What's wrong with this picture?

It's of the new Bose Wave® Music System.

Hint: what do you think of the way they've handled the buttons?

Because I think they've gone and created a perfect nightmare of a product.

I mean, among their chief advertising points is "No buttons!"

"It is completely and conveniently controlled by a small, elegant remote control."

I am reminded of the University of Virginia's bold plan a couple years ago to stop sending paper mail notices out for anything.

Everything would be done online, including course registration, submission of documents and fees, the whole shebang.

Any announcements would be emailed.

UVA made a point of stating that nonreceipt of an email announcement would not be accepted as an excuse for late payment, registration, or similar problems.

How long do you think that plan lasted?

Similarly, what happens when you misplace your "small, elegant remote control?"

Maybe there's a CD in it you want to play in your car.

Or maybe it's not even your CD, but a friend's.

Whatever, you can't remove it, can you?

Nor can you change the station, the volume, or do anything but unplug the machine to turn it off.

Unbelievable to me that there aren't rudimentary manual controls just in case.

That's what happens when engineers take over.

In some ways, it's even worse than if the robots did, 'cause supposedly the engineers are on our side.