'Superior' technology that you dislike or find inferior

[Saetha]

Touchscreens. I bloody hate touchscreens. I'd much rather use a mouse, or a touchpad, or basically anything that's not so finicky and inaccurate. As a result, I see no use for tablet PCs outside of using them for digital artwork. I'll admit, being able to "write" on the screen has made inking and coloring line-art a lot easier. The colors are better, too, in my opinion.

Social media, too. Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr. It all seems so tacky and self-centered. People start thinking they're some big shot because they've got ten followers on Twitter. I also hate how it's invaded real life, too.

And as with most others in the thread, e-books. I don't even use my Nook. Give me that old ink and paper, please.

 

[Vault101]

mouse/keyboard and a bigass monitor

I don't like touch screens

 

[Sidmen]

Tablets. I mean wtf is wrong with ultra thin laptops?! Nowadays People have overpriced tablets and they buy keyboards separately, which I find silly.

I'll go ahead and defend tablets. I use mine as - essentially - a portable TV that I can use in the bathroom, bedroom, and when I'm bored at work or at my parents. For any of these uses, a clamshell laptop (regardless of its size) would be ill-suited.

I'm typically about 10 years behind everyone else in regards to tech. I just got a smartphone this year, and only got a cellphone at all five years ago.

 

[Drake the Dragonheart]

"smart" phones. only as smart as the user. I hate those things. I need my phone to be one thing and one thing only: a PHONE!

tablets, ipads, and even laptops. I like by big clunky desktop thank you very much. Well when it isn't being old and slow and making me ctrl-alt-del constantly.

some have said social media: facebook twitter etc. I will take it one step further. That s**t can go swallow razorwire, pull it out its arse and floss itself to death as far as I'm concerned.

Newer (newish) consoles, but not out of any sort of hatred for them or anything. I have a Wii, but I more or less skipped the entire last console generation. I have an original x-box I still play quite a bit, and an old arse computer (from 2005) I also have a Game Boy Advance that I play. Just never bought any of the new stuff. Will say I don't think I will be getting anything current gen though.

 

[McElroy]

I still use a dedicated mp3-player from 2006. I got nothing against touchscreens in phones and whatever (though I'm not a fan of tablets... yet), just don't bring them near my PC!!

 

[FPLOON]

-I read real physical books (Paperback or Hardback... Actually prefer paperback, but I digress... Keep me AWAY from e-books, please...)
-CDs and Cassettes all the way, across my many Walkmans...
-DVDs, baby! (Keep your digital copies... Bu-rays are fine, but I digress...)
-Actually, I prefer physical copies over digital copies any day of the week, yo!! (Gotta keep my shit tangible...)
-NOT EVERYTHING NEEDS TO BE IN 3D ANIMATION THESE DAYS, in terms of movies!!
-Keep your fancy lawn mowers [that you can sit in], I'm sticking with my skinny-ass, walkable weed wacker!
-Uh...I use hair clippers to shave instead of one of those fancy shaver kits?

Actually, what's in bold basically covers how I feel about "superior technology" in general...

 

[Johnny Novgorod]

3D movies in general. I get that it's the studios way of coaxing people to keep going to the movies because the theater offers an experience that you can't faithfully replicate back at home (please don't tell me about your surround sound flatscreen or something like that, you can't). So now every big picture is commissioned in 3D to combat sedentarism, even though it looks obscure, gimmicky and you forget about it 10 minutes into the movie.

 

[PoolCleaningRobot]

To all you guys with touch screen keyboard woes, I recommend an app called Swift Key. Hell, I'm typing this post with it. It magically turns the nonsense you normally type into words and sentences

Tablets. I mean wtf is wrong with ultra thin laptops?! Nowadays People have overpriced tablets and they buy keyboards separately, which I find silly.

I'll go ahead and defend tablets. I use mine as - essentially - a portable TV that I can use in the bathroom, bedroom, and when I'm bored at work or at my parents. For any of these uses, a clamshell laptop (regardless of its size) would be ill-suited.

I'm typically about 10 years behind everyone else in regards to tech. I just got a smartphone this year, and only got a cellphone at all five years ago.

I agree. Tablets are great to use while holding them like when standing or leaving back in a chair. Plus I got a fuck ton of documents from school that I was not going to print nor lean over a desk and read for hours. Other then writing papers, I barely even need to type. Plus there's price, efficiency, and battery life. You can get a tablet with a 1080p screen, 10 to 12 hours of battery, and decent speed for $400 or less. That much will get you weaker Windows laptop with a 1366x766 screen and 4 to 6 hours battery. So which is a better bang for your buck?

 

[ThePurpleStuff]

Not sure if this counts, but, including it anyway. Sony, Microsoft, Nintendo and their stupid motion control. Well with Sony and Microsoft its not as important, but Nintendo still relies on it in their consoles. I fucking hate motion control, I hate it so much I refused to buy another nintendo product after Zelda: Skyward sword for almost 3 years now. But, despite all this I want their new stuff for my own now... So guess I can't hate it as much as I want to. I will always appreciate controllers and physical buttons over wiimote waggling and hand gestures. Motions that make me feel sore in my joints or make me stand up for long periods of time, its not comfortable or fun.

 

[V da Mighty Taco]

Anything with touchscreen-only controls, with smartphones being the biggest offenders. Touchscreens are less responsive, more prone to hitting the wrong "buttons", are far more fragile / prone to malfunction, and are inherently unfit for a variety of purposes (such as playing most genres of video games). They also dirty up screens much faster, though that one is far less significant. If touchscreen controls are merely optional then it's not such an issue, but when touchscreen controls are the only control method then it pisses me off to no end. Fuck touchscreens.

iPods in general, because I much prefer regular mp3's and their lack of a closed platform (fuck iTunes). I listen to a lot of Youtube musicians (especially from the MLP fandom), so being able to download a song that an (probably unknown) artist themselves posted a download link to and putting it on my mp3 is important to me. I also like using my mp3's as makeshift flash drives for my PC and PS3, something I'm unaware if iPods and the like are even capable of. Also, fuck touchscreens... again.

Flash and 3D animation in television shows, since a disproportionately high amount of them suck ass HAAARD! There are a few gems in these departments, I admit. However, literally ninety-nine percent or higher of 3D / Flash animated shows (I'm not hyperboling here - I seriously believe this) are effortless crap designed to mildly amuse 5-year-olds or dudebros as cheaply and lazily as possible.

Lastly, livestreams. Simply put, I like watching things on my own time and being able to pause or rewind at will. Most livestreams sites I've visited - bar Twitch, of course - don't seem to have a VoD system of any sort. As for Twitch's VoDs, the fact that they can be locked to subscribers only irritates me greatly, since I don't have 5 dollars to pay multiple streamers every month just so I can watch things on my own time. VoDs also tend to have less streaming issues than a stream running live, which makes things an even bigger pain in the ass when I'm wanting to watch streamers who do lock VoDs to subscribers only and don't regularly upload them elsewhere (looking at you, Krism and Minx).

Oh, and did I forget to mention that I hate touchscreens?

 

[Johnny Impact]

I liked old fashioned telephones, the ones that looked like typewriters. Heavy, solid, reliable....if it didn't work, you could still use it to hit someone.[img /]http://stevenyork.com/files/2313/7496/4297/411405-boris_the_blade.jpg[/img] These days phones are half-assed from cheap lightweight plastic, with "stylish, ergonomic" designs that really mean you can't hang the damn things up properly.

"Intuitive" controls. I have a Nexus 7. It comes without a manual. Supposedly it is so simple you could never require one. Either the device doesn't do everything it should or they owe me a manual. Oh, and they could fix the @#(%ing clock while they're at it, you can't actually set the clock to the correct time! I bet if the Nexus had REAL controls you could do that.........

On that note, touch screens. *So* much less accurate than a mouse or keyboard (for me anyway, maybe it's better with practice) plus your tablet ends up looking like a child finger-painted on it. I can't stand a dirty screen.

Another "intuitive" thing that bugs me is iconography. Icons, icons, icons! Pictures for EVERYTHING! I'll tell you what that's going to lead to: confusion and illiteracy. Some of it is easy enough -- a stick figure bending over a curved M shape is a water fountain, a cigarette in a Nope Scope means no smoking -- but I've run across any number of icons whose purpose I simply could not divine. This is especially true when complex concepts are represented. My camera uses a lot of icons. Well, does the tiny sun mean inadequate light, or too much light, or exposure is too short, or the color balance is off, or something else? Cameras are computers nowadays and you simply can't bundle all that functionality into a handful of objects. Don't do that, camera people!

I prefer physical books to Kindle. Books never run out of charge. Also there's a feeling of, I don't know, authenticity I guess in holding a real chunk of bound paper, turning actual pages instead of pressing a button.

 

[Suhi89]

Much like everyone else seemingly from above, I use a DE razor. Much closer shave, much cheaper blades. I shave with hair conditioner because I find it's what works best. The only downside is that you can't take it as carry on luggage when you fly.

I don't mind social networks but I hate that they're everywhere. Like this article on Facebook, share it on Twitter. You can access Facebook in your car when you're driving now.

In a similar vein to the above, the drive towards online multiplayer. When I play games, I want to do it alone, to escape from the world. I don't have the time to get good enough to beat people without jobs who can play for hours a day. At the moment there are still enough single player experiences but the trend is worryingly slipping toward being more and more online, probably as an anti piracy measure.

And, so that it seems that I hate the internet, streaming services. This is for music and for films/TV. It just seems built on the assumption that everyone has fantastic internet connection, and the quality will never match up to physical media or even downloaded media.

Bagless vacuum cleaners. From my experience, no better than bagged ones, often worse. Dysons in particular are hugely expensive for what they are.

I do have to stick up for the Kindle though. It's just so convenient. I love physical books but when I travel I can get through 3 or 4 so not having to pack any more than the Kindle is a life saver.

 

[Casual Shinji]

I hate

I hate

I HATE CGI and 3d animation.

I'd go one step further and say bring back hand painted cells.

As soon as what little traditional animation was left went digital, it lost a lot of its warmth and texture. Now we have anime that looks flat and sterile.

 

[mysecondlife]

Tablets. I mean wtf is wrong with ultra thin laptops?! Nowadays People have overpriced tablets and they buy keyboards separately, which I find silly.

I'll go ahead and defend tablets. I use mine as - essentially - a portable TV that I can use in the bathroom, bedroom, and when I'm bored at work or at my parents. For any of these uses, a clamshell laptop (regardless of its size) would be ill-suited.

I'm typically about 10 years behind everyone else in regards to tech. I just got a smartphone this year, and only got a cellphone at all five years ago.

I have to ask you.. laptop is ill-suited in bedroom, work and your parent's place because...? I use my ultra book for all those 3 things.

and I don't know about you but I find cellphone lot more convenient than tablets when you're in restroom/bathroom.

 

[Twinrehz]

Not sure if this counts, but, including it anyway. Sony, Microsoft, Nintendo and their stupid motion control. Well with Sony and Microsoft its not as important, but Nintendo still relies on it in their consoles. I fucking hate motion control, I hate it so much I refused to buy another nintendo product after Zelda: Skyward sword for almost 3 years now. But, despite all this I want their new stuff for my own now... So guess I can't hate it as much as I want to. I will always appreciate controllers and physical buttons over wiimote waggling and hand gestures. Motions that make me feel sore in my joints or make me stand up for long periods of time, its not comfortable or fun.

I jumped Wii entirely for that very reason. Years and years ago, I was an avid Nintendo Fanboy. I valiantly defended the N64 and the Gamecube, on forums and in school, even though they were inferior to PS1 and 2 in terms of games. And how does Nintendo reward my loyalty? Fucking motion controls. I could not wrap my head around how waving that thing around would be even remotely fun, as opposed to twiddling my thumbs on a gamepad. I never wanted a Wii.

I abandoned Nintendo, and even console gaming for several years, until I got an X360 as birthday present. Ever since then I've not held sides, I believe that all sides (except Nintendo) has its merits and good games, and that's the reason I now have both consoles that matters, plus a computer for stuff that's just plain better with a mouse and keyboard. (And also steam-sales).

A fun thing to note is that both my eldest brother and my sister has a Wii. My brother has mentioned that the Wii wasn't all that much fun, and my sister's Wii doesn't see much use. Her son prefers minecraft anyway.

Besides that, I'm with you against e-books. I can't explain it, but the feeling of holding a physical object with words written on it, and if need be, I can smack people with it. You can't smack people with a kindle or tablet, it'll probably break.

 

[Hoplon]

The use of "superior technology" by people that have no idea what that means.

New does not equal best. Superior Tech is the one that gets the job done the best. Petrol mowers/trimmers/chainsaws. Desktop PCs for gaming... the list goes on.

E readers are great for traveling with though i still maintain a physical library.

 

[Quazimofo]

Since my other preferences have already been covered (motion controls, tablets over smart phones, social media over a goddamn address book and phone calls, touch-screens because my fingers are too thick/the screens aren't smooth enough for dragging) I'll got with Roll20.

To clarify, Roll20 is a virtual tabletop with a variety of tools to allow people to play RPGs like D&D online. It's by no means a bad service, but quite frankly there's nothing like being in the same room with a good group and having a jolly good time.

 

[SFMB]

I don't like them smart phones with their apps and touch screens.

This. So. Much.

I think the smart phones are actually making us more stupid and introverted. Social interaction is dying with people staring at their phones all the time.
I rue the day I was forced to change my good old Nokia with buttons and such into a smart phone.

 

[GabeZhul]

"smart" phones. only as smart as the user. I hate those things. I need my phone to be one thing and one thing only: a PHONE!

My sentiment exactly. I hate it how some people look at me strange when I bring out my old Sony-Ericsson to make a call. It's like "Why are you using that old junk? You can't even watch movies or play 3D games on it!" Well gee, maybe I don't want to watch movies and play games on my phone. I want to talk to people. Why did phones being used for what they were designed for suddenly became weird...?

tablets, ipads, and even laptops. I like by big clunky desktop thank you very much. Well when it isn't being old and slow and making me ctrl-alt-del constantly.

I am less enthusiastic about this one. I don't even have a PC, I use my laptop for everything, from writing to gaming, and I also have a very cheap tablet so that I can read or browse the net when I'm out somewhere where the laptop would be cumbersome.

some have said social media: facebook twitter etc. I will take it one step further. That s**t can go swallow razorwire, pull it out its arse and floss itself to death as far as I'm concerned.

This, on the other hand, I 200% agree. I hate that social media is practically an institutionalized privacy-killer, allowing employers and even strangers to stalk and "gather dirt" on people without any consequences while 90% of the population is completely okay with that. It's just insane.

As for the e-books a lot of people are mentioning... Honestly, I actually prefer them over normal books. Maybe because I have no stereoscopic vision, or because I got really used to TFT screens, but for me reading on a screen with a back-light is actually more comfortable than reading an actual book, not to mention much less cumbersome.

 

[Evonisia]

The iPad, or anything similar to it. It's not as big as the laptop to comfortably manage and type. Do we remember the days of typing back in freaking 2006? It's not as small as a smart phone, so it does the same thing but is less portable and it can't handle what a laptop can handle. Useless. Just use a laptop, or wait a few months to get one instead of the iPad.