Innovative New Products for Everyday Use and Fun

New Gadgets Include Programmable Robotic Vacuum and a Riding Cooler

Jul 4, 2009

A 180-degree rear view mirror, a wind-defying umbrella and a replica of a 1956 vending machine are among the exciting new products offering safety, convenience and fun.

Necessity is reportedly the mother of invention, but potential profits, convenience and fun provide sufficient incentives for many 21st Century inventors. The following innovative new products being advertised on the Internet and in a recent consumer catalog illustrate the point:

A programmable robotic vacuum may be viewed as a luxury to many people, but some housewives may look upon it as a necessity. The $400 Roomba robot can be programmed to vacuum up to seven times per week and can clean up to four rooms per charge.

Marketers say it can remove dirt and dust embedded in carpets and floors. They add that infrared beams from "two virtual wall lighthouses" confine the vacuum to one room until it is cleaned. The vacuum automatically returns to its charger when the battery runs low.

Electric Roadster

A two-seat electric roadster is now available for short trips to the grocery, golf course or other nearby destination. It can get up to 25 mph and can travel up to 60 miles before it needs recharging. It can carry six bags of groceries or two golf baggs.

The vehicle is 8-feet-nine-inches long and weighs 1587 pounds. It is powered by an electric AC motor that operates on 4,000-watt lead-acid batteries. The battery plugs into a standard electrical outlet and recharges fully in eighth hours. Cost: $5000.

Boas Frankel Rides Cruisin Cooler

The catalog does not say how often a three-wheeled, ridable cooler would be used, but at least Boas Frankel rode it as one of his alternative vehicles on a 10-week "unroad trip." The $500 "Crusin Cooler" will travel up to 14 mph on a rechargeable battery.

It can handle up to 24 twelve-ounce beverage cans, eight pounds of ice. and a 250-pound rider. Some parts can be removed to fit the cooler in a car trunk. Some folks might have seen Frankel riding it on NBC’s Today show.

Rear View Mirror Eliminates Blind Spots

A 180-degree rear view mirror may not be a necessity, but it can eliminate dangerous blind spots motorists encounter in traffic. It is installed in many police cars and racecars.

The wide mirror provides more than three times the view that standard 52-degree mirrors offer, enough to see five lanes of traffic. It clamps to existing mirrors, reduces headlight glare from trailing vehicles and is shatterproof. Cost: About $60.

Wind Resisting Umbrella

Folks who have had an umbrella turn inside-out in the middle of a rain storm might appreciate a unit that reportedly defies winds up to 35 mph. Marketers say it has a patented vent system that "disperses wind through reinforced mesh pockets in the lower canopy." It can protect two people.

Ear Cuffies are cotton/polyester covers designed to prevent ears from being burned when someone uses a curling iron or other hairstyling tool. One size reportedly fits all ears. They are machine-washable.

Replica of 1956 Vending Machine

A replica of the 1956 Coca-Cola vending machines is not a necessity in most homes or businesses, but might qualify as a fun item. It can be programmed for either free or coin-activated vending. The $5,000 unit is modeled after the 10,000 machines introduced in 1956, but has been updated with "modern refrigation technology." It can dispense either 32 twelve-ounce bottles or 64 twelve-ounce cans.

One can only wonder how the late Billy Mays might have marketed these unique products.

The copyright of the article Innovative New Products for Everyday Use and Fun in Home Management is owned by Carroll Trosclair. Permission to republish Innovative New Products for Everyday Use and Fun in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.