Is Samsung Galaxy Note5 S-Pen Design Flaw A Problem Only for Idiots? Not Quite.
If you're a big Samsung fan, I bet you've already seen that Youtube video exposing one of the biggest design flaws of the freshly launched Galaxy Note5.
Apparently, unlike all Note releases before it, the latest iteration allows the user to insert the S-Pen into its slot tip first without much resistance. In fact, it can go all the way in until the spring-loaded mechanism malfunctions, preventing the stylus from being pulled out.
According to Android Police [watch their video here], "Basically, on previous Galaxy Note smartphones, attempting to insert the S Pen in the device in the wrong direction resulted in obvious futility - they won't fit, or if they do, they require substantial force to get into the S Pen slot the wrong way, enough that you'd immediately realize you were doing something wrong. [...] On the Note 5, inserting the S Pen the wrong way provides exactly as much resistance as inserting it the right way. Which is to say: basically none at all. Once you insert the pen far enough in the wrong direction (again, which causes no strange resistance or feel than putting it in the right way), it will get stuck. It doesn't even have to "click" in. At this point, of course, you will panic. And you will try to get it out - and most likely, you'll succeed. The problem is that if you do succeed, there's a very real possibility you'll break whatever mechanism the device uses to detect whether the pen is attached or detached from the phone. Which is exactly what happened to our review unit."
Many Samsung fans were quick to slam Android Police for pointing out this apparent design flaw. On Youtube, they called people who would commit such mistake as 'morons', 'stupid ***holes', and plain 'idiots'. One even wrote, "Like, holy shit. This level of sheer STUPID is infuriating. Just because you can pour water into the gas tank of a car, it doesn't mean you can claim design flaws and expect free repair/replacement of the damage done. That's not how anything works in a rational world. If you break something from being careless, it's YOUR DOING, thus YOUR RESPONSIBILITY. This infantile culture of "not my fault" is fucking pathetic and a poor indicator of any success as a society in the future. How about this: stop being an airhead and pay attention to what you're doing. Samsung has it right, and I hope they don't do anything else about it. I'm wondering how many stupid assholes heard about this happening and then tried it themselves to see if it would happen."
Thankfully, a few others were more level-headed. This reply got many thumbs up, "This is a major design flaw, you can call someone an idiot all you like, but plenty of times people try to put the pen in the wrong way when not looking. On previous Notes and other devices with the Stylus, they make the end bigger so you cannot physically put it in backwards. That wouldn't have even been a problem on those devices even if you could, but this one with the clicky thing that activates it... just a design flaw that was sadly overlooked. You just know revision two is incoming now. I can understand you calling someone an idiot if they used lots of force, but the fact it just slides in is a design flaw."
Well, here's what I have to say about it: "Look, you probably won't make that mistake. But your kid might. A bud who's unfamiliar with the Note series might -- just because the design makes the user feel that its natural to insert the stylus tip first. So here's what you should do: Brief them first about that pen before letting them play with your Samsung Galaxy Note5 -- even if that makes you sound condescending or too fastidious."
Update: Samsung Mobile has just released an official statement about this issue and they're basically telling consumers to just stick to what they have on the manual.
Sidenote: On May 8, 2014, 42-year-old Lee Min-hyuk replaced Chang Dong-hoon as the new head of Samsung Mobile Design Team. Given this criticism being thrown at the design of Samsung Galaxy Note5, I wonder what Mr. Dong-hoon - as the previous leader of that department - has to say about the product.
Apparently, unlike all Note releases before it, the latest iteration allows the user to insert the S-Pen into its slot tip first without much resistance. In fact, it can go all the way in until the spring-loaded mechanism malfunctions, preventing the stylus from being pulled out.
According to Android Police [watch their video here], "Basically, on previous Galaxy Note smartphones, attempting to insert the S Pen in the device in the wrong direction resulted in obvious futility - they won't fit, or if they do, they require substantial force to get into the S Pen slot the wrong way, enough that you'd immediately realize you were doing something wrong. [...] On the Note 5, inserting the S Pen the wrong way provides exactly as much resistance as inserting it the right way. Which is to say: basically none at all. Once you insert the pen far enough in the wrong direction (again, which causes no strange resistance or feel than putting it in the right way), it will get stuck. It doesn't even have to "click" in. At this point, of course, you will panic. And you will try to get it out - and most likely, you'll succeed. The problem is that if you do succeed, there's a very real possibility you'll break whatever mechanism the device uses to detect whether the pen is attached or detached from the phone. Which is exactly what happened to our review unit."
Many Samsung fans were quick to slam Android Police for pointing out this apparent design flaw. On Youtube, they called people who would commit such mistake as 'morons', 'stupid ***holes', and plain 'idiots'. One even wrote, "Like, holy shit. This level of sheer STUPID is infuriating. Just because you can pour water into the gas tank of a car, it doesn't mean you can claim design flaws and expect free repair/replacement of the damage done. That's not how anything works in a rational world. If you break something from being careless, it's YOUR DOING, thus YOUR RESPONSIBILITY. This infantile culture of "not my fault" is fucking pathetic and a poor indicator of any success as a society in the future. How about this: stop being an airhead and pay attention to what you're doing. Samsung has it right, and I hope they don't do anything else about it. I'm wondering how many stupid assholes heard about this happening and then tried it themselves to see if it would happen."
Thankfully, a few others were more level-headed. This reply got many thumbs up, "This is a major design flaw, you can call someone an idiot all you like, but plenty of times people try to put the pen in the wrong way when not looking. On previous Notes and other devices with the Stylus, they make the end bigger so you cannot physically put it in backwards. That wouldn't have even been a problem on those devices even if you could, but this one with the clicky thing that activates it... just a design flaw that was sadly overlooked. You just know revision two is incoming now. I can understand you calling someone an idiot if they used lots of force, but the fact it just slides in is a design flaw."
Well, here's what I have to say about it: "Look, you probably won't make that mistake. But your kid might. A bud who's unfamiliar with the Note series might -- just because the design makes the user feel that its natural to insert the stylus tip first. So here's what you should do: Brief them first about that pen before letting them play with your Samsung Galaxy Note5 -- even if that makes you sound condescending or too fastidious."
Update: Samsung Mobile has just released an official statement about this issue and they're basically telling consumers to just stick to what they have on the manual.
We highly recommend our Galaxy Note5 users follow the instructions in the user guide to ensure they do not experience such an unexpected scenario caused by reinserting the S pen in the other way around.
Sidenote: On May 8, 2014, 42-year-old Lee Min-hyuk replaced Chang Dong-hoon as the new head of Samsung Mobile Design Team. Given this criticism being thrown at the design of Samsung Galaxy Note5, I wonder what Mr. Dong-hoon - as the previous leader of that department - has to say about the product.
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