Thursday 1 January 2015

Happy New Year and technology.

A mild, damp start to 2015. Boringly we saw the New Year in sipping whiskey and cokes watching a brilliant film "The Help" on TV. Thoroughly recommended ( the film, not the whiskey ).
Have you noticed how new technology is often a step backwards rather than an advance? Over Christmas two examples revealed themselves, as follows:
1) Lifespan, blood sugar monitor Verio iQ? Having very successfully used the battery powered original unit for more years than I care to recall,those clever Sod's have "improved" it by adding a rechargeable battery pack. The "old"unit got me across the wilds of Africa, Australia and Malaysia without the need for an electric supply and bulky carry-case. They sent it to me unrequested so I have requested they arrange it's return.
2) Clas Ohlson digital alarm clock. Deemed ideal for our on-board needs it was purchased as a replacement for an old-fashioned tick-tock decrepid example, only to discover the set-up instructions failed to match reality. The internet revealed this is a universal fault and a help forum has already been implemented.
With set-up now complete we are still left with an annoying fault, whereby the "illuminated dial" ( one of the reasons we bought it ) has to be  manually switched on each time you need it, but unfortunately accompanied by a very loud "bleep",not  ideal in the middle of the night. We will need to sleep with a torch on our pillow.
Who the hell checks these things?
We can land a spacecraft softly on Mars but can't produce a bloody working alarm clock you can read at night or a blood sugar monitor that does not require a generator in tow.                                           

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