The word "gadget" most probably origins from
the 19th century when it was used as a placeholder name to describe
a technical item which original name was forgotten. It then was described by
Reyner Banham in his essay "The Great Gizmo" (1965) as:
"a small self-contained unit of high performance in relation to its size and cost, whose function is to transform some undifferentiated set of circumstances to a condition nearer human desires. The minimum of skills is required in its installation and use (…)."
Nowadays every single idea is transformed into
a product. Probably when you think "hmm, this thing would be so cool if it
existed" it already does and is being produced somewhere in Asia. Unfortunately
the function of most of these gadgets is so particular that they become
(almost) completely useless. Do you have any gadgets like these? Or maybe
you’ve seen some that are pretty much useless but cool anyway?
Let me present to you my list of the most useless
gadgets of all time. The prices are taken from Amazon.
1. USB
finger dance mat – 60 zł
 |
| www.likecool.com |
You plug this device into your computer, you
dress your two fingers with a cardboard character of your choice (Disco Dude or
Flashdance Chick) and you go crazy on a 10x10 cm dance floor. No wonder it was
discontinued shortly after its debut.
2. Musical
cake slicer – 90 zł
 |
| www.amazon.com |
This video pretty much sums up this brilliant
invention. This is a cake slicer that plays "Happy Birthday", "Jingle Bells", "The
Wedding March" and "For He's a Jolly Good Fellow" when you press a button. It
is irreplaceable in every housewife’s kitchen. Luckily the set contains two AAA
batteries.
3. Potechi
– Japanese chip grabbing device – 60 zł
 |
| www.everythinghapa.com |
This is an essential gadget for every potato
chips fan. I think that it may also work with Cheetos though. This carefully
designed device has a built-in anti-potato-chip-breakage system – it allows
picking up chips using just the right amount of pressure. Your keyboard or book
pages will never get greasy again.
But let’s get serious for a moment – the
research conducted by the issuing company shows that around 20% people in Japan
use chopsticks to eat chips in order to keep their hands clean so maybe this
gadget is not that useless after all.
4. TV
hat – 130 zł
 |
| www.wired.com |
This hat includes a portable device holder
(such as a smartphone) and a magnifying glass. It also blocks light to enhance
your viewing experience – you can enjoy your favorite shows hands-free,
anywhere you want. This is the winner of the Most Creative Product of the Show
Award CES 2010. If you ever wished to look more ridiculous – this is your
chance. Here is a fragment of one of the reviews:
"The beauty of the TV Hat is that it blocks out your peripheral vision so you won’t even see the people pointing and laughing".
5. Food
pamper – price unknown
 |
| www.boredbug.com |
Unfortunately I don’t know if this item is
real, however (if it exists) it may be the best gadget from this list. It
actually does NOTHING. You put your food in there (probably it comes in one
size only), set the timer and… that is it. Maybe it could be "useful" if you…
no, it wouldn’t be.
6. Useless
box – 180 zł
 |
| www.getdigital.eu |
I think this is the most popular gadget from
this list and the majority of you have probably seen it. You toggle the switch
that activates a little handle which toggles the switch in the opposite
direction. I think that this gizmo is an ironic invention and this is the only
one that I would actually consider having (not buying though).
Here is a video of a cat using this machine.
(Sorry, apparently this is a different machine, a moneybox. You put a coin on a button, you press it and an artificial cat's paw grabs your money and pulls it inside the box. But you get the idea.)
(Sorry, apparently this is a different machine, a moneybox. You put a coin on a button, you press it and an artificial cat's paw grabs your money and pulls it inside the box. But you get the idea.)
7. USB
pet rock – 80 zł
 |
| www.thepetrock.20m.com |
This brilliant invention is a rock that you may
plug to your computer via USB. It is described as a modern version of the 70’s
pet rock and a perfect pet for any techie. It is compatible both with Windows
(7 and lower) and Mac OS (all of them!). Here is a fragment of the product
official description:
"People will stop by and ask you what your USB Pet Rock does. Each time, you can make up a new story; for no matter what you say, it will be greater than the truth - because these USB Pet Rocks don't do a dang thing!"
Sources:
Comments
Photo
The "Potechi" is an interesting device. I hate having greasy hands. Everybody that knows me notices that I always eat with a napkin around, but I think it's just too much trouble to pick each individual chip with the grabbing device.
I couldn't find any information about the Food papmer, can you tell what did you read about it? Maybe it's for people who are dieting and eat at particular times of day? If I understand you correctly, you set the timer, so maybe it doesn't let you to eat until the timer ends counting?
All those products remind me of the things sold in silly infomercials. I love all those situations where people can't do the simplest things like wear a towel or put things into the pot. "There must be a better way!"
Face blanket I thought it was a "troll" commercial until I saw it on Amazon.
I won't spoil it for you, so check it out for yourself. Here are some funny products (commercials are really short):
The Uroclub
The Hawaii chair
The wearable towel
Happy Hot Dog Man
Sauna Pants
And here are some funny, useless Amazon products :
Link
One of the worst ones is pair of air conditioned shoes called ‘the cool breeze’. Now from what I can tell these are a little misleading and aren’t exactly going to hum as you walk around the office blowing out perfectly cool air. They appear to just be ventilated shoes with some anti-bacterial mesh innersole.
The other one is CTA Digital iPotty. 2-In-1 iPotty with Activity Seat for iPad.
The rest is just useless. Although I have a feeling that pet rock and useless box are a kind of mockery and it just reminded me of something. Do you know Cards against Humanity? In shoty it's a very politically incorrect card game. So some time ago the authors announced they would sell... bullshit. Of course they warned people will be shipped exactly what they ordered, and yes, people bought it, thinking it's a joke and they would get another expansion pack, but they literally got cow poop in a box... http://distractify.com/old-school/2014/12/17/cards-against-humanity-sells-actual-bullshit-on-black-friday-1197800931
So the inventors' of the useless box and pet rock (probably other gadgets as well) motivations were similar to those of CaH authors'. At least I hope so, because if someone honestly thought that would be a good idea, then my faith in humanity shall be lost...
Okay, I am getting used to the idea that Potechi might be useful. Would you consider buying it? It is the cheapest thing on the list! And yes, I have noticed your napkin thing:)
Of course if you want to see more of these one function devices, you may always watch MangoTV, it is full of such gadgets. My grandparents own half of he products advertised there, they have run out of space in their apartment and they store some of these gadgets (infrared duck cookers, weird gym machines, steam vacuum cleaner...) on their balcony (I wonder when it will collapse under it's own weight).
http://images-cdn.9gag.com/photo/6531893_700b_v2.jpg
or someting which can go beyond of meaning useless. Like this one:
http://www.faronics.com/assets/useless-is-more-by-joevelluto-5sedia-parziale_partial-cha.jpg
I think Japan i going really well at doing that kind of stuff! Once i saw a small USB fan which can be attached to chopstics which will cool down our noodles on the other end. MESS IS MORE. is it? :)
http://images-cdn.9gag.com/photo/6531893_700b_v2.jpg
or someting which can go beyond of meaning useless. Like this one:
http://www.faronics.com/assets/useless-is-more-by-joevelluto-5sedia-parziale_partial-cha.jpg
I think Japan i going really well at doing that kind of stuff! Once i saw a small USB fan which can be attached to chopstics which will cool down our noodles on the other end. MESS IS MORE. is it? :)
Another thing is that most of those things are great ideas for funny gifts for friends. Everyone from time to time has problem with picking up gifts for friend b-day- those types of gadget are one of the solution then.
This bullshit thing is a Black Friday special offer, no wonder 30,000 people bought it;) I wonder how many of them knew what they were getting into. I wouldn't even consider buying this. It reminds me of these scams in which people were selling pictures of iPhones or the one in which someone bought an iPad and got a box full of potatoes.
I remember when we buy such things friends on birthday, but this outfit is really nice ^^ http://www.gadgets.pl/public/assets/zdjecia/sumo3.jpg
I still don't get the idea of food pamper...? Maybe it os for people who... No, I don't think so hahah
This post was so ridiculous, I really enjoyed it :D
Especially when there is not enough space for holding your bag or backpack.
Let alone the fashionable design, just excellent idea. I don't who the inventors
are but the only thing that comes to my mind is - don't waste your time anymore :)
Anyway, funny article! :) Some of these examples are so ridiculous, my favorites are USB pet rock and finger dance mat. I find the chip grabbing device quite useful actually (greasy hands are terrible), but it looks stupid and unwieldy.
Some gadgets help us in daily life. It is really useful
My point is - to own useless stuff is human. And people making fun of your star-wars figurine collection should go home and think about what exact purpose their houseplants serve.
But anyway i always thought 'gadgets' were some obscure but high-tech things that have little purpose and lot of 'wow' factor. like smartwatches.
So gadgets are ceremonial objects offered during cultural festivals!
And there is a lot of shops that specialize only in providing 'gift items', like toys for boys ( http://www.toys4boys.pl ) and such
You can't wait for the Star Wars premiere, huh?;)
Some of gadgets from your list are very funny. Human( not only human because also, for example, cat) unfotunatelly is gadgeteer. In my opinion the man not women like it better.
Your article shwows how often people are stupid or how often people need cheap and stupid entertainment.
I have wanted to choose my favourite one, but I have a huge problem with it because all from your list are stupid and absurd.