561. Bright Idea: the Binibottle October 18, 2007
Posted by Matt Fleming, PsyD in Food and Drink, Product.add a comment
Designed by a 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.
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559. Bright Idea: the Insulated Ice Cream Bowl October 18, 2007
Posted by Matt Fleming, PsyD in Food and Drink, Product.1 comment so far
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.
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546. Bright Idea: the Tornado Potato September 28, 2007
Posted by Matt Fleming, PsyD in Food and Drink, Product.1 comment so far
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.
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543. Bright Idea: Smart Chopsticks September 26, 2007
Posted by Matt Fleming, PsyD in Food and Drink, Product.2 comments
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.
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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.
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541. Bright Idea: Dripstiks September 26, 2007
Posted by Matt Fleming, PsyD in Food and Drink, Product.add a comment
No more messy hands and clothes when your kids eat ice cream and Popsicles. Invented by a mother of four, find the Dripstik website HERE; you can buy them HERE ($4.50)
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540. Bright Idea: Cool-Ups September 26, 2007
Posted by Matt Fleming, PsyD in Food and Drink, Product.1 comment so far
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.
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530. Bright Idea: Fancy French Fry Holder September 19, 2007
Posted by Matt Fleming, PsyD in Food and Drink, Product.2 comments
Anything that enhances the French Fry eating experience is automatically a Bright Idea, in my book (of life). This portable holder includes two attached bowls, for either one condiment each for two people (sitting across from each other or walking side-by-side, for example, or two germophobic double-dippers), or two different condiments (garlic-mayo ketchup and nacho cheese, perschnaps?). Via Trendhunter.
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525. Bright Idea: Sushi Rolling Machine September 17, 2007
Posted by Matt Fleming, PsyD in Food and Drink, Product.1 comment so far
If you have ever tried to roll your own sushi (say, at a dinner party you hosted), you will agree that this product is a Bright Idea. Sushi…yummy, and healthy. Via RGS.
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523. Bright Idea: Non-stick Gum September 17, 2007
Posted by Matt Fleming, PsyD in Food and Drink, Product.add a comment
HumBugg: when you get gum on your shoe, pants, hair, and in your nose; and when it pock-marks public streets. The photo above shows one attempt at a solution: specialized disposal areas (i.e. trash receptacles).
Another solution: gum that dissolves in water (but not saliva). Invented by a British chemist, this gum is made out of a low-cost polymer that does not affect the taste or texture of regular gum. Maybe it will be legal in Singapore. Due out next year; via Gizmodo.
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518. Bright Idea: the Squirt baby-food dispensing spoon September 15, 2007
Posted by Matt Fleming, PsyD in Baby, Food and Drink, Product.add a comment
Fill the handle of this spoon with up to 3-oz of soft baby food, then give it a squeeze to fill the spoon. Feed your little pooper with one hand. Available in Oct HERE; via Crave.
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515. Bright Idea: the Portable Grilliput September 13, 2007
Posted by Matt Fleming, PsyD in Food and Drink, Product.add a comment
The perfect camping accessory. Out of stock HERE; via SwissMiss.
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504. Bright Idea: Windowherbs September 10, 2007
Posted by Matt Fleming, PsyD in Food and Drink, Product.add a comment
Now you can have fresh herbs anytime of the year, even if you live in an apartment. Use basil for pizza and pesto, rosemary and thyme to season meats, and mint for Mohitos. These Windowherbs come with dirt and nutrients, and stick to your window with suction cups. By ZoDesign; via OhGizmo!
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502. Bright Idea: the Knork September 8, 2007
Posted by Matt Fleming, PsyD in Food and Drink, Product.1 comment so far
I also saw this knife/fork hybrid utensil on TV tonight and ordered a set of 4 right after. The edge is sharp and rounded (for the rocking motion) and there is a flattened surface for your finger for leverage. Cut pizza, chicken, steak, carrots, etc. with one hand. It looked so easy on TV. I will let you know how they work once I get them. Buy them HERE
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501. Bright Idea: Magnito Salt + Pepper Set September 7, 2007
Posted by Matt Fleming, PsyD in Food and Drink, Product.add a comment
I still can’t find a Salt and Pepper set that I am happy with (they need to be stylish and functional). This set could fit the bill, and it is also unique, as it uses magnets to stay together and prevent spillage. The only suspected downside is that more frequent refilling is needed. Check them out HERE.
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498. Bright Idea: the Scoop n’ Clip September 7, 2007
Posted by Matt Fleming, PsyD in Food and Drink, Product.1 comment so far
For coffee and tea, the name and photo should explain it all. Simple, practical, and genius. And cheap ($7, Buy it HERE); via Uber-Review.
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489. Bright Idea: the Doc Spag spaghetti plate September 4, 2007
Posted by Matt Fleming, PsyD in Food and Drink, Product.4 comments
The center divot facilitates pasta twirling. Website and shop HERE (4 ceramic plates for $66; 12 plastic ones for $21). Via Trendhunter.
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Use a plate with this battery powered spinning fork, and eating noodles and pasta becomes an elevated experience. Get the fork HERE ($10).
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480. Bright Idea?: Automated Waitstaff August 31, 2007
Posted by Matt Fleming, PsyD in Experience, Food and Drink, Service, Video.add a comment
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.
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465. Bright Idea: Vertical Farming August 27, 2007
Posted by Matt Fleming, PsyD in Food and Drink, Service.2 comments
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.
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464. Bright Idea: Etch-It Cups August 24, 2007
Posted by Matt Fleming, PsyD in Food and Drink, Product.1 comment so far
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.
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460. Bright Idea: Smart Lids August 23, 2007
Posted by Matt Fleming, PsyD in Food and Drink, Product, Video.2 comments
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:
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457. Bright Idea: the SnacDaddy Wing Tray August 23, 2007
Posted by Matt Fleming, PsyD in Food and Drink, Product.add a comment
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.
Below is a 1:30 infomercial on the product, showing how it can hold more than wings.
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.
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449. Bright Idea: Polar Pitcher August 18, 2007
Posted by Matt Fleming, PsyD in Food and Drink, Product.3 comments
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.
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443. Bright Idea: ActiFry August 17, 2007
Posted by Matt Fleming, PsyD in Food and Drink, Product, Video.1 comment so far
Finally, low fat fried foods. One tablespoon of oil crisply cooks 4 potatoes for french fries (about 3% fat of what is typical). I will have to taste it to be sure, but I am liking the idea. Costs $300, by TyFal (Here); via OhGizmo! Check out the 1:40 minute promotional video below.
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411. Bright Idea: Udon Noodle Bowl July 30, 2007
Posted by Matt Fleming, PsyD in Food and Drink, Product.add a comment
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).
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342. Bright Idea: RePlating June 13, 2007
Posted by Matt Fleming, PsyD in Food and Drink, Service.add a comment
Don’t let your restaurant leftovers go to waste; feed the hungry with them instead. Just place your doggie bag/box on top of any trash can (especially those designated as a Replate area with the sticker).
This idea will work until more homeless folk start congregating outside fancy restaurants. At that point, those very restaurants may start having concerns. Until then, I say why not share your food. Via Core77.
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337. IdeaSpark*: The Grill Food Truck June 6, 2007
Posted by Matt Fleming, PsyD in Food and Drink, IdeaSpark*, Service.6 comments
Ice Cream Trucks are great, bringing a jingle and joy to US neighborhoods on warm summer evenings.
IdeaSpark*: Imagine a similar truck, but for adults, as it brings the perfect foods for grilling to your block. Meat, veggies, sides, and booze ready to go on that surprise beautiful evening. No need to waste precious time in the car and grocery. Also have a chance to see your neighbors again, and perhaps join-up for a spontaneous cook-out.
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324. Bright Idea: Whatever and Anything Drinks May 29, 2007
Posted by Matt Fleming, PsyD in Food and Drink, Product.add a comment
Now, when you go to the vending machine and offer to get your friend a drink, and they ask for “Anything,” or “Whatever,” you know what to get them.
A Surprise in Every Can: Singapore’s Out of the Box beverage company is producing these drinks, where the contents are random. “Anything” is carbonated, and is either Cola with Lemon, Apple, Fizz Up, Cloudy Lemon and Root Beer; “Whatever” is not carbonated, and is Ice Lemon Tea, Peach Tea, Jasmine Green Tea, White Grape Tea, Apple Tea, Chrysanthemum Tea.
Check out their website HERE. This randomization concept is similar to my IdeaSpark*: Candy Routlette. Via Springwise.
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264. Bright Idea: Ineeka Tea Bags March 30, 2007
Posted by Matt Fleming, PsyD in Food and Drink, Product.add a comment
This Ineeka disposable tea bag has the tea leaves exposed from the top so you can pour hot water through the bag, and then leave the bag in to steep. Then you discard everything when done. And that is the part I have a problem with: it seems like a waste of materials and money. Ironically, the Ineeka tagline is “Cultivating Consciousness.” Apparently, they are not referring to environmental awareness. Ineeka website HERE, via Slashfood.com.
However, it is a pretty creative design, and thus, I consider it a Bright Idea.
True tea drinkers will use the various other less wasteful alternatives like tea balls, holders, or my personal favorite, the IngenuiTEA.
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261. Bright Idea: Medi-Crunch Dog Treats March 29, 2007
Posted by Matt Fleming, PsyD in Food and Drink, Product.4 comments
The shot glasses in the previous post reminded me of this Bright Idea: dog treats that can hold pills inside of them.
Most dogs will have to take some sort of medication at some point. For our Barkley, it is his monthly heartworm pill. Trying to wrap cheese around it, or smear peanut butter on it, was no longer fooling my pup (how long would you eat your scoop of ice cream if it had a large, bitter rock in it?). Luckily, someone ideated treats that can easily enclose pills. These Med-Crunch Treats have a crunchy exterior, and a soft peanut butter interior for added taste and adherence. Buy them HERE
Thanks to this inspiring Bright Idea, when I have kids, I am going to bake large tubular cookies where I can stash pieces of broccoli in the middle.
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260. Bright Idea: Ice Shot Glasses March 29, 2007
Posted by Matt Fleming, PsyD in Food and Drink, Product.add a comment
Freeze water or juice in this silicone mold, and then you pop out 4 shot glasses made out of ice. Not a bad idea, as it chills your vodka or tequila shot. The biggest consideration is having something (e.g. a super coaster) on the table to catch the melting liquid.
What makes this a Bright Idea for me are the secondary benefits: (1) Minimize blackouts: If your guests each only get one glass, they will eventually have to stop taking shots when their glass melts away; (2) Minimize mess: if you have those hyped-up macho fratboy-types as guests, shards of glass won’t spray everywhere when they smash this glass on the ground after they take a shot and head-butt each other.
Buy them HERE ($7); via Coolest-gadgets.com.
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