WTF Cell Phone Design

[Flint]

There's a "tow" button? That's a little excessive.

I was honsetly just wondering why a phone doesn't default to the numbers directory. Good software knows what device it is running on, and the purpose of the device, and it facilitates this function instead of burying it under layer upon layer of clicks.

[HungLikeJesus]

I recently bought a new, expensive phone with a flip face, full keyboard and lots of other features (ENV2). Last week I returned it and went back to the simple phone (Nokia) I've been using for three years. This phone is just easier to use and, though it has fewer features, the layout and organization is much better.

[Juniper]

Shoot, that reminds me, I've had a new phone since December and still haven't figured out how to use the bluetooth headset that worked with my last phone. New item on todays "to-do" list. I wanna be one of those cool people walking around with a big electronic earring and talking to the air.

Anyway...I agree with the original sentiment. My first cell phone (after the bag phone, LOL) had the phone list as a menu item using one of those top two buttons. Second one, I found, could do that, but I had to reprogram it and every time it shut off it would revert to the default setup (one of which was "mall", of course). Now there are all those icons floating there and you have to click around to the right one.

And every time I get a new phone, the sales geeks CLAIM that my phone book will transfer on that little chippy thing that goes in there, but they never do, and even though I have a 12 year old who loves to text me I will never be as fast as she is.

Grouse, gripe, grumble...dang newfangled gadgets.

[Flint]

Originally Posted by HungLikeJesus

I recently bought a new, expensive phone with a flip face, full keyboard and lots of other features (ENV2). Last week I returned it and went back to the simple phone (Nokia) I've been using for three years. This phone is just easier to use and, though it has fewer features, the layout and organization is much better.

And there you have it: salespeople like to push "features" but if you can't use the "features" because the interface with the software has been given zero consideration, then there has been a massive failure.

Software is supposed to serve the customer, not the other way around, where the customer is a slave to a clunky, ill-advised interface (and is expected to think this represents progress).

[Undertoad]

You can show her... buy her a standard numeric keypad phone, while you get one with a qwerty keypad. Then tell her she can't use txtspk with you.

Usually you can find pairing instructions on the web. Plantronics has a great walkthrough for it. PSA: folks, the Plantronics Voyager 520 is the best bt headset I've tried... and I've tried quite a few. Now that hands-free is the law, do yourself a favor and get one of these, if your phone can do bluetooth.

[HungLikeJesus]

I have a huge, ugly blue tooth headset (BlueParrot), but it works really well. I only use it when I'm at home, and I can also use it with my computer (with Dragon Naturally Speaking) to dictate documents.

P.S. "hands-free is the law"???

[Undertoad]

http://www.ghsa.org/html/stateinfo/l...hone_laws.html

Around here it is. Check the table for the law in your area. (And no matter what the law says, never TXT and drive. You'll kill yourself and others)

[SteveDallas]

I don't understand why the Yes or No buttons are included. I think it unnecessarily complicated the user interface.

[Juniper]

Where I live, apparently it's a free-for-all. (sigh)

[dar512]

Originally Posted by Flint

I was honsetly just wondering why a phone doesn't default to the numbers directory. Good software knows what device it is running on, and the purpose of the device, and it facilitates this function instead of burying it under layer upon layer of clicks.

It should. I've just been giving you a hard time.

What did you end up doing? Tweak the phone or get a different one?