Beeping hell. Tech companies and movies, please stop with all the *beeping* beeping
I have an induction hob in my kitchen. The second seemingly a single drop of water ends up on its controls, the thing emits an ear-piercing beep. This means when I’m cleaning the thing, it helpfully deafens me until the point it’s dry again. Presumably, the ‘feature’ is designed to help should its owner be furiously tapping out angry blog posts while the spaghetti boils over. In reality, it’s just another example of a notification convention that’s becoming ubiquitous – and that someone needs to take out back and shoot.
Beeps are bloody everywhere. You turn on a piece of electronics. BEEP! You turn it off. BEEP! You change a setting. BEEP! On the telly and in movies, it’s become shorthand for “I just did something on a computer” – from Tony Stark working with cutting edge technology to a detective somehow transferring files from a computer to a USB stick by holding it limply near to a display. BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!
In both cases, it’s lazy. On the telly, better direction or an actual range of sound effects could get across the fact someone has performed an action much more easily without resorting to shrill beeps every single time. As for in the home, companies need to start providing options to turn these hideous noises off. Because the more of these things that assault my ears, I just want to throw the designers into the *beeping* sea.
Last week, in the middle of the night, at around two in the morning, something in my flat just started beeping like crazy. It stopped before I could figure out what it was, so now it’s probably just a matter of time until it happens again. Thanks, random tech company.
My dishwasher beeps multiple times really loudly when it’s done, too. It’s not like people often start these at night before going to be, is it?
Also, don’t get me started on those damn blue LEDs. Air purifiers, for example. People often put them in bedrooms. Why in the world do they have bright blue always-on LEDs? Are you intentionally trying to prevent people from sleeping by illuminating their bedrooms like it’s a freaking rave party? Blue LEDs need to be outlawed.
Heh. LEDs are another on my gripes list for a similar piece at some point. Eye-searing LEDs on everything. We have an otherwise great fan that has a stupid light and beeps like crazy whenever you touch one of its buttons.