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Re-activateEditor's note: In this second post of a three-part series, Consumer Reports Money Adviser Associate Finance Editor and Resident Curmudgeon Anthony Giorgianni presents his examples of frustrating changes in product design. Who's to blame for this silliness? Most likely, Giorgianni hypothesizes, it's a young, inexperienced engineer named Blake.
• Dark car interiors. More carmakers are letting you choose any interior color you like—as long as it's black or grey. I suppose this troglodytic approach to interior design is due to the Goth influence on Blake or maybe Blake's passion for those dirty or wet extreme sports. One thing's for sure, Blake never has sat on a dark car seat on a hot summer day.
• Plastic clamshell packaging. What ever happened to the good old cardboard box? Increasingly, opening packages requires a pair of really sharp scissors, adhesive bandages, a lot of time to kill, and anger management therapy. As we've reported, injuries resulting from attempts to open this type of packaging actually results in an estimated 6,000 emergency-room visits each year. I guess when you're as young as Blake, you have plenty of time to heal ... physically and emotionally.
• Goodbye viewfinder. An increasing number of digital cameras and camcorders no longer have a viewfinder, providing only an LCD. Our young engineer hasn't been around long enough to appreciate how much better a viewfinder is if you are taking pictures in strong sunlight, wear glasses, or want to examine the photos or videos you took in detail.What product "improvements" have left you wondering what happened to the good 'ole days?—Anthony Giorgianni
Blame it on Blake, part 1: Plastic car bumpers, end of speed dial, plastic condiment bottles
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