WTF Cell Phone Design

[Clodfobble]

Accessing my phone book takes two clicks, then of course the scrolling and selecting the number. But with the exception of doctors' offices, I can't remember the last time I actually needed to use it. I just dial the numbers, like some sort of philistine.

[Flint]

Originally Posted by Clodfobble

I just dial the numbers, like some sort of philistine.

does not compute :::head explodes:::

[xoxoxoBruce]

Nobody wants to hear from me, so no phone.

[Cloud]

Originally Posted by Flint

Then, "Mission Accomplished" as far as I'm concerned.

I don't know about you, but I bought my phone to use as a phone.

Except that the other day, when I was stranded in the Target parking lot with a flat tire in 100 degree heat, I was trying to use my phone to: call AAA; call the tire place; and I needed to add money to it. THAT was hard to figure out! ('cause I usually just do it over the 'Net).

The worst thing about cell phones (other than the annoying habit people have of talking in them) is that they're always out of juice or out of range or something in an emergency.

[Cloud]

I believe the technical term for this kind of design is kludge.

[SteveDallas]

Originally Posted by Clodfobble

I just dial the numbers, like some sort of philistine.

BLASPHEMER!! OUTCAST!!! UNCLEAN!!!!

[dar512]

Originally Posted by BigV

Blackberry (Curve) here too. Assign a key to the Speed Dial list. Press and hold that key, number dials. Boom, baby.

Vera nize.

[dar512]

Originally Posted by Flint

because the designers of the product were too thick-headed to allow the device to perform its own main function; i.e. place phone calls.

You're behind the times, my friend. The main function of a cell phone, for many (most) these days is for texting.

Have you read the manual? Some phones allow you to set shortcut keys and rearrange the menus to suit your uses.

[Flint]

Originally Posted by dar512

Have you read the manual? Some phones allow you to set shortcut keys and rearrange the menus to suit your uses.

It's a phone! If it can't function like a phone out-of-the-box then somebody has failed. Why do I have to do their job for them?

[HungLikeJesus]

Flint, the problem, apparently, is that they've given you too much power.

[dar512]

Originally Posted by Flint

It's a phone! If it can't function like a phone out-of-the-box then somebody has failed. Why do I have to do their job for them?

Um. Because it's got more than two buttons and you don't know how to use it yet?

Seriously, every cell phone I've had so far (1 Nokia and 2 Motorolas) was set up out of the box so that if you pushed the menu button at the main screen, your phone list came up. I can't imagine that yours doesn't have something like that. What model phone do you have?

[classicman]

no - not at all HLJ - they've made assumptions and frustrated a lot of consumers who, ridiculously enough, want to use their phone as a ..... phone!

[HungLikeJesus]

He has the new Goldberg phone, Rube model.

Didn't someone come up with a rotary dial cell phone?

[dar512]

Actually, I think that can be extended into a general rule. Anything with more than two buttons has underlying complexity and will require a manual.

Things that have more than two buttons that you think are intuitive are only easy for you because you have experience with some similar metaphor previously.

[kerosene]

Originally Posted by HungLikeJesus

Didn't someone come up with a rotary dial cell phone?

I SO need to get one of those.