Is this over-engineering, you can do everything like play a CD, but it can be difficult to just set the stupid alarm and turn it off.
My alarm clock just has two buttons for time, used while pressing the ‘alarm’ or ‘time’ buttons with a sleep button. It’s very simple, now the products have evolved into something very complex.
What about other simple products, are they getting over-engineered as in getting too complicated?
I don’t think that clock was engineered enough, to be honest. More a product of poor interface design coupled with companies constant desire to knock down a penny or two in product cost. Why not make a separate button that will just put the thing in ‘alarm set’ mode? Cause it would cost an extra 10 cents or 20 cents per unit to do that.
The irony is that the designers probably thought adding more buttons would confuse the customers.
although the anecdote about setting a digital clock is rather quaint of the blogger
fact is, usually nobody would need such a clock anyway… why? Cell-phone!! Computer!!!, they are synchonized with like supercomputer/atomic clocks or something via the internet so how’s that for “over engineering” Mr. Sundial
I think what he meant was that (and I’m coupling it w/ what you guys said) accessories these days try to take on too many jobs w/o even mastering the job it was set out to accomplish; and I agree.
I mean, if I want an alarm clock I’ll buy an alarm clock, and if I want a cd player I’ll buy a cd player; just don’t through in an extra feature: sacrificing the quality of the desired element.
I see this everywhere and wonder when all the designers will wake up…no pun intended
no way! we need MORE computers on our toothbrushes, nay, toothbrushes should literally become computers… or more specifically, nanobots… that clean your teeth 24/7 automatically, like a vaccine!!
I’m sure it’s due to the processor being used having a limited number of input pins and the fact there’s enough buttons on there already. Some might say it’s all about cutting costs, cause buttons are so expensive -.-. No, it’s called keeping to a budget for you’re target market, oh don’t we all wish alarm clocks would cost £100+?
Of course, slightly over complicated but it is a cheap, (more than likely anyway) CD/Radio/alarm/All-in-one magical box. If you want a quality all-in-one alarm clock then splash the money out for something decent, and I will bet it wont be as big, with stupidly chunky buttons all over either.
Or, get a decent alarm clock rather than a niche thing with limited functionality.
Some of the cellphones these days are quite clever, although no one uses all the features, even though all the features are used. Instead of upgrading my laptop, maybe I should just buy a cellphone instead ?
That alarm clock didn’t fit your point exactly, but I do agree. Of course, thousands of people have probably already started a thread to complain about that and our brains can obviously catch up O.K. so I don’t care.