# Useful features left off otherwise great appliances **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 1, 2011, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/useful-features-left-off-otherwise-great-appliances/566058 "2011-01-01T16:17:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![MsWhatsit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2011, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/useful-features-left-off-otherwise-great-appliances/566058/61 "2011-01-05T13:59:20Z")
> [@needscoffee](#): > > Beeping is more annoying when you’re trying to sleep than the steady white noise of a fan. Right. Also, the sound of the beeping will carry all the way upstairs to where everyone else in the house is sleeping. The sound of the fan will not. ---
**Author:** ![Silver\_Tyger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/fbc32d/32.png) [@Silver\_Tyger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silver_Tyger)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2011, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/useful-features-left-off-otherwise-great-appliances/566058/62 "2011-01-05T21:04:33Z")
My mom’s Garmin beeps every time you touch something. Okay, I realize that a touch screen doesn’t give you any tactile feedback (duh), but I know it’s doing something because I can see it! I wish there was a way to mute it. And gas pumps that beep every time you push a button. Gaaargh. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2011, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/useful-features-left-off-otherwise-great-appliances/566058/63 "2011-01-05T21:18:49Z")
> [@Silver Tyger Girl](#): > > My mom’s Garmin beeps every time you touch something. Okay, I realize that a touch screen doesn’t give you any tactile feedback (duh), but I know it’s doing something because I can see it! I wish there was a way to mute it. > > And gas pumps that beep every time you push a button. Gaaargh. Go into Tools, there’s a volume control in there somewhere. Of course, I think if you mute it, you mute all of it, voice directions included. If you’re the copilot, you can read the directions off to her instead. Yes, I’d like my Garmin to not beep, but to still tell me when to turn! ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2011, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/useful-features-left-off-otherwise-great-appliances/566058/64 "2011-01-05T22:21:25Z")
> [@WhyNot](#): > > Go into Tools, there’s a volume control in there somewhere. Of course, I think if you mute it, you mute all of it, voice directions included. If you’re the copilot, you can read the directions off to her instead. Yes, I’d like my Garmin to not beep, but to still tell me when to turn! I’d like Garmins not to say “Recalculating” every time they recalculate. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2011, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/useful-features-left-off-otherwise-great-appliances/566058/65 "2011-01-05T22:28:31Z")
> [@needscoffee](#): > > I’d like Garmins not to say “Recalculating” every time they recalculate. And do they have to sound so \*bitchy \*about it?! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2011, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/useful-features-left-off-otherwise-great-appliances/566058/66 "2011-01-05T22:40:54Z")
> [@WhyNot](#): > > And do they have to sound so \*bitchy \*about it?! 😃 And with every repeat it sounds more annoyed. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2011, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/useful-features-left-off-otherwise-great-appliances/566058/67 "2011-01-06T01:52:44Z")
My washer and dryer actually play a little electronic tune when they’re done - I think I can turn it off, but it isn’t annoying enough since they’re downstairs and I barely hear it. My microwave has a nice feature that nevertheless annoys me - it keeps beeping when the cooking is done but I haven’t taken the food out yet. I have actually forgotten part of our dinner in the microwave, so I appreciate the beeping continuing at intervals, but I’m usually doing something else that prevents me from getting the food out, and the beeping stresses me! ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2011, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/useful-features-left-off-otherwise-great-appliances/566058/68 "2011-01-06T02:14:28Z")
> [@Cat\_Whisperer](#): > > My washer and dryer actually play a little electronic tune when they’re done - I think I can turn it off, but it isn’t annoying enough since they’re downstairs and I barely hear it. > > My microwave has a nice feature that nevertheless annoys me - it keeps beeping when the cooking is done but I haven’t taken the food out yet. I have actually forgotten part of our dinner in the microwave, so I appreciate the beeping continuing at intervals, but I’m usually doing something else that prevents me from getting the food out, and the beeping stresses me! I sold a microwave to at a yard sale and bought a new one because a) it was too small, and b) this same incessant beeping. I could have lived with a) better than b). ---
**Author:** ![JFLuvly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ac91a4/32.png) [@JFLuvly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JFLuvly)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2011, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/useful-features-left-off-otherwise-great-appliances/566058/69 "2011-01-06T04:39:20Z")
> [@](#): > > I’d settle for a microwave that would stop beeping once you open the damn door. If the door is open, I obviously know the food is done, so **why insist on finishing the beep sequence**? When we got our first microwave in 1979, a Panasonic Genius 11 I think, I am pretty sure the manual said to not open the door until the beeping stopped. Something to do with unabsorbed microwaves I think. I’m not sure if this is applicable with todays microwaves. ---
**Author:** ![BaneSidhe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c5a1d2/32.png) [@BaneSidhe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BaneSidhe)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2011, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/useful-features-left-off-otherwise-great-appliances/566058/70 "2011-01-06T05:01:45Z")
> [@sparky\_1](#): > > I bought a dryer a few years ago like that and HATE it! > > My new place came with an _old_ dryer (1980s?) that has simple controls, makes no damn buzzes or beeps when done, and best of all, it does a great job drying! Our current dryer is like that. When we had to replace our first dryer, the first thing I told the sales clerk was “I don’t need it to play ‘Chopsticks’ or calculate the best way to get to the Moon. Simple, simple, simple.” We got a really nice heavy duty dryer like you see in laundrymats and it’s been working like a charm ever since. ---
**Author:** ![pullin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c57346/32.png) [@pullin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pullin)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2011, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/useful-features-left-off-otherwise-great-appliances/566058/71 "2011-01-06T18:24:59Z")
> [@medstar](#): > > I bought myself a Tom Tom GPS device for Christmas and it’s saved me a few times. But I noticed that I don’t really pay enough attention to driving when I’m looking at the viewscreen. What I’d really like is to have the entire windshield be the GPS device, with the viewscreen being sheer enough to see out of with no obstructions. Is something like that feasible? Fighter planes have this. It’s called a [HUD](http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/aircraft/images/f-16_hud_020410_09.jpg) (Heads Up Display). The symbols on this example are a little obscure compared to a car’s GPS map display, but it could be done. My dad’s new car has one, but it only displays the speedometer and a few caution lights, no navigation data. I would actually bet we’ll begin seeing more sophisticated versions of these in cars, in the coming years. It’s really better to keep the driver’s eyes focused ahead. The one’s in airplanes use some cunning tricks to actually make the focus distance of the symbols very distant. This way the pilot doesn’t have to continually refocus on his prey when he diverts his attention to the actual world outside. ---
**Author:** ![Tastes\_of\_Chocolate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tastes_of_chocolate/32/3232_2.png) [@Tastes\_of\_Chocolate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tastes_of_Chocolate)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2011, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/useful-features-left-off-otherwise-great-appliances/566058/72 "2011-01-06T21:02:40Z")
Why didn’t Apple give the Ipod Touch the ability to delete a song, or at least mark a song to be deleted later? We have a large collection of CDs and sometime when I’m stuffing my IPod full of songs, I’ll find one that I really don’t like, but there is no way to delete it, using only the IPod. I can’t do that until I plug it into my computer and start up iTunes. By then, I’ve forgot which song it was that I wanted gone. How hard would it be to give me a check box, so I can touch the screen to mark it, and have it deleted the next time I open up iTunes? ---
**Author:** ![sparky\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/77aa72/32.png) [@sparky\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sparky_1)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2011, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/useful-features-left-off-otherwise-great-appliances/566058/73 "2011-01-06T21:10:37Z")
> [@Tastes\_of\_Chocolate](#): > > Why didn’t Apple give the Ipod Touch the ability to delete a song, or at least mark a song to be deleted later? We have a large collection of CDs and sometime when I’m stuffing my IPod full of songs, I’ll find one that I really don’t like, but there is no way to delete it, using only the IPod. I can’t do that until I plug it into my computer and start up iTunes. By then, I’ve forgot which song it was that I wanted gone. How hard would it be to give me a check box, so I can touch the screen to mark it, and have it deleted the next time I open up iTunes? I agree. I wish Apple would ditch the mindset that everyone syncs their i-device with a computer on a daily basis. I _rarely_ do. I’m glad I can finally create and delete playlists from my iPhone. ---
**Author:** ![Motorgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e36b37/32.png) [@Motorgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Motorgirl)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2011, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/useful-features-left-off-otherwise-great-appliances/566058/74 "2011-01-06T21:22:47Z")
> [@MsWhatsit](#): > > I had never even thought of the possibility of a mute button for the microwave before, but now that I have, I want one desperately. Why is this not a feature?! Mine has the ability to set the “loudness” of the beeps. I need to go home right now and see if it lets me turn the beeps off! ::crosses fingers:: ---
**Author:** ![Balthisar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/balthisar/32/2825_2.png) [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2011, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/useful-features-left-off-otherwise-great-appliances/566058/75 "2011-01-06T22:08:58Z")
> [@Tastes\_of\_Chocolate](#): > > Why didn’t Apple give the Ipod Touch the ability to delete a song, or at least mark a song to be deleted later? We have a large collection of CDs and sometime when I’m stuffing my IPod full of songs, I’ll find one that I really don’t like, but there is no way to delete it, using only the IPod. I can’t do that until I plug it into my computer and start up iTunes. By then, I’ve forgot which song it was that I wanted gone. How hard would it be to give me a check box, so I can touch the screen to mark it, and have it deleted the next time I open up iTunes? Here’s my workaround: every song in the library (and new songs added to the library) automatically get assigned a three star rating. Then if there’s something that I want to delete later, I’ll change its rating to zero starts. An occasional visit to my dedicated smart playlist in iTunes (after syncing) makes it easy to get rid of the rubbish. ---
**Author:** ![sqweels](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f19dbf/32.png) [@sqweels](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sqweels)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2011, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/useful-features-left-off-otherwise-great-appliances/566058/76 "2011-01-06T22:31:21Z")
My gf has a Bose iPod dock and I couldn’t believe it doesn’t have an external input jack so you can use for computer speakers, etc. ---
**Author:** ![Yarster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/7c8e57/32.png) [@Yarster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yarster)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2011, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/useful-features-left-off-otherwise-great-appliances/566058/77 "2011-01-06T22:39:28Z")
I’ve bitched about many car features before but I want: 1. A car that has the option to vent the hot air inside with cooler ambient air so my car can’t be used as an oven in the summer. I’m told the Prius has something like this on some models, but why ONLY the Prius? Apparently, Toyota is just now thinking of this though people have been burning themselves in cars since the car was invented. 2. Along these same lines, how about a remote ‘dog’ feature where you hit the button and it locks the car but cracks the windows to let air in? Then I don’t have to sit there and dick with the window “Oh too much, now someone can reach in. Oh, not enough, and now Rover will roast” 3. I have a navigation system in my car that can tell me where I need to go, but if the car has a problem, I still get a ‘check engine’ light, which means what exactly? How about you just TELL me what the problem is right on the navigation screen? Or at least tell me what I can check that might be the problem if you’re not sure… 4. And from a simple design standpoint, can the driver and passenger leg areas be angled backwards just a degree or two? That way, I don’t risk something falling down there, rolling forward, and getting wedged under the pedals, because gravity will now always carry it backwards. Likewise, when I put something on the floor on the passenger’s side, it would be nice if it didn’t automatically roll out of reach to the front of the compartment. 5. If you know a part has to be changed semi-regularly, don’t design it to be under ten layers of shit in the engine. Got a skid plate on the bottom of the SUV? How about you put a little door that can be opened in it to get the oil filter on/off without having to remove the whole damn thing? I HATE that feature on my Infiniti. ---
**Author:** ![filmore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7993a0/32.png) [@filmore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/filmore)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2011, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/useful-features-left-off-otherwise-great-appliances/566058/78 "2011-01-06T22:42:37Z")
I wish my electric stove had a big off switch that would turn off power to the burners and oven. This switch should also be out of the range of children. It’s way too easy to leave a burner on or have little hands playing with the dials. ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2011, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/useful-features-left-off-otherwise-great-appliances/566058/79 "2011-01-07T18:21:11Z")
> [@OttoDaFe](#): > > My bronze-age dishwasher went to join the Choir Invisible about six months ago. After I replaced it I found that the dishes are significantly cleaner, not to mention the fact that one can now hold a conversation in a normal voice when the thing is running. > > HOWEVER, I still have no [expletive deleted] idea how long the thing is going to run. Digital controls are nice, granted; but would it have broken the bank to provide a digital display (or even a row of LEDs) to indicate where the contraption is in the cycle and/or time remaining? I hear ya! The dishwasher we installed at our last house sorta had that feature. It wasn’t terribly accurate - I think it set the count-down at the beginning of each stage and didn’t update it - but it was better than _nothing_. Very similar dishwasher we installed here? Nothing of the sort. Nor does the blasted thing have a way of remembering any default “dry” settings. We don’t use the dry cycle. So now every single time we use it, we have to press the “heated dry” button to turn it off. Ugh. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/useful-features-left-off-otherwise-great-appliances/566058.md?page=3)