Samsung Galaxy Note 5 Design Flaw

[epicrayban]

Everything that "could have been done" does not equate to "design flaw."

Samsung "could have" installed rubber grips to the back or side of the phone to prevent it from being so slippery and sliding out of people's hands, we could say. But because it's not there doesn't mean it's a design flaw to not have included it.

Where does it stop if we're going to say everything that could have been but isn't is a design flaw. That's unreasonable.

 

[epicrayban]

But here's where you're simply incorrect. If it was designed to only go in one way, a user couldn't put it in backwards. They can, with no resistance whatsoever. That's why it's a poor design.

But it's a hole... you could put anything in there, backwards or forwards. You're not supposed to. Again, look at the SIM card slot tray I used as an example. Is that a design flaw?

 

[Tsepz]

LOL

Clutching at straws done well.

 

[gotluck]

Clutching at straws done well.

whatever makes you feel better man, engineering 101 says dont do **** like this. can build an entire computer from parts not being able to plug things in the wrong way. poka yoke, good engineering, gimme a break

lord knows i really enjoy the ability to insert the pen in backwards, great functionality there, very intentional, you called it GOOD DESIGN!! you got some low standards

if that is good design what is the note4 and prior considered? super amazing design?

 

[Tsepz]

Everything that "could have been done" does not equate to "design flaw."

Samsung "could have" installed rubber grips to the back or side of the phone to prevent it from being so slippery and sliding out of people's hands, we could say. But because it's not there doesn't mean it's a design flaw to not have included it.

Where does it stop if we're going to say everything that could have been but isn't is a design flaw. That's unreasonable.

They desperately want to hold on to this

We could go on about what "could have been done" with loads of products.

 

[sartrekid]

Fact is that there are a ton, and I mean a TON of illnesses (not even including natural deterioration of the eye, e.g. due to age) that prevent people from being able to distinguish minimal differences in shape and form. This has nothing to do with stupidity. User error? Yes. Stupidity? Most certainly not.

I'm especially surprised that some of the hardcore hardware enthusiasts here who usually are completely non-apologetic when it comes to hardware & build-quality compromises give this issue a pass. The Note (along with the S6/Edge) is the most premium phone on the market today, so what's wrong with pointing out that Samsung could (perhaps even should) have made it so that accidentally inserting the pen the wrong way doesn't completely break the functionality of the pen feature? They've demonstrated that it's possible with past devices. The Note is still a premium and high-end device, but fact is, this phone is no longer an option for a certain group of people. That group may be small, but the point is that it's merely due to an oversight that the Note is no longer an option.

 

[tbayrgs]

But it's a hole... you could put anything in there, backwards or forwards. You're not supposed to. Again, look at the SIM card slot tray I used as an example. Is that a design flaw?

Epi..please don't group my comments in with everyone else automatically. I've already acknowledged 'flaw' as not being the best term to describe this situation. I also have not claimed once that this isn't user error. What I cannot understand is how you, the champion of 'objectivity' when analyzing the merits of a device, can please ignorance on whether it's a good design or not. You've already established you're quite intelligent---this is quite black and white. If Samsung had designed the S-Pen and port better, this issue would not exist---it's really that simple. Unless Samsung can come forth an advise the cost associated with fabricating a S-Pen that could not be inserted incorrectly was too great (doubt it considering they did it for the past versions), or at least greater than the cost of replacing/repairing users who break the functionality of their Note 5 because of this error, then I content it's a crappy design.

And with that, I'm moving on. The Samsung apologists have taken control of this thread and show no intention of the use of common sense or logic so not worth beating one's head against the wall any longer. Enjoy the discussion, if it can actually be called that.

 

[Tsepz]

whatever makes you feel better man, engineering 101 says dont do **** like this. can build an entire computer from parts not being able to plug things in the wrong way. poka yoke, good engineering, gimme a break

lord knows i really enjoy the ability to insert the pen in backgrounds, great functionality there, very intentional, you called it GOOD DESIGN!! you got some low standards

Go apply it to things that were truly done wrong from the ground up, not something that simply suffers from not being idiot proof.

Maybe start with things that are dangerous, e.g. many A/T trans. cars still allow shifting while moving, I know this because I experienced it with a 2013 Mercedes C200.

 

[Surf Donkey]

The Galaxy S5 had waterproofing. Samsung took it away in the redesign for the S6. If someone who owns the S6 drops their phone in the water and is damaged, is this Samsung's fault for not including this feature anymore to prevent user error? Or is it the uninformed/carelessness of the S6 user? Are we going to say, "Samsung could have prevented this by keeping this same feature..." ? I don't think that's fair to Samsung, and most importantly to the topic here, it can't be called a design flaw. Like I said, then many things could be called a design flaw. So many things are supposed to only go in one way.

Is it good design? The Note 5 was completely redesigned. A lot of changes were made, and probably one that included the inability to prevent the S Pen from going in backwards and getting stuck. Don't forget the S-Pen itself was redesigned too. Whether that constitutes good design or not, I don't know, but it isn't a flaw which is what is being discussed. It was designed to go in one way -- doing that is not a flaw.

Samsung isn't on the hook either way. They didn't cover water damage under warranty in the S5. They never claimed it was waterproof. Water resistant. See how this works?

 

[epicrayban]

Epi..please don't group my comments in with everyone else automatically. I've already acknowledged 'flaw' as not being the best term to describe this situation. I also have not claimed once that this isn't user error. What I cannot understand is how you, the champion of 'objectivity' when analyzing the merits of a device, can please ignorance on whether it's a good design or not. You've already established you're quite intelligent---this is quite black and white. If Samsung had designed the S-Pen and port better, this issue would not exist---it's really that simple. Unless Samsung can come forth an advise the cost associated with fabricating a S-Pen that could not be inserted incorrectly was too great (doubt it considering they did it for the past versions), or at least greater than the cost of replacing/repairing users who break the functionality of their Note 5 because of this error, then I content it's a crappy design.

And with that, I'm moving on. The Samsung apologists have taken control of this thread and show no intention of the use of common sense or logic so not worth beating one's head against the wall any longer. Enjoy the discussion, if it can actually be called that.

I understand. And that's fair. Samsung could have done better. My only objection to that line of thought is it then opens the door to many more things many makers "could have done better" for, and that isn't always fair.

I'm glad we agree it isn't a design flaw by definition and that user error is a major contributing factor.

 

[Tsepz]

Samsung isn't on the hook either way. They didn't cover water damage under warranty in the S5. They never claimed it was waterproof. Water resistant. See how this works?

Lol, his point still comes across, many people confuse waterproofing and resistance, either way, he made a good point.

 

[epicrayban]

Samsung isn't on the hook either way. They didn't cover water damage under warranty in the S5. They never claimed it was waterproof. Water resistant. See how this works?

Fair enough. Water resistent then.

S5 was water resistent; S6 is not. If someone spills a drink on their S6, are we allowed to say it's a design flaw on Samsung's part simply by saying "they could have done better" or "they could have prevented this by keeping that feature from the previous generation"?

And if we can, then where does it stop? "It could have been better" doesn't = design flaw. Many things could be better. Many things can only be done one way. None of those are design flaws.

 

[pdqgp]

But it's a hole... you could put anything in there, backwards or forwards. You're not supposed to. Again, look at the SIM card slot tray I used as an example. Is that a design flaw?

Technically Q-tips are among the best selling flawed device but pretty much everyone uses one. BTW, I bet they fit in Note 5 too.

 

[Surf Donkey]

Fair enough. Water resistent then.

S5 was water resistent; S6 is not. If someone spills a drink on their S6, are we allowed to pin this on Samsung by saying "they could have done better" or "they could have prevented this by keeping that feature from the previous generation."

Better?

Sure you could say that. I would love it if all my phones were waterproof. But they aren't. What is the point again? Honestly, there is so much stupid circling around semantics here I don't even know what we are talking about anymore.

 

[Tsepz]

Fair enough. Water resistent then.

S5 was water resistent; S6 is not. If someone spills a drink on their S6, are we allowed to say it's a design flaw on Samsung's part simply by saying "they could have done better" or "they could have prevented this by keeping that feature from the previous generation"?

And if we can, then where does it stop? "It could have been better" doesn't = design flaw. Many things could be better. Many things can only be done one way. None of those are design flaws.

You are a legend. I wouldn't have bothered reiterating, your point came out crystal clear the 1st time.

Maybe I'm just overestimating people though if that's the case, good on you for making the correction to make it more comprehensible for him.

 

[epicrayban]

Sure you could say that. I would love it if all my phones were waterproof. But they aren't. What is the point again?

I think we're getting somewhere. Right, many phones aren't waterproof, but they could be. Is that a design flaw?

The point is this: "It could have been better" doesn't equal design flaw. Because if it does, where do we stop? Many things could be better. Are all things that "could have been better" design flaws? No.

Could Samsung have done better here? Sure. That's a fair question and an honest answer.

Is it a design flaw? No. It was designed to go in one way. One way only.

 

[epicrayban]

I think this is a fair summary: http://www.androidcentral.com/sad-s...feature&utm_campaign=navigation&utm_source=ac

 

[Surf Donkey]

"It could have been better" doesn't equal design flaw. Because if it does, where do we stop? Many things could be better. Are all things that "could have been better" design flaws? No.

Could Samsung have done better here? Sure. That's a fair question and an honest answer.

Is it a design flaw? No. It was designed to go in one way. One way only.

Ok so this whole thread is a debate over the word flaw then? All I am saying (and have always said) is that they could have designed it better. You are saying the same thing. So why do we keep talking?

 

[Tsepz]

I think we're getting somewhere. Right, many phones aren't waterproof, but they could be. Is that a design flaw?

The point is this: "It could have been better" doesn't equal design flaw. Because if it does, where do we stop? Many things could be better. Are all things that "could have been better" design flaws? No.

Could Samsung have done better here? Sure. That's a fair question and an honest answer.

Is it a design flaw? No. It was designed to go in one way. One way only.

Exactly.

This thread shouldn't have gone more than 1 page, but people can't help but try hold on to something so pointless.

 

[Surf Donkey]

I think this is a fair summary: http://www.androidcentral.com/sad-s...feature&utm_campaign=navigation&utm_source=ac

The fact that a write up like that even exists shows they ****ed up. Not FLAWED up, please don't jump down my throat. ****ed up.

 

[gotluck]

Go apply it to things that were truly done wrong from the ground up, not something that simply suffers from not being idiot proof.

Maybe start with things that are dangerous, e.g. many A/T trans. cars still allow shifting while moving, I know this because I experienced it with a 2013 Mercedes C200.

Maybe that would be analogous if we were talking about cars

Still bad design

 

[epicrayban]

You are a legend. I wouldn't have bothered reiterating, your point came out crystal clear the 1st time.

Maybe I'm just overestimating people though if that's the case, good on you for making the correction to make it more comprehensible for him.

Thank you.

I think a few factors play into people wanting to blame Samsung solely for this issue. It's an unfortunate issue, but it's also unfair to pin this entire thing on Samsung and then to call it a design flaw.

I think the factors are 1) the previous Notes allowed the S Pen to be inserted in wrong without consequences, and 2) this time around, the consequences are quite dire and that's scary (as well it should be. It's an expensive piece of technology).

However, none of these are design flaws. And it ignores the fact that the Note 5 was completely redesigned, S-Pen included. Who knows why that latch is there. You don't just add a latch just to add a latch! You don't spend time, money, and any other manufacturing involvement to put in a latch just for giggles. It serves some purpose, small or large. Whatever that is, it turns out it means the S Pen should only go in one way.

Maybe it was up to Samsung to make a bigger fuss out of this, like they could have maybe put a warning sticker right on the device itself. But beyond informing the public, Samsung cannot do much else. Now that this is an issue and situation, their customer service will have to clean it up.

 

[Surf Donkey]

Thank you.

I think a few factors play into people wanting to blame Samsung solely for this issue. It's an unfortunate issue, but it's also unfair to pin this entire thing on Samsung and then to call it a design flaw.

I think the factors are 1) the previous Notes allowed the S Pen to be inserted in wrong without consequences, and 2) this time around, the consequences are quite dire and that's scary (as well it should be. It's an expensive piece of technology).

However, none of these are design flaws. And it ignores the fact that the Note 5 was completely redesigned, S-Pen included. Who knows why that latch is there. You don't just add a latch just to add a latch! You don't spend time, money, and any other manufacturing involvement to put in a latch just for giggles. It serves some purpose, small or large. Whatever that is, it turns out it means the S Pen should only go in one way.

Maybe it was up to Samsung to make a bigger fuss out of this, like they could have maybe put a warning sticker right on the device itself. But beyond informing the public, Samsung cannot do much else. Now that this is an issue and situation, their customer service will have to clean it up.

Dude, the page you link says Samsung needs to own up to this. And they do. They ****ed up the design of this one. They should have made it better.

We'd recommend a few things here:

• Samsung needs to work with its warranty provider and the carriers and their warranty providers on this. It's sure to be a relatively small amount of devices, and there's no reason to not do the right thing and help folks out. Charge $50 or $100 or whatever for the swap, but keep it reasonable.
• And Samsung needs to come out and do that publicly, and quickly.
• Update the TouchWiz software so that you get the warning about how to insert the stylus the very first time you pull it out. And make it one of those "Tap this box to never see this again" warnings.
• The Note 4 had a little warning if you tried to put its pen in backward. Is it possible to get that back?
• Then put that same warning in the box on one of those little pieces of paper we never read.
• Or maybe as a stencil on one of those plastic screen protectors you have to take off before you can use the phone.

 

[epicrayban]

Ok so this whole thread is a debate over the word flaw then? All I am saying (and have always said) is that they could have designed it better. You are saying the same thing. So why do we keep talking?

Fair enough. Amicable conclusion.

 

[jamezr]

Shouldn't talk about yourself like that. We still like you

well...since you were not the person I replied to....he said everyone was an idiot....you must have identified with that assertion somehow for you to reply to me in that fashion.....