Samsung Galaxy Note 5 Design Flaw

[tbayrgs]

I don't own a Note 5 and have no plans to get one, but I don't see this as a problem I would have.

I put this in the non-issue category.

It's about as much of a design flaw as every shirt on the planet, which can be put on inside-out if you aren't paying attention and then getting permanent deodorant streaks as a result.

Can you design a T shirt that is physically impossible to put on inside out? No (well, maybe--then you'll be onto something ). But you can with the S-Pen--Samsung did it with the previous generation of the Note and thus, we never heard of this problem. They choose to not integrate that restriction into their current S-Pen and now they have to deal with this admittedly stupid issue. Could've avoided the whole thing with a better design.

 

[epicrayban]

One could just as easily avoid this situation by re-inserting the pen the correct way.

 

[blairh]

But that's precisely user error.

It's even in your own words: "...inserting the pen the wrong way."

My point is that it would be a very easy thing to do in certain situations.

 

[The-Real-Deal82]

One could just as easily avoid this situation by re-inserting the pen the correct way.

If it's already stuck, how do you remove it without damaging the phone and 're-insert' it the correct way?

 

[gotluck]

One could just as easily avoid this situation by re-inserting the pen the correct way.

from what i understand it permanently breaks an internal component

 

[Surf Donkey]

These are the same argument paths of the Apple loyalists who defended Jobs "You are holding it the wrong way." ********, I have been holding my phone the same way for 5 generations and didn't have any problems. Don't tell me there is a different way I am supposed to hold my phone now, to you know, make a call. You screwed up.

 

[epicrayban]

These are the same argument paths of the Apple loyalists who defended Jobs "You are holding it the wrong way." ********, I have been holding my phone the same way for 5 generations and didn't have any problems. Don't tell me there is a different way I am supposed to hold my phone now, to you know, make a call. You screwed up.

Detaching and then re-attaching a piece of the device is different than telling people they're holding the phone a wrong way. How many ways can one hold a phone? Many. How many ways can a stylus be re-inserted into its slot? One way -- the correct way -- is enough. Apple can't expect everyone to hold their phones the exact same way. But you can expect people to be able to re-insert a piece of the technology that was detached back in the same way it came out. That's not unreasonable to ask for. Any insertion of it the improper way is user error. You can imagine any crazy scenario that may lead or influence said user's error, sure, but that's still user error.

Again, if one doesn't know how to re-insert something the way it came out or is too careless about it, one isn't ready for the responsibilities of a stylus.

Who puts it in blunt side first? It's idiotic.

 

[The Game 161]

Nobody is saying it's not user error, but it's also a design oversight by Samsung by not closing this sort of thing off. They designed solutions that stopped you doing this on the previous 4 Note editions, so why not this one?

Designers have to consider many aspects when designing a product. Stupid people, careless people as well as health and safety are always in the criteria. Not everybody is as perfect as you and in love with a brand that they can prevent themselves having that one brain fade moment.

I'm going to do something almost unheard of among you brand loyalists and make a critical observation. My iPhone 6 is far too slippery out of the case and if dropped will smash costing me a lot of money. The glass curves right to the very edge meaning there is very little metal to absorb an impact point. I think that is a design oversight on Apples part because it provides such a harsh punishment for such a simple mistake. I shouldn't drop the phone but then again I am not perfect. I wish designers in the mobile industry gave more thought for accidental damage caused by minor knocks. I also know the repair industry is a business in itself so perhaps it's something Apple and Samsung have thought of and decided to exploit?

Agreed

I mean the drop test between iPhone 6 and note 5 and note edge was so bad for the iPhone. It smashed so much easily so in that area is where apple needs to improve.

If drop my iPhone 6S plus without a case I'm screwed

 

[HappyJB]

I think Samsung should manufacture Stupid-free stylus for Note5, so that anyone concerned could purchase one. It is not a design flaw.

 

[The-Real-Deal82]

Detaching and then re-attaching a piece of the device is different than telling people they're holding the phone a wrong way. How many ways can one hold a phone? Many. How many ways can a stylus be re-inserted into its slot? One way -- the correct way -- is enough. Apple can't expect everyone to hold their phones the exact same way. But you can expect people to be able to re-insert a piece of the technology that was detached back in the same way it came out. That's not unreasonable to ask for. Any insertion of it the improper way is user error. You can imagine any crazy scenario that may lead or influence the user's error, but it isn't on Samsung.

You're perfect mate, I wish I and all the people who buy the things I design were as understanding as you. I could get away with doing the least possible and expect everybody to not be careless, or have silly moments.

Anyway I think a good point has been raised here and it's good most people agree. Night, night everybody. Ta ra.

PS: At least one thing has emerged from the logic here and that is 'Bendgate' was never a design flaw (I think it was) but it can now be excused because it was done through carelessness and this is not a manufacturers fault after all.

 

[epicrayban]

You're perfect mate, I wish I and all the people who buy the things I design were as understanding as you. I could get away with doing the least possible and expect everybody to not be careless, or have silly moments.

Anyway I think a good point has been raised here and it's good most people agree. Night, night everybody. Ta ra.

Straw man. I'm not claiming to be perfect nor am I saying people need to be perfect. If people are imperfect about re-inserting a stylus, it is user error. I'm not perfect. If I put in in the wrong way, I'd kick myself for putting it in wrong. It's unfortunate the consequences are so dire, but I am the one that put it in the wrong way.

I don't know how or why this is so difficult to understand.

Stylus was designed to go in one way; the correct way. Any other way is wrong.

 

[The-Real-Deal82]

Straw man. I'm not claiming to be perfect nor am I saying people need to be perfect. If people are imperfect about re-inserting a stylus, it is user error. I'm not perfect. If I put in in the wrong way, I'd kick myself for putting it in wrong. It's unfortunate the consequences are so dire, but I am the one that put it in the wrong way.

I don't know how or why this is so difficult to understand.

Stylus was designed to go in one way; the correct way. Any other way is wrong.

So why did Samsung design around this on previous editions? Was it an accident, perhaps it was, dressed up as good design?

Why did Apple make the chassis so slim around the volume buttons on the iPhone 6 plus? It bent under what some people said was normal use only for Apple to thicken it up in leaked images of the 6S Plus. Surely it wasn't actually a poor design by your logic, so why was it improved?

Forget about Samsung for once and give an honest opinion on a design rather than the brand blinding you.

My last today, catch up tomorrow.

 

[epicrayban]

So why did Samsung design around this on previous editions? Was it an accident, perhaps it was, dressed up as good design?

Why did Apple make the chassis so slim around the volume buttons on the iPhone 6 plus? It bent under what some people said was normal use only for Apple to thicken it up in leaked images of the 6S Plus. Surely it wasn't actually a poor design by your logic, so why was it improved?

Forget about Samsung for once and give an honest opinion on a design rather than the brand blinding you.

My last today, catch up tomorrow.

The iPhone is a strength/integrity issue. If it was designed too thin and too weak, that's a design flaw. Besides, wasn't this issue overblown? It only affected a tiny percentage of people? If that's true, I don't know if one can really call it a design-flaw versus a few bad batches of defective units. But if it is universal, as you are positioning it here in your example, then it's a design flaw because it can't withstand normal usage. Again, how many ways can one carry the iPhone? In bags, different pockets, different size pockets, people can sit differently, etc. You can't instruct people to sit only one way or to hold a phone only one way and expect that to fly.

Samsung designed the stylus to be inserted one way, one way only. This is not a flaw. Saying there's only one correct way to re-attach a piece of the main technology is not a design flaw. Follow instructions.

 

[Surf Donkey]

Samsung designed the stylus to be inserted one way, one way only. This is not a flaw. Saying there's only one correct way to re-attach a piece of the main technology is not a design flaw. Follow instructions.

Ted should just read the manual right? I really can't believe you are arguing this is not poor design.

 

[Robsan3]

It's a big mistake by Samsung which they would of know about after the design and manufacturing process hence the disclaimer, and this will be their stance, did you read the instructions. Their warranty is hard anyway without this.
Everytime someone picks up your phone you will have to say and show them how to put the pen in.
Lots of accidents will happen. Maybe they should of included a small pair of plyers.
Also will be a problem buying second hand.

 

[pdqgp]

This isn't a design "flaw"

If it is then I'm going to sue Audi for putting summer only tires on my AWD car the day I take it out in the first snowfall and wreck it. How dare M&P allow me to load both .223 and .556 rounds into my gun. Am I really expected to know which one my gun is configured to fire? How dare they! RTFM is pretty appropriate.

I've never once even attempted to put my stylus in backwards. No different than I've never stuck a pen or pencil in my pocket upside down.

This is right up there with having to tell people that sun tan lotion isn't to be ingested. Up next, don't touch the end of a stun gun or use a hairdryer in a bathtub or put metal in a microwave or buttered bread in a toaster.

Dumb people do dumb things.

 

[lazard]

You didn't watch the video that's being discussed then? It is indeed about inserting the blunt end first but the point is the stylus doesn't have to go in far to become stuck and cause damage. The user can be holding the middle of the stylus like a pen and push it in a small distance before a problem arises. If it was designed not to allow the blunt end in first, it would stop partially sighted people, users in the dark, children and those in a rush making an error of judgement. It's not necessarily a stupid thing to do, but an honest mistake.

As you can tell by the picture, the stylus has to be inserted almost all the way before it gets stuck...not a small distance like you claim.

 

[epicrayban]

Ted should just read the manual right? I really can't believe you are arguing this is not poor design.

I don't see how that picture is related. What manual? There's a manual that says don't press the "wings off" button when you fly? Please tell me more.

Getting back to reality, I don't see how you can say it's not user-error. Again, if what you're saying constitutes a design-flaw, where do we stop? Anything could be a design flaw if it doesn't cater to ignorance, mis-use, or carelessness on the user's part.

If you have to replace batteries in your TV remote and you insert the batteries in the wrong way and they get stuck or the TV remote doesn't work because of this, how is this the TV maker's fault? If you're driving a manual car and put the car into the wrong gear and your gear box brakes or your car stalls or is otherwise inoperable, how is this the car maker's fault? If you're replacing an ink cartridge in a printer and put the ink cartridge in wrong way and the printer no longer works or the ink cartridge gets stuck, how is this HP's fault? If I'm putting on a waterproof case for my Go Pro camera of which there's only one correct way to put it on, and I do it incorrectly and I go into the water and ruin my camera, how is this Go Pro's fault?

Do you see a pattern? A pattern of needing to follow instructions?

Designing something that detaches and reattaches in one way is not exclusive to the Note 5. Many things are designed in such a way and many things require people to follow the instructions to use properly.

I don't understand how this is that difficult to grasp.

 

[epicrayban]

This isn't a design "flaw"

If it is then I'm going to sue Audi for putting summer only tires on my AWD car the day I take it out in the first snowfall and wreck it. How dare M&P allow me to load both .223 and .556 rounds into my gun. Am I really expected to know which one my gun is configured to fire? How dare they! RTFM is pretty appropriate.

I've never once even attempted to put my stylus in backwards. No different than I've never stuck a pen or pencil in my pocket upside down.

This is right up there with having to tell people that sun tan lotion isn't to be ingested. Up next, don't touch the end of a stun gun or use a hairdryer in a bathtub.

Dumb people do dumb things.

The bolded part really gets me. I didn't realize initially that this was about putting in the stylus blunt-side first. That's an idiotic thing to do. And people are here trying to come up with various scenarios, "Oh what if you're in the dark?" or "What if you're in a rush" or otherwise confused in some way.

That all describes user error! It's even the very words they use. "If X happens, and someone puts in the wrong way..." <-- Right there; user error!

Amazing people are blaming Samsung for this. So amazing that I suspect a bias witch hunt.

I said this before, if this is the one negative "gate" of the Note 5, I'll take it!

 

[Surf Donkey]

I don't see how that picture is related. What manual? There's a manual that says don't press the "wings off" button when you fly? Please tell me more.

Getting back to reality, I don't see how you can say it's not user-error. Again, if what you're saying constitutes a design-flaw, where do we stop? Anything could be a design flaw if it doesn't cater to ignorance, mis-use, or carelessness on the user's part.

If you have to replace batteries in your TV remote and you insert the batteries in the wrong way and they get stuck or the TV remote doesn't work because of this, how is this the TV maker's fault? If you're driving a manual car and put the car into the wrong gear and your gear box brakes or your car stalls or is otherwise inoperable, how is this the car maker's fault? If you're replacing an ink cartridge in a printer and put the ink cartridge in wrong way and the printer no longer works or the ink cartridge gets stuck, how is this HP's fault? If I'm putting on a waterproof case for my Go Pro camera of which there's only one correct way to put it on, and I do it incorrectly and I go into the water and ruin my camera, how is this Go Pro's fault?

Do you see a pattern? A pattern of needing to follow instructions?

Designing something that detaches and reattaches in one way is not exclusive to the Note 5. Many things are designed in such a way and many things require people to follow the instructions to use properly.

I don't understand how this is that difficult to grasp.

I don't understand what you don't grasp about poor design. The comic illustrates bad design choices. Putting a stop lever in a hole where the stylus can easily slip in that breaks the phone is a bad design choice.

This keyboard is bad design. Is it your fault if you hit the power? yes, but it is poor design to put it there. So stop going down the blame path. I am not saying the user is not at fault for doing something dumb. But Samsung is creating a top tier phone here with a horrible design decision. One that if you screw up one time, breaks your phone. That is stupid. Why is that so difficult to grasp?

 

[epicrayban]

As you can tell by the picture, the stylus has to be inserted almost all the way before it gets stuck...not a small distance like you claim.

Exactly. People are really reaching here and it suggests incredible bias.

The thing pulls out blunt-side first. You're the one that has to do it! How are you unaware or so clueless that it's supposed to go in the same way it came out? For goodness sake, you're the one pressing the click to get it out.

User error.

 

[tbayrgs]

OK semantics. If it's not a flaw, it's an irresponsible design or simply a poor design. When Samsung could have quite easily designed a S-Pen that doesn't allow this problem and choose not to, they get to deal with the consequences. Call people stupid if you like but it's still happening, Samsung can't call their customers dumb (even if they are) and now gets to do some damage control.

 

[epicrayban]

I don't understand what you don't grasp about poor design. The comic illustrates bad design choices. Putting a stop lever in a hole where the stylus can easily slip in that breaks the phone is a bad design choice.

This keyboard is bad design. Is it your fault if you hit the power? yes, but it is poor design to put it there. So stop going down the blame path. I am not saying the user is not at fault for doing something dumb. But Samsung is creating a top tier phone here with a horrible design decision. One that if you screw up one time, breaks your phone. That is stupid. Why is that so difficult to grasp?

Yeah, that's poorly designed. The power button shouldn't be so near so many other buttons. Buttons you clearly will need to hit many times in many different combinations. That is poor design; ain't nobody going to argue against that.

However, how many ways can the stylus go in? It's either one way, or the other; the correct way, or the wrong way. Designing something to go in one way and one way only is not a design flaw. Again, no response to any of the examples I posted above? Inserting batteries, or attaching waterproof casings, or installing new ink cartridges. All these examples have one thing in common: they have to be done in a certain way; the correct way. Same with the Note 5 and the stylus. Would you call ALL those things design flaws?

There's not much I can say here for you. I'll leave it at that.

 

[pdqgp]

This keyboard is bad design. Is it your fault if you hit the power? yes, but it is poor design to put it there. So stop going down the blame path. I am not saying the user is not at fault for doing something dumb. But Samsung is creating a top tier phone here with a horrible design decision. One that if you screw up one time, breaks your phone. That is stupid. Why is that so difficult to grasp?

and I can put straight gas into a 2 cycle engine of a leaf blower, snow thrower or just about any piece of yard equipment causing it to seize up in a matter of minutes. is that a design flaw too or perhaps just plain dumb user error? Why is that so difficult to grasp?

 

[epicrayban]

OK semantics. If it's not a flaw, it's an irresponsible design or simply a poor design. When Samsung could have quite easily designed a S-Pen that doesn't allow this problem and choose not to, they get to deal with the consequences. Call people stupid if you like but it's still happening, Samsung can't call their customers dumb (even if they are) and now gets to do some damage control.

Sensible response from a sensible poster. It is not a design flaw. End of discussion.

Samsung indeed has to take care of this both customer service wise and PR wise. They are responsible for that, for sure, just as Apple was for Bendgate and Antennagate and others with their gates. Ownership is important and Samsung needs to come out positive because no matter what, this is a bad spin and negative.