Electronic Devices Too Complicated For Ordinary Folks
Robert Paul Reyes
March 09, 2006
According to research by, Elke den Ouden, a Dutch scientist: "Half of all malfunctioning products that are returned to stores by consumers work just fine, if only the customer knew how to operate the device."
I have three VCR's perpetually blinking "12:00" that testify to the veracity of that statement. I still have not mastered the basics of operating a VCR, a dead format, that was replaced by the DVD player a generation ago.
I recently bought a new cell phone, I figured out how to receive and place a call all by myself, but I needed the help of my 16-year old niece to decipher its 101 other features.
Why is modern life so complicated? Why can't a phone be a device just for answering and placing calls? Do we really need a phone that will take photographs and mini-videos, relay text messages, play movies, enable you to play games, give you the latest news and sports results and figure out your taxes? I'm only kidding about the taxes, I think.
Buying and operating a TV used to be a simple matter: You bought a TV, had it delivered to your home and plugged it in -- that was it.
Not any more, I'm contemplating buying a new TV and I am going nuts! What format should I buy: Plasma, LCD or DLP? What's the difference between HD-ready and built-in HD? Should I opt for a widescreen format or a regular screen? Is Native Resolution 1365 x 768 good enough?
And once I buy the darned thing do I need to get a degree in Mechanical Engineering to learn how to turn it on? Is it necessary to buy a cable for the new TV? Do I need a special decoder box so that the TV can receive the HD signal? And what are the hundreds of inputs on the back of the TV for?
I was happier in the good old days when you walked up to the TV, turned it on, turned the knob to your favorite channel, adjusted the rabbit ears and plopped down on the sofa.
I'm considering joining the digital age and buying an MP3 player, but I'm not sure that my niece has three hours to spare to teach me how to use the darned thing.
I have three VCR's perpetually blinking "12:00" that testify to the veracity of that statement. I still have not mastered the basics of operating a VCR, a dead format, that was replaced by the DVD player a generation ago.
I recently bought a new cell phone, I figured out how to receive and place a call all by myself, but I needed the help of my 16-year old niece to decipher its 101 other features.
Why is modern life so complicated? Why can't a phone be a device just for answering and placing calls? Do we really need a phone that will take photographs and mini-videos, relay text messages, play movies, enable you to play games, give you the latest news and sports results and figure out your taxes? I'm only kidding about the taxes, I think.
Buying and operating a TV used to be a simple matter: You bought a TV, had it delivered to your home and plugged it in -- that was it.
Not any more, I'm contemplating buying a new TV and I am going nuts! What format should I buy: Plasma, LCD or DLP? What's the difference between HD-ready and built-in HD? Should I opt for a widescreen format or a regular screen? Is Native Resolution 1365 x 768 good enough?
And once I buy the darned thing do I need to get a degree in Mechanical Engineering to learn how to turn it on? Is it necessary to buy a cable for the new TV? Do I need a special decoder box so that the TV can receive the HD signal? And what are the hundreds of inputs on the back of the TV for?
I was happier in the good old days when you walked up to the TV, turned it on, turned the knob to your favorite channel, adjusted the rabbit ears and plopped down on the sofa.
I'm considering joining the digital age and buying an MP3 player, but I'm not sure that my niece has three hours to spare to teach me how to use the darned thing.
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