5 ms·

Can we also standardize the noise the machine makes when the transaction is a success? You know that sound "ENGHH ENGHH ENGHH" that is somehow a positive sound?

Can we also standardize the noise the machine makes when the transaction is a success? You know that sound "ENGHH ENGHH ENGHH" that is somehow a positive sound? It's like an alarm clock sound. Why is it not a positive "Ding!" And some will say well it's to remember your card. Well if that's the case, how about force the POS system not to print the receipt until the card is pulled? Or better yet, why does the card have to stay in the machine so long?

eganist 9y ago
Some places have done this. E.g. Safeway/Vons/Pavilions vs. Trader Joe's, one of them has a neutral sound, the other has that error-sounding notification. I believe the latter is the generic notification sound and vendors who customized their solutions post-chip swapped it. I just can't remember which is which right now.
- bonniemuffin 9y ago
  I really like the happy noise the credit card machine at my Safeway makes. :)
- astura 9y ago
  I always thought the angry noise was so you didn't leave your card behind.
craftyguy 9y ago
This is dependent on the machine reading the card, not the card, or technology, itself. This horrid noise is not present on machines used by many vendors..
spike021 9y ago
While I agree, most people don't take their receipts so that idea would probably never work.
Cerium 9y ago
I'd be happy if the text didn't change until it was done. Many of the machines I encounter change the "Wait, don't remove card" text location three or four times, each time you think it is done.
- saurik 9y ago
  On the other side, many of the machines I use don't even change the text at all: it just keeps saying "leave card inserted" and the cashier tells me "just remove your card... it's long done".
- phinnaeus 9y ago
  The problem is the text "Don't remove the card" contains the phrase "remove the card". I wish they just used a positive statement like "Keep card inserted" instead, and then changed to "Remove card". Just another one of those minor accessibility things that would be dead simple to fix if the people in charge gave a shit about usability.
  - jakeogh 9y ago
    Yep. Or "processing" -> "complete"/"declined"
azinman2 9y ago
Visit Japan and you’ll hear ATMs play a little tune as they hand you money. The sound design everywhere you go is amazingly and thoughtful. America can be way too brutalist.
- Hydraulix989 9y ago
  The Zojirushi rice cookers also play you a song after they are done making you rice.
  - hellweaver666 9y ago
    My Samsung washing machine plays a little ditty when a wash cycle completes. It's actually kind of annoying! :D
    - Hydraulix989 9y ago
      Samsung is Korean.
  - glenneroo 9y ago
    If we could only get them to work with microwave makers (or recently inductive "portable" single heating plates) in the US/Europe. New microwaves are IMHO the worst, why does every microwave seem to have a different UX? I often end up just picking the least-button-pressing method in lieu of recommended temp/time settings to avoid diving into multiple sub-menus. Am I the only one who can't stand those beeps? The finished repeated triple-beeps are the jarring cherry on top.
- Lafcadio 9y ago
  Sound design in Asia in general is amazing. I remember the sound when the metro arrives in Taiwan (both Taipei and Kaohsiung)being both really fun and effective at informing you. What really impressed me is how even the garbage trucks sing a little lullaby when they pick up the garbage at night. It is sad we don't pay as much attention to this in Europe and America and usually just go for loud beeps. Sounds can be functional and pleasant at the same time.
kennydude 9y ago
In the UK nearly every Contactless transaction just does a single beep on success, and something else for a failure.

eganist 9y ago

Some places have done this. E.g. Safeway/Vons/Pavilions vs. Trader Joe's, one of them has a neutral sound, the other has that error-sounding notification. I believe the latter is the generic notification sound and vendors who customized their solutions post-chip swapped it. I just can't remember which is which right now.

bonniemuffin 9y ago
I really like the happy noise the credit card machine at my Safeway makes. :)
astura 9y ago
I always thought the angry noise was so you didn't leave your card behind.

craftyguy 9y ago

This is dependent on the machine reading the card, not the card, or technology, itself. This horrid noise is not present on machines used by many vendors..

spike021 9y ago

While I agree, most people don't take their receipts so that idea would probably never work.

Cerium 9y ago

I'd be happy if the text didn't change until it was done. Many of the machines I encounter change the "Wait, don't remove card" text location three or four times, each time you think it is done.

saurik 9y ago
On the other side, many of the machines I use don't even change the text at all: it just keeps saying "leave card inserted" and the cashier tells me "just remove your card... it's long done".
phinnaeus 9y ago
The problem is the text "Don't remove the card" contains the phrase "remove the card". I wish they just used a positive statement like "Keep card inserted" instead, and then changed to "Remove card". Just another one of those minor accessibility things that would be dead simple to fix if the people in charge gave a shit about usability.
- jakeogh 9y ago
  Yep. Or "processing" -> "complete"/"declined"

azinman2 9y ago

Visit Japan and you’ll hear ATMs play a little tune as they hand you money. The sound design everywhere you go is amazingly and thoughtful. America can be way too brutalist.

Hydraulix989 9y ago
The Zojirushi rice cookers also play you a song after they are done making you rice.
- hellweaver666 9y ago
  My Samsung washing machine plays a little ditty when a wash cycle completes. It's actually kind of annoying! :D
  - Hydraulix989 9y ago
    Samsung is Korean.
- glenneroo 9y ago
  If we could only get them to work with microwave makers (or recently inductive "portable" single heating plates) in the US/Europe. New microwaves are IMHO the worst, why does every microwave seem to have a different UX? I often end up just picking the least-button-pressing method in lieu of recommended temp/time settings to avoid diving into multiple sub-menus. Am I the only one who can't stand those beeps? The finished repeated triple-beeps are the jarring cherry on top.
Lafcadio 9y ago
Sound design in Asia in general is amazing. I remember the sound when the metro arrives in Taiwan (both Taipei and Kaohsiung)being both really fun and effective at informing you. What really impressed me is how even the garbage trucks sing a little lullaby when they pick up the garbage at night. It is sad we don't pay as much attention to this in Europe and America and usually just go for loud beeps. Sounds can be functional and pleasant at the same time.

kennydude 9y ago

In the UK nearly every Contactless transaction just does a single beep on success, and something else for a failure.