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What's Some Tech That Was Better Than It Is Now? (lemmy.ml)

submitted 4 months ago by wuphysics87@lemmy.ml to c/asklemmy@lemmy.ml

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When you connect a new device to a 'smart' tv, you must pay homage to the manufacturer with a ritualistic dance. Plugging and unplugging the device. Turning them on and off in the correct sequence like entering a konami code.

Every time you want to switch devices, the tv must scan for them. And god forbid you lose power, or unplug something. You are granted the delight experience of doing it all over again.

I have fond memories of the days of just plugging something in, and pressing the input button. Instant gratification. It was a simpler time.

What is some other tech that used to be better?

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[–] Drusas@kbin.run 12 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago) (1 children)

Cars are one of the first thing I would use as an example of something that's gotten better. Heated seats, heated steering wheels, better safety ratings, better comfort, power windows, power steering, ABS, backup cameras, adaptive cruise control....

[–] Jarix@lemmy.world 3 points 4 months ago (1 children)

Uh cars now have subscription services for various features. You dont just get whats in the car when you buy it second hand, you still have to pay to use those features.

Repair costs are stupdily expensive in comparison, and require significant diagnostic tools to do simple things because everything in your car has a sensor in it.

And cars are now spying on you to your insurance company because you dont actually get to decide if they are allowed to use your data or not

Sure cars have a lot more features, but they used to just work

[–] Drusas@kbin.run 2 points 4 months ago (1 children)

Oh, I agree with your complaints. But that doesn't change that cars offer a much more comfortable and convenient experience today than they did in my youth.

[–] Jarix@lemmy.world 1 points 4 months ago (1 children)

Reread what i wrote and thought about it today.

What message im hoping to say is its all downhill from here. Autopilot and AI will be crammed into every piece of tech imaginable and car manufacturers tech has always been trash, I dont know what its going to look like at the bottom but weve gone over the cliff already and we wont know what its gonna look like in 15 years, but we will dream of what we have today.

Ill bet you 1 dollar im not wrong

[–] Drusas@kbin.run 2 points 4 months ago

I still think you're probably right.