it basically boils down to either buying a logitech craft or any decent audio interface and move on...
while such knob would be nice on a laptop I don't think it's downsides would justify adding one...
We need physical audio kill switches
111–120 of 443 posts
Re: We need physical audio kill switches
#112More important than speaker kill switches, we need physical/hardware microphone switches that disconnect the circuit. These are built into Amazon Echo devices, but it's unclear if Google Home or other Apple HomePod have this (a quick revealed they do not).
Google Home mini certainly has it, it's the only physical switch on the device.
Re: We need physical audio kill switches
#113Earlier quoted context omitted.
Potentiometers have that problem too when they get worn, which they always do if they also double as on/off switch like on most cheap radios.
They could use something like an AS5048A for 14-bit (effectively analog to humans) magnetic position sensing instead of a potentiometer or variable inductor. Considering they already need digital control circuitry to interface to a touch screen it shouldn't be significantly cost-prohibitive to use that to make knobs that are immune to oxidization.
Kinda costly? I wonder if a dead simple 10kΩ B-curve potentiometer would do, though they drift a lot
Re: We need physical audio kill switches
#114Earlier quoted context omitted.
Our old office had a $5k fancy coffee maker with touch screen. Nobody knew what the hell all the icons meant, and nobody cleaned the milk siphon so it went moldy and was thrown out after two weeks. I insisted that we keep the old Bunn that had an advanced UI with a red illuminated On-Off switch. Six months later, it was the only one coffee maker still in use.
> Nobody knew what the hell all the icons meant, and nobody cleaned the milk siphon so it went moldy and was thrown out after two weeks. What’s the takeaway here? A group of spoiled adults couldn’t be bothered to read an instruction manual or clean something?
I guess the takeaway is that everyday utility instruments should not require time invested in studying manuals to operate them. Imagine that every screwdriver you buy requires you to read 20 page document that tells you how to operate it. As a user all I want is "a cup of coffee". Why do I need to read that manual? What if I'm just a visitor, and was told that "the coffee machine is over there". Do I really want to read the manual to get a cup of coffee?
Re: We need physical audio kill switches
#115Author should just use a proper browser with ad-block and mute add-on. Regardless of audio levels or hardware switches, a website should never play audio on its own without permission.
Firefox does it out of the box (in fact blocking audio and video autoplay is the default setting).
I know, I use it =)
Re: We need physical audio kill switches
#116Earlier quoted context omitted.
Our old office had a $5k fancy coffee maker with touch screen. Nobody knew what the hell all the icons meant, and nobody cleaned the milk siphon so it went moldy and was thrown out after two weeks. I insisted that we keep the old Bunn that had an advanced UI with a red illuminated On-Off switch. Six months later, it was the only one coffee maker still in use.
> Nobody knew what the hell all the icons meant, and nobody cleaned the milk siphon so it went moldy and was thrown out after two weeks. What’s the takeaway here? A group of spoiled adults couldn’t be bothered to read an instruction manual or clean something?
This kind of argument always ticks me off, because it's technically correct, assuming your brain can care and focus on infinitely many things.
But I know that I can't: I can care very effectively about one thing really well (typically oscillating between my job and family). Then there's space left in my brain to be sort-of effective at caring for three or four other things (social life, hobbies, sports, learning, personal growth, etc..). There's a little space in the end for things which are good, but I can't afford to think about more than the minimum amount necessary (voting, taxes, coffee machines, subscription services, recycling, keeping my plants alive, car/motorcycle maintenance, ...).
So the point is, I really really value things which don't require me to care or RTFM, because that frees me up to care and focus more on my job, family and friends. Maybe that's being spoiled, but it feels more to me like a pragmatic approach to mental health and productivity.
Re: We need physical audio kill switches
#117Nothing will ever come close to convenience of analogue volume knobs. They give both immediate action and infinite granular control. Same goes for kitchen stoves. All the modern touch controls with step-based control is the absolute nightmare in terms of UI.
Every microwave I have ever owned have been under $30, purely because I didn't want to go digital. Analogue egg-timer knob - good enough accuracy, and instantly pliable
At least microwaves with digital controls actually have full numpads. Every digital-control oven I've ever had the misfortune of using only has increment/decrement buttons. Want to set the oven to 450F? Have fun pressing the increment button twenty times for five degree increments starting at 350F. It's an abomination.
Re: We need physical audio kill switches
#118Nothing will ever come close to convenience of analogue volume knobs. They give both immediate action and infinite granular control. Same goes for kitchen stoves. All the modern touch controls with step-based control is the absolute nightmare in terms of UI.
Every microwave I have ever owned have been under $30, purely because I didn't want to go digital. Analogue egg-timer knob - good enough accuracy, and instantly pliable
I have a €400 microwave and it’s great. It has one big rotary button that will set the time, press start and it goes. You don’t need any of the other buttons to simply microwave stuff. What those buttons do give me is an oven and steamer. It’s not my main oven but having an extra oven can be convenient and the steamer function is great. Zero effort perfect rice every time. Toss some veggies and spices on a tray, steam for a couple of minutes and you have an easy, healthy and tasty side dish.
Another great feature is that it doesn’t have a rotating platform, I have square plates so that’s also super convenient.
I get buying a simple microwave if that’s all you need it to do, but don’t dismiss the models with more bells and whistles, they have their place as well.
Re: We need physical audio kill switches
#119I let my spouse, who likes the novelty of a touchscreen, talk me into a Whirlpool oven a couple years ago that is controlled by touchscreen. I had no idea it was possible to hate an oven so much. The only saving grace is that the stovetop elements are still controlled by knobs.
My work coffee maker has a touch screen and the interface is so laggy it's insane. The manufacturer controls every aspect of the hardware and software so it makes no sense -- either make the hardware more powerful or make the software simpler!
Oh hell on earth, my work coffee machine takes no less than 6 consecutive choices including a scroll through options and questions, with lag at each step of the process to select what you want. To make black coffee. What drink do you want? What roast? What size? How much sugar? How much milk? Confirm your selection. All that for the option than more than 1/2 users are selecting.
Re: We need physical audio kill switches
#120> proclaim that people could just unplug their headphones
Actually I found plugging in headphones is the easiest and quickest way to mute mobile phones.