Some weeks ago I bought a hybrid tablet/camera from a large manufacturer.
Within days it failed because when you turn the device on , or, an app activates the camera, the lens extends ( users cant change this setting, nor can developers)
Several apps now can use the camera function programatically. eg apps that take video, when you brake, slow down or are in certain locations-like intersections.
When the lens extends, it extends about 5cm, this is default behaviour and nothing to do with the zoom level.
This is not an issue for a phone becuase the lens does not extend on a phone.
If the device is lying on its back/screen down this is fine
but if it's screen up ( which is how most people would leave it) it effectively elevates its self off the table and damages the motors inside the lens.
worse if its in a car cradle it pushes its self out of the cradle and falls on the floor/gearstick etc
if its in your pocket, and your pockets are a normal size, it expands your pocket and if it isn't big enough it breaks the lens motor
so just a few weeks after buying an expensive device it pushes "its self" off the table, onto the floor damages the lens and worse, the motherboard behind it.
I went to the manufacturers repair centre and suggested this was a design issue, they laughed, literally, despite wanting nearly the retail price of the device to fix it.
I'd pre written some suggestions as to how their engineering teams could fix it by using proximity sensors the focus beam and device orientation sensors to make sure the lens wouldn't come out if there was an obstruction in front of it. I emailed it to the manufacturer, they said they would "pass it on" .
I also wrote a review for the companies website ( which they encourage), which they acknowledged by email and then deleted the review. ( frankly I took time to word it very nicely and it was a very fair review)
It occurs to me that these days manufacturers have the opportunity to become almost instantly aware of the idiosyncrasies and design issues of a device but for this very large company to make a device so vulnerable to damage makes me wonder if part of it might be intentional. After all I have little option now but to simply buy another one.
I also see many other instances on the web of this device failing in the same way .
Within days it failed because when you turn the device on , or, an app activates the camera, the lens extends ( users cant change this setting, nor can developers)
Several apps now can use the camera function programatically. eg apps that take video, when you brake, slow down or are in certain locations-like intersections.
When the lens extends, it extends about 5cm, this is default behaviour and nothing to do with the zoom level.
This is not an issue for a phone becuase the lens does not extend on a phone.
If the device is lying on its back/screen down this is fine
but if it's screen up ( which is how most people would leave it) it effectively elevates its self off the table and damages the motors inside the lens.
worse if its in a car cradle it pushes its self out of the cradle and falls on the floor/gearstick etc
if its in your pocket, and your pockets are a normal size, it expands your pocket and if it isn't big enough it breaks the lens motor
so just a few weeks after buying an expensive device it pushes "its self" off the table, onto the floor damages the lens and worse, the motherboard behind it.
I went to the manufacturers repair centre and suggested this was a design issue, they laughed, literally, despite wanting nearly the retail price of the device to fix it.
I'd pre written some suggestions as to how their engineering teams could fix it by using proximity sensors the focus beam and device orientation sensors to make sure the lens wouldn't come out if there was an obstruction in front of it. I emailed it to the manufacturer, they said they would "pass it on" .
I also wrote a review for the companies website ( which they encourage), which they acknowledged by email and then deleted the review. ( frankly I took time to word it very nicely and it was a very fair review)
It occurs to me that these days manufacturers have the opportunity to become almost instantly aware of the idiosyncrasies and design issues of a device but for this very large company to make a device so vulnerable to damage makes me wonder if part of it might be intentional. After all I have little option now but to simply buy another one.
I also see many other instances on the web of this device failing in the same way .
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