What new technology seems like a step backward?

[Runwildboys]

I'll open it up by saying I hate the new bathroom faucets that have the "T" handle. The center is the hands free faucet, and the "handles" are hand dryers.

While you're trying to get the sensor to recognize your hands and start the water flowing, the dryers sense them first, and you can't get the water to start until after the dryers stop.

What was wrong with the dryers on the wall?

 

[VaqueroTD]

I'll open it up by saying I hate the new bathroom faucets that have the "T" handle. The center is the hands free faucet, and the "handles" are hand dryers.

While you're trying to get the sensor to recognize your hands and start the water flowing, the dryers sense them first, and you can't get the water to start until after the dryers stop.

What was wrong with the dryers on the wall?

Maybe not much of a technology advance, but what frustrates me sometimes are how these new apps use technology. It's sort of... really? That was needed?

At risk of sounding like an old fuddy duddy, some examples:

-- There is an app (I don't remember name) being advertised right now that helps people keep track of their digital subscriptions and makes recommendations on cancellations and renewals? Really? Millennials are that dumb (or just spoiled) that they need to pay monthly to be reminded they have a monthly subscription to Netflix and a premium trial version of LinkedIn?

-- The real dog food delivery service app (again.. name escapes me). Daily/weekly shipments of real, organic dog food for your animal. I'm a dog lover, and I do spoil my dogs, often mixing in lean ground beef or eggs with their food for more protein (German Shepherds need more than average dogs), but that's not enough? Do I really need some type of chef variety daily?

And the other thing that bothers me are the upgrade addicts. Convincing us we must upgrade. Single-handedly keeps Best Buy in business. LOL

-- TV resolutions and technology have been upgrading every year, but I swear I'm getting the same experience as I did on my HDTV 15 years ago.

-- I recently upgraded my IphoneX to the newest version (...something like 5 upgrades later?) and except for some cooler camera options, don't notice a single difference on my phone calls or apps.

 

[Hardline]

Electric vehicles.
They are inferior to gas powered vehicles in every way.

 

[Runwildboys]

Electric vehicles.
They are inferior to gas powered vehicles in every way.

I've never driven one, so I can't really express an opinion on that. I do like the concept though, if they can improve the range, and actually reduce the carbon footprint.

 

[CyberB0b]

Electric vehicles.
They are inferior to gas powered vehicles in every way.

They're unmatched in acceleration. You have 5,000lb electric SUVs that can smoke super cars.

 

[nobody]

There are a lot of technologies that seem like a step back and I think it all stems from that wretched, horrible business concept that really came to fruition in the late 80's I think. Planned obsolescence. It's all about profit and not quality, so in many areas things were redesigned with inferior tech to make sure people had to buy replacements more.

 

[DanteEXT]

Maybe not much of a technology advance, but what frustrates me sometimes are how these new apps use technology. It's sort of... really? That was needed?

At risk of sounding like an old fuddy duddy, some examples:

-- There is an app (I don't remember name) being advertised right now that helps people keep track of their digital subscriptions and makes recommendations on cancellations and renewals? Really? Millennials are that dumb (or just spoiled) that they need to pay monthly to be reminded they have a monthly subscription to Netflix and a premium trial version of LinkedIn?

-- The real dog food delivery service app (again.. name escapes me). Daily/weekly shipments of real, organic dog food for your animal. I'm a dog lover, and I do spoil my dogs, often mixing in lean ground beef or eggs with their food for more protein (German Shepherds need more than average dogs), but that's not enough? Do I really need some type of chef variety daily?

And the other thing that bothers me are the upgrade addicts. Convincing us we must upgrade. Single-handedly keeps Best Buy in business. LOL

-- TV resolutions and technology have been upgrading every year, but I swear I'm getting the same experience as I did on my HDTV 15 years ago.

-- I recently upgraded my IphoneX to the newest version (...something like 5 upgrades later?) and except for some cooler camera options, don't notice a single difference on my phone calls or apps.

Probably Rocket Money and Farmer's Dog. They are advertised a lot on Hawk vs Wolf on YouTube (and I am sure others).

 

[thunderpimp91]

Most hands free tech I struggle with. The OP is spot on with the bathroom devices that are motion activated, I hate those.

Hand free tech in cars still seems to be not quite there yet either. I get it, this is important to get right, but many features leave me more distracted than just picking up my phone to respond back to my wife's text with the thumbs up emoji, or being able to hit one button to change songs.

Not sure if this quite counts but I also hate that everything is a delivery app anymore too.....especially the doordash type apps. That $20 meal for two is now $40 + tip and people wonder why they are broke.....Smaller restaurants typically hate these too as so much of their already razor thin margins to do the delivery service. It also just reduces socialization so much when people dont go out to eat, dont go to the grocery, and so many don't even have to go to the office to work. None of this is bad or wrong on an individual level, but the massive conveniences we've provided people has had some serious impacts on our society.

 

[Pola_pe_a]

They're unmatched in acceleration. You have 5,000lb electric SUVs that can smoke super cars.

And torque for towing. Range is the biggest limitation.

 

[CyberB0b]

$300 tablet that writes like pen and paper:

https://remarkable.com/store/remarkable-2

Why not just use a pen and paper? I understand it has options for storing and organizing your notes, but this is ridiculous.

 

[Creeper]

I don't know about a step backwards, but maybe a step in the wrong direction? Customer service phone lines that are fully automated are designed to frustrate people into giving up and never getting their problem solved. Some of them are awful to the point you want to smash your phone into your own skull. I am at the point where if I have a problem, I would rather find a work around than call a customer service line and Have to deal with a computer that cannot understand what I am saying. Some companies have no escape code to dial to get a live person.

We have dial 1 for English, 2 for Spanish, but no 3 for a human being?

 

[Reality]

Reminder .. we do NOT allow political comments on CowboysZone!

.. and it does not matter which side you are on!

 

[Reality]

I'll open it up by saying I hate the new bathroom faucets that have the "T" handle. The center is the hands free faucet, and the "handles" are hand dryers.

While you're trying to get the sensor to recognize your hands and start the water flowing, the dryers sense them first, and you can't get the water to start until after the dryers stop.

What was wrong with the dryers on the wall?

I am guessing the reason for this is installation and support costs.

It requires less installation work for a lot of all-in-one things and it also reduces the ongoing maintenance costs by keeping multiple functions in the same device/area.

I am sure they think convenience of wash-and-dry in the same place for people is the selling point, but I remember as a kid having to spend more time holding my hands under air dryers than I did washing them.

Making people do both in the same place means the sinks will be tied up longer which means waiting longer and more irritation for the slow washer-and-or-dryer people, especially if you are in a bathroom with limited sinks and a lot of traffic.

I agree with you though, I don't like them.

 

[Runwildboys]

I am guessing the reason for this is installation and support costs.

It requires less installation work for a lot of all-in-one things and it also reduces the ongoing maintenance costs by keeping multiple functions in the same device/area.

I am sure they think convenience of wash-and-dry in the same place for people is the selling point, but I remember as a kid having to spend more time holding my hands under air dryers than I did washing them.

Making people do both in the same place means the sinks will be tied up longer which means waiting longer and more irritation for the slow washer-and-or-dryer people, especially if you are in a bathroom with limited sinks and a lot of traffic.

I agree with you though, I don't like them.

I get your point about maintenance and installation, but now, if the dryer on one goes, you'll have to wait for another sink to become unoccupied in order to dry your hands. Plus, it's so loud echoing from the basin. I imagine being between two others being used at the same time, it would be uncomfortably loud.

I guess it saves space, in smaller bathrooms, but that's about the only advantage I can think of.

 

[SlammedZero]

While partially true we also have to note that any sort of mining isn't great for the planet. Plus EVs or not lithium mines are not going away anytime soon. Too many electronics are powered by lithium batteries. The thing to do is demand technology to evolve to allow for more efficient lithium mining, which many believe is not far off.

This is the thing that cracks me up about the whole electric car debate........is people's sudden concern with mining. Suddenly, it's bad (because it backs up their dislike for the technology). I bet they haven't stated a single concern about copper mining though (it's helping them be on the internet right now, and have power, so it's OK). Or gold/diamond/silver mining (it's used for their wedding ring/jewelry, so it's OK). Or lead mining (it's helping start their ICE vehicle everyday, so it's OK). I could go on. lol

 

[Runwildboys]

$300 tablet that writes like pen and paper:

https://remarkable.com/store/remarkable-2

Why not just use a pen and paper? I understand it has options for storing and organizing your notes, but this is ridiculous.

I can see uses for it, but not $300 worth of uses.

 

[Runwildboys]

I don't know about a step backwards, but maybe a step in the wrong direction? Customer service phone lines that are fully automated are designed to frustrate people into giving up and never getting their problem solved. Some of them are awful to the point you want to smash your phone into your own skull. I am at the point where if I have a problem, I would rather find a work around than call a customer service line and Have to deal with a computer that cannot understand what I am saying. Some companies have no escape code to dial to get a live person.

We have dial 1 for English, 2 for Spanish, but no 3 for a human being?

There used to be some cases where you could hit "0" to talk to a person, but even that seems to be going away.

I personally don't like talking on the phone, but it's better than picking option after option, then being disconnected when you finally get to where you wanted to be in the first place.

 

[Creeper]

There used to be some cases where you could hit "0" to talk to a person, but even that seems to be going away.

I personally don't like talking on the phone, but it's better than picking option after option, then being disconnected when you finally get to where you wanted to be in the first place.

I agree, my first step in solving any problem is an internet search for other people who have had the problem and have solved it themselves. When that fails I will call CS, but it's rather shove a knitting needle in my ear till it comes out the other side to be honest.

 

[Jammer]

Electric vehicles.
They are inferior to gas powered vehicles in every way.

Nothing can beat the instant torque an electric vehicle provides.

 

[Runwildboys]

Nothing can beat the instant torque an electric vehicle provides.

I know a guy who has a Mercedes AMG, which is apparently their version of a racing car. It's one of the hottest cars I've ever seen, and I don't really care for Mercedes...Anyway, he went for a ride with a friend of his in a Tesla, and he was flabbergasted at the acceleration. And that's from a guy with a $112,000 (approx) car.