Newest harbinger of sexism in America? The iPhone; Update: Problem solved?
posted at 8:42 pm on June 25, 2008 by Allahpundit
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The touchscreen keys respond to electrical charges in the skin, not in long fingernails (which don’t conduct electricity), ergo Steve Jobs is a thoughtless brute who hates his female clientele. Or something.
Erica Watson-Currie of Newport Beach was frustrated that the improvements didn’t solve the fingernail problem. She and other women who have long nails — as well as people of all genders with chunky fingers — have real trouble typing on the iPhone. The 39-year-old consultant and lecturer, who says her fingernails are typically between one-eighth and one-quarter of an inch long, wants the iPhone to include a stylus.
“Considering ergonomics and user studies indicating men and women use their fingers and nails differently, why does Apple persist in this misogyny?” Watson-Currie … wrote in a comment on our post Monday about the iPhone launch…
A company called Ten One Design sells an aftermarket iPhone stylus for about $20 to $25 apiece. Watson-Currie hasn’t been impressed by the reviews and thinks Apple should offer a stylus on principle. Why not just cut her fingernails? “It’s the machine’s job to accommodate its users, not the other way around,” she said.
Follow the link to see why Apple designed it to respond to skin but not normal objects. Hint: It has something to do with the thought of a touch-sensitive phone bouncing around in your pocket. And here’s the obligatory backlash post featuring a guy who’s 6′4″ wondering why manufacturers of compact cars apparently hate tall men. Coming soon: The inevitable commercial aimed at Clinton supporters from Samsung’s Instinct deriding the iPhone as favored by the Hillary-hatin’ cavemen at MSNBC. Exit question to our iPhone-owning women readers: Is this seriously a problem?
Update: Dave in Texas solves the puzzle: Electrostatic nail polish.
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Beyond the gut level ridiculousness of this, has this woman ever tried changing the angle of her finger. 1/8 of an inch is a problem? Not unless she insists on pointing directly down at the thing. She should just use the pads of her fingers like every other human being on the planet.
Nessuno on June 25, 2008 at 8:48 PM
Are there more idiots these days? Or are the journalist idiots seeking other idiots?
mred on June 25, 2008 at 8:49 PM
I think we need a SCOTUS ruling here.
bnelson44 on June 25, 2008 at 8:50 PM
My phone makes phone calls. No camera, internet, texting, games, music, or other creeping featurism. It works very well.
DAT60A3 on June 25, 2008 at 8:53 PM
Well that may all be true but the guy touching the screen has to be a tad effeminate to used such gay phone.
( not there is anything wrong with that )
TheSitRep on June 25, 2008 at 8:55 PM
All I can say is that my wife loves hers. Of course, she’s also very smart…
ErikTheRed on June 25, 2008 at 8:58 PM
This one derserves an eyes roll…………….anyone see it? :)
ThePrez on June 25, 2008 at 9:05 PM
The only machine women need to operate is a washing machine right?
Duck & Hide & Cover!
:)
IntheNet on June 25, 2008 at 9:12 PM
Just getting the jump on the next Obama news conference….
Seven Percent Solution on June 25, 2008 at 9:12 PM
I give up
ronsfi on June 25, 2008 at 9:17 PM
It’s not the machine’s “job” to do anything. If she doesn’t like the way the phone works, she doesn’t have to buy it!
Myself, I can hardly wait until iPhone 3G debuts on July 11. I’ll be among the silly goofs standing for hours on queue.
paul006 on June 25, 2008 at 9:19 PM
Oh brother,I can see it now,high heels as far as the eyes
can see in the Million Woman March up to the White House,
all p!ssed off that its not sensitive of a touch enough!
And then coming behind,in lock step,are the femenazis
complaining and whinning about the touch is not sensitive
enough,bra’s will be alight,they’ll be sit in’s,and guess
what,
yup,President Bush will be blamed,
when will the madness end! haha.
canopfor on June 25, 2008 at 9:23 PM
Ok…stop right there….what ever follows this is going to piss me off…
BigWyo on June 25, 2008 at 9:23 PM
BigWyo on June 25, 2008 at 9:23 PM
heh beat me too it, the hyphen thing is always a sure sign of chaos!
dmann on June 25, 2008 at 9:27 PM
I’m a girl with an iphone and, depending on the stress level at work I generally have anywhere from 1/8″ long finger nails to no nails at all.
I haven’t noticed any difference in my ability to operate the phone between nails and no nails, and I’ve had no trouble operating the phone with or without nails.
I just did a quick check and I don’t even use the tip of my finger (which would bring the nail into play)….I use the top part of the pad of my finger. Seems like her real issue is misusing the machinery. The machine may need to accommodate its users, but it does not have to accommodate stupid.
JadeNYU on June 25, 2008 at 9:29 PM
Allah, please tell us you didn’t have to cut your nails to use yours.
Attila (Pillage Idiot) on June 25, 2008 at 9:34 PM
Hey my fellow ladies, cut your nails if you want to use the iPhone. Besides, it is unsanitary to have long nails. Think of the grime that hides in there. Eww.
Can’t wait for the new iPhone.
jencab on June 25, 2008 at 9:40 PM
liberals are ALWAYS outraged about something.
that is why
http://stuffwhitepeoplelike.com/2008/05/28/101-being-offended/
Being Offended is number 101 on the list.
blatantblue on June 25, 2008 at 9:56 PM
Er, I touch the iPhone with the bottom of my finger, not the tip. (silly people)
Then again, I am not a girl so I wouldn’t know about the whole long finger thing.
Exit question for iPhone users: What are we going to do with are old iPhones?
Hold a contest for T-Mobile users on HotAir? (so they can jailbreak them)
Darnell Clayton on June 25, 2008 at 10:01 PM
I got a question…If you had to drill in ANWAR for these superficial, superfluous ‘Pet Rocks’ of the new millennium, how many of the bunny-hugging SmakTard crowd would be all, “Hell Yeah…Drill Here, Drill Now…Text message yer Idiot friends for less’?
Or mebbe when you whollop a baby seal on the noggin, it squirts a brand new Iphone out it’s ass…
Can you hear me now??
BigWyo on June 25, 2008 at 11:10 PM
Irony: Nails too long to call the wambulance
clghitis on June 26, 2008 at 12:06 AM
I am thinking about getting an iphone, so tell me, what do you like best about it? For 13 years, all I have done is dial and talk on a cell phone, I do not text message. However having google maps on a cell phone would be handy. What do you guys think? SHould I or shouldn’t I get one?
karenhasfreedom on June 26, 2008 at 1:11 AM
I have fairly long nails and have no problem. My husband, on the other hand, constantly complains about the keys being too small for his fingers. Hmmm. Maybe it’s men Steve doesn’t like.
jintrabar on June 26, 2008 at 1:12 AM
Erm, you don’t use the tip of your finger. You use the ball of your finger. Apple made the buttons big for that reason, so you didn’t have to do finger gymnastics to hit your target.
Is it any easier for her to use a Blackberry keyboard?
Mark Jaquith on June 26, 2008 at 3:25 AM
Thank you, you made my day…
BadBrad on June 26, 2008 at 6:18 AM
7Percent: the new iPhone can be had in black or white cases. As for the main story: just another fragile screeching woman with a hyphenated name and a degree proving she is just like the men in her world… until she finds some trivial thing to snivel about.
Miss Hyphen-Name: we have something here called the free market. If the iPhone is not compatible with your desire to wear daggers on your fingers, might I suggest a Blackberry? Speedo does not make swimwear for human grizzlies, either. So I don’t wear ‘em when I swim.
(I wonder if any of the women quoted in the article have Gloria Allred on speed dial?)
friendlygrizzly on June 26, 2008 at 6:36 AM
I am female. I have an iPhone. I am happy….
evilcon555 on June 26, 2008 at 7:02 AM
No iPhone, but I do have a Touch iPod. (LOVE it) I use the outside edge of my pinky to type. Had a hell of a time convincing my husband he couldn’t use his fingernail when I first got it. What is it with men and their stylii???? ;-)
birddog on June 26, 2008 at 7:26 AM
I didn’t realize iphones were so popular among strippers.
Dave Rywall on June 26, 2008 at 7:37 AM
No problem here. I played piano and cello for many years, so if a nail is long enough that I’m aware of it at all, it’s too long.
NeighborhoodCatLady on June 26, 2008 at 8:09 AM
I thought the iPhone was designed for knuckles, anyway?
OldEnglish on June 26, 2008 at 8:51 AM
Knuckle-draggers, maybe ;)
Oh, and to answer the question re: BlackBerry keyboards, it’s a piece of key. It depends on the model, of course (stay away from the Pearl), but I never have any problem. I use mine heavily (using it now) and never have any trouble typing.
fourstringfuror on June 26, 2008 at 8:58 AM
Having the internet in your pocket is truly revolutionary. Sure, other smartphones have offered this for a while, but the ease of use and the full-featured browser make the internet actually useful on the iPhone.
Google Maps are great but only one of many outstanding features. The iPhone is a good phone and iPod and all but really it’s more like a whole computer and getting more so as time goes on.
3rd-party applications will begin to be available in July via the App Store. Nothing like it on any other platform.
Go to the store and check one out. I find I use the internet and text messaging even more than I use the phone.
Gilda on June 26, 2008 at 9:20 AM
Here’s my rant: I am an obese male. Why do the airlines hate me by insisting on installing those tiny airplane seats and those too-short seat belts? And the on-board bathrooms? Dont even get me started.
And dont tell me it’s my responsibility to lose weight, it is the responsibility of the rest of the world to meet my needs.
Sarcasm is now OFF.
abcurtis on June 26, 2008 at 10:28 AM
Here’s a picture taken back in the 60’s of actor James Garner driving his mini-Cooper.
abcurtis on June 26, 2008 at 10:34 AM
Remember the old days when people with only one long nail (usually the pinkie) told us something about their probable recreational activities. Well can we now say that someone with just their index fingernail nicely cut is probably an iphone user?
(BTW- where is her iphone? )
AverageJoe on June 26, 2008 at 3:29 PM