His final note is really good and reminds me of my initial reaction when the iphone came out. I dreaded using a touchscreen because at the time, pretty much all touchscreens were atrocious and...
His final note is really good and reminds me of my initial reaction when the iphone came out.
I dreaded using a touchscreen because at the time, pretty much all touchscreens were atrocious and required pressure and were very inaccurate.
And then i tried one, and thus came the smartphone revolution.
That said, the fundemental problem of touchscreens are still with us. There is no ability to figure out precisely where you are without looking. Fine with a smartphone. Less fine in a car.
That said, the fundemental problem of touchscreens are still with us. There is no ability to figure out precisely where you are without looking. Fine with a smartphone. Less fine in a car.
I’ve read about fluid filled screens that have the ability to raise up sections to provide a tactile experience. I have heard of them. But I haven’t seen one.
I’ve read about fluid filled screens that have the ability to raise up sections to provide a tactile experience.
How is that a fundamental problem of touchscreens? It's just a tradeoff. Or do you think not being able to drive screws is a fundamental problem of hammers?
How is that a fundamental problem of touchscreens? It's just a tradeoff.
Or do you think not being able to drive screws is a fundamental problem of hammers?
No, because screwdrivers and hammers are different tools. A touchscreen is a single tool: an input device. When I say "fundamental problem," I am referring to a tradeoff that I see as unlikely to...
No, because screwdrivers and hammers are different tools. A touchscreen is a single tool: an input device.
When I say "fundamental problem," I am referring to a tradeoff that I see as unlikely to be resolved without some massive and expensive engineering advancements. There are two important cases where I consider it a fundamental problem:
Touchscreens are being installed in places like cars and heavy machinery. These are places where tactile feedback and ability to adjust without looking are important. In these environments, knobs, switches, buttons and dials are vastly superior.
A touchscreen is all or nothing. Usability drops once the screen cracks, and if the display itself won't turn on, you've lost all ability to interact. I used to be able to answer my feature phone (which had a web browser and some apps) even with a completely nonfunctional screen.
I'm not defending the use of touchscreens in cars. I think it's as profoundly stupid as you do. But it's stupid because the tradeoff is being made incorrectly. Touchscreens are a fantastic...
I'm not defending the use of touchscreens in cars. I think it's as profoundly stupid as you do.
But it's stupid because the tradeoff is being made incorrectly.
Touchscreens are a fantastic technology and excel at what they do. We have superb touchscreen quality today, shit that science fiction wouldn't have dreamt of a few decades ago.
But they're a tool and indeed if you don't consider the tradeoffs they're not just going to be drop in perfect everywhere. Touchscreens being great touchscreens doesn't make them great pastry chefs.
I agree they're immensely useful. But many overlook the tradeoff in important situations because of that usefulness. And I think that's the root of my frustration.
I agree they're immensely useful. But many overlook the tradeoff in important situations because of that usefulness. And I think that's the root of my frustration.
Normally I think his videos are pretty good, but I've always found the newer style of can opener to be strictly worse than the traditional. They take significantly longer even in the best case,...
Normally I think his videos are pretty good, but I've always found the newer style of can opener to be strictly worse than the traditional. They take significantly longer even in the best case, and it's not all that uncommon that I have to go around the can twice to get the top to actually come off. I've never once cut myself on the edge of a can that I can recall, my can opener really doesn't get dirty, and for cans that need to be drained, the lid works much better to drain the can with the traditional style.
You’re missing the point—the video explicitly explains that everyone has a unique set of priority weights and not all products will satisfy everyone. The point it’s making is about disruption, and...
You’re missing the point—the video explicitly explains that everyone has a unique set of priority weights and not all products will satisfy everyone. The point it’s making is about disruption, and using safety can-openers as an example to illustrate that point. The video is not intended as arguing that everyone should go out and buy one of these styles of can-opener that cuts through the seal instead of the lid. The video is intended to make you think about how technological solutions can make even mundane things a little better, and problems that might be considered “solved” are not necessarily solved optimally (or there may be room for multiple solutions that appeal to different niches).
I hate niche kitchen products that do one job, but one that I love that I bought a long time ago is a can strainer that fits over cans and many glass jars too, and it’s way better than using the...
I hate niche kitchen products that do one job, but one that I love that I bought a long time ago is a can strainer that fits over cans and many glass jars too, and it’s way better than using the edge of a lid.
I much prefer the safety can opener, and have one too, though different than the one in the video, mine still requires a squeezing motion with two legs, and has little pinchers to grab and help remove the lid if it doesn’t come off easily after the first cut.
I have the exact can opener you describe. The only thing I've had trouble with is tuna cans, I have to keep a backup traditional for that. Otherwise is vastly superior and I'll just hand the...
I have the exact can opener you describe. The only thing I've had trouble with is tuna cans, I have to keep a backup traditional for that. Otherwise is vastly superior and I'll just hand the leftover cans to a 3 yr old to clean and play with. I would not do that with a can cut traditionally.
His final note is really good and reminds me of my initial reaction when the iphone came out.
I dreaded using a touchscreen because at the time, pretty much all touchscreens were atrocious and required pressure and were very inaccurate.
And then i tried one, and thus came the smartphone revolution.
That reaction stayed with me ever since.
That said, the fundemental problem of touchscreens are still with us. There is no ability to figure out precisely where you are without looking. Fine with a smartphone. Less fine in a car.
I’ve read about fluid filled screens that have the ability to raise up sections to provide a tactile experience.
I have heard of them. But I haven’t seen one.
How is that a fundamental problem of touchscreens? It's just a tradeoff.
Or do you think not being able to drive screws is a fundamental problem of hammers?
No, because screwdrivers and hammers are different tools. A touchscreen is a single tool: an input device.
When I say "fundamental problem," I am referring to a tradeoff that I see as unlikely to be resolved without some massive and expensive engineering advancements. There are two important cases where I consider it a fundamental problem:
I'm not defending the use of touchscreens in cars. I think it's as profoundly stupid as you do.
But it's stupid because the tradeoff is being made incorrectly.
Touchscreens are a fantastic technology and excel at what they do. We have superb touchscreen quality today, shit that science fiction wouldn't have dreamt of a few decades ago.
But they're a tool and indeed if you don't consider the tradeoffs they're not just going to be drop in perfect everywhere. Touchscreens being great touchscreens doesn't make them great pastry chefs.
I agree they're immensely useful. But many overlook the tradeoff in important situations because of that usefulness. And I think that's the root of my frustration.
Normally I think his videos are pretty good, but I've always found the newer style of can opener to be strictly worse than the traditional. They take significantly longer even in the best case, and it's not all that uncommon that I have to go around the can twice to get the top to actually come off. I've never once cut myself on the edge of a can that I can recall, my can opener really doesn't get dirty, and for cans that need to be drained, the lid works much better to drain the can with the traditional style.
You’re missing the point—the video explicitly explains that everyone has a unique set of priority weights and not all products will satisfy everyone. The point it’s making is about disruption, and using safety can-openers as an example to illustrate that point. The video is not intended as arguing that everyone should go out and buy one of these styles of can-opener that cuts through the seal instead of the lid. The video is intended to make you think about how technological solutions can make even mundane things a little better, and problems that might be considered “solved” are not necessarily solved optimally (or there may be room for multiple solutions that appeal to different niches).
I hate niche kitchen products that do one job, but one that I love that I bought a long time ago is a can strainer that fits over cans and many glass jars too, and it’s way better than using the edge of a lid.
I much prefer the safety can opener, and have one too, though different than the one in the video, mine still requires a squeezing motion with two legs, and has little pinchers to grab and help remove the lid if it doesn’t come off easily after the first cut.
I have the exact can opener you describe. The only thing I've had trouble with is tuna cans, I have to keep a backup traditional for that. Otherwise is vastly superior and I'll just hand the leftover cans to a 3 yr old to clean and play with. I would not do that with a can cut traditionally.
Also the use of draining a can. With the lid semi attached you can use it to strain off the liquid without losing the main contents of the can.