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Gadget Nation
A Journey Through the Eccentric World of Invention
Steve Greenberg
Copyright © 2012 Steven Greenberg
The Publisher makes no representations or warranties with respect to the accuracy or completeness of the contents of this book and specifically disclaim any implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. Neither the publisher nor author shall be liable for any loss of profit or any commercial damages.
2012-05-11
Dedication
To my Dad, Lazarus,
who taught me to
respect ingenuity—
and to my Mom, Dorothy,
who taught me the joy
of listening to and learning
from everyone’s life stories.
Introduction
We live in a world where medical miracles and high-tech marvels are almost commonplace. New cure-all prescription drugs fill our pharmacies daily, and last year’s electronic products are this year’s dinosaurs; as smaller, stronger, and smarter versions are launched each week. Most of us look at these innovations as something we could never invent. We’re lucky if we even can figure out how to use them.
Every year, however, a number of inventions show up in the marketplace that make us say, “Why didn’t I think of that?” I’m sure any one of us could have invented the paper clip. We just didn’t do it.
Now, before I go any further, I want you to know that I’m an inventor groupie. I have nothing but respect and admiration for all inventors. I think it’s part of my DNA. My Dad, Lazarus Greenberg, and his brother, Marvin, were always coming up with clever gadget solutions. When my brothers and I couldn’t reach the doorknob on the back door, my Dad added a lever and chain to the knob. We pulled on the chain and the door would open. Simple, but it worked. My Dad and Uncle also came up with springs for eyeglasses long before they showed up on fancy designer frames. Here are a few actual sketches showing their improvised solutions to the prob-lems of washing-machine lint, vent pipes, and clogged gutters.
Sadly, I wasn’t raised on royalties from inventions. I don’t even know if they ever filed for a patent. But despite their lack of monetary success in that field, or maybe because of it, I became hooked on invention, ingenuity, and innovative products. Like I said, I guess it’s just in the DNA.
These days, I earn part of my living as the “Innovation Insider.” I travel around the country showcasing some of America’s smartest new products. In my mind, there’s nothing more American than that entrepreneurial spirit that all inventors share. In this country, if you hit the right idea, your life and the lives of your children, grandchildren, and even great grandchildren will never be the same.
Approximately 60,000 patents are filed each year by private Americans. That’s a lot of people grabbing at that brass ring. When I talk to inventors, many working out of their garages, I’m always impressed with their passion and persistence. They truly believe they have the next must-have product. Friends and family may tell them they’re nuts, but they push forward. And almost all of the inventors I have spoken to have said they want their products to be a success, but not only because of the money. They genuinely want to change the world. There’s an indescribable joy in seeing your invention sitting on a store shelf. It’s like having a bit of
consumer immortality. All inventors believe their problem-solving products will make the world a better place.
That said, not all new products are destined to make the world a better place. Some inventions are just plain … bizarre. Others are clever in some strange way. And that’s what this book is all about. It’s a collection of some of the off-beat products out there. And when I say “out there,” I mean “out there.” I’ve rounded up some of America’s less conventional gadgets and talked to the inventors behind them. You’ll meet men and women who had an inspiration and are now turning that idea into something we can all buy. You’ll find out why some of your neighbors have put their passion, their energy and often a great deal of their own money into these unusual gadgets.
I could never tell, by just hearing about a product, if that product was going to be a financial success or not. It was only after talking with each of these inventors that I discovered which products are actually making it and which ones are not. Some products, which I might have categorized as lame, are making money. Other products, which I thought were very clever, have tanked. That was part of the fun of writing this book. The backstories are all surprises. Talking to garage inventors is a wonderful way to tap into modern-day Americana. They are the grassroots of this country’s ingenuity and entrepreneurial spirit. Whether the product is a great idea or a dud, you’ll find that spirit is strong.
Some of these inventions, however, are examples of innovation gone terribly wrong—good people/bad gadgets. After reading about some of these painful experiences, you may find yourself breathing a sigh of relief, saying “Boy, am I glad I didn’t think of that!”
But it’s in these less-than-great gadgets, and the stories behind their creation, that you’ll find ample illustration of the indomitable passion that feeds the spirit of invention. At the same time, they provide a funhouse mirror of some uniquely American attributes: our obsession with convenience, the fascination with gimmickry, and the eternal dream of getting rich quickly. Have the Chia Pet, The Clapper, Ab Twister, or The Miracle Mop made the world a better place? They have certainly made their inventors a great deal of money and become part of our consumer pop culture. That’s the dream of the garage inventors profiled in this book: Leave their mark in the marketplace and make a fortune doing it.
On the Go
We want it fast, we want it now, and we want it on the go. Americans love to be on the move, but hate the hassles that go along with it. It’s that hunger for convenience that inventors feed off. They know we will crack open our wallets to make our lives just a little easier, a little more hassle-free. With all its complications, travel is the perfect feeding ground for inventors. There are so many bumps along the road, so many annoying and frustrating obstacles associated with driving and flying—airports, luggage, kids, pets, drinking, diapering—I’m getting cranky just thinking about it all. Inventors focus on those hassles and try to find solutions that we might all be willing to buy into.
One of the inventors in this category is a mom who needed a way to punish her kids when the family was away from home. At home, she could send them to the dreaded “time-out chair.” On the road, that chair wouldn’t fit in the car—and the kids knew it. Lisa Bogart Carvajal came up with an idea that gives her the upper hand even when she’s nowhere near a time-out chair.
From giving water to the family dog while driving down the highway to carrying medications in your wallet, these inventors have found a way to get you from Point B to Point C without the usual pain in the A.found a way to get you from Point B to Point C without the usual pain in the A.
Mo-Bowl™ Mobile Pet Water Bowl
Bowl Me Over
Inspiration comes in many shapes and sizes. For Rich Skowronski, his inspiration had four paws and long hair. “My dog, Bonnie, demanded it.”
Rich is talking about his invention,