Things that annoy you...

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My microwave broke and that annoyed me. Rude or mean customers annoy me.
That is annoying. I'm annoyed by the fact that simple microwaves with dials are now hard to find.

I had a friend who was blind, but he could heat up meals in his microwave because he knew the exact position of only 2 dials on it.
While shopping for a microwave I mentioned this fact to a sales person. They said microwaves could be ordered with Braille buttons - I responded, "But how would my friend get any confirmation that he set the right time or temperature? With a microwave with only 2 dials he can just feel where the pointers on the dials are to check the time and temp, or see how much time is left."

They didn't have any answer.



That elusive hide-and-seek cow is at it again
That is annoying. I'm annoyed by the fact that simple microwaves with dials are now hard to find.

I had a friend who was blind, but he could heat up meals in his microwave because he knew the exact position of only 2 dials on it.
While shopping for a microwave I mentioned this fact to a sales person. They said microwaves could be ordered with Braille buttons - I responded, "But how would my friend get any confirmation that he set the right time or temperature? With a microwave with only 2 dials he can just feel where the pointers on the dials are to check the time and temp, or see how much time is left."

They didn't have any answer.
Yeah. It's amazing how seemingly short-sighted some markets are at designing slick and smooth touch surfaces ignoring a growing user base. My grandmother was blind. All of her appliances had barely noticeable indentations where buttons were. She would constantly stop to run her fingers along the interface to find the first button, then count 1, 2, 3, as she slowly traced the line to the 4th button, THEN know to tap that last button three times to enter the setting for whatever. It was crazy.
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Yeah. It's amazing how seemingly short-sighted some markets are at designing slick and smooth touch surfaces ignoring a growing user base. My grandmother was blind. All of her appliances had barely noticeable indentations where buttons were. She would constantly stop to run her fingers along the interface to find the first button, then count 1, 2, 3, as she slowly traced the line to the 4th button, THEN know to tap that last button three times to enter the setting for whatever. It was crazy.
I appreciate someone else realizes this. Off topic, but I often thought of starting a business that caters to the elderly (after spending many years engaged in elder care) and / or handicapped.

People are living longer and there's a huge market, yet so many things are "unfriendly" for elder use.

And one of the greatest complaints I hear is how hard things are for them due to the design or complexity of equipment, gadgets & technology.

My idea is kind of similar to the Jitterbug company that makes cell phones for older folks, except I envision an entire line of products from technology to household items that are designed to make things easier for the elderly.

I told the story a while back how, among all the gifts I got for my parents, the most valued & used one was a simple jar & bottle opener that has multi-sized circles to open a variety of different containers.



Forget elderly, I want physical buttons with clear tactical feedback, pretty much all the time.
This reminds me of when I discovered the number 5 on my TV remote (the center number button) has a little Braille-like nub which lets you figure out all the other numbers in the dark.

That was a good design choice.



This reminds me of when I discovered the number 5 on my TV remote (the center number button) has a little Braille-like nub which lets you figure out all the other numbers in the dark.

That was a good design choice.
My wife's grandma had a heck of a time with her cable/tv remote. She kept pushing the wrong button, changing some settings, that then made her think the cable was out. So she'd call the cable company time after time and they'd have to walk her through the cable setup. Then I decided to find a simple remote for her...and it worked and made life easier for her.

I think this is the exact model that I bought off of Ebay.



I appreciate someone else realizes this. Off topic, but I often thought of starting a business that caters to the elderly (after spending many years engaged in elder care) and / or handicapped.
...
I'll be your first customer, my man!..



This reminds me of when I discovered the number 5 on my TV remote (the center number button) has a little Braille-like nub which lets you figure out all the other numbers in the dark.

That was a good design choice.
Wait, what? Gonna have to check this out.
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Wait, what? Gonna have to check this out.
Hope we have another convert.
I felt stupid when I first figured it out - especially since I always watch TV in the dark.

Let us know what you find on your number 5, Stirchley.



You can't make a rainbow without a little rain.
My microwave broke and that annoyed me.

I cook everything in the microwave, so I know how you feel. If my microwave broke, I would probably be living on peanut butter & jelly sandwiches, and cold cereal.
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That elusive hide-and-seek cow is at it again
Hope we have another convert.
I felt stupid when I first figured it out - especially since I always watch TV in the dark.

Let us know what you find on your number 5, Stirchley.

Number 5, is alive.



You can't make a rainbow without a little rain.
This reminds me of when I discovered the number 5 on my TV remote (the center number button) has a little Braille-like nub which lets you figure out all the other numbers in the dark.

That was a good design choice.

I noticed that my cable box remote has a little bump on the "5" button. I just thought it was a factory defect.



Popped open a can of Mandarin Oranges after work yesterday. Took a bite and man, these are awful! Look at the can and No Sugar Added. ****!



I noticed that my cable box remote has a little bump on the "5" button. I just thought it was a factory defect.
They've been there for a very long time. I think I first noticed it in the 90's on our phone.
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Let us know what you find on your number 5, Stirchley.
Eureka! I have 3 remotes: tv remote has the small bump on #5. Ditto my DVD player remote. My Comcast cable remote does not, but it does have the wee bump on the mute button. If that makes any sense.

I cook everything in the microwave, so I know how you feel. If my microwave broke, I would probably be living on peanut butter & jelly sandwiches, and cold cereal.
Never owned a microwave.



You can't make a rainbow without a little rain.
Never owned a microwave.

I can't even imagine not having a microwave. I was just a kid when my parents bought their first microwave, so we've pretty much always had one in the house. We were one of the first families in our neighborhood to get a microwave, and back then, they didn't know if they were safe to use. My friends used to joke that my family would be the first one on the block to turn green.



Bolding your text when you meant to italicize it. Positioning the cursor between those little brackets to fix it is no picnic.
One minor forum irritation: When people are responding to an unusually long post (especially containing pictures or graphics) they don't have to quote the whole darn post. The viewer must then scroll down through the entire post again to read the new comment. Whereas the new poster could simply highlight the unnecessary stuff, and delete it.

But, hey, things are tough all over...