In a fit of frustration, Elias grabbed a permanent marker. He drew a small arrow on the door indicating "PUSH." He taped a diagram of the burners onto the stove. He scratched a tiny 'H' and 'C' onto the chrome sphere in the bathroom.
The city of New Veridia was a marvel of “smart” engineering, but for Elias, it was a daily battle against invisible enemies. The Design of Everyday Things - Don Norman.pdf
Inside, his kitchen was a minefield of . His stove featured four induction burners arranged in a square, but the control knobs were lined up in a straight row. Every morning was a game of Russian Roulette with his omelets. He’d turn the third knob, expecting the back-right burner to heat up, only to find his coffee pot on the front-left melting into a plastic puddle. In a fit of frustration, Elias grabbed a permanent marker
By noon, Elias had reached his breaking point. He sat down to use his new "Universal Remote," a device so "intuitive" it replaced fifty buttons with a single touch-sensitive glass surface. He wanted to lower the blinds. He swiped up. The TV turned on at maximum volume. He swiped down to kill the noise. The fireplace ignited. The city of New Veridia was a marvel
He stood before the door of his high-tech apartment, a sleek slab of brushed aluminum. There was no handle, no plate, and no hinge. It was a beautiful, featureless void. Elias pushed the left side; nothing. He pushed the right; a red light blinked mockingly. He tried to slide it. Finally, he leaned his entire body weight against the center, and it hissed open. "Great design," Elias muttered, "if you’re a ghost."