- Joined
- Jun 4, 2012
- Reaction score
- 633
This may be an odd topic, because I never see it discussed. But basically I have a big gripe over electronic devices making odd noises--alarm-type noises at you--and you have to figure out from the noise what the machine is trying to tell you.
The other day I was at a meeting that ran quite long, but one of the decisions at the meeting affected Jerry, whom I tried to call. It was 11 pm by the time I called him--later than I would usually call anyone. I got Jerry's voicemail, but after about a minute, I seemed to be cut off. Then I got a "missed call" message. I called Jerry back and was talking with him for about 90 seconds, and we got cut off again. In other words, totally screwed up.
I go to bed and the next morning, a bit after 8 am, I hear this "beep-beep-beep-beep" noise in rapid succession. Not only don't I know what the beeps mean but I don't know what device the beeps are coming from. And the beeps recur every five minutes. So forget about going back to sleep.
I finally figure out that the beeps are coming from my cell phone, which I had left "on" by mistake. Jerry called me at 8 am on his landline from work, and left a message. (I must have slept through the phone ringing.) The four beeps were the cell phone trying to tell me that I had gotten a voicemail message, and it was awaiting pick-up. Now, once you had somehow figured out what it was about, you could go back and read about it in the manual. But just the sounds told you nothing.
Second example, I am talking with a long-winded fellow on the cellphone. I keep telling him, "I have to get off, now; I have to get off, now" but he does not listen. Blabbety blabbety blab. I cannot tell what is going on with the phone, because the screen blackens to conserve the battery. I could try "reviving" the screen, but most of the buttons I could push would just end the call. All of a sudden, I hear CLANG! CLANG!
What the hell is that? Again, I have no idea. After about a minute I hear CLANG! CLANG! all over again and the call is disconnected.
I finally figure out that CLANG! CLANG! means the cellphone battery is almost completely discharged, and you'd better shut it off or it will shut itself off.
Similar stuff happens on the computer, where the mystery is which program is producing the alarm noise, and what exactly is it trying to tell you.
Now, why can't every appliance that has alarms come with an audio CD listing all the alarm sounds the appliance might make, what they mean, and what you are supposed to do about them? Either that or have the instruction manual list a URL where you can download an .MP3 with the same sort of content.
The other day I was at a meeting that ran quite long, but one of the decisions at the meeting affected Jerry, whom I tried to call. It was 11 pm by the time I called him--later than I would usually call anyone. I got Jerry's voicemail, but after about a minute, I seemed to be cut off. Then I got a "missed call" message. I called Jerry back and was talking with him for about 90 seconds, and we got cut off again. In other words, totally screwed up.
I go to bed and the next morning, a bit after 8 am, I hear this "beep-beep-beep-beep" noise in rapid succession. Not only don't I know what the beeps mean but I don't know what device the beeps are coming from. And the beeps recur every five minutes. So forget about going back to sleep.
I finally figure out that the beeps are coming from my cell phone, which I had left "on" by mistake. Jerry called me at 8 am on his landline from work, and left a message. (I must have slept through the phone ringing.) The four beeps were the cell phone trying to tell me that I had gotten a voicemail message, and it was awaiting pick-up. Now, once you had somehow figured out what it was about, you could go back and read about it in the manual. But just the sounds told you nothing.
Second example, I am talking with a long-winded fellow on the cellphone. I keep telling him, "I have to get off, now; I have to get off, now" but he does not listen. Blabbety blabbety blab. I cannot tell what is going on with the phone, because the screen blackens to conserve the battery. I could try "reviving" the screen, but most of the buttons I could push would just end the call. All of a sudden, I hear CLANG! CLANG!
What the hell is that? Again, I have no idea. After about a minute I hear CLANG! CLANG! all over again and the call is disconnected.
I finally figure out that CLANG! CLANG! means the cellphone battery is almost completely discharged, and you'd better shut it off or it will shut itself off.
Similar stuff happens on the computer, where the mystery is which program is producing the alarm noise, and what exactly is it trying to tell you.
Now, why can't every appliance that has alarms come with an audio CD listing all the alarm sounds the appliance might make, what they mean, and what you are supposed to do about them? Either that or have the instruction manual list a URL where you can download an .MP3 with the same sort of content.
