Monday, January 26, 2004
New Tech Gadgets Get Tougher To Operate
Posted by Janak Parekh in "NEWS" @ 09:30 PM
"Not only are the latest electronic gadgets packed with more features than ever, they're also harder than ever to figure out. Culprits span the gizmo gamut from DVD players to digital cameras and wireless devices. Even televisions are increasingly acting more like computers, those notoriously confounding beasts. Barry Jaruzelski would have never imagined he'd need to consult a 146-page owner's manual just to learn how to turn on his new cell phone."
Believe it or not, I'm mixed on this subject. I agree that many companies don't put any effort into making a decent UI, and that's a shame. But, at the same time, I see lots of consumers who don't bother to make any mental effort to learn new devices as well.
Here's a simple example: the toughest cell phone I've ever had to use was the (now venerable) Motorola StarTac. It had a horrible user interface, replete with up, down, and a middle button being used in all sorts of bizarre ways, especially when manipulating a phonebook. Being a geek, I figured it out and got it to work, but I had to comb through the book several times. I saw countless people's StarTacs not programmed optimally. Many modern cell phones are much easier to use, but people get used to one interface and refuse to learn others, calling them "complicated", unless they have a compelling reason to. People used to complain about fax machines all the time in the early days; now everyone uses one without second thought.
What's your take and/or experience with newer devices?
Believe it or not, I'm mixed on this subject. I agree that many companies don't put any effort into making a decent UI, and that's a shame. But, at the same time, I see lots of consumers who don't bother to make any mental effort to learn new devices as well.
Here's a simple example: the toughest cell phone I've ever had to use was the (now venerable) Motorola StarTac. It had a horrible user interface, replete with up, down, and a middle button being used in all sorts of bizarre ways, especially when manipulating a phonebook. Being a geek, I figured it out and got it to work, but I had to comb through the book several times. I saw countless people's StarTacs not programmed optimally. Many modern cell phones are much easier to use, but people get used to one interface and refuse to learn others, calling them "complicated", unless they have a compelling reason to. People used to complain about fax machines all the time in the early days; now everyone uses one without second thought.
What's your take and/or experience with newer devices?
