2016 Biggest Tech Flops - Comments Page 1

How can we omit the vile and loathsome tactics used by Microsoft to scare, force, and trick Windows 7/8 users into "upgrading" to Windows 10?

"Headed by Elizabeth Holmes, the kind of young, blonde female that Silicon Valley desperately needs to boost its CEO diversity cred..."

I'm trying to figure out what young and blonde have do with diversity. The only answer I have come up with is nothing. I know Silicon Valley would rather hire a male gorilla than a bright woman, but young and blonde isn't going to make that go away.

Happy New Year, Bob! What a great synopsis of the past year in Gadgetdom! I was laughing out loud for most of it. The exploding washing machines, while NOT a really humorous experience (especially if you're on the receiving end of the POW!)has its own special malevolent charm. I love gadgets so much that I installed a rotary-dial phone in my home. It's especially fun to watch a millenial contemplate its function and not know what to do with it. Good times! Thanks for the wonderful missive!

Jane: Young, blond women CEOs get a lot more attention that a more qualified average female CEO.
Sexist but true.

In line with what Dan said (today), from my parochial viewpoint, Windows 10 is beyond a flop. It is malevolent. Every day I look at the box holding the Foxconn motherboard the Windows 10 "upgrade" turned into a brick.

**EXPLODING**
People like that word to hype things. "burns up" or "tears itself apart, sometimes launching parts" just doesn't cut it in yellow journalism even though they are more descriptive.

Thank heavens I didn't buy into the "gadget" aspect of technology! I just wasn't interested. Yes, I have my Smartphone but it is a Samsung Galaxy Note 4. Why I got it that version is it was so much cheaper each month with AT&T's Next payment plan. I love my Note 4. It's the right size, fits my hand and works!

I knew about the Note 7 and all of the exploding batteries, but somehow I missed any news of the Top Loading Samsungs washing machines exploding!!! How they don't have batteries??? Is Samsung being sabotage? Just what is going on? Samsung has built its reputation and for years it has been a solid one.

As far as the Smartwatches - I never was interested. I am not into fitness, so why bother? For me, a simple digital watch is fine, as long as the face is large enough for me to see. LOL

I believe that technology should truly help you and mankind. While I won't ever buy a 3D Printer, I have already seen just what it does for mankind, right now. Medicine is using this printer for good and in helping mankind. When I read an article about a 3D printer duplicating a baby's heart so that the surgeons could figure out how to correct the defects and save the baby's life - That to me is what technology is really all about.

Rhetorical question - Why do so many major websites keep using Adobe Flash??? They have to know just how bad it is for their viewers and they have had plenty of time to replace Flash. Don't they care? Maybe that is the real issue, these websites could care less about the safety of their viewers.

I love my Apple Watch! I wouldn't be without it now. I have a collection of over 100 watches but the Apple is the only one I ever wear! :)

I lament the buyout of Pebble by Fitbit.
My Pebble Time is perfect for my needs. It's not too intrusive with notifications and I can tell the time, date, day of the week, temp, weather and also how much battery life I have, all neatly on one watchface.
I can also get turn by turn GPS navigation. My watch will vibrate on every upcoming turn and give me other great visual cues without having to ever take my hands off the wheel.
i also love that I can turn my ringer off and still get notifications of calls and texts without having to pull out my phone unless I need to. This is especially helpful in restaurants or theaters.
The battery life is around 4 days with normal use and it's the only smartwatch you can read in the sunlight.
It was and still is ahead of it's time.

Windows 10 Anniversary Upgrade, that cost me so much money to get my network re-connected and have my computers link to my new printer. I do regret opting for 10. Unsrable & tech help cannot help, so they made things worse. How Microsoft survives as a market leader is a mystery to me.

I think we can also include Marissa Ann Mayer and her mishandling of Yahoo as a tech failure in 2016.

@BobD Just curious how Windows 10 bricked your motherboard? Unless you did a bad BIOS update I would be surprised if Win 10 was to blame.

Updating from win 8 to win 10, internet WiFi disconnects randomly, installed Ethernet cable, still same problem. When this happens the computer requires a hard shut down (holding start button down until it expires). Installed Driver Booster as computer claimed drivers up to date, updated Ethernet drivers. Now internet stays on Ethernet as long as computer is being used, if left idle it switches to WiFi internet and a hard shut is then required when turning it off.
Google does not come up with any reliable fixes.
The computer is slow on downloads and as about as reliable as the reticulated power in South Australia. SA government paid for a coal powered power station to be closed at Port Augusta, the the mother of all storms took down 2 of 3 power interconnecter power tower lines leaving the state with out power in the north and west for nearly a week. We have an aging rotten water pipe system with burst mains, house flooding on a weekly basis, a $2billion Royal Adelaide Hospital that is full of building and design faults which is 12 to 18 months behind in opening. We also have a fly ash dust problem at Port Augusta as no one is controlling the waste that has been spread on the ground now the power station is shut.
All I can say is thank Christ Microsoft is not based in South Australia, we as residents don't want any more stuff ups.

Re IoT security, one startup (M2M Spectrum) uses licensed 800 MHz for data transmission to ensure security at low cost.

The "exploding" Samsung washing machines don't literally "explode"; heavy loads such as blankets and comforters at the very high RPM spin cycles can pop the tops off, scattering clothes and water all over. We have one of these, but never had a major problem. The washing tub is quite large, and a couple of blankets will _fit_ - but will overload the washer when soaked with water. The fix is better closures to keep the top from popping off at high speeds.

Watches; The watch BAND on my 6-year old Casio watch broke. Amazon will sell me a replacement watch BAND for $10, or a replacement WATCH for $12.

Then there`s the massive IBM stuff-ups with the Queensland Health system and the looming Centrelink (Department of Human Services) who are billing Millions(?) of their customers for debts that the customers don`t owe. We might be world champs in the stuff-up competition.

I have to disagree with all of those above who have had problems with WIN 10. I upgraded early in the game and solved 90% of my computer problems and increased the stability and speed of my computer significantly. I am NOT a techie and maybe that was why it was so successful. I had one bug that I was able successfully to find a workaround. The occasional problem that has developed has been solved by WIN 10 itself--I just let it do it's thing. No, I would not go back to Win 8. While there may be flaws in WIN 10 that I haven't yet discovered,I will address those if, and when they happen. And, no, again, I do not work for Microsoft!

whatever happened too google glasses that could access the internet. or something like?

The IoT - and to some extent 'smart watches' - seem to me attempts by industry to find a 'practical' use for the capabilites of the technology - most of which are abject failures, except for those few people who seem to embrace every new innovation as manna from heaven. Me? I use a pen and paper diary for my odds and ends of appointments; it's far easier than navigating my smart phone. We use am old envelope for writing a shopping list - and we shop, because neither my wife nor I trust some anonymous employee to choose suitable fresh produce.
Innovation for its own sake, just because it can be done, is a waste of time and technology - as many manufacturers are beginning to find out.