Most useless use of Technology

[FreeThinker]

Most useless use of Technology, what gets your vote? My #1 at the moment is this, The 'No touch soap dispenser' http://www.dettol.co.uk/no-touch-handwash-system/index.php. WTF! why would it matter if you picked up a few germs SECONDS before you wash your hands? Only a marketing man could think that one up.Weird 

[migsantiago]

I think it's actually handy. Most germs are spread via bathroom door knobs and water knobs. An infrared soap dispenser is really clean.

[logictom]

I've arguments for and against such a thing. Yes it is good you don't have to touch it and spread germs but there are two main problems: Like FreeThinker said why does it matter 2 seconds before you wash your hands and more importantly your hands are only as clean as the last person that used the bathroom. If they didn't wash their hands the germs are all over the door handle you use to leave.
IR taps I think are a good thing because all you are doing is putting the germs on the tap, washing your hands then putting them back on when you turn the tap off.

[FreeThinker]

I think it's actually handy. Most germs are spread via bathroom door knobs and water knobs. An infrared soap dispenser is really clean.

Don't Think about the marketing, think of the actual use.Any germs you pick up from door knobs,taps etc are NOT going to be stopped by this device, the ONLY germs you will avoid are the ones you get from touching the device (Hence the 'no touch') The Dead giveaway is in there own blurb that says 'Fact: Your soap pump can harbour hundreds of bacteria.' HUNDEREDS! it takes tens of MILLIONS of bacteria to cause even a mild tummy bug, the soap dispenser is a very hostile environment for bacteria AND any transfer of bacteria will be washed off by the soap you apply, so unless you are in the habit of licking your soap dispenser there is no real benefit, it's pure marketing bulls**t. It cynically plays on peoples insecurities and pretends to be ultra hygienic.On a normal soap dispenser the outer case tends to get a thin film of soap anyway which is why they only claim Hundreds of bacteria (to stay the right side of the ASA). 1 bacteria will divide every twenty mins (under ideal conditions) so is a binary progression just how long does it take to reach hundreds of bacteria when your hands are covered with tens of millions? or look at it another way how much difference would a few hundred make?You can't kill or even avoid all bacteria, infact you need bacteria to digest your food etc, all you can do reduce the risk but this device is just a joke!

[TheWelly888]

IR taps are a better idea in theory but in a recently refurbished ward at the hospital I work in, I saw such a tap spouting water everytime someone just walk past it!!! 

[squeezee]

The advantage is your soap dispenser will stay clean longer.

[FreeThinker]

The advantage is your soap dispenser will stay clean longer.

How many of these do you think they would sell if that was their selling point? and have you seen the price? Refills are very overpriced too.

[FreeThinker]

But to get this back on track (the soap pump is just my current rant) what other useless items have you come across?

[Balaur]

I so love those things!

I'm not at least concerned about germs. I've had the reverse of a sheltered childhood and I strongly believe that every child should eat some dirt at some point of his existence  

However, these things are so practical. Just put your hand and presto, here is your soap portion! No more fumbling around with the soap, soap suds everywhere, messing everything and so on. And I'm a frugal at heart!

The one I have right now it's ridiculously well made. You have soap level sensor, battery sensor, back-lighting, custom-made LCD, soap dispense amount settings, made and designed in Turkey. Everything! Maybe one day I will open it up and review it!

And btw, I'm using a home-made soap nuts mixture that's totally ecological and quite practical!

[logictom]

But to get this back on track (the soap pump is just my current rant) what other useless items have you come across?

No so much useless but a pain in the arse is my TV remote/menu. To switch from HDMI2 back to HDMI1 I either have to press Source 5x or go into the menu and select it. I can get into the menu and change it over pretty quick now but on newer versions of the TV and most others I have used the source button bring up a small menu where you cycle through the options. Why is mine such a pain?!

[Mechatrommer]

[FreeThinker]

  Nice one Shafri.....But Ive got to have one dho!

[kaptain_zero]

Beautiful Shafri.....  That device was known 30+ years ago in Norway, and it had its own name. It was called (and unfortunately, the translation to English leaves much to be desired) the "Start Stopper".  When you started it, it stopped! 

As for other devices.... I do miss the hotdog cooker. It was simply 2 rows of prongs where you would impale the hotdog on two opposing prongs and when you closed the lid, 110V would surge through the hotdog, heating it up. It worked, but.... I think after the novelty wore off, it was a bit too much like an Electric Chair for most people. Oh... and there wasn't much technology in there either....

Regards

Christian

[slburris]

If we're going to talk useless food technology, how about
the Twinkie fryer?

Of course maybe I shouldn't laugh:

http://www.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/11/08/twinkie.diet.professor/index.html

Scott

[EEVblog]

I'm a huge fan of the completely automated and "touchless" bathrooms.
No (or auto) door, proximity detect flush, proximity soap, tap and paper towel dispenses.
Everytime I find one of those I can't help but think someone as really thinking when they designed that.

Dave.

[Time]

Where I live in the states you commonly find flushless urinals in the mens bathroom.  Some places they are ok but in others where the building plumbing is old they are utterly disgusting.

[DavidDLC]

I'm a huge fan of the completely automated and "touchless" bathrooms.
No (or auto) door, proximity detect flush, proximity soap, tap and paper towel dispenses.
Everytime I find one of those I can't help but think someone as really thinking when they designed that.

Dave.

Even with that technology is very sad to say that there is still people at my office that go pis and don't wash their hands, I'm thinking to stop handshaking some time in the future.

[kaptain_zero]

I'm a huge fan of the completely automated and "touchless" bathrooms.
Dave.

Well, lets take that one step further....... 

http://www.totousa.com/Washlet/WashletS400.aspx

Regards

Christian

[johnboxall]

Japan has plenty of interesting bathroom technology. One of my favourites was this automatic hand basin. Soap at the top left, water at the top right, blower at the bottom:

[PeterG]

This may be a little off topic, but whats with the over-sized analog watches these days? Its not like there as useful as a digital watch. I say 'Bring back the good ol Digital Watch'. The Casio calculator watch is still the coolest watch ever made i think.... 

Regards

[PetrosA]

Umm, how about the iPad?

[sonicj]

This may be a little off topic, but whats with the over-sized analog watches these days? Its not like there as useful as a digital watch. I say 'Bring back the good ol Digital Watch'. The Casio calculator watch is still the coolest watch ever made i think.... 

Regards

i found a gshock dw-5200 at goodwill for $3 the other day. score!

[Bored@Work]

This may be a little off topic, but whats with the over-sized analog watches these days?

They went out of fashion.

Instead, I recommend a virtual shopping tour at http://www.tokyoflash.com/en/watches/1/

[PeterG]

What can i say, looking at those watches, there are some engineers with way too much time on there hands.
But they do look cool. But not my style.

Regards

[DJPhil]

i found a gshock dw-5200 at goodwill for $3 the other day. score!

Nice! I picked up a 5600J when I went to work for the railroad and fell in love with it.

My vote for most useless technology is the dvd rewinder.