Complicated Technology: LiveSimplicity discussion forum

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All this technology is supposed to be helping make our lives simple, but it is often quite complicated technology, and is therefore making us frustrated rather than helping us

View A

You buy a digital camera to have easy access to your photos. You pay alot of money for it. It is going to make photo-taking easy & stressless, you can even print off your photos at home for free. Technology makes things easy.

View B

You buy a digital camera to have easy access to your photos; but after spending money on it and bringing it home it is not compatable with your PC! You become stressed and frustrated, and have to ring and e-mail the company waiting several days for a reply. You have to return it to shop aswell. Technology is too complicated.

4 comment(s) so far

chrisek thinks: Like anything, technology evolves and over time becomes easier to use. Innovators who always get the latest gadgets on the market always deal with countless issues using them. Functions soon become automated, customer complaints lead to better product design. I think the complexity of a product seems to be based on the point at which it's at in its evolution, not so much inthe task it's performing.

NicNiewart thinks: The next frontier in every new gizmo is simplicity.

I have said this in my area of expertise- namely advertising and marketing-

for about 10 years.

I understand that many products rushed onto the market now are but half way steps between where we are and where we want to go. I understand that at first these gadgets are very expensive but as more and more are rolled out, the price falls, often dramatically.

BUT, the ones that get my vote are the ones where some thought has gone into the process and you plug it in, and guess what : IT WORKS! It seems a surprise where in this world today someone actually has thought about this, the next step and perhaps the biggest step. How often you get the thing: for example a computer and you have no idea of what you do, or who to get to help or what's gone wrong- it could be dozens of things. I am a consumer, I am not a nuclear physicist, and when I buy something, I expect it to do exactly what it says on the box, in the most intuitive and simplest way.

My latest Philips experience was one of pure joy- a Freeview box. I opened the package, plugged it all together, followed the instructions, pressed the right button- it scanned for all the stations, I waited for about five minutes, like it said, and that was that. It worked first time, simply and effectively. Although the price was about a third more than dodgy brands, I had a good experience, so my faith was justified, and I am more favourably disposed towards Philips for my next purchase.

Yes Technology is a wonderful thing, but only if it is harnessed to a human benefit. Would I have bought it if it was complicated? No.

Do we need it? Is it better ? Does it actually dry my hair faster, more gently, give me a clearer sharper picture, keep my food fresher and use less power- whatever it is, it has to deliver a benefit- even if it just a replacement low-tech item like say a kettle, but it has to do so in a way that is demonstrably better- which also is synonymous with simpler. If it can't , then I go for a Chinese-made no-brand toaster. I'm not one of those who will pay hundreds for a "designer" version which still manages to burn the toast.

henk thinks: Technology makes things easier. When it comes to digital cameras, it's important to realize that as digital cameras replace the standard film cameras, there are other thing that need to change. We need to learn that there is more to technology than instantly solving a problem. Usually, upon solving one problem, several more are created. For example, a digital camera gives you instant viewing of photos, it allows you to take countless pictures without thinking about running out of film. At the same time, there needs to be a way to get the photos out of the camera, do you create prints or view it on your computer screen? Do you want to share your images with friends over the web? That means you have to learn how to use these 'companion' technologies as well.

As time goes on and a technology mature, I'm sure it will become easier to use, but inevitably in the beginning stage of any technological advancement in consumer products, there will be countless issues and problems to deal with. As we learn how people use the product, usability will increase and allow it to become mainstream.

CGW thinks: Yes technology is here to make things easier, but there are so many problems too with the complications of it all. Books of instructions that make no sense, unnecsesary extras that just confuse you and so on... Programs that just dont work for no apparent reason, yes sometimes technology can just drive you up the wall. So view B is very correct to say it is too complicated.

However I am a firm believer in development and know that as technology continues to delop, people will adjust better and the technology itself will be less complicated. It is hapening i.e. so many more people can user computers than say 10yrs ago and soon absolutely everyone will be able to. Tech gets less scary and complicated all the time. So yes, view A technology makes things easier.

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