What's your worst pointless gadget feature

IamNotAllowedToUseMyName

Inspired to query this as I was reminded of my stunningly pointless feature on our dishwasher. We needed to replace our dishwasher and it just so happened that the version that was cheapest for what we wanted was a Bosch with a wifi feature. It only takes a few seconds to work out that remotely controlling a dishwasher is possibly one of the most pointless gadgets in the world but Bosch have excelled themselves on this model it features:

an interior light that switches off when you open the dishwasher.

The intellect of the software engineer who assumed that having a feature that allows you to determine how long the dishwasher stays on after it completes its cycle but then automatically switches off when you open the door. Just to add to the ergonomics, the on switch is on the outside so is virtually hidden on the floor if you do want to switch it on again to get the light on.

Have you got a feature on any of your gadgets that has a hint of usefulness but due to a deft stroke of a designer is rendered entirely useless?

PS I'd exclude cars as my list for those would fill the forum.

googler

Smartphones that, when you pick them up and accidentally place any part of the hand in the general direction of the screen, do "something"; and that's always something where you cannot figure what it has done, nor how to reverse it.

esuhl

USB-powered adhesive hooks...?


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ze8jifMh034



Instead of being self-adhesive, you plug in a micro-USB plug which melts the glue pad, allowing it to stick. The USB socket has no other purpose.

googler

Left-hand button indicates either High or Low heat for a tumble dryer. Which is which, and why?

debitcardmayhem

A light switch for the rest of the household

silvercar

Left-hand button indicates either High or Low heat for a tumble dryer. Which is which, and why?

I have that tumble dryer. Pressing the button IN is for cottons and dries at a higher temperature and therefore quicker. I use it for tablecloths and towels. For mixed items you want the lower temperature with the button OUT; it takes longer to dry but your clothes won't shrink.

If you don't believe me, try drying socks at the higher temperature, after a few wash/ dry cycles they will feel tighter to pull on.

dogmaryxx

googler wrote: »

Left-hand button indicates either High or Low heat for a tumble dryer. Which is which, and why?

https://forums.digitalspy.com/discussion/1616658/which-is-which-indesit-tumble-dryer-setting

glennevis

The tumble dryer button is not an example of a pointless gadget but of another scourge of the modern world, Incomprehensible Icons. Could do with a new thread on that topic.

that

1gb windows 10, with 32GB storage - hp stream 7

Heavy, poor resolution, 1GB and 32GB storage, slow, tiny writing and keyboard, but because it is 800 pixels high they keyboard takes up a fair amount of the screen. Low battery life and slow cpu. Used it intermittently over 3 days, then put it back in the box

googler

googler wrote: »

Left-hand button indicates either High or Low heat for a tumble dryer. Which is which, and why?

Does anyone have an explanation for the symbols?

tonyh66

googler wrote: »

Does anyone have an explanation for the symbols?

left hand button: space capsule mode or pointing sign mode obviously.