Author Topic: Just when you thought all the good ideas were taken! (Read 16,756 times)

kyrathaba · « **on:** October 24, 2010, 01:18 PM »

Just when you thought all the good ideas were taken...

more to come; post your own...

Darwin · « **Reply #1 on:** October 24, 2010, 04:14 PM »

Microwave clothing. Feed tuna fish mayonaise so that you can use them as sandwich filling right away...

OK, neither are my ideas!

Source: Bill Blazejowski (Michael Keaton's character) Nightshift (1982)

kyrathaba · « **Reply #2 on:** October 24, 2010, 06:50 PM »

mwb1100 · « **Reply #3 on:** October 24, 2010, 07:54 PM »

My two ideas that I think are good:

1. standardize the basic remote control protocol (on/off, change channel, volume up/down, basic DVD controls like start pause, fat forward, etc). Once in place and enough stuff follows it you have the joy of being able to use any remote control for the 99% of what you want. If you need to program recordings or do picture-in-picture, then you'll have to dig up the remote for the particular unit. But if you just want to watch something, off you go. Oh, and when you buy a new universal remote (or need to change the batteries in the one you have), you may never have to bother with programming it.

2. standardize a 12 or 20VDC rail in homes - that way we can get rid of all those damn wall warts. Each wall outlet will have several connections for the DC current along with the AC plugs. USB almost gets us there, but 5V and the limited current make it not quite what's needed. I don't really know enough about electrical issues to know if this is workable, but it sure seems like it should be.

Renegade · « **Reply #4 on:** October 24, 2010, 08:40 PM »

Quote from: mwb1100 on October 24, 2010, 07:54 PM

My two ideas that I think are good:

1. standardize the basic remote control protocol (on/off, change channel, volume up/down, basic DVD controls like start pause, fat forward, etc). Once in place and enough stuff follows it you have the joy of being able to use any remote control for the 99% of what you want. If you need to program recordings or do picture-in-picture, then you'll have to dig up the remote for the particular unit. But if you just want to watch something, off you go. Oh, and when you buy a new universal remote (or need to change the batteries in the one you have), you may never have to bother with programming it.

2. standardize a 12 or 20VDC rail in homes - that way we can get rid of all those damn wall warts. Each wall outlet will have several connections for the DC current along with the AC plugs. USB almost gets us there, but 5V and the limited current make it not quite what's needed. I don't really know enough about electrical issues to know if this is workable, but it sure seems like it should be.

#1 would be very useful. Why are there 2 different play buttons? Multiple forward and reverse buttons? etc. etc.

#2 AC vs. DC is rather interesting. Having both would be useful. What I'd really like to see though, is standardization of plugs and adapters... I have, at my desk, 4 different kinds of plugs. It's nuts. Hmmm... Come to think of it, it would also be useful to have both 220V and 110V electricity in the house. 440V in the kitchen, workshop and laundry room would be useful if manufacturers still supported it.

Now lemme see... A good idea...

STANDARDIZED PLUGS AND JACKS EVERYWHERE
Yep. That's it. Standardized plugs and jacks for audio, video, data, telephony, AC power, DC power, mobile phone adapters, etc. etc. etc. Now, some of those already exist, and some exist in some places, but we are very far away from having sane standards. AC/DC adapters are a disaster. How many mobile phones do you have power charger adapters for? Why is the phone jack on the wall and back of the phone different from the phone jack in the phone itself?

Actually, I'd like to extend that to simply use and follow standards.

e.g. When you pick up a product at the grocer or off the pantry shelf, and you look at that date stamped on it...

Is it MM-DD-YY or DD-MM-YY or YY-MM-DD or YY-DD-MM? - You cannot be certain in many cases. The ISO standard is clear: YYYY-MM-DD (YYYY/MM/DD)
Assuming that you actually know what the date reads... Is it a BEST BEFORE or MANUFACTURED ON date? Makes a difference.

Having manufacturers label things unambiguously would be very useful.

Shades · « **Reply #5 on:** October 24, 2010, 09:21 PM »

Now I believe that the IEEE organization is proposing to use connectors based on the RJ-45 plug (the LAN plug, if you will) for practically all things related to PC. So that is already a step in the direction you desire.

@Renegade:
Regarding the 'Best before' and 'Manufactured on' date...it depends on the product. Things that have a long shelf life have the 'Best before' date labeled onto them, while the items with a short shelf life have the 'Manufactured on' date.

At least that is how it was explained to me when I was spending my childhood in the Netherlands. Maybe it is different in your neck of the woods, but I don't think so...because all our food is controlled by only a few food companies (Unilever, Nestle, Philip Morris etc.) and they don't change things.

Stoic Joker · « **Reply #6 on:** October 24, 2010, 09:50 PM »

Quote from: mwb1100 on October 24, 2010, 07:54 PM

1. standardize the basic remote control protocol (on/off, change channel, volume up/down, basic DVD controls like start pause, fat forward, etc). Once in place and enough stuff follows it you have the joy of being able to use any remote control for the 99% of what you want. If you need to program recordings or do picture-in-picture, then you'll have to dig up the remote for the particular unit. But if you just want to watch something, off you go. Oh, and when you buy a new universal remote (or need to change the batteries in the one you have), you may never have to bother with programming it.

If ever there was an idea who's time had come... You have totally got my vote on this one!

Renegade · « **Reply #7 on:** October 24, 2010, 10:01 PM »

Quote from: Shades on October 24, 2010, 09:21 PM

@Renegade:
Regarding the 'Best before' and 'Manufactured on' date...it depends on the product. Things that have a long shelf life have the 'Best before' date labeled onto them, while the items with a short shelf life have the 'Manufactured on' date.

At least that is how it was explained to me when I was spending my childhood in the Netherlands. Maybe it is different in your neck of the woods, but I don't think so...because all our food is controlled by only a few food companies (Unilever, Nestle, Philip Morris etc.) and they don't change things.

That's the thing... It's not like that. I wish it was.

There is no way to reliably predict what you'll see on a package.

It's sometimes kind of important as well. I found that out after projectile vomiting blood... Yeah... Not nice.

Incidentally, my can of wasabi peas is labeled:

MFG: 28/04/2010
EXP: 28/10/2011

Which is nice and clear. Having both like that is great. (Though the date format is ambiguous.)

kyrathaba · « **Reply #8 on:** October 24, 2010, 10:22 PM »

Shades · « **Reply #9 on:** October 24, 2010, 10:47 PM »

How about these ones?
[attach]

kyrathaba · « **Reply #10 on:** October 25, 2010, 12:03 AM »

Hehe, nice ones!

Here's another (notice the toilet paper coming out of the printer):

Shades · « **Reply #11 on:** October 25, 2010, 12:17 AM »

But the above post is based on this one:
[attach]

kyrathaba · « **Reply #12 on:** October 25, 2010, 01:30 AM »

Ergonomic coffin:

Darwin · « **Reply #13 on:** October 25, 2010, 03:13 AM »

Quote from: kyrathaba on October 25, 2010, 01:30 AM

Ergonomic coffin:
(see attachment in previous post)

For who? Marge Simpson?

Perry Mowbray · « **Reply #14 on:** October 25, 2010, 05:12 AM »

I was thinking ten pin bowling...

4wd · « **Reply #15 on:** October 25, 2010, 10:45 AM »

Quote from: kyrathaba on October 25, 2010, 01:30 AM

Ergonomic coffin:

I'm pretty sure that would only be for our silicon-enhanced friends, (and I'm not talking computer)

I'm still waiting for the reverse-cycle microwave.

Renegade · « **Reply #16 on:** October 25, 2010, 11:09 AM »

Quote from: Shades on October 24, 2010, 10:47 PM

How about these ones? (see attachment in previous post)

I like the beer one. This one would also be good if you want to get hammered.

[attachimg=#]

cranioscopical · « **Reply #17 on:** October 25, 2010, 01:41 PM »

Never know when you might need a cork screw.

Stoic Joker · « **Reply #18 on:** October 25, 2010, 04:12 PM »

No, the trick would be to thread the cork so it can screw itself into the bottle.

app103 · « **Reply #19 on:** October 25, 2010, 04:42 PM »

This one is from the logs of my chat room. (sorry, no image)

The Pizza Protocol

MilesAhead · « **Reply #20 on:** October 25, 2010, 06:54 PM »

A friend of mine had an idea for an automatic return to practice basketball free throws. Looks like someone else developed a more elaborate version:

My friend's was just a hinged piece of wood with a catch to set it at a 45 degree angle below the bucket. Missing produced undefined results.

bob99 · « **Reply #21 on:** October 26, 2010, 03:30 PM »

Quote

1. standardize the basic remote control protocol (on/off, change channel, volume up/down, basic DVD controls like start pause, fat forward, etc). Once in place and enough stuff follows it you have the joy of being able to use any remote control for the 99% of what you want. If you need to program recordings or do picture-in-picture, then you'll have to dig up the remote for the particular unit. But if you just want to watch something, off you go. Oh, and when you buy a new universal remote (or need to change the batteries in the one you have), you may never have to bother with programming it.

It's not the the standardization of the remote codes, that would be too easy.
But I went to a Harmony remote the last time after one of the dogs got a hold of the sound system remote.
http://www.logitech.com/en-us/remotes/universal-remotes
Even the lower end ones like I got are expensive but by the time you multiply the cost of the individual remotes and hassle of setting them up and keeping track of them... not so bad. At least that was justification I used to talk myself into it.

MilesAhead · « **Reply #22 on:** October 26, 2010, 05:55 PM »

Remotes with a zillion buttons on the top side have the built-in defect that pressing buttons low on the body with your thumb makes you lose your grip. You end up using 2 hands. Somebody needs to think out of the box and design something you press with your fingers so the thumb stays anchored.

Either that or have a loop or thong built into it that's easy to slide your hand in when picking it up. Press any button one-handed without dropping the thing.