3 technological advancements that are somewhat still useless
I have decided to participate in the January 15th Peeve Week project . This is my second post for that project.
Human beings have for a long time depended on tools to achieve goals faster. From cars to computers to watches and cell phones, we all use some tool that helps us do things more efficiently. With advancements in technology, however, more focus has been put in the last decade on adding glamor to things instead of improving those things. Here is my list of 3 small technological advancements that were intended to help people but at this time are simply not doing as much good as originally hyped by their respective industries.
This is a randomly chosen list, so if you can think of any other tool or piece of technology that you think is not living up to its promised standard, please let me know or share it here via your comment.
- Faster cars
This is one thing many people love to have. However, it does more harm than good at this time. Newer cars all boast faster speeds and lower 0-60mph time frames. While having cars with capable speeds of 160 mph or more is nice, here is a question that many do not answer directly: why have such high speeds when the maximum speed allowed for most cars anywhere in many countries is only 75 mph? Having higher speeds in newer cars is actually making some people get into more accidents. Why not focus on making more room in the car, giving out more gas mileage and building an engine that needs less oil change, repairs, and other things?
- Automated customer support systems
This is something majority of the companies are rushing after. Calling customer support these days usually results in listening to a computer voice that usually claims it is “happy to help you.” Many times these automated support systems are so poorly planned that customers end up getting frustrated. Hearing a robotic voice say “Please enter your account number. Without it, we will not be able to assist you” is not good when you are calling to find out your account number. When properly used for the benefit of the customer, automated support systems can be a life saver, instead of simply being money savers for companies who do not want to hire additional support staff.
- Watches with fancy features
While watches are considered by many to dictate define first impressions, wearing a watch that has a host of dozen extra features that you do not use somehow shows to many people that you simply want to impress people through your watch and not your personality. Imagine the new features in watches today: cameras, tv, thermometers, blood pressure readers and more. While such features are nice for specific purposes and for paving ways for future advancements, they do not aid in finding out the current time. How about we add fancy features to watches that serve a target audience only, like swimmers who need to know the water depth? That way, we can all look at the time and be done with it in a second while those who need the extra features get them.
That is my list of 3 things that I think should be kept simple and made more efficient instead of making them fancier. Please let me know what you think, or if you have a list of your own. Thank you. 
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( January 25th, 2007 at 5:48 am )
I agree about the watch - I own a Rado Diastar which appears to be a simple black and gold analogue if anyone looks at it. As an analogue watch it works absolutely perfectly - it is a beautiful, clear design and the battery lasts for over 2 years. Play about with it and you will find that it has all the digital features most people could want but they remain hidden until required.
My particular bane is the mobile phone - when will manufacturers realise that some users want long battery life and long talk time and have little interest in cameras, video capture or MP3 players?
( January 25th, 2007 at 1:58 pm )
That’s a very good example John. Simplicity and functionality should be the main priority in many products, and watches are no exception. If someone wants a function, they can access it when they want. Otherwise, they can simply focus on the core properties of the product they have.
I also want cell phones which you do not have to charge every day or even every 6 hours. How about something that lasts a few week and has longer battery life also? Imagine being on the move and constantly talking. The battery will run out within a few hours. Battery lives have not improved much over the last 5 years but we get to see more gadgets added to cell phone which drain up the battery life itself.
Thanks for the comment. I really appreciate it.
( January 25th, 2007 at 2:41 pm )
Actually they did manufacture a phone like that, they just don’t make it any more. It was the Nokia 6310i and I liked the design and functionality so much that I owned 2, both of which I kept much longer than I should have done.
It was the perfect business phone.
It would hold a charge for 2 weeks and it had about 7 hours talk time. IR, Bluetooth, long battery life, tri-band and a really clever contact system allowing multiple contact numbers for the same person (much better than my current Motorola which makes each separate contact number a separate contact line in the address book).
As a phone for people who weren’t sure that they wanted a phone it was a complete failure - no camera, no video capture, no MP3 player.
( January 25th, 2007 at 7:47 pm )
That sounds cool. I went about searching for some pictures of the phone after you mentioned it, and I must say, it looks quite nice. 2 weeks charge time and 7 hours talk time is awesome. I like phones which have better address management system, and having multiple numbers for each contact is nice.
Too bad it wasn’t a hit among those who want cameras, microwave ovens and swiss knives in their cell phones.
( September 17th, 2008 at 12:46 am )
I agree with the all the points. I really don’t see how they help in a bigger and better way. This is the problem with people they do not how to prioritize things.
I am sure there will be many who will not agree with you and I think that shows how right you are.
( October 4th, 2008 at 6:22 am )
I think faster cars are useful as in they give people something to aim for and also it makes many people happy. Fancy watches, why not? If people want to express themselves and be crazy let them be?
Automatic Customer Service, well I think they should be fed to the dogs.