Inteelligent Design...
Intelligent Design
This thread is directed to users of portable audio devices such as MP3 or CD players. I have always used portable devices to quench my need for music on the road whether commuting or travelling.
One problem I've noted with portable devices is the fragility of the headphone jack. After 20 years of using these devices I'm suspect why the industry has not solved this problem. I recently had to have my Zen Micro serviced for a loose headphone jack. They fixed it and had if back in my hands in double time.
My observations tell me the problem may not be the jack but the headphone plug itself. Some headphone plugs are configured to project straight out of the jack about 1 to 1 1/2 inches or longer. Other plugs project about 1/2 inch then turn at right angle (L-shaped) to the jack. I believe use of the latter plug (L-shaped) has resulted in the least problems with the jack and that use of the other (straight) always results in my having to have the device serviced for a bad jack.
Knowing a little physics tells me that the plug that projects straight out of the jack can act as a lever such as when positioning a lever to move an object of substantial weight. The plug which projects 1/2 inch at the most has been easiest on my jacks. I believe my observations to be accurate but I would think the industry would have observed this decades ago and used more intelligent design. Is it all part of planned obsolescence or is there no intelligence in the design of such simple things as headphone jacks and plugs.
Just my pet peeve of the moment. Has anyone else had a simple observation of a problem with design that the industry seems to not be able to figure out???
This thread is directed to users of portable audio devices such as MP3 or CD players. I have always used portable devices to quench my need for music on the road whether commuting or travelling.
One problem I've noted with portable devices is the fragility of the headphone jack. After 20 years of using these devices I'm suspect why the industry has not solved this problem. I recently had to have my Zen Micro serviced for a loose headphone jack. They fixed it and had if back in my hands in double time.
My observations tell me the problem may not be the jack but the headphone plug itself. Some headphone plugs are configured to project straight out of the jack about 1 to 1 1/2 inches or longer. Other plugs project about 1/2 inch then turn at right angle (L-shaped) to the jack. I believe use of the latter plug (L-shaped) has resulted in the least problems with the jack and that use of the other (straight) always results in my having to have the device serviced for a bad jack.
Knowing a little physics tells me that the plug that projects straight out of the jack can act as a lever such as when positioning a lever to move an object of substantial weight. The plug which projects 1/2 inch at the most has been easiest on my jacks. I believe my observations to be accurate but I would think the industry would have observed this decades ago and used more intelligent design. Is it all part of planned obsolescence or is there no intelligence in the design of such simple things as headphone jacks and plugs.
Just my pet peeve of the moment. Has anyone else had a simple observation of a problem with design that the industry seems to not be able to figure out???
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