​This week, while I was in Motown of all places, a woman told me a story about how expensive it was to replace (or was it repair?) her car key fob. You know what I mean, it’s one of those “keyless entry remote control car key fobs” that has buttons to lock your car doors, unlock them, and open your trunk. It also has a button that makes it super easy to accidentally set off your car alarm. (Gotta love that button which would be useful in an emergency. But more often, thankfully, it simply enables me to practice resolving a Tech Frustration while under pressure.)
 
Within minutes of returning home from my trip, my husband said, “Remember how we’d lost one of the key fobs to my car?  Look what I got on Amazon for $16.00!” Then he tossed me a new key fob that looked exactly like the original. See for yourself. Apparently there are a number of companies that will replace key fobs for way less than your local car dealer will charge you. My husband paid $10.00 for the new fob and $6.00 for shipping. He received it pretty fast (4 days), and after it arrived all he needed to do was some quick “programming” which required him to follow short written instructions while sitting in the driver’s seat of the car. It’s working like a charm. 
 
If you’re looking for a new fob for your car, simply search for “wireless key fob” at Amazon.com. Make sure that you have the fob part number which is listed on the back of your original fob and match it with the product description listed on Amazon.com. Want to see one? Here’s an example.
 
Key point: Sometimes it’s easier than you think to unlock a Tech Frustration ;)


Has technology ever frustrated you?  If so, tell us your story on the Tech Frustrations web site.

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Photo credit:  Next Day Blinds

​​When the Tech Frustrations web site was launched, I envisioned a “typical user”. Because I’d heard so many complaints about technology, from so many people, I thought I had my finger on the pulse of the types of frustrations that were out there and the types of people experiencing those frustrations. I figured that the less technical the person, the more they would appreciate the opportunity to express their frustrations ... via an easy-to-use web site. I expected them to start to feel hopeful as they watched their frustrations added to a well-organized and publicized list.

Surprisingly, the reality seems to be quite different. Instead, it seems that tech savvy people are most enthusiastic about the site. They tell me they like the idea of viewing a list of Tech Frustrations. They want to see the feedback. They want to make their products easier to use. They want to create products that people love. They want to hear from you!
 
When the site is introduced to strangers and friends, people almost always share at least one Tech Frustration with me on the spot.  Many seem to keep them right in their hip pockets. Some even have laundry lists of them that they carry around in their heads. Tech Frustrations says, “Bring ‘em on!” Use the super-fast and super-easy (~2 min) process to enter one or more of your frustrations.  Product designers are waiting to hear from you.
 
Most recently, a friend, via a private email message, shared a Tech Frustration with me and even mentioned, “… but I wasn’t wearing white pants.”  Everybody’s a comedian :)
 
Speaking of comedy, the funniest things I saw online this week were related to the upcoming presidential election; video clips from Triumph the Insult Comic Dog and Jimmy Kimmel which are posted to YouTube.  Regardless of your political persuasion, seek them out if you could use a good laugh.

Has technology ever frustrated you?  If so, tell us your story on the Tech Frustrations web site.

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The list of Tech Frustrations is growing in surprising, and sometimes unexpected, ways. Many of the frustrations submitted do not address specific product features. Instead they highlight issues associated with pretty foundational topics like power and the environment. 

And, interestingly, some people have avoided using what I hoped would be the easiest online submittal process ever.  Stories are coming in, but often via email, Facebook and in-person. One thing is very clear; almost everyone I know is experiencing Tech Frustrations. Some just seem more willing than others to formally express them. Is it possible that there is some sort of shame associated with admitting that you have a tech frustration? Maybe it's like asking for directions. (Funny side note: Did you know that when maps were first mass produced, some people expressed concern that their use would weaken the intellect of their users? This was described during a a recent episode of On Point.) 
 
A few people have told me that they think they are expected to submit a long story to describe their Tech Frustrations. Not true! We’re looking for very short descriptions of your frustrations – just a sentence or two (although we’re happy to accept longer stories if you want to provide them). Some people tell me about Tech Frustrations via Facebook or in-person, but don’t want to submit them via the web site. That’s interesting too. For those of you who have expressed minor "tech frustrations" with the Tech Frustrations submittal process, notice the recent updates that make an easy process even easier to use.
 
One good friend suggested a bigger link to the Tech Frustrations web site might encourage more people to submit frustrations via the super simple online form with only one required field.
 
Regardless of your feelings about expressing tech frustrations “out loud”, we continue to collect them and encourage you to submit yours right here.
 
The funniest story I heard all week involved the use of technology to try to find a lost purse at Walmart. If you haven’t already listened to Mike Rowe tell his mother's story, take a listen.  It’ll put you in a great mood as you start your weekend.


Has technology ever frustrated you?  If so, tell me your story on the Tech Frustrations web site.

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The recent Tech Frustrations blog post titled “Is it me (Kathy) or you (Chevrolet)?” generated some discussion.  Comments fell into two categories;

1) Providing, or pointing to, additional info about how to monitor tire pressure (e.g. " ... The process is in the user manual, starting on page 5-56 ...")

2) Commenting that the article was funny with some even admitting that they may have responded the same way I did when my car indicated the pressure was low in my Left Rear tire (e.g. "... you crack me up. This could have been written about me!")
 
Let me be clear.  The purpose of the blog post was to provide an example of a situation where technology was frustrating.  A number of you, thank you very much, let me know that you think the mistake was mine.  I agree that it would have been better if I’d taken a more holistic approach to the problem.  I should have used a manual tire pressure gauge, for example.  And of course I should have looked at the tire.  But remember, there were extenuating circumstances and distractions.  Especially the fact that I was wearing white pants.  People who design technology products need to recognize that users may not always bring their “best selves” to the usage scenario.  Cell phones, cars, and the Internet are often used in emergency situations.  Users may be distracted.
 
Interestingly, the “Auto” category is currently the most populated category on the Tech Frustrations web site.  This is probably no surprise to The New York Times who earlier in the year reported that Technology Problems Top a List of Car Complaints.  Speaking of cars and frustrations, I experienced another “funny” incident last week.  Our other, and much older, car ended up at the service center of a dealership in Denver.  It was an hour and four minutes from home (according to Google Maps).  While out enjoying a summer dinner at a downtown Fort Collins restaurant, my husband and I got word that the car was fixed and ready for pick-up.  Since we had a Courtesy Car (i.e. loaner car) from the dealership, this simply required a quick trip to Denver to swap cars.   As a night owl, I volunteered to make the drive as soon as dinner was over to enable my hard working husband to have a quiet evening at home before finishing up his work week.  We’d met up for dinner earlier that evening and left the Courtesy Car in an empty parking lot.  My husband arranged to have the dealership leave the keys to our fixed car under the floor mat in case I arrived after the dealership was closed.  By 7:45 pm on was on my way to Denver.  I made it to the dealership before they closed and, in their efficiency, they’d already put the keys under the mat.  And … have you guessed it? … locked the doors.  I had no key to the car.  They had no way to open the door.  We don’t have OnStar so that option was out.  My husband’s peaceful night at home ended up including a 28 minute drive to hand me the other key, and I ended up doing a little more driving than expected.  But all’s well that ends well.  The car is back in the garage and purring like a kitten. 
 
Well ... it was purring, until I decided to do my husband a big favor and give it a good clean.  So a few days later I backed it out of the garage and dug out the shop vac, rags, and multiple cleaning potions.  I set the radio to an interesting station and got to work.  For some reason the radio turned off after about 45 minutes.  In fact the whole car seemed to have “turned off” because when I went to move it, it wouldn’t turn on.  Apparently the battery wears down way faster than I realized.  Is this a tech frustration?  Could it have warned me?  Please … do not tell me anything about car batteries.  I get it.  I left it on too long.  I won’t do it again.  Lesson learned :) 
 
Changing the subject, I’ll be eager to hear if there are Tech Frustrations with the new iPhone 7 AirPods.  

My friend, Sarah, just dropped her youngest child, and only daughter, off at college for the first time. Maybe you remember that feeling; you want to encourage independence, you want to make sure that your daughter knows you're always available for her ... you'll always love her.

Sarah's daughter, "Elle", on the other hand, doesn't appear to be at all traumatized by the experience. In fact, Elle has made it very clear that she has no interest in talking with her mother via phone right now.  Communication between the two, at least for the time being, is strictly limited to texting.  That is permitted, and, thankfully, it works.  Most of the time.

Sarah, always striving to be a loving and supportive mother, and in keeping with the imposed communication constraint, shot off a quick text to her daughter letting her know how much she loved and missed her. Unfortunately, Sarah's Android "smart" phone, which Sarah now realizes doesn't have an IQ equivalent to her own, changed Sarah's intended message of "I love and miss you so much" to "I love and miss Tom so much".  You probably won't be surprised to read that Sarah didn't catch the error until after she hit the "Send" icon.  

The correction message was sent, of course, but Sarah fears that deep down in her daughter's heart, she'll always wonder if her mother actually loves and misses "Tom", whoever that may be, a little bit more than her.  Texting 101:  Lesson Learned.