This is something which has been bugging me for a long time. Back in the old days, if we wanted to adjust the contrast on the TV, we just reached for the knob marked "Contrast" and turned it up or down. Now it's press the menu button, scroll across to find the cryptic little symbol which corresponds to screen settings, then scroll down and find the contrast option, press select, and try to adjust it up or down with the on-screen menus covering the largest portion of the picture so that you can't actually see what you're adjusting! Is this supposed to be progress?
As if that isn't bad enough, the buttons on the things are tiny and not very positive in action, which coupled with the very slow response from some units via the remote control means that you can't always be sure if your request was actually received first time or not.
Telephones? Don't get me started on even just basic desk phones. They're not basic anymore, and many of them are just plain junk. My main work phone on my desk is a 25-year-old 2500 set and I'll hang on to that over anything being produced today. With all the longer numbers and carrier access codes being employed today the lack of redial and memories might seem a problem, but frankly if things reach the point that they start to become that much of a problem, I'd rather hang on to all my old phones and install a home PBX which I can program to do redial, speed-dial etc. and take care of the carrier routing to boot.
