Odd technology examples

[Higgler]

I wrote to a few sales people about odd technical items. The two I was most puzzled about were;

1) The cell phone antenna booster, printed circuits that make your antenna range larger. Recently I saw the test data stipulated as 35% better as a maximum, but recently testing shows 15-20% better on average. Very technical. Can't we technical people make a law against these things.The sales person wrote to me "I don't care if they don't work, I just sell the crap". Hmmn, that might give sales people a bad name. Watch out for used cars from New Orleans, they might be wet.

2) My favorite though, and I kid you not, was a small crystal approx. 3/4 inch diameter that you place in your microwave oven (in the corner). It's purpose is to make you food taste better and healthier by removing the bad microwaves and leaving the good microwaves. It was specifically designed to get those bad microwaves, which must have been very difficult. I've only seen a few microwaves I didn't like.

I'm curious if others have examples that need P.T. Barnum would enjoy.

kch

 

[zeitghost]

"This way to the Egress"?

"Never give a sucker an even break"?

Works for me...

 

[biff44]

I can personally attest, after 25 years of engineering, that the "bad microwaves" do exist. I have run into them on many a-project, where the circuits were possessed by evil forces. Maybe I should have shipped the units with one of those crystal in each package.

 

[cogsoft]

A few years ago, strictly as a joke, a friend and I came up with an idea to design an "electron filter". Why, you ask, so as to remove the dirty electrons from your electrical supply --the power companies don't clean the power before sending it to you...haven't you ever seen a light bulb that blew? --Bet there was one or more dark spots! Anyway, to not babble too much, a friend recently told he that he saw an electrical power filter for sale in a retail store. You can sell anything in America!

 

[Higgler]

With proper Marketing, you can sell anything, but you really shouldn't.
I could have used your electron filter, my backup power supply on my computer let at least one bad one thru during a power glitch last week and my computer backup died.

I was thinking of making a earthquake gas valve shut off for ?$20, but the buyer has to provide a brick weight that gets shaken off and pulls the valve shut - wonder if anyone would buy it - needs good marketing.

kch