Dave's Ideas

Make One Of These Ideas A Reality (POLL)

March 29, 2011

This is an older post I have decided to make ‘sticky’ for a while. Please check out 9 popular items I have featured in this blog, and offer your support in favor of one of them by voting. More after the jump.

As you may know, I’ve tossed a lot of ideas out there for products. The intent was to get Thinkgeek or the property holders themselves to exclaim “Cool! Let’s make that!”, but so far no bites. My plans for world domination remain idle, forcing me to punish my sidekick.

But no more!

Several months back, Scott Wilson posted a product idea on Kickstarter. It was a wrist watch that would house the new iPod Nano. Everyone who contributed a certain amount to the campaign would receive this product as their reward. He managed to raise nearly a million dollars ($941,718), and exceeded his project asking amount by 6283%!

Because I am Canadian - a nationality that is loathed and oft-derided on the interweb - I am not eligible to use Kickstarter. I left it at that.

But then IndieGoGo happened. The same type of crowd-funding platform that Kickstarter is known for, but available to over 167 countries around the world, Canada included.

So now I am contemplating making one of my product ideas a reality. Specifically something that doesn’t infringe on Copyright, and would be a non-profit endeavor. Here are some candidates:

1. Jurassic Park Blu-Ray Case. This would be an after-market case that you would slip you Jurassic Park Blu-Rays (out this year) or DVD’s into. Could probably include 3 Amaray cases with Raptors on the outer sleeve, but no Jurassic Park logos.

2. Back to the Future Flux Capacitor Tin. This might be a bit trickier to pull off, but a non-descriptive tin (No BTTF logo) featuring the Flux Capacitor. Like JP above, an aftermarket case for DVD or Blu-Ray sets.

3. Ghostbusters Ecto Containment Unit. This would be a housing that you can throw a SATA drive into for your external backup. Would also feature a USB Hub, Card Reader slots, and a ‘Ghost Trap’ USB Flash Drive. Seeing as how I’ve bought all these items separately for about $50 and change, a complete package shouldn’t be too expensive. The Ghost Trap might lure Sony lawyers, so it would need to look more generic.

4. Superman Crystal Control Module. This would look like Superman’s computer at his Fortress of Solitude. It would just be an array of crystal chamber slots, complete with a Crystal USB Flash Drive. A few crystals would act like buttons/knobs, to control speaker volume and other functions. Now your desktop would feel like the archive of a dead planet.

5. A Zelda key fob. This would attach to any key, and when pressed against the lock, would emit music like you’d hear in the video game. To avoid litigation, I’d make the key somewhat generic looking, and allow you to record whatever music you want to playback when used. That way you can add your own Zelda tune if you’d like, or another video game.

6. Transformers Autobot Matrix of Leadership light switch. Alright, this would be trickier to pull off, as the Matrix is so iconic. But it would be so cool.

7. Spider-Man iPod/iPhone USB recharger. Okay this one is impossible to do legally. Though it would be my favorite. This design also doubles as a desk lamp.

8. Power Bar with Weapons Lock switch. This is completely Copyright-free, I am happy to report. Basically a power bar /power strip with a switch you’d place on your desk. The switch has a nice ‘weapons lock’ cover so you don’t accidentally trip it.

9. Tetris Lamp. This is one of my IKEA designs from a few months back. I think legally it can be okay, if I made you put all the color blocks on manually - like a Lite Brite toy. This way you can make a Tetris pattern or maybe an 8-bit image of your choosing. I think it would cost more than $17 however (I put those prices in the IKEA designs for that ‘catalog’ look).

That is all I can think of - 8 ideas that are legally do-able. The Spidey one would be extremely difficult - unless Marvel wants to do a fundraiser type thing.

So what do you think?

Entry filed under: Comics, Computers, Electronics, Toys, Video Games. Tags: BTTF, Comics, Consumerism, Crowd-Funding, Design, Electronics, Gadgets, Geeky Gadget Wish List, Ghostbusters, Ideas, Jurassic Park, Marvel, Nintendo, Spider-Man, Superman, Technology, Video Games.