Technology you F'ng hate thread

[atomicscissors]

Note: Droid & iPhone users typically work for people who use Blackberries. Thank you.

[mikeszekely]

I also hate automatic headlights, because it never tells you what it's doing (in my experience---surely *some* cars do have some sort of low-beam status indicator light). The switch isn't truly on/off in most cars in my experience. It's spring-loaded, and moving it "changes it from what it was before". It's often labled off/auto, not off/on. This is important. If they were on, moving it turns them off, and vice-versa. Well, unless it's PITCH BLACK, you can't really see the beams against the road. If you're right behind a car, it's hard to tell if it's your driving lights or DRL or lowbeams reflecting off their chrome bumper.

So---it's dusk out. You want your lights on. But you don't know if your car thinks it's dark enough yet--if it already turned them on, turing the switch will turn them off! Because the switch isn't on/off, it's "change from what they were". You'd have to wait 30 more mins for it to be REALLY dark, to be able to see the actual presence of a beam, to determine their status.

In rain/haze, it's even worse, as it can be quite bright, and DRL's don't turn on your tail lights. But some cars do try to account for fog/haze---but again, if you turn the knob--you don't know what it'll do, as you can't tell how they are now--you could be turning them OFF. (on my car, the dash lighting is quite independently controlled--dash light status is no indicator of what external bulbs are lit)

I want a true on/off button for headlights. Such that no matter what the status is, I can turn the knob to a certain position every time, and know what the lights are going to do. You know, like how cars were back in the 80's and 90's...

My car's a 2010, and you've got four choices: DRL, on, on + foglights, or high beams. There's no real off, and switching between them is entirely manual. Turn the knob away, actual lights come on. Turn the springy knob next to it, foglights come on. Turn the main knob toward you, lights go back to DRL.

[Agent ONE]

Really? In the circles I run with, it's the opposite. Every idiot around seems to have an iPhone, but techies prefer Android.

Me? I think the iPad is plenty of iOS for me. I'm happy with Verizon's network, so I'm leaning Android for my next phone.

Techies prefer android, but the decision is emotional. Android is lacking MANY things that the ios has.

[Gubaba]

Techies prefer android, but the decision is emotional. Android is lacking MANY things that the ios has.

Galaxy S has them all beat:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BB7nMNjt5u0

[David Hingtgen]

My car's a 2010, and you've got four choices: DRL, on, on + foglights, or high beams. There's no real off, and switching between them is entirely manual. Turn the knob away, actual lights come on. Turn the springy knob next to it, foglights come on. Turn the main knob toward you, lights go back to DRL.

That actually sounds a lot like my car knob-wise, except replace "DRL" with "off" at the very end. DRL's come on when the car is started, but any "selection" after that over-rides them, as well as the car's own automatic selections. The only way to "turn them on" again if they've turned off due to being over-ridden by another mode, or flat-out turned off, is to start the car again. (yes, I spent a good amount of time fiddling with the car when it was new, to try to figure out EXACTLY what lights do what in what conditions--most people don't care, but I do)

[areaseven]

Which one is the one that comes in the pink packets? I like that stuff. It's sweeter than sugar.

Sweet-N-Low, though there are other brands out there that also come in pink packets.

[anime52k8]

Sweet-N-Low, though there are other brands out there that also come in pink packets.

whatever the brand name, if it's in pink it's Saccharin, i.e. the stuff that causes bladder cancer in rats.

[David Hingtgen]

EVERYTHING causes cancer in high enough doses in rats, heck, humans die from drinking too much pure water on occassion. Though I think all the "known to the state of California" stuff will get me first... (even some of my model trains and planes have that sticker!)

[mikeszekely]

Techies prefer android, but the decision is emotional. Android is lacking MANY things that the ios has.

The opposite seems to be true as well. From my time with an iPod touch and an iPad, plus my time with a Droid Incredible, I'd say that iOS is easier to use, and that Android is more customizable. I like that the App Store in iOS is very easy to navigate, and I like the level of polish that a lot of iOS apps and games show. I also like the lack of fragmentation in iOS devices, and Safari is still the best web browser on a mobile device (even if it doesn't support tabs). On the flip side, I like that I can manage apps and media in Android without crap like iTunes, I like how easy it is to import and manage contacts via Gmail, I like that I can easily add storage or replace the battery, I like some of the widgets that are available, and I like the notification tray.

The reality for both operating systems is that they're ultimately pages of apps laid out in a grid, and I've found that I can do pretty much the same tasks on both, sometimes with an identical app, sometimes with a different one. Both operating systems are good, so going with one over the other isn't a bad choice, but a lot of people have dropped their carrier, switched to AT&T, and stay with AT&T even though they hate their service (not saying that's true for every iPhone user, BTW, I know people who are perfectly content with AT&T's service), just for the cool factor or some perception that the iPhone does something for them that no other phone can, even though they just use it to text and update their Facebook. You can't tell me that that's not an emotional decision.

[atomicscissors]

The "openness" of the Android OS is what gets all the techies' panties wet. Personally, I'm not a techie, l33t, or a hax0r, but I love all the modded firmware out there. I have a G1 running CyanogenMod 5, which gave my 2+ years old phone some Eclair goodness. Yummy.

[Graham]

As we are talking about phones, time to post this pic.

Graham

[mikeszekely]

As we are talking about phones, time to post this pic.

Graham

Hilariously true. Thanks for that, Graham.

[Ghost Train]

As we are talking about phones, time to post this pic.

Great pic. I knew I was an awesome-saurus-Rex.

[electric indigo]

Combustion engines. I mean, this is the 21st century, right? I want my solar-powered hovercar NOW!

[Seanzilla]

Combustion engines. I mean, this is the 21st century, right? I want my solar-powered hovercar NOW!

No kidding, Back to the Future 2 was full of sh!t man!

[eugimon]

Suction cup bath safety mats. They're pretty much the opposite of safe

[shiroikaze]

Suction cup bath safety mats. They're pretty much the opposite of safe

...I didn't know they exist.

[Agent ONE]

Suction cup bath safety mats. They're pretty much the opposite of safe

How?

[eugimon]

How?

water eventually gets under the suction cups and then they slide and then the surprised owner of said mat becomes the recently deceased owner of the suction cup bath safety mat and it's good that he's deceased because his sad naked body will be found by the neighborhood cops after his neighbors complain of a strange foul odor.

[David Hingtgen]

Yup--few things more slippery than a bath mat that's lost suction.

[Chewie]

water eventually gets under the suction cups and then they slide and then the surprised owner of said mat becomes the recently deceased owner of the suction cup bath safety mat and it's good that he's deceased because his sad naked body will be found by the neighborhood cops after his neighbors complain of a strange foul odor.

Or like me you lose the battle with the soap dish when said mat fails. 18 stitches later I definitely agree with Eugimon.

[sketchley]

Suction cup bath safety mats. They're pretty much the opposite of safe

I'll raise that with: bath tubs that don't have anti-slip coatings installed by the bathtub maker. I swear, it's all a conspiracy by the suction cup bathmat makers to make more $$$ at the expense of those who don't regularly replace their suction cup bathmats!

[atomicscissors]

hp laptop batteries.

They infuriate me.

[taksraven]

EVERYTHING causes cancer in high enough doses in rats, heck, humans die from drinking too much pure water on occassion. Though I think all the "known to the state of California" stuff will get me first... (even some of my model trains and planes have that sticker!)

If people knew how much EM radiation was gunning through them all the frigging time, they would poo themselves. Admittedly, a lot of it is low level, but all the same, given time.....

(I sleep with an active powerpoint situated behind the bedhead and I don't even trust that.)

[sketchley]

the concept of time.

Whoever created it is evil, because they didn't put in enough extra time in the day. >.<

[Vepariga]

Cars that tell you to rest and like David,Automatic Headlights for said reasons.

I also dont like Iphones,sure they can do alot of things but really..I dont need the internet or half if not all of the junk and apps they have if Im out.

[Ghost Train]

If people knew how much EM radiation was gunning through them all the frigging time, they would poo themselves. Admittedly, a lot of it is low level, but all the same, given time.....

(I sleep with an active powerpoint situated behind the bedhead and I don't even trust that.)

Technically visible light is also a form of EM radiation. The only way to stay safe is to live in a lead enclosed room in complete darkness!

[eugimon]

MSG. It's an evil that must be destroyed.

[taksraven]

MSG. It's an evil that must be destroyed.

a) Live eating bland food.

b) Die eating tasty food.

Option B for me please....

[Ghost Train]

Since we're discussing Monosodium glutamate I'd like to throw in my 0.02 and shed some light on the treatment of this much maligned food additive.

Despite its common association with Chinese food and restaurants (at least here in the US), MSG was actually invented in Japan under the trade name Ajinomoto. Despite this, there is a double standard on how it's treated by consumers. Japanese restaurants like any other, use a ton of this stuff even today - yet they receive none of the negative press. Instant-preparation Miso soup (and believe me, your local Japanese food restaurant does not make Miso the traditional way) is basically a Miso-flavored MSG soup.

Yet confronted with Japanese food, the consumer miraculously perceives it to be: 1) cosmopolitan 2) healthy (lol) 3) and of course savory.

In a Chinese restaurant by contrast, the usage of MSG is greeted as follows: NO MSG U DIRTY COMMY! AND STOP MAKING US BUY UR CHEAP GOODS AND EXPORTIN AUR JOBS OVERSEAZ! FREE TIBET! FREE TAIWAN! RAWR! I'M NOT EATIN HERE AGAIN! I LUV SUSHI W00!

[Dynaman]

In a Chinese restaurant by contrast, the usage of MSG is greeted as follows: NO MSG U DIRTY COMMY! AND STOP MAKING US BUY UR CHEAP GOODS AND EXPORTIN AUR JOBS OVERSEAZ! FREE TIBET! FREE TAIWAN! RAWR! I'M NOT EATIN HERE AGAIN! I LUV SUSHI W00!

To be fair, till the collapse of the Japanese economy they were thought of the same way. (as proof I put into evidence that terrible late eighties movie where a Japanese car company bought a US auto-maker, I think it starred Jim Belushi)

Edited January 1, 2011 by Dynaman

[eugimon]

a) Live eating bland food.

b) Die eating tasty food.

Option B for me please....

it's sad that you think that way.

[sketchley]

One came to me in a flashback during the brief spell I returned to Canada between Korea and Japan:

pay phones that don't let you use coins!!! What's up with that? What's worse is that they require special prepaid cards, yet rarely have a prepaid card vending machine nearby. (this is about 10 years ago, who knows what it's like). Makes me glad I live in Japan, where if you find a card-only pay phone, there is ALWAYS a coin taking one next to it; as they come in groups. And if you find only one pay phone, it takes both!

[mikeszekely]

it's sad that you think that way.

Hey, I agree with him. Not so much with MSG, but with the whole health-food thing in general. Like, I love hamburgers. If I was offered a hamburger or a piece of cake, I'd eat the burger. That isn't to say that I don't enjoy a little broccoli or an apple here and there, but if someone told me I'd live 20 years longer if I never ate another burger I'd probably go straight to Five Guys.

Life is short. I'd rather enjoy my time on this earth than scheme of ways to extend it.

pay phones that don't let you use coins

They still have payphones? Even today, in a world where more people own a cell phone than have broadband internet?

Edited January 2, 2011 by mikeszekely

[eugimon]

Hey, I agree with him. Not so much with MSG, but with the whole health-food thing in general. Like, I love hamburgers. If I was offered a hamburger or a piece of cake, I'd eat the burger. That isn't to say that I don't enjoy a little broccoli or an apple here and there, but if someone told me I'd live 20 years longer if I never ate another burger I'd probably go straight to Five Guys.

Life is short. I'd rather enjoy my time on this earth than scheme of ways to extend it.

Nothing to do with health food. Msg just tastes like crap compared to real soup stock or spices made with actual ingredients.

See, we love five guys too... All I'm saying is I'd rather eat a quality product like 5 guys or in and out, versus cheap, bland crap like mcdonalds. And that's what msg does to food, it's just bland, generic proteiny/salty instead of rich, full flavors.