New but Not improved | Pad Patter 1 Mar

[bellbird]

I'm all for innovation & reinvention but is there any ’new fangled' thing that you've found to be more of a hassle than a help?
Or has a product you've used for ages come out with a 'new and improved formula' and you don't agree that it's improved?

Let me give you an example:
Yesterday I nearly locked myself out of the car at the petrol station. There are no actual keyholes in any of the doors or boot/trunk of my car and you can only open it by pushing the buttons on the remote 'key'. As I pushed lock to go in and pay, I saw the lock button fall off the key, I picked it up and realised the unlock button was missing and the thing the button activates was too far down inside the key for me to poke at with my nails (i thought about paper clips etc later but that didn't help me on the spot).

So my car was locked and taking up a valuable spot at the petrol station (in front of the pump) and my kids were about to come out of school and I knew DD had left her phone at home. Long story short, I managed to use the lock button I recovered to wiggle it in to activate the unlock mechanism. (The button had kind of crumbled from over use - it's an otherwise wonderful second-hand car we bought about 1.5 yrs ago) So anyway, for today's topic, I'm not a fan of Hyundai's over confidence in 'new fangled' remote locking to the point that they stopped adding keyholes to car doors. (It tripped us up in Tasmania in 2017 too when some magnetic interference or something rendered the remote fairly useless - it's a known problem there with signage warning about it and what to do, but trying to explain to clerk's etc when you haven't seen the signs that you don't have keyholes so you can get into your car the old fashioned way, well, they look at you like you're dumb or lying.

(ETA: After Berniek enlightened me, i'm updating this to say i'm now not a fan of the new and not improved idea of "let's hide the keyhole and make it near impossible for people to access, much less find" method of making car door handles.

 

[Kiana]

Oh that's horrible....and yes like what happened to just using the key to get into your car. ROFL

I don't like mobile ordering for fast food, like MC Donalds. Like it's already a drivethru, just get in line people and order at the speaker and drive around. UGH

 

[bellbird]

I don't like mobile ordering for fast food, like MC Donalds. Like it's already a drivethru, just get in line people and order at the speaker and drive around. UGH

I know right?! Even with drive-thru, not that we use it much but the line is usually ridiculous to the point that we just end up parking and going in to save time and not just sit there idling! It doesnt pour or snow here to the point that it's all that useful!

 

[IntenseMagic]

What a pain for you, Justine!! I have buttons, but I also have a keyhole, and all I have to do is touch the underside of the door handle with the fob in my hand to unlock my car...so one of those 3 ways should work LOL

It really bothers me that it seems like nothing is built to last anymore. That companies create products that look all new and shiny and awesome, but I think they intend them to fail much quicker so that we are forced to buy again. Appliances being a biggie. All the bells and whistles, just means more stuff that can go wrong.

 

[Chippi]

Let me give you an example:
Yesterday I nearly locked myself out of the car at the petrol station. There are no actual keyholes in any of the doors or boot/trunk of my car and you can only open it by pushing the buttons on the remote 'key'. As I pushed lock to go in and pay, I saw the lock button fall off the key, I picked it up and realised the unlock button was missing and the thing the button activates was too far down inside the key for me to poke at with my nails (i thought about paper clips etc later but that didn't help me on the spot).

Oh man, yes. I think regardless of remote locking or keyless entry or whatever new fangled things the have, keyholes on at least the driver's side are a must.
Both of our cars have features that are an pain if they fail.
One has a timer, so the car auto locks after the key is out of the ignition and the doors are shut for 45sec or so. Bummer if you leave your keys in the car...
The other one has a security thing, like a de-activator for the engine or something. You push the button (attached to the key) and it allows the car to be started. But our button is wearing out, and the battery has never been replaced, so when it breaks or dies, our car is out for the count until we pay a huge cost and get the button fixed, because, guess what. No de-activator in the car, just the one button..
My other issues with cars is electric windows. They are totally awesome, and I love them... While they work... I wish there was some hybrid between the winder and the electric windows.

I don't like mobile ordering for fast food, like MC Donalds. Like it's already a drivethru, just get in line people and order at the speaker and drive around. UGH

Totally agree. We did mobile ordering for KFC once (just the once) we got there and asked about our order, and the snooty girl said they don't start cooking it until you are there. Wait, what?!!!! Then what the heck is the point?!


Other new and not improved.
MIL's laundry liquid - Improved formula and suddenly Melody was allergic and got a rash all over her body where the clothes touched.
Arnott's Shapes - There was nothing wrong with the old ones, and they brought those back when everyone complained!
No CD drive - I get that things are going all digital these day, but my computer doesn't even have a CD drive!!! That means I can't play music from a CD, I can't burn a DVD of photos or movies etc, I ccan' install old programs, it is really quite inconvenient!!!

 

[Chippi]

What a pain for you, Justine!! I have buttons, but I also have a keyhole, and all I have to do is touch the underside of the door handle with the fob in my hand to unlock my car...so one of those 3 ways should work LOL

It really bothers me that it seems like nothing is built to last anymore. That companies create products that look all new and shiny and awesome, but I think they intend them to fail much quicker so that we are forced to buy again. Appliances being a biggie. All the bells and whistles, just means more stuff that can go wrong.

Yep, we have had to buy a new toaster every year (or sooner) because they just don't last!! My mum and dad recently had to throw away their toaster that they'd had for almost 10 years! Same with microwaves ovens, I try not to use ours, but even with such minimal use, we need to get a new one every year or so. It is ridiculous!!

 

[LeeAndra]

I call this Pizza Hut syndrome.

When I was little, Pizza Hut sold... wait for it... pizza! Pizza, pizza, pizza. As it should.

In my late teens and early 20s, allasudden they start selling pasta and sandwiches. Say what now?! Why would PIZZA Hut be selling anything BUT pizza?!

Greed, man. It's all abt the Benjamins.

The same thing happened with Oreos. Mint, peanut butter, red velvet, birthday cake... you can get any flavor stuck between those two cookies now.

And don't think I don't see you, Chips Ahoy, making your chewy cookies smaller and making the plastic packaging bigger and bulkier! Do you think us fatties wouldn't be able to tell that the cookies were smaller because we were shoving so many into our mouth at one time?!

Oh, we can tell. WE. CAN. TELL.

/endvent

 

[Cherylndesigns]

We have a thing with coffee makers. They have them that cost a small fortune now. We've never had one (at any price) that last much longer than a year. We just replaced our year old coffee maker last week. We went back to the cheap Mr. Coffee's with our last maker. Why pay for all the bells and whistles when they don't last anyway? We did get a pretty red Mr. Coffee this time, though. Fancy.

 

[bellbird]

Why would PIZZA Hut be selling anything BUT pizza?!


The same thing happened with Oreos.

making your chewy cookies smaller and making the plastic packaging bigger and bulkier!

Oh, we can tell. WE. CAN. TELL.

/endvent

so true - all of it - the amount of air in a bag and over packaging irritates me, sure crackers and whatnot will 'settle' but to the point that like there is no product in the top 2/3 of the bag?!
i wouldn't mind them making portion sizes smaller if the cost went down accordingly but to leave the price the same and instead of buying the big tub of yoghurt that was a kilo, now i get 750 to 800grams but it's the same price - yep, they aren't tricking anyone!
Domino's Pizza here changed their name and did a big publicity campaign that they were now going to be called just Dominos - and sell a million other things besides pizza; calling themselves The Hut might have been a spot too difficult for Pizza Hut!

 

[Angela Toucan]

I don't like everything going digital. Our new oven is, and it's made cooking more complicated. Why couldn't we have stuck to a few nobs instead of setting programs and then adjusting them to suit the current needs (none of the programs are the kind I would choose to use). The same applies to my washing machine, I'm always having to reprogram it every time I use it.

 

[Angela Toucan]

I'm with you on the packaging @bellbird

 

[berniek]

@bellbird Your car may have a keyhole but it may be hidden. Like this.
It'll be good the check so you'll know in the event it happens again. Might be a sanity saver!

 

[bellbird]

@bellbird Your car may have a keyhole but it may be hidden. Like this.
It'll be good the check so you'll know in the event it happens again. Might be a sanity saver!

No Way!! Why would companies do that?! Will have to check mine for sure!

 

[bellbird]

@bellbird Your car may have a keyhole but it may be hidden. Like this.
It'll be good the check so you'll know in the event it happens again. Might be a sanity saver!

It's true! OMG! It was so tricky to get the part of the handle off, it would've been faster for me to walk to the school and get the kids and walk back than do this at the petrol station but both DH and I thank you so very much!!! You've now achieved Hero status!!!

 

[bellbird]

I don't like everything going digital. Our new oven is, and it's made cooking more complicated. Why couldn't we have stuck to a few nobs instead of setting programs and then adjusting them to suit the current needs (none of the programs are the kind I would choose to use). The same applies to my washing machine, I'm always having to reprogram it every time I use it.

So true - our microwave has settings i think are useless - do people microwave 'frozen pizzas' that often?

 

[berniek]

It's true! OMG! It was so tricky to get the part of the handle off, it would've been faster for me to walk to the school and get the kids and walk back than do this at the petrol station but both DH and I thank you so very much!!! You've now achieved Hero status!!!

What spending too much time on the internet can do!

 

[bellbird]

What spending too much time on the internet can do!

(if you hadn't said that Berniek i'd have thought you drive a VW with similarly maddening door handles and learnt the hard way like in the image - you're still my hero regardless !

 

[cookingmylife]

I'll have to pass @berniek 's tip on to dh as he has a newish Hyundai. I used to tease him cause his ancient Mercedes didn't have a 'clicker' as I call those keys but I did have one for my VW! I also have a keyhole in the handle so I guess that's the best of both worlds.

 

[cfile]

Goodness gacious Justine @bellbird I would have been having fits!! Glad you finagled it to get in the car and thanks to @berniek for that helpful hint for everyone.

I don't think we need Alexa and all these other talky things from amazon and everyone else. Are people that lazy? I really think if they hear you to order something or change the channel or whatever you are asking them to do, do you really think you have privacy in your own home? I put a sticky note over the camera on the laptop and cell phone when I am not using it.

Technology is a great thing, but it is really making us all to be in a lazy society.

Just my opinion mind you. I guess I am old school.. LOL I remember only having 5 TV channels and you had to physically get up to change the channel. A Channel changer back then was a luxury! LOL

 

[Tree City]

I'm annoyed at how DD's school says it's "easier" to have iPads in the classroom instead of pencil and paper. Guess what: if they need to take a test on an iPad, then the iPad needs to be charged. They have iPads for every child in every class for 5th and 4th grades (and a "classroom set" for each grade 1 thru 3). These kids can't remember to charge their iPads! DD was supposed to take a standardized test via the iPad...but her battery was dead, so she just sat there while it charged (cuz there aren't outlets near desks). I asked her if she could just take the test with a pencil and paper, and she looked at me like I had 3 heads. Sigh.

Same thing with the classroom set of laptops: there are 14, so that kids can pair up to use them for research projects. Teachers have to sign up to use them. When DD's class got them, 4 of them were dead. Obviously there aren't that many outlets in the class, let alone space to hang out while they charge along the wall. So eight students spent their "research project" time waiting for the stupid laptops to charge.

Do you know what doesn't need to be charged? PAPER! Either in the form of a book (for the research project) or as a few sheets for a test, paper products are battery-free. And don't get me started on the cost of all this "new and improved" way of learning. I'm not saying technology is bad, but I do think the faculty and staff either need to be on top of charging batteries or they need to have backup methods of letting these kids do their work.