Bright Idea

I just got this fun fidget toy in the mail last week.  I haven’t figured out the fancy maneuvers like those in the clip below, but it is still whimsically playful, for about $35. I love it.  Their website HERE; buy it HERE. *

If you are looking to give you website the best advantage, hiring an SEO Delhi Services may be the way to go. By hiring SEO Delhi Services, it can allow you to focus on other aspects to your website... More info can be reached on

Bright Idea Deck: Breakthrough to Brilliance (Paperback)By Mark McElroy Buy new: $13.5724 utilised and new from $5.27 Customer Rating: First tagged “oracle” by A. Montalbano “Ari Stone” Customer tags: tarot(4), tarot deck(3), [...]

I was wondering when someone would produce this: a scooter that also has a kick pedal so you can continue to propel yourself without touching the ground. I may buy one soon, for $120. Below is a quick clip (actually, the video instruction manual) that will give you an overview of this [...]

I don’t know about you folks, but my wife and I use our dining table about 3 times a year, when we get around to having a dinner party. Otherwise, we eat on our kitchenette every night. So that is why I think this dining table, which converts into a pool table, is a Bright [...]

This 32 oz spray bottle holds a roll of paper towels. Quite convenient to use, but maybe not so to transfer the cleaning solution from the original bottle. For $10, buy it HERE. Watch the 30-sec cheesy infomercial below. *

No need to lift your head off of the pillow to read this clock. Though it is not yet in production, I would instantly purchase one if (A) I didn’t have to put on glasses to see the clock anyway; (B) I allowed electric clocks near my bed (yup, it’s my EMR concerns again). [...]

 I love Style Saves the World, it's such a great "green" blog.  Yesterday she wrote about some wonderful Kobo Candles available at Sprout Home.  I bought one as a gift for my mom last year, the Manchurian Dragon Fruit Candle, and she loves it!  It's a delicately scented candle that burns a long time and it comes in beautiful packaging.  The candles are created from domestically made soy wax with enviro-safe cotton wicks so they burn clean with no soot.  They look great in a bathroom or a bedroom! 

This bathtub is designed to support your knees and conserve water. I like the idea, but I wonder about two possible problems: (1) if two people are in the tub facing each other, it could get awkward getting both sets of legs comfortable; (2) I like to occasionally slide my body down to submerge [...]

Anything that keeps the heat and EM radiation of a laptop away from my gonads is a Bright Idea. This carry-on bag has an integrated table, where the ubiquitous handle extension used when rolling ingeniously doubles as the legs of the table. And the whole thing is affordable ($129; buy it Here). * * *

How many times have you entered a vacant home and there was no overhead lighting in the main living space?On a recent vacant stage I came across this exact problem.  BUT a couple steps into the room, the light in the adjacent dining room popped on!  I went over to investigate and discovered that the homeowners installed an automatic light switch (one that turns on when movement is detected).WHAT A BRIGHT IDEA!  (Sorry for the pun, but it fits so perfectly!) This may be a recommendation to future clients if lighting is an issue in their home. 

Designed by the pictured 15 y.o. Swede, this bottle has a side opening so you can fit it under you household faucets. It is sold in Sweden for $5. I doubt it will come to the US. Why? Because the tap water here sucks. Unless the Binibottle soon includes a little Brita filter, I am passing on this one. Via SciFiTech. *

Awww. What a cute and Bright Idea: snuggling with your baby like you’re both in a burrito. Not so Bright Idea: the gender-exclusionary name. Unless they also make the Papaponcho, I am a little irritated and hurt. Buy it HERE (€200+); via Babygadget. *

The inner stainless steel is insulated by a melamine shell. Bonus: it’s dishwasher safe. Store these in your freezer for even longer lasting cool for your frozen comfort food. Buy it HERE ($10); via Slashfood. *

I wondered about this idea a few months ago with some friends who are new parents. They said I should invent it. Too late. Of course it already exists. Buy it HERE ($4); via NerdApproved. Meanwhile, I am fine-tuning my newest idea: cutting loaves of bread into slices and selling it that way. * * * * * *

It was love at first sight, for me. I need this wastebasket right next to all my toilets. The only thing that would make this product even better? An integrated magazine rack on the side, of course. In fact, this product is so beautiful to me, I am also tagging it as “Art.” By Snowtone; Via MoCoLoco. *

Here is another Everyday Edisons product: the Workout 180. This clip is a taste of the next best-selling workout apparatus, which you will likely see in a late-night infomercial. The inventor (read about her here) showed up with a foam step as a prototype (for instability), and the Everyday Edisons team helped it evolve into this multi-use device, the Workout 180. Even I, being one lazy and soft slug, am tempted to buy one. This clip is 4 minutes long. *

From Korea: a potato, cut into a spiral, deep fried, on a stick. Though it may be awkward to eat (getting around the stick) and hard to dip in my favorite sauce, I just booked my ticket to Seoul. Via Neatorama. *

Both these chopsticks, though neither that essential, are smartly designed. A) Restless Chopsticks. Like the utensils I posted on recently (HERE), these chopsticks are designed to stay off of the table (When? Mostly between courses, especially at an Asian restaurant, I guess). Get them HERE ($12); via SwissMiss. * B) Froggetmee Chopsticks. MMM…ramen. Whimsical, these guys…but I tend to bring the bowl to my face to get at the soupy part, so I doubt I would use these. Buy them HERE ($8); via Smidgy. *

Here is the idea: Scoop up some ice cream with this Cool-Up, then eat the ice cream like an old-school push-up pop. It also comes with a cap to save uneaten ice cream for later. If it really works (easy to scoop; no leaks and no mess, then I think this idea is pretty bright. Buy it ($5) at their website HERE; via CoolBusinessIdeas. *

True Story: when I was in the airport last week, I was walking around the terminal looking for an outlet to charge my portable DVD player so I could watch Disc 2 of Heroes on the plane. I finally found one, obscured by the benches, at the same time a young lady came upon the same outlet, to charge her cell phone. I saw her charger adapter in her hand, and immediately knew we both couldn’t use the same outlet. So I moved on. At that moment, we could have used this Bright Idea: Smarthome’s rotating power outlet. Only $10, buy it HERE; via Gizmodo. *

The rules are simple: for your presentation on whatever, you can only show 20 PowerPoint slides, at 20 seconds each. This emerging competitive art from was the Bright Idea of two Tokyo-based architects who wanted a venue for their ideas. Wikipedia it HERE; Wired article HERE; via Don’s Brain Blog. Below is a sample Pecha-Kucha, about Emotional Signage, by Dan Pink. Like all Pecha-Kuchas, it is 6:40 minutes long. It is long, for a clip, but it presents an interesting idea, and serves as an example of this new media format. *

This Dia Chair is made out of stainless steel and water-repellent fabric, making it perfect for indoors or outdoors. It is also stackable. And one simple tilt takes it from a high-seating position (for tableside) to a relaxing lounger. If you have money to burn, buy one HERE ($1,650). *

Made by the Dutch company Stokke, this chair’s name in English doesn’t have good connotations. But, the chair brilliantly adjusts as your child grows, always keeping your child at the perfect height at the family table. You can also purchase cushions, baby rails, and harnesses. Use it for 12 years, or more, for the same child. Stokke’s website HERE; buy it HERE ($199). *

Bumptop is a new and interactive way to manage and declutter your computer’s desktop. You can watch a quick 20-second rap video that gives you a glimpse of it in action (via PopMech), or a longer (7 minute), more serious demonstration video below that. Bumptop’s website HERE. Cheesy, tongue-in-cheek rap video: Longer Demo video: *

We have a new addition to our family: Baxter, the 8-week Shih-Tzu. Like all puppies, until they are house-broken, you need a puppy pad for him to do his business on. Problem: Puppies tend play with and shred the pads. Solution: My IdeaSpark* is to make puppy pads with adhesive edges. Just remove the paper backing around all the edges, like on self-adhesive envelopes, and stick the puppy pad to the floor. Puppies won’t be able to pull it up to eat and shred. Cute little bastards. Oops: Turns out they exist, of course. One version is “Out! Stay down Puppy Pads,” and you, and I, can purchase them HERE ($7). *

I loved the old school Track & Field game that required your rapid button tapping abilities. This new version for the Wii comes with a two-player foot controller mat. So, get some exercise as you challenge your friend to ten different events. Buy it HERE ($30); Via TechnoBob. *

Inflate this $30 travel pillow via a one-way valve, and you can catch a nice nap on your next plane flight. Deflated, it is about the size of a hardback book. Their website HERE; via Productdose. IdeaSpark*: For more comfort and no neck pain, the next version should have a big hole for your face, like a massage table face rest, with the opening going out the back and sides for ventilation. *

Pick up your dog’s crap with two-halves of a hollow bat. I am trying to decide if this idea is really a Bright one. Though cumbersome, it is creative. I never would buy one, but I appreciate the inspiration. Check it out HERE ($20); Via CoolestGadgets. PS. I took Barkley for a long walk this morning and realized that the S3 is going to have problems picking up softer stool, especially in long grass.  You can’t just flip that sh*t. *

At the restaurant Baggers, in Nuremberg, Germany, you order your food via computer (which will also tell you how long it will take for your food to arrive), and then the food is delivered to you via gravity and a rail system. Watch the homemade video below to see the system in action (jump to 1 minute in to see food arrive at their table). Read more about it HERE; via SciFiTech. *

At first, I thought: Why? But allegedly, it is a very different, surfing-like ride, with more leaning, carving, and maneuverability. I would add this one to my novelty-vehicle rental store. Buy it HERE (£400); via BeyondTomorrow. Check out the 30-second clip below to see it in action. *

Take the surprise out of turning all your coins over to the closest Coinstar. This product keeps track of how much coinage you sent through the lid. Cute. But it’ll cost you $30 HERE; via GadgetVenue. Upon further research, turns out there is a $10, almost identical, version HERE. * *

This bookshelf is not exactly groundbreaking, but I like the looks, and would enjoy matching the varying sized compartments with similarly sized contents. Or I would rather save the $1800 it costs to buy one. Yes, $1800. And no, it is not made out of gold-laminated compressed dodo feathers. Via SwissMiss.

Relive the days when you gave your loved-ones a mix tape of your favorite tunes, but with a digital-age spin. This USB drive is nicely packaged in what appears to be an old-school cassette tape. With a USB, more songs are possible, and it is reusable. Thanks for the link, Mark! Check it out HERE (not yet in production). *

Another Bright way to tame those unruly earphone wires. Stylishly, as well. Check out the Wrap N Clip website HERE (and buy the product for ¥890); via RGS. Note: The Wrap N Clip is not to be confused with the another Bright Idea: the Hip-hop themed Salon. *

If I could afford this $2.5 million RV, I would rather utilize a jet, stay in swanky hotels, and rent pimpin’ rides during my travels. But if I had to travel via RV, I would want my car stowed away in the RV’s belly, and not towed behind it, because, um, it’s cool, and possibly easier to maneuver everything. Check out more photos (including interior) HERE; via DarkRoastedBlend. *

Forget meditation classes. Try relaxation as a competitive sport. In BrainBall, the headbands monitor each players’ brain waves (which are also graphically displayed for the audience). Relaxing produces alpha and theta waves, pushing the ball towards your opponent. Get the ball to enter your opponent’s goal to win. The trick is to not get excited as you get close to winning (which would result in the tide turning). Place hefty wagers on each game for a true test of your self-discipline. Read more about it HERE. * *

This 3-wheeled pedal-powered kart can go off-road, and will cost you around £600 (buy them HERE). The clip below is weak, but you can see the KMX in action. Via Trendpimp (where you can also see a longer video, with awkward music). *

Half a dinner plate is attached to this regular mirror to create the illusion of an entire plate (with a line down the middle of it). Pretty cool. But at $200, I would rather make my own. With my handy pocket plate cutter. Buy it (or not) HERE; Via Uncrate. *

Created by iconic designers Charles and Ray Eames, this set has 32 interlocking cards. These cards are big (7″ x 4.5″) and expensive ($35), but imagine a really cheap version of a regular 52-playing card deck. Buy this deck HERE. *

Pictured on the right are two levels of an imagined circular greenhouse. Build 15 vertical farms with 30 levels each, and you can feed 1 million people, according to the man with the idea, Dickson Despommier. Rooftop solar panels will power 24-hr grow lights; evaporating water is captured for irrigation; since the building requires only a small footprint, build one near a city-center to drastically decrease delivery costs. A 21-level farm is predicted to cost $84 million, with operating costs at $5 mil a year, with a revenue of $18 mil a year. Via Business2.0. *

A little cooler than plastic cups and a Sharpie, these Etch-It Party Cups allow your guests to personally decorate their own plastic cup. Novel, interactive, and maybe even better for the environment since you won’t use more cups if you don’t lose your cups. About $7.50 for a pack of 32 cups. Find them at their website HERE; via TheBigIdea. *

Pedestrians can send a text message to a designated phone number to have their message displayed for all to see. Street art + mobile technology + audience and art interaction = one Bright Idea. TXTual Website HERE; via Wired. *

The Bubble Project is a similar, but more low-tech, version of TXTual Healing. These blank bubble stickers were placed on billboards around NYC, for anyone to fill in. There are many more examples at their website HERE. *

Doesn’t sound possible, right? This is not a joke, nor a snuff clip. Professor Splash actually pulls it off on a Japanese TV show. Skip to 3:30 in to see him take the leap. Via Neatorama. *

These disposable coffee lids are heat-sensitive, going from red to brown when the contents are no longer too hot to drink. The lid will also indicate if it is properly sealed on the cup (the entire edge will be brown). Costing only 1-2¢ more per lid, the company plans to go global this year. Their website HERE; Via BeyondTomorrow. Check out this 37-second video of the lid in action: * *

I didn’t think it was possible, but it is: someone wrote an entire manuscript, titled “Gadsby,” without once using the letter “E.” That means no “the, he, she.” Below is the first sentence. Check out the entire story HERE; via RGS. “If youth, throughout all history, had had a champion to stand up for it; to show a doubting world that a child can think; and, possibly, do it practically; you wouldn’t constantly run across folks today who claim that “a child don’t know anything.” *

Finally, a blog posting on an Everyday Edisons Season 1 invention: the SnacDaddy. Eat the meat off of your buffalo wings, then deposit your nasty bones in the center hole, out of sight. Buy one HERE ($15); check out the SnacDaddy website here; read a Slate article on the SnacDaddy here; via FreshTrend. MetaNote: I just found out today that I will be flying to Charlotte on Sept 20th to work on my invention for Season 2 of Everyday Edisons (their website HERE). I will soon continue to update folks on my other blog, MetaBugg. *

Finally, a single-shot paintball gun. The Patriot Magnum requires no CO2, just a pump of the lever, and provides strategic, single-shot action. If you want more skill and finesse in your armed combat (and not the typical expensive rapid-firing of regular paintball) this gun is for you (depending on how far it can really shoot). Buy it HERE (£20); via CoolestGadgets. P.S. If you like paintball, check out the postings of one of our loyal readers, at the Bird Man’s Blog HERE. *

Set up a putt-putt course anywhere you want with MyMinigolf. Imagine these 9 holes around your office suite, your neighborhood block, or throughout a dorm hall or condo (with each room/unit pairing a hole with a different beverage that you can only sample if you make par). Check out their website HERE; via Core77. *

My friend came across a version of the Polar Pitcher while at Comic-Con. Add ice (and a little water for maximum effect) to your Polar Pitcher to chill your brew without diluting it. Granted, volume for beer is lost, but hopefully the bar that uses these pitchers will take that into account when pricing. If you use kegs at home, buy it HERE. *

A friend and new mother just recommended this Bright Idea: the Seat Chiller Child Car Seat Cooler. When you are about to get in your hot car, take the Cooler out of the freezer, put it on the baby’s car seat for a few moments, cooling the seat and buckles, then remove it. Now, your baby won’t get burned. Good mommy and daddy. Buy it HERE ($15). *

Having lived in Bangkok as a teenager, I appreciated this Bright Idea even more. Thai cops who are late or litter are forced to wear this Hello Kitty armband as a badge of shame. So far, the cops have been behaving, so it seems to be working. Read the NYTimes article HERE; via Velocity. *

Pacifiers drop all the time, onto the dirty floor. Instead of supergluing them to your baby’s lips, try RazBaby’s pacifier, which will snap closed when they fall. Buy them HERE ($5); via TheBigIdea. *

  My wife always wants to buy clothes as gifts for all our friends’ babies. But I don’t like the idea, since infants grow out of the outfits in a month or two. I would rather buy the baby a gadget, or a stuffed rabbit. For a fixed fee, the German service Lutte-Leihen will allow you to exchange the organic cotton clothes they provide via mail. Like Netflix. Great Idea, and they should do it for baby toys, as well, which quickly lose their novelty. Since the clothes and toys are clean and disinfected, why not? Their website here; via Springwise. *

The chair on the left separates into a lower rocker chair, and a rolling side table/foot stool/laptop desk/seating for a friend. Unique, and potentially useful for dorms and hip offices. But I still want my arm rests. The Trey Chair starts $240; their website HERE; via OhGizmo! *

Jean-Yves Blondeau can speed up to 60 mph on his back, stomach, and all limbs, thanks to his Buggy Rollin’ suit. Check out a few moments of this video. Since I typically end up on the ground when I rollerblade, I want this suit. Via SciFiTech. *

Like the post below, here is another 26-second video clip of omni-directional technology. The army is exploring the uses of this idea, but I know most of us are waiting for that totally immersive gaming experience (match the treadmill with a wraparound screen and a light gun and you get Halo 4). Treadmill website HERE; via OhGizmo! *

Thanks to Mark for this 26-second video clip of wheels that can go in any direction without seeming to turn at all. The clip reminds me, bizarrely enough, of moonwalking. The Airtrax website HERE; via Hitslot. Great for robots, wheelchairs, fork-lifts, and people who can’t parallel park. This wheel is aka the Mecanum Wheel (read more about it here). *

Even though I wouldn’t use this toothbrush because I need mine to be electric (I use the $10 CrossAction), this idea is so bright it took a moment for my eyes to adjust. Rinse your mouth thanks to the redirected flow water. Once mass produced, this brush could go for $3, but now each one costs $1,750 (for one of 27 prototypes). Their website HERE; via OhGizmo! *

Use Kaboost to raise any chair for your child. Cooler than your average booster seat, this product folds up to be a little more compact, has two heights, snaps on quickly, has non-slip feet, holds up to 300 lbs, and costs $40 (check it out HERE). Via Inventorspot. *

Now they can project moving images on a thin sheet of fog, which is also touch sensitive (i.e. interactive). Watch this quick 1-min clip, and make sure you get to the part with the fireworks. Ultrasound creates tiny water droplets, which travel with downward blasts of air, at 2.5 gallons per hour. Starting at $40K for the 50-inch model. Their website HERE; via OhGizmo! *

Prevent serious injury to fingers with the Fingershield, a flexible guard that covers those deadly door jaws. Perfect where there are kids around. Their website HERE; via GadgetVenue. Facts: closing doors can exert a pressure of 40 tons per square inch, and per year, cause about 300,000 injuries (about 50,000 to kids) and result in 15,000 amputations. Ouch. *

I was recently invited to a Chevy Volt presentation event for Washington, DC bloggers and writers. There, I was introduced to the gorgeous and eco-friendly concept vehicle. Not like any hybrid, there is actually a new and Bright Idea behind this car. Check out this short clip I made (make sure you can hear the music). The Chevy Volt website HERE. *

Over at GetFreshMinds.com, Katie Konrath presented a creativity competition aimed at stimulating connection making. With the goal of finding a way to improve a car, you are given a random word as inspiration. I was given “Carousel.” Read the post below to see what I did with it. With her master’s degree in Creativity and Innovation, Katie knows how to get ideas sparking. Check out her blog HERE. *

How about this for a Bright Idea: keeping your fingers from getting chopped off. Watch this amazing 1- minute video of a circular saw blade instantly retracting when in contact with flesh (this demo uses a hot dog). The inventor was a woodworking physicist who developed and sold the product himself after a hardware company turned him down. Check out his website HERE; via The Big Idea. Can you guess how the blade distinguishes wood from flesh? Click on for the answer… (more…)

This Simplehuman design competition winner hangs on the mail slot of your front door, catching all the delivered mail and keeping it off your floor. Easily removed, you can then carry everything to your office/living area, go through the mail, and then return the tote to the door. Via ProductDose. *

It is hard to make a rocking chair that looks cool, but I think this one gets pretty close. Seems like it has a bonus reading light, but the chair loses points for not having arm rests. Via MoCoLoco. *

More stylish than a bulletin board, this Centipede Organizer lets you keep your photos and clutter up on the wall without using tacks. It works as 100 tiny brushes hold the papers in place, which also inspires its name. Too bad it is so expensive ($135). Buy it HERE; via BLTD. *

There are many versions of lift top coffee tables out there, all of which are Bright Ideas. Not only can you access the hidden internal storage without having to clear off the top, but you have an instant chest-high surface to eat off of. This pictured table is stylish as well ($580; buy it HERE). *

I saw this on The Big Idea last night and thought it was pretty creative: the Cuddle ‘N Cover baby towel apron. Keep your baby safer as you use both hands to pick him/her up from the tub and put into the ready and waiting warmth of the towel, which also has pockets for you, and pouches for your baby’s feet. I don’t have a baby yet and I want one. And imagine what a hit you would be at a baby shower if you brought this as a gift. Buy it at their website HERE ($18). *

Made from a paper and chalk-based material, these NoMing vases (as in not a fragile Ming vase) are waterproof, strong and reusable, and cheap ($15 for 4), making it the perfect addition when you buy flowers for someone. Initially flat, they are convenient for storage and shipment (similar to my IdeaSpark*: Post #223). Buy them HERE; via BLTD. *

Turn your potted plant into a urban park scene (voila! instant living art). Bonsai inspired, each piece is original, and some are a little raunchy (e.g. a fellatio scene). By Science + Sons designers, check them out HERE ($150 each). Via Freshome. *

Perfect for walks at night (maybe there are lots of nocturnal hikers out there), this ergonomically designed flashlights illuminates your path and where you are heading, and is easy to carry. It uses 3 AAA batteries, has efficient LED bulbs, and cost $30 (buy it HERE). Via OhGizmo! IdeaSpark*: Add a retractable dog leash to this, and I would by it. When Barkley craps at night, I need a convenient light pointing downwards to help me find his stool. *

A person in a wheelchair can pull right into the Kenguru car and immediately drive away. This $12K Hungarian electric vehicle can go up to 25 mph and as far as 35 miles, and is steered with a joystick. Via SciFiTech. Clearly, this is a Bright Idea, but I have 2 questions: (1) Is it being massed produced, and why only in Hungary? (2) What is the length? Because it should be able to be parked perpendicularly along the side of streets so the person can enter directly from the curb (i.e. parallel parking would limit clearance space behind the car for vehicle entrance/exit, and the curb would be an obstacle). *

Because it can get messy, noodle soup is best eaten close to your mouth. This bowl makes it easy and stylish to slurp down that udon, ramen, phò, or even spaghetti, especially as you are curled up on the couch in front of the TV on a cold evening. Buy it HERE ($28). *

I came across this Bright Idea on my recent travels: a drawer that gently closes itself. I once saw something similar with a luxury car door. I figure it is mostly to prevent hurt fingers and loud slamming. Check out my 21-second video clip to see it in action. One company that produces these drawers is Blum, using this pictured device: *

For those of you with crappy handwriting and a little extra cash: instant labeling tape. Like old school digital readouts, indicate a letter or numeral as you highlight several of the 14 white segments by blacking out the other ones with a marker. Get a 65-meter roll for £8 HERE; via Business2.o. *

Work on your putting and chipping skills in this family activity. Qolf is an indoor/outdoor game that is a cross between croquet and golf. I haven’t tried it, but I think that any new way to play is a Bright Idea. Watch the 1 minute commercial below. Their website HERE ($40). *

Oooooh, pret-teee! These outdoor lights are aluminum tubes topped with clear acrylic diffusers. Four filters give you white, green, orange, or violet. Three AA batteries power a 1 watt LED for 50K hours (as if single battery giving you 16,667 hrs wouldn’t be enough). For $60 each, buy them HERE; via OhGizmo! *