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The Worst Products of CES 2010
loose electron submitted a (sigh) slideshow page documenting 10 of the worst products from CES this year. Includes a baseball hat with a TV in the brim, vibrating earbuds, an Android powered microwave, and what appears to be the next generation of Teddy Ruxpin.
That product, if done right (anti-bacterial stuff in the goo to get the keys actually clean, right consistency to not leave bits between keys) would actually be pretty useful in some environments.
For those who didn't RTFA, it's a keyboard cleaner via goo like substance that you push on and pull off and it takes the ick with it.
Interestingly enough, they weren't meant to go in your ears >.>
"Common sense will be the death of us all"
One look at that advertisement and I'm craving something other than an electronic cigarette.
Hmm. Do you need to borrow my vibrating earbuds?
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I think the reviewer compiler just has issues with bidets. The Japanese have had robotic bidets for some time now. Chalk it up to "weird Japan" if you must. The android powered microwave is flawed because it's in a microwave, not in a stove. I love to cook, but there are occasions when I want, or need to consult my computer-- email, recipes, perhaps a podcast. But I don't want to get spattering spaghetti sauce on my electronics. A computer, built for the kitchen environment would be valuable.
What? In Utah we were told candy cigarettes were a gateway drug! Had to drive to Evanston, WY to get them.
THL phish sticks
Many of the choices just seem to be because the idea is new or somehow "weird" to the author (the parent's synthetic snot example, the bidet example by another poster) or something that the author doesn't personally have a use for (the e-cigarette) or just something that has a target audience which doesn't include himself as a member ($200 Blackberry Presenter that enables users, presumably mainly businessmen, to plug their BBs wirelessly into projectors but doesn't actually project itself - do you expect a good projector inside a tiny box like that for just $200?!).
Anyway, there are more examples. Probably over half of the products in that article are actually quite viable and/or unique/innovative ideas. Some of them may not be implemented too well, but could still prove to be a launching pad for other good products (imagine an fold-up full-size keyboard for the iPhone that could work in any text field). This author is trying to be disparaging for the sake of being disparaging. Nothing wrong with many of the products he listed.
A computer, built for the kitchen environment would be valuable.
...and here it is!
I think the terminal can also be used as an island. It looks like it's got room for use as a cutting board or for rolling out pastry too! What more could you ask for?
Putting moderation advice in your
I don't think those vibrating "earplugs" are really meant to go in your ears.
Seriously, try putting an inexpensive pair of earbuds up your rectum (use a lubricant). Then, if you play the second Pavement album at full volume, while watching The Wizard of Oz, you will achieve states of Tantric ecstasy. You have to start them at exactly the same time. Then, just as Dorothy is about to meet the Tin Man, yank out the earbuds as fast as you can.
Warning: Be sure to lock the door to your office before doing this. Having a co-worker walk in could cause some uncomfortable feelings in the workplace.
You are welcome on my lawn.
I use one. It takes a while to get used to, but you can flavor it any way you want and after using it consistently for a day "analog" cigs taste pretty bad. The main issue is keeping the atomizer clean (it gets build-up and starts tasting funny). Other than that, what you get is a device that gives you vaporized nicotine in a similar method as cigarettes, without tar or other chemicals. It's basically the same as an nebulizer with nicotine. You can vary the nicotine level, eventually moving down to zero. The only issue is, in my opinion, it's not really a stop smoking aid, it's really a smoking replacement. And you have to make sure you keep your batteries charged - a dead battery will lead right back to a cigarette.
A guy I work with bought one of these...not the same brand, but pretty much same deal. I've tried the e-cigarette and if they were more easily available, I probably would have bought one by now. It actually tastes pretty much like a cigarette, and once one gets accustomed to it, I see it as a direct replacement.
The guy I know who has one...smokes in wal-mart, restaurants, in public, etc. Granted, he's going to catch flak for it from the countless busybody-douchebags in this world that just cannot stand seeing someone else enjoying themselves, but its not banned anywhere. It doesn't burn anything and produces no smell.
This product deserves an A +.
I know a number of long time smokers that have switched to the e-cigs. Hopefully nothing but nicotine (hey the juice comes from China- so who knows), no second hand issues, doesn't smell, can smoke in restaurants, on long flights, in the car, etc. The biggest problem is that people might not die as quickly AND stop paying the exorbitant sin taxes on tobacco.
I really don't understand what the 'Krave' was doing on that list...
Not all of the liquid comes from China any more, there has been a huge influx of 100% USA made liquid in to the market over the past few months, and the consumers are gladly paying the slightly higher prices for it (myself included). More people are also shelling out the money to have their liquid tested which is a big step forward, and there are groups of users coming together to fund actual research in to the safety of using these devices vs. smoking (something that's common sense to most of us, but tell that to the FDA)
Yes, most all of the hardware still comes from China, but that's even starting to change as the ex-smoker geeks start getting their hands on these things.. there are huge sections on some of the PV (personal vaporizer, a term a lot of us prefer over e-cigarette) forums dedicated to building your own custom battery box so you can go days without having to charge it (and get to solder! win/win!), even some people who have reverse-engineered the atomizers and now build their own, how to mix your own liquid with supplies from US-based labs, etc.
The only big problem (besides the FDA and anti-smoking groups trying to shut us down) is the people trying to make a quick buck off of these things - the fancy brands like Krave, the sales kiosk in the mall (not all of them, but the ones who are just run by a salesman and not someone who actually understands and cares about what he/she's doing), the ones making health claims without proof to back it up, trying to sell to minors, ripping people off.. it makes the rest of us look bad. Every news article I see about these things says that a starter kit is "about $100-$150", when in reality they're about $30 or $40. And we know they're not healthy, they're just better than what we were doing before. Personally I got all of the health benefits normally associated with quitting within about four days of switching to my PV - increased lung capacity, no coughing, increased stamina, no stink, etc. I can use the thing in my house, or at my desk at work, and nobody even knows I'm doing it as there's no smell, and the vapor dissipates within seconds.
The only issue is, in my opinion, it's not really a stop smoking aid, it's really a smoking replacement. And you have to make sure you keep your batteries charged - a dead battery will lead right back to a cigarette.
I also switched to electronic cigarette only, from a 11-year pack+/day habit, and haven't had an analog cigarette to date (over 8 months). I definitely agree with the idea that it's a smoking replacement instead of stop smoking aid, but until there's evidence of long-term risk I'll treat my nicotine habit like my caffeine habit - sure, it'd be better not to be addicted, but I'm not really all that woorried about it.
I found the battery issue frustrating, and so ended up finding a cheap source directly from China for additional batteries (thus avoiding the insane U.S. distributor/retailer markup). A couple months ago, though, I bought a couple of the USB pass-through devices (that pull power directly from a USB port - no battery). Since I'm sitting at a computer the majority of the day I found this much more convenient (after I got used to have a cord coming off the end of my cigarette) now that I never have to worry about constantly recharging/replacing batteries.
I still have a handful of batteries that use for when I'm away from a computer (out at bars/parties/shopping/etc), but the pass-through device has definitely simplified my nicotine habit. And for the model I use (with a disposable cartridge/atomizer) is only about $20.
Now that I think about it, I'm pretty sure everything I just said is completely wrong.