Not being sure of the netbank password i tried some guesses and sure enough, my account was locked. I can easily remember passwords and dont have to write them down on little bits of paper, but there are just so many online services out there, each with its own set of rules that follows some hot-shot online security policy.
after the website said for some reason that my temporary password has expired, and gave me a number, i called and the operator was a girl who spoke very fast english and i live in the suburbia with my brother and the signal's not all that great all the time. the technical problems were annoying enough, but then began the series of questions, for the security check like when i used my card last and what amount did i spend. i couldnt answer correctly and the operator said that she couldnt renew my password online.
now this is where the problem is: i can remember my birthdate and my full name, but i cannot remember where i used the card in the last few weeks and what amount i spent. and this is the core of the problem: i had the phone bill directly debit from my account, the exact amount of which i wanted to know because i misunderstood the plan for international calls, and had made way too many calls to india.
this is where the amazing self referencing problem crystallized itself: i wanted to check the bill on my online bank account, and to get through the security barrier to reset my password i needed to know the exact bill amount.
out of a dozen other ways i can prove i'm indeed Naman Thakar, like the security questions i answered with secret answers, on the phone i cant do that "because those questions are locked"
so after some "i'm sorry i cant help you"s and "there is no other way except you going to the bank" i hung up.
and the thing is that i went to the 2 bank branches on swanston street yesterday, but they close at 4:00 pm and i was late by 10 minutes
Monday, May 30, 2011
Monday, April 18, 2011
006 - Revolving Chairs
Office chairs are a good standard template and much the same all across the world. Basic chairs are just the seat and the back rest on the ubiquitous five wheels leg part.
There often is a lever for adjusting the height. Sometimes even a couple of wheels that you can lock. And in some chairs two levers, one for height and one for tilt.
But till now I havent come across any chair which locks the rotation. Its a problem for me as i'm sure for most others who sometimes sit cross-legged on the chair. And its a problem when you are picking things from below the table-level as the chair turns when you want it to keep steady.
For example when you want to take out your laptop from your shoulder bag which is on one side of the chair, the chair foolishly turns one way, when you dont want it to.
Locking option on swivel movement would thus be nice.
There often is a lever for adjusting the height. Sometimes even a couple of wheels that you can lock. And in some chairs two levers, one for height and one for tilt.
But till now I havent come across any chair which locks the rotation. Its a problem for me as i'm sure for most others who sometimes sit cross-legged on the chair. And its a problem when you are picking things from below the table-level as the chair turns when you want it to keep steady.
For example when you want to take out your laptop from your shoulder bag which is on one side of the chair, the chair foolishly turns one way, when you dont want it to.
Locking option on swivel movement would thus be nice.
Monday, April 11, 2011
005 - Netbank - Plastic Money card problem
If you are a new bank customer, and in case you forgot your newly set netbank password, there is no way to change it online. This is because to pass the security checks you need your bank atm/debit card to verify your identity.
When you get the card, you need to activate it, either by going to the bank, or on the netbank website. When you want to activate it, you cant have forgotten your password, because in this rare situation there is no way out, except going to the bank.
Solution: Remember your password! This is really the user's foolishness, nothing the bank can do about it.
When you get the card, you need to activate it, either by going to the bank, or on the netbank website. When you want to activate it, you cant have forgotten your password, because in this rare situation there is no way out, except going to the bank.
Solution: Remember your password! This is really the user's foolishness, nothing the bank can do about it.
004: Bank-Mobile Process
While opening a bank account with the commonwealth bank, you are given the option for netbanking, and i wonder why it is an option as in this this world netbanking is a given service, also its free, so why the registration? anyway, the bank requires your mobile number to sync with your details, and the netbank confirmation messages are sent to your mobile with furious haste.
I had to give my brother's mobile number as i hadn't got one myself, and refer to his inbox for the short messages.
While getting a mobile/number is a fairly straightforward process, and you would prefer the handset-postpaid deal, because rumor has it that mobile service providers are funding handset makers and getting exclusive rights to offer those particular handsets to their customers, and because it is a good deal for usage reasons as well.
But to get a postpaid deal you need a bank account with some minimum balance, and the bank account in my case has a different mobile number registered, which didn't create consequential problems.
The problem is not very consequential, but may delay your joy of getting a new phone or a working bank account.
Also one factor in the process is the student ID (or any other identification) which also asks for your mobile number. Thus it can be concluded that getting a mobile number is the first task one must do to facilitate the other tasks like getting a bank account and a student ID, and you need them to get a mobile number!
Existing Solution: Extremely polite and helpful staff at the bank solves your problems in a jiffy, but you need to go the bank. And extremely robotic staff at the phone sales and student helpdesk help you if you state your queries in bullet points.
Other Solutions: A phone number be issued with the passport, so as soon as you enter the new country tada! you have a mobile number. There will be mountains of policies to be moved for this, sure, but considering 99.99% students would open a bank account and buy a phone in the first few weeks of landing, it may well be integrated.
Like the health cover is now integrated with the university application process.
I had to give my brother's mobile number as i hadn't got one myself, and refer to his inbox for the short messages.
While getting a mobile/number is a fairly straightforward process, and you would prefer the handset-postpaid deal, because rumor has it that mobile service providers are funding handset makers and getting exclusive rights to offer those particular handsets to their customers, and because it is a good deal for usage reasons as well.
But to get a postpaid deal you need a bank account with some minimum balance, and the bank account in my case has a different mobile number registered, which didn't create consequential problems.
The problem is not very consequential, but may delay your joy of getting a new phone or a working bank account.
Also one factor in the process is the student ID (or any other identification) which also asks for your mobile number. Thus it can be concluded that getting a mobile number is the first task one must do to facilitate the other tasks like getting a bank account and a student ID, and you need them to get a mobile number!
Existing Solution: Extremely polite and helpful staff at the bank solves your problems in a jiffy, but you need to go the bank. And extremely robotic staff at the phone sales and student helpdesk help you if you state your queries in bullet points.
Other Solutions: A phone number be issued with the passport, so as soon as you enter the new country tada! you have a mobile number. There will be mountains of policies to be moved for this, sure, but considering 99.99% students would open a bank account and buy a phone in the first few weeks of landing, it may well be integrated.
Like the health cover is now integrated with the university application process.
Friday, April 1, 2011
Item 003: Beverage Cans as Ash Trays
'Ash trays' meaning a container which holds cigarette ash and butts in scenarios you don't have the luxury to not think about it.
Beverage cans are widely used everywhere. Once you have consumed the beverage inside, they are of little use, but easily recyclable through a proper disposal and collection channel. However, they make excellent ash trays, and are truly a friend in need, in times of need.
In many situations smokers find themselves as outcasts of the micro environments. Houses are popular no-smoking zones, and sometimes large areas such as entire campuses are, and all for good reasons, all for very good reasons.
Beverage cans, have a little opening on the top, which is excellent for outside storage. If you discard a cigarette butt and the ash before that inside it, you can rest assured the wind that blows wouldn't matter to it. The ring that you use to open the can can be twisted back in its vertical position and offers good affordance for hanging the can in a suitable place if required.
And also in dark environments, if one has a fuzzy idea of where the can is, one can proceed with the cigarette near it and the opening lights up because of the very dim cigarette-light.
The only flaw: cans are extremely light in weight. So they are easily knocked over and blown away themselves. This can be avoided by putting a little water in them, which is a good idea because the ash and butt would go 'pifff' in the water, which is a delightful sound.
Similar ideas: In many foot courts in Singapore City the smokers tables have an old food can for an ash tray. The sides are dented to serve the purposes of holding the cigarette (if its too heavy for the user).
Summary:
Product/use: Beverage cans for cigarette ash and butt disposal
Design Flaw: Cans are too light.
Solution: Always look on the bright side of life.
Beverage cans are widely used everywhere. Once you have consumed the beverage inside, they are of little use, but easily recyclable through a proper disposal and collection channel. However, they make excellent ash trays, and are truly a friend in need, in times of need.
In many situations smokers find themselves as outcasts of the micro environments. Houses are popular no-smoking zones, and sometimes large areas such as entire campuses are, and all for good reasons, all for very good reasons.
Beverage cans, have a little opening on the top, which is excellent for outside storage. If you discard a cigarette butt and the ash before that inside it, you can rest assured the wind that blows wouldn't matter to it. The ring that you use to open the can can be twisted back in its vertical position and offers good affordance for hanging the can in a suitable place if required.
And also in dark environments, if one has a fuzzy idea of where the can is, one can proceed with the cigarette near it and the opening lights up because of the very dim cigarette-light.
The only flaw: cans are extremely light in weight. So they are easily knocked over and blown away themselves. This can be avoided by putting a little water in them, which is a good idea because the ash and butt would go 'pifff' in the water, which is a delightful sound.
Similar ideas: In many foot courts in Singapore City the smokers tables have an old food can for an ash tray. The sides are dented to serve the purposes of holding the cigarette (if its too heavy for the user).
Summary:
Product/use: Beverage cans for cigarette ash and butt disposal
Design Flaw: Cans are too light.
Solution: Always look on the bright side of life.
Item 002: Eclipse Mints Pack
Eclipse Mints metal box is one of the splendid packs out there for mints. It certainly adds style to mint eating, and starts conversations as well. (At least in India)
However, there are two problems with it. One, it being a metal box, the little mint nuggets inside make a lot of clank-clank noise if the box isnt full, which its not 90% of the time its being used as a mint dispenser.
And two, taking a little mint nugget out of it creates several problems in many use cases. If its outside, you have to jerk it onto your hand, then seldom does one nugget fall out. This can be a good thing for the mint making company, as you would eat 2 if 2 fall out instead of eating one and putting the other one back in. This problem is with all mint boxez (chlorets, orbit etc). Or, you put in your finger and thumb and dig one out. This may upset Sheldon Cooper, as 'who knows where those fingers have been?' and as you grab one it may slip away, and you would have to grab a few times to get one mint out, the the fail grabs go back in the mint box to stay there, having touched your germy hands.
One would also sometimes execute the second method while always keeping the box inside the pocket. The box is vertical, so it poses no problems inside the popular pants format: jeans. In this case also, the problem remains, and is slightly intensified.
Solution: none comes to mind. Maybe having a pocket just under the lid to hold the mint for next time, and if the box is jerked, the a mint could occupy that space. This unnecessarily complicates the product design.
Summary:
Product: Eclipse Mints (or mint boxes)
Design Flaw: Sometimes difficult to get desired number of mints
Solution: I don't know
However, there are two problems with it. One, it being a metal box, the little mint nuggets inside make a lot of clank-clank noise if the box isnt full, which its not 90% of the time its being used as a mint dispenser.
And two, taking a little mint nugget out of it creates several problems in many use cases. If its outside, you have to jerk it onto your hand, then seldom does one nugget fall out. This can be a good thing for the mint making company, as you would eat 2 if 2 fall out instead of eating one and putting the other one back in. This problem is with all mint boxez (chlorets, orbit etc). Or, you put in your finger and thumb and dig one out. This may upset Sheldon Cooper, as 'who knows where those fingers have been?' and as you grab one it may slip away, and you would have to grab a few times to get one mint out, the the fail grabs go back in the mint box to stay there, having touched your germy hands.
One would also sometimes execute the second method while always keeping the box inside the pocket. The box is vertical, so it poses no problems inside the popular pants format: jeans. In this case also, the problem remains, and is slightly intensified.
Solution: none comes to mind. Maybe having a pocket just under the lid to hold the mint for next time, and if the box is jerked, the a mint could occupy that space. This unnecessarily complicates the product design.
Summary:
Product: Eclipse Mints (or mint boxes)
Design Flaw: Sometimes difficult to get desired number of mints
Solution: I don't know
Item 001: Hoodie
While i maintain my opinion on hoodies as being one of the top design products ever, a problem with it spurred the idea of creating this blog to analyse popular products to discuss their design flaws.
Wiki: A hoodie (also called a hooded sweatshirt or hoody) is a sweatshirt with a hood. The characteristic design includes large frontal pockets, a hood, and (usually) a drawstring to adjust the hood opening. They are sometimes worn with sweatpants. Some hoodies have zippers on them to allow easy removal much like a jacket. These hoodies are sometimes called zip-up hoodies.
The flaw discussed here if not for zip-up hoodies.
I went outside for a smoke, and it was 11 degrees, with wind at 16 km/h which isnt a lot of wind, but the air isnt exactly still.
When you are holding a cigarette, your one hand is in the front pocket. The front pocket is open from both the sides which means that if one hand is outside (as in this case), air could get in. This defeats the purpose of having a pocket, a fact highlighted when you put something in the pocket, there's always a chance of it slipping away from the other side.
I am a huge fan of the idea of the one front pocket with both ends open for both the hands simply because it allows you to hold your hands when it is really cold outside.
The solution could be two flaps on either side-openings inside the long pocket to provide a cozy corner for one hand which can be tucked inside it if the other hand is outside.
Summary:
Product: non-zip-up hoodie
Design Flaw: little scope for one-hand-in-the-pocket comfort
Solution: in-pocket flaps maybe
Wiki: A hoodie (also called a hooded sweatshirt or hoody) is a sweatshirt with a hood. The characteristic design includes large frontal pockets, a hood, and (usually) a drawstring to adjust the hood opening. They are sometimes worn with sweatpants. Some hoodies have zippers on them to allow easy removal much like a jacket. These hoodies are sometimes called zip-up hoodies.
The flaw discussed here if not for zip-up hoodies.
I went outside for a smoke, and it was 11 degrees, with wind at 16 km/h which isnt a lot of wind, but the air isnt exactly still.
When you are holding a cigarette, your one hand is in the front pocket. The front pocket is open from both the sides which means that if one hand is outside (as in this case), air could get in. This defeats the purpose of having a pocket, a fact highlighted when you put something in the pocket, there's always a chance of it slipping away from the other side.
I am a huge fan of the idea of the one front pocket with both ends open for both the hands simply because it allows you to hold your hands when it is really cold outside.
The solution could be two flaps on either side-openings inside the long pocket to provide a cozy corner for one hand which can be tucked inside it if the other hand is outside.
Summary:
Product: non-zip-up hoodie
Design Flaw: little scope for one-hand-in-the-pocket comfort
Solution: in-pocket flaps maybe
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