Little things
It’s the tiniest features that make a product shine in my eyes.
I recently discovered that a brand new Macbook Air can use the same charger as a six year old, first generation vanilla Macbook. This is something that you’ll never see in a feature list or promotional video, but it sure put a smile on my face the first time I discovered that.
A lot of my favorite things have become just that through little, hidden features. A Breville toaster oven doesn’t start its countdown timer until it is fully preheated. My Volvo disables the door locks when doors are opened, making it impossible to lock the car with your keys inside.
On the flip side, I’ve noticed that some minor flaws can lead to massive frustrations. A Nexus S android phone running GPS will drain power faster than a car charger can provide it. This feels like a minor enough issue, until you find yourself in the middle of nowhere in a car running on fumes, desperately alternating between charging your phone and trying to figure out where you are. Six months later, and I still haven’t gotten over my hatred of Samsung.
