid avast then. I use Sophos

Turtyturd wrote: »

Kettles that don't automatically switch on every time I want water boiled. I know where the button is, but having to press it every time...

If you use something like the amazon echo or the new google Home it'd be easy to rig up. I know it stinks of laziness but it'd be handy to wake up and tell the kettle to boil before you're out of bed.

Crazyteacher wrote: »

iPads and in particular reading books on iPads. Waiting for them to charge when you just want to finish your book. I like reading a book straight through until completion. I've gone back to buying physical books. It's the only way.

I'm a complete nerd. I have tablets. Couldn't use them as a book. I read the news and magazines on them but there's no replacing a book.

learn_more

learn_more wrote: »

Yeah I see your point. Like if you own a car. All a car will do will get you from one place to the other. What else would you wan't a car for.

But to own the thing you have to spend thousands on it. Tax. Car Insurance. You keep having to put petrol in it. Top it up with oil. Have a place to put it when you not using it. Bring it to the garage for maintenance from time to time. All of that inconvenience just to bring you from one place to another. Such a pain owning things.

paralysed wrote: »

Misplaced sarcasm! Those are things that a normal person would account for.

You might eventually learn more about sarcasm!

Well hows about this for sarcasm.

Your the one that made this point !

About cars !

Haha.

paralysed wrote: »

And I would way prefer if electric car windows only moved when you're actually touching the button.

mikhail

Ol' Donie wrote: »

Same with the washing machine.

Shut yer stupid hole, washing machine.

Easy fix:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f05Y_rTQVg0
Different machines may have the buzzer in different locations, but a buzzer is relatively big (~coin-sized) and distincive looking, and disabling it is easy.

seagull

Alf Veedersane wrote: »

Self-checkout at supermarkets.

Why can't they just idiot-proof them fully?

Because the universe is winning.

Based on what Rick Cook said - "Programming today is a race between software engineers striving to build bigger and better idiot-proof programs, and the Universe trying to produce bigger and better idiots. So far, the Universe is winning."

I think it can be applied to anything, with the relevant tweaks. The universe is definitely winning.

intheclouds

Grayson wrote: »

I'm a complete nerd. I have tablets. Couldn't use them as a book. I read the news and magazines on them but there's no replacing a book.

Thats what I thought til I went on hols and didnt have to pay extra for the weight of the books I usually bring.

A 2 week holiday could be kilos of books!

Now I bring a kobo, an ipad and 1 physical book. The ipad isnt great in sunshine but its a good backup plus all my ebooks are on it and I havent gotten round to putting them all on my kobo. The 1 physical book is last resort backup.

HensVassal

McGaggs wrote: »

Somebody needs to learn about the off button.

The button clicks off automatically when you lift the kettle from the base unless he's still using one of those neolithic ones that there IS in fact an off button (usually on the socket).

HensVassal

paralysed wrote: »

It's not that I dont know where the button is, but the fact that I have to hit it each time.

The button is there for a purpose. The water boils to 100 degrees and then clicks off. The fucking kettle doesn't know that you are an impatient so-and-so and want the kettle to stop boiling at 98.3 degrees, hence you have to stop it heating by turning it off. Otherwise get one of those kettles that clicks off automatically when you lift it from its element.

Birneybau

Crazyteacher wrote: »

iPads and in particular reading books on iPads. Waiting for them to charge when you just want to finish your book. I like reading a book straight through until completion. I've gone back to buying physical books. It's the only way.

Radical suggestion I know, continue reading while iPad charging.

Grayson

intheclouds wrote: »

Thats what I thought til I went on hols and didnt have to pay extra for the weight of the books I usually bring.

A 2 week holiday could be kilos of books!

Now I bring a kobo, an ipad and 1 physical book. The ipad isnt great in sunshine but its a good backup plus all my ebooks are on it and I havent gotten round to putting them all on my kobo. The 1 physical book is last resort backup.

I went backpacking years ago. I weighed my bags before I left and had 6 kilos free. So that was taken up with more books. I stocked up in the airport too. I probably had close to 10 kilos of books. You might have a point.

intheclouds

Grayson wrote: »

I went backpacking years ago. I weighed my bags before I left and had 6 kilos free. So that was taken up with more books. I stocked up in the airport too. I probably had close to 10 kilos of books. You might have a point.

Id have the ipad with me anyway for internet browsing so makes sense to have lots of books on it.

seamus

99.99% of the time if technology is making things "less convenient" than the old way, then you're using it wrong.

paralysed wrote: »

It's not that I dont know where the button is, but the fact that I have to hit it each time.

You don't. You choose to hit it each time. Virtually everyone wants a kettle that brings water to the boil before turning off. The kettle's not broken, you're broken. If it's that big a deal for you, you can get a kettle with a variable thermostat. Hooray! No more button pushing.

Turtyturd wrote: »

Kettles that don't automatically switch on every time I want water boiled. I know where the button is, but having to press it every time...

You can get app-controlled switches that let you switch on your kettle from bed, or the sitting room, or 5 minutes before you get home. You can also set a schedule (e.g. before you get up). They're great. Not quite "automatic", but saves you having to be *at* the kettle.

bodhrandude wrote: »

AVAST VIRUS DATABASE HAS BEEN UPDATED! blaring out of your PC speakers without any warning, fcuk to hell off.

You can switch that off.

paralysed wrote: »

And I would way prefer if electric car windows only moved when you're actually touching the button

Electric windows have a "manual" and "auto" setting. Push the button halfway and you can control how much it goes up or down. Push the whole way and the window will go on its own. This is so the driver can put the window up or down without having to keep his finger on the button.

Like I say, if it appears to be broken, you're doing it wrong.

paralysed

HensVassal wrote: »

The button is there for a purpose. The water boils to 100 degrees and then clicks off. The fucking kettle doesn't know that you are an impatient so-and-so and want the kettle to stop boiling at 98.3 degrees

But what are the chances that you'll need to use all of the water in the kettle when you put it back on the element? Therefore, every time it continues to boil, it isn't necessary!

paralysed

seamus wrote: »

Virtually everyone wants a kettle that brings water to the boil before turning off.

But then I've to wait 4/5 minutes until I can drink my tea!

seamus wrote: »

You can get app-controlled switches that let you switch on your kettle from bed, or the sitting room, or 5 minutes before you get home. You can also set a schedule (e.g. before you get up). They're great. Not quite "automatic", but saves you having to be *at* the kettle.

Does it put the water in?

And I'm not sure the electric windows are that way in every car! But I'll try next time I'm in one of the modern cars.

ScumLord

paralysed wrote: »

For example, I hate the way the modern kettles continue to boil to completion after you're finished with it.

I don't get this one, how is the kettle supposed to know you didn't want boiling water when you turned it on? It's job is to boil water and do nothing else.

Products are becoming less convenient because people don't want to pay for the convenience. They'd rather pay less.

An example of this would be two computer cases I bought. The first time I bought one it was cheap. Looked good from the front but was as basic as it could get in every other sense. It was a pain to work with, but once the PC was together that didn't really matter too much until I needed to upgrade where it became a huge pain in the ass again. Years later I bought a high end case and it was like they were reading my mind when they made it. There were all kinds of details to make assembling a PC and maintaining it as easy as possible.

Bottom line is you get what you pay for.

jester77

All the charging that is involved. Previously you would carry a book for entertainment and a Nokia that would require a charge once a week at most. Now you have to charge your phone, tablet, headphones, watch and cigarette nearly every day.

Capt'n Midnight

Ol' Donie wrote: »

What about the sh*tty ones in the airport that make you root out you boarding pass?

They only need your boarding pass if*
- you are leaving the EU
- they are running a scam on the tax.


*Pick one

LordSutch

paralysed wrote: »

For example, I hate the way the modern kettles continue to boil to completion after you're finished with it. And I'm just glad that I don't have one of those smartphones - they look so ridiculous bulging out through people's pants!

Through peoples pants? Are you sure they're smart phones?

Jimoslimos

paralysed wrote: »

For example, I hate the way the modern kettles continue to boil to completion after you're finished with it.

So what you're saying is that you would like a machine that would...take the misery out of making tea :pac:

MilesMorales1

I agree digital books are rubbish compared to the original thing, but thats not inconvenient, just a preference. Being able to carry like a 1000 books on a single devices is very handy in theory.

housetypeb

Just doesn't feel right with a kindle.
"This is not a novel to be tossed aside lightly. It should be thrown with great force." (Dorothy Parker)

alb

MilesMorales1 wrote: »

I agree digital books are rubbish compared to the original thing, but thats not inconvenient, just a preference. Being able to carry like a 1000 books on a single devices is very handy in theory.

I disagree with your first statement. I prefer reading books on a kindle than a physical book, there's less glare in sunlight, I can set the font size to whatever I like, it's a nicer form factor in my hand - it's lighter and I can easily hold it and turn pages with only one hand.

For anyone that's only used a tablet for books and not an e-reader, you should try one before you judge them, it's quite different.

paralysed

When you put a bag of shopping on the passenger seat and the seat belt alarm goes off!

MintyMagnum

paralysed wrote: »

When you put a bag of shopping on the passenger seat and the seat belt alarm goes off!

Or the dog! who only weighs 2kg.

MintyMagnum

Used to be able to text without looking at the phone, raised buttons meant u could feel your way & predictive text, now flat screen means having to look

Utah

MintyMagnum wrote: »

Used to be able to text without looking at the phone, raised buttons meant u could feel your way & predictive text, now flat screen means having to look

Same goes for music players (which can include your phone). If you're out for a run or something and you want to forward the song, it's near impossible to do it on a touch screen without looking. The physical buttons on the old iPods were much better!

Capt'n Midnight

I am always amazed at how much faster technology is these days.

When I put €20 petrol in my car it takes far less time than it used to.