68 - Brainstorming II
Hey there, !
Today’s theme is: Absurd products that can only be bought in pairs
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Temperature control for chopsticks - Heating elements within chopsticks that can heat up so that you can have warm chopsticks when you’re eating things. Or maybe cool them down with some kind of temperature control? I’m not sure - maybe it’d be a gimmick to pair it with a particular type of dish (i.e. a bingsu with warm chopsticks so that you melt things on top of it, or cold chopsticks that ‘freeze’ a liquid into a cool shape?)
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Permanent headphone implants - instead of having to put on bulky headphones, or stick them into your ears, they could be already implanted in your ears. Turn them on and off with your phone, and stream whatever you like, whenever you like. Use the automatic noise cancelling feature to focus in on your work while in a busy, noisy office. The ultimate minimalist aesthetic…
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Pedometer cufflinks - Exactly what you think they are - tracking your steps…maybe it could blink or have specific cufflink screens that change on command (~ * style points * ~) to give you that extra techie vibe to go with your sleek Tesla Roadster. Or maybe Apple will take on the idea - pair them with your Apple Watch, iPhone, iPad, MacBook, iTouch, whatever else they have! Smart cufflinks when?
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Comfortable Crutches - take a mould of your armpit/shoulder area, and have a personalised 3D printed set of crutches just for you. Customize the graphic design and any features you might want for it (pockets for stuff, an inbuilt speaker, a drink bottle holder) - whatever you need!
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Data-driven salt and pepper shakers - give you weekly reports on salt and pepper usage through particular shakers - whether someone has tried to access them, how full they are, how often you’re stocking them up. Optimise your salt and pepper usage! Share it with your friends! (don’t do that - that’s weird.) But a perfect housewarming gift, no? Useless and fun :D
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Edible shoelaces - Sold primarily to hikers/adventurers - if you’re really in a pinch, crack these open for a small meal. Not sure what they’re made from; has Soylent got a solid version yet? Otherwise I’m thinking they’d serve as a pretty nice small noodle dish! Hygiene schmygiene…
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Malleable gloves - change their form to something extremely form fitting for things that require dexterity, bulk them up if you need a bit of warmth while you’re on a motorcycle, or flesh them fully out to use as boxing gloves. Don’t think there’s any material that actually does this yet, but dreams do come true, right?
Man this was hard. We don’t really buy many things in pairs, eh?
What do you want as the next brainstorming topic? Let me know!
Chat soon :)
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✔️ Real Life Recommendations
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Queen’s Gambit - you’ve probably seen it if you have Netflix, but a full-throated recommendation for this regardless of whether you like chess or not. It’s a fantastically shot and well-told story about a chess prodigy (likely based on Bobby Fischer), but with really genuine and accurate chess positions and rituals. I remember a lot of chess tournaments I used to play in as well - and it got me back into playing chess online again!
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Son of Tucci - a brunch place in Mount Waverley (that thankfully takes bookings!) - has a really great fried chicken burger I had last weekend! A simpler recommendation but a delicious one too ^^
🚌 Adventures on the Information Super-Highway
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What are Gen Z VC’s looking out for? - the ‘creator economy’ (selling shovels for the new gold rush), EdTech, gaming and the ‘consumerisation’ of enterprise software. Really interesting read, and also a bit of a kick up the butt - what am I doing with my life?!
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I’m deaf, and this is what happens when I get on a Zoom call - building products for people with disabilities actually helps out everyone - read about how this team adapted to simulating deafness on calls (conversational rhythms changed, planning for the session became more important etc.).
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A Game Designer’s Analysis of QAnon - an INCREDIBLY interesting read about QAnon - why have so many people been enraptured by Q? It’s got to do with the fact that being mysterious, making it seem like a game, and having people own the solution to the ‘puzzle’ makes them believe it much much more. In this case, if your ‘game’ is reality, then you start seeing the answers to the puzzle everywhere you look. It’s self-reinforcing, it’s addictive, and it’s easy to manipulate people when they’re unsuspecting.