Anti-Theft Detectors

Anti-theft Detectors

Door alarms that sound when they detect signals from the tags in merchandise are well-developed aspects of security. In effect, an alarm goes off whenever a shoplifter tries to walk out with an un-purchased item. You’ve probably experienced them first-hand. I’ve only witnessed the device in effect when the cashier forgot to remove the activated tag of an innocent customer’s item, but the effectiveness of the alarm was still readily noticeable as the alarm immediately focuses everyone’s attention on the customer at the door who, if stealing, would have a hard time escaping. Their presence alone discourages shoplifting because it presents another obstacle for thieves to bypass and their successful functionality enforces it. Door alarms are usually implemented in addition to on-site security guards, video surveillance systems, and by making items hard to remove by bolting them down, attaching cables and putting things behind display counters. Combinations of anti-shoplifting methods including door alarms effectively decrease the prevalent problem of loss prevention that can cost large department stores billions of dollars a year. Without this solution, stores would be forced to raise their prices to compensate for the loss and thus make it difficult to compete with the store next door, especially if they are successfully discouraging shop-lifting.

These door alarms are perfect for retail stores or other location-based stores of all sizes.

Thermal mug

The innovative concept behind thermal mugs is the prevention of temperature/liquid loss. They provide an effective solution to the displeasure of cold coffee or tea or hot water by enable people to contain and sustain hot and cold beverages far longer than possible with alternative closed mugs. Also, people no longer need attempt to finish their morning beverages at home because they can easily prepare/transfer them into this cup as they rush out the door. This function is achieved by non-conductive material with insulation properties or by the use of a vacuum. Utilized lids are praised for their leak-proof quality while the cup esteems itself on its cool-to-the-touch nature with hot liquids and condensation-free surface with cold. Another positive feature of the thermal cups is its durability. They are often sold as travel mugs and thus need to be virtually unbreakable. There is an abundance of different thermal mugs on the market varying in shape, size, weight, appearance, with handles, without handles, and every other style imaginable to appeal to a wide range of liking.  Other companies even offer the ability to personalize these cups with company logos or other wood and images to achieve maximum personalization.

Ideas of ways to improve the product are slim because they have successfully solved the perceived downfall of hefty weight and continue to improve the longevity of hot and cold liquids. I presume these cups are generally targeted for 18+ college students and working adults.

Mobile Credit Card Reader

The realm of inventive phone gadgets brings me to another very handy accessary perfect for business people of all kinds. If you have purchased items from an Apple store, you have likely encountered the devise first-hand as every employer on deck has an iPhone with these card readers to enable quick and easy purchases. If not, don’t worry because they’re popping up everywhere and your chances of running into one are rapidly increasing. Mobile Credit Card Readers function by basically turning your smartphone into a card swiper. Several different companies sell similar versions of the card reader and each has their own fee structure (for the owner) that is generally based on per swipe(in-person transactions)/keyed(manually typed credit card info for over the phone transactions) and/or monthly expense.

The likelihood of someone carrying cash is progressively decreasing and rather, people like me pay for cheapest $2 dollar burrito with a debit card. This trend poses a problem for individual or small business owner who work mobile or professionals who make house calls. These people depend heavily on the ability to accept payments easily and prevent the loss of sales due to inconvenience or difficulty. The mobile card reader provides the perfectly portable and impressive problem solver. As a customer having swiped my card via the respective gadget and prospective business owner, I have experienced and researched the effectiveness of these units. Once the customer swipes their card or you manually input the information, the transaction proceeds and the app downloaded in junction with the devise gives you the ability to send a receipt to the customer via email. As a customer, after receiving the email receipt immediately after, I felt comfortable and confident with the previously mysterious mechanism.

The concept behind mobile card readers is very strong and works to directly solve an increasingly pressing issue for business owners who never have to say no to a sale again. The visual design is simple, compact and perfectly appealing to the eye. Definite success!

SmartFlex Card Wallet iPhone Case

 

SmartFlex Card Wallet iPhone Case

A sleek, compact, protective and useful iPhone case. This case is the perfect choice for people with busy, on-the-go lifestyles and for people who agree that constantly carrying a wallet, purse or the like is just too much to. SmartFlex was designed to hold credit cards, driver's license, cash and more all in a fitting slot on the back side of your iPhone. You simply place up to 3 cards of your choice in the side slot and push them out via the thumb release (area to place thumb and push) to use whenever needed. The convenience of combing 2 crucial aspects of a phone case (durability and compactness) with one entirely new feature enabling users to securely hold up to 3 commonly used items represents an effective way to enhance an existing concept.  

The case incorporates raised bezel to protect the screen and rubberized covers to shield buttons. The design is also flexible to enable easy on and off removal. It is a perfect solution to the annoyance of spending several minutes rummaging through one’s purse or even wallet to find a particular card. Alternatively, with this case, you can immediately access top items of importance on the back side of your phone that's more than likely in the palm of your hand. It also keeps important items all in one place so you’ll find yourself frantically wondering where you left your wallet much less often. The case is sold in varying solid colors to appeal to various likings. A fear one may have is the possibility of a card sliding out, but the interior of the slot is rubberized to keep the cards snug in place and long time owners like my mother attest that a card has yet to even slightly move without pushing them out.

This case is an extremely handy and useful one that simplifies one’s life by eliminating the need to carry extra baggage and centralizing primary important items in one place that is practically attached to the person’s body  (because of how dependent so many of us are on our phones) which in effect, reduces the chance of misplacing or forgetting them. Its positive impression on people is evident each time my mother removes the cards from her case in front of people who haven’t seen it as they always, without fail, exclaim how cool it is and how they’d love to have one.  It is ideal for mobile phone owners aged 12+ who have cards they use frequently and prefer to carry the least amount of “stuff” necessary.

These cases cost about $35 dollars which I think can be reduced to improve the product’s appeal.

Digital Camera

Digital Camera

A digital camera. Its genius speaks for itself. A device that can capture a moment in time and save it forever is beyond revolutionary. The modern camera evolved from the camera obsurca that produced the first photographic image; however the image required several hours of light exposure and faded with time. Later, the film camera, requiring rolls of film, manual adjustment of aperture, shutter speed and film speed to achieve a balanced exposure, and chemical development was created. Finally, we arrived at the beloved, absolutely fascinating digital camera! The digital camera is now a part of everyone’s daily life as it is incorporated into many handheld devices including MP3 payers, PDA’s, laptops, phones and cars. According to Wiki, “Digital and film cameras share an optical system, typically using a lens with a variable diaphragm to focus light onto an image pickup device. The diaphragm and shutter admit the correct amount of light to the imager, just as with film, but the image pickup device is electronic rather than chemical.” Along with electronic development, another awe-inspiring aspect of the digital camera is its ability to immediately display every shot on a screen for users to view, zoom in to, edit and delete from memory. You never have to worry or wonder what your picture looks like or how it can be improved because all relevant curiosities are satisfied with the click of a button.

The various forms of digital cameras make them suitable for almost everyone including toddlers and the elderly. Compact cameras and phone cameras were designed to be easy to use, sacrificing advanced features and picture quality for simplicity and compactness; perfect for many who don’t intend to display their images on a large scale and only engage in casual photography. There are also several high end cameras perfect for professional photographers of all sorts.

The camera fulfilled a human’s inability to memorize every detail of a scene or multiple scenes. Rather than a painter needing their subject to stay still for the duration of their process, they can now take a photo to reference at their will. We can now record memories and a range of instances we deem important including birth, weddings and crime scenes. Picture-producing cameras also provide the ability to share an emotion, mood, sense, and feeling that cannot be relayed in words.

The effectiveness (to say the least) of the camera is readily evident literally everywhere. Whether you are in a building of any sort, outside, or on the computer, you are guaranteed to see an abundance photos in frames, on walls, clothing, billboards, incorporated in other design, and so much more. Also, the overwhelming use of smartphone cameras has initiated the creation of numerous apps and web-based services to facilitate easy and quick photo manipulating and sharing. This evidence directly speaks for the success of the camera on every level.

 

SPLIT KING ZERO GRAVITY ADJUSTABLE BED TEMPURPEDIC MATTRESSES

 

My parent’s bed is a great example of superior design. They have just purchased a Split King Zero Gravity Adjustable Bed Tempur-Pedic Mattress. The primary reason my parents were looking to purchase a new bed was to relieve some of my father’s back pains that often awoke him during the night. With this concern in mind, Tempur-Pedic’s innovative design seemed to be the perfect way to go. TEMPUR material responds to a person’s unique body shape, weight, and temperature to provide custom support and comfort. These mattresses are also proved to reduce pressure points (spots where your body presses against the mattress - like your shoulders, hips, and heels) and absorb weight, collectively encouraging more undisturbed sleep. Check, check, check on my parent’s mattress priority list. Next, the bed choice. As many know, not all Tempur-Pedic beds are split but as the fact that my parents have very different needs and likings became vividly clear and hard to ignore, the respective option was a perfect solution to simultaneously satisfy both of their firm-related desires. Tempur-Pedic Split Mattress: a perfect, justifiably necessary purchase. But wait. They got one that individually adjusts too. Given that this feature is entirely unnecessary but just as successful as the mattress, it is arguably the most ingenious feature mentioned. The design readily positions people 0-70 degrees for the most comfortable sleep, tv-watching, and/or eating posture at the click of a button. The design allows the headboard to remain at a constant distance from the wall as it modifies positons via quiet and smooth operation.

 

 

Tempur-Pedic, originally manufactured to cushion NASA astronauts on their space flights and improve their survivability in the event of an accident, is marketed for middle or high-class, 25+ year old adults experiencing sleepless nights caused by physical pain and/or chronic tossing and turning throughout the night likely due to disturbance and discomfort. For all of the above reasons, the design is very effective. The only improvement I believe can be made would be a far more affordable alternative to widen Tempur-Pedic consumer appeal.

 

Magic Paint Posters

Magic Paint Posters

Before I mention what Magic Paint Posters are, if you don’t already gather by the photos, I think its success and appeal is evident in the story of how I came to see it for the first time. This twelve page booklet was lying amongst hundreds of other books, toys, and other things in a basket  beside the checkout line at Michael’s Craft Store when my 17-year-old sister and I were about to be serviced. It was close to 9 P.M. after a long day of work and school for the both of us and my sister was especially quiet and withdrawn as she was reluctant to come out with me but got dragged along anyway. The second set of words that came out of her mouth after an hour of shopping was exclaiming about this book as we waited in line. Book in hand, she called me and said “This is really cool!” After she told me what it was and we looked through the pages, we both agreed our Aunt with 5 and 7 year old kids would love this and the kids would rave about it themselves and decided it’d be a perfect little gift to give them the next time we saw them.

Magic Paint Posters is an inventive idea created especially for kids 4+, parents, grandparents, babysitters, day care providers and all other people who are kids or handle them. This multi-paged painting book has various pre-outlined “Mighty Dinosaurs” along with a set of corresponding color pads that turn into paint by simply adding water. The cover’s illustration is loaded with high contrast and vivid colors that lure children’s eyes, and even big children like my 17 year old sister, instantly encouraging them to have it. It makes for the perfect crafty, awe-inspiringly magical and clean activity for young ones that satisfies 3 valuable criteria for buyers. One: Affordability – As the book combines essentials for painting (paint and paper), consumers save by only having to by one inclusive book rather than two separate, likely more expensive, supplies. Two: Cleanliness- caregivers often refrain from engaging in potentially messy activities like painting with children because of the likelihood that they will stain their clothes, the carpet, table and other surrounding things, but Magic Paint Posters nearly eliminates the possibility of any mess because the only spill-able container necessary is the water added to the paint pads that contain the washable paint in a small, proportioned size and amount. And three: Fun- this booklet needs to be fun for kids to do if it intends to sell and painting is indeed fun for many kids.

The placement of the book in a craft store is another attribute to its effectiveness. I have yet to see my cousin’s paintings, but I assume the colors will be faint, so quality is probably a deficient (adequate, nonetheless) aspect of the idea/design. Also, they’ve combined paint and paper, but forgot to include paintbrushes! This is a definite downfall for the product that would easily make it come full circle.

Prezi.com (Existing Design 1)

Prezi.com- beautiful, effective design

Prezi is a cloud based presentation software that has assumed an innovative, fresh and dynamic approach to visual presentations. Prezi offers an infinite canvas for users to place images, text, videos, audio and more to convey a story while their audience irresistibly remains engaged throughout the journey. Not only does the software use a single canvas rather than traditional slides, the canvas implements zoom-ability. After users designate a path for their presentation to follow, Prezi functions by zooming in and out, to the sides, and up or down to each point which easily creates the illusion of physically traveling various directions and elevations in space. In combination with fade-in effects, an abundance of symbols and shapes and the capability to insert voice-overs along with background and/or foreground images, Prezi can achieve an effective flow for narratives, lessons or information to relay itself.

One downfall I’ve detected is a result of ineffective use of the software where countless and constant zooms in multiple directions and distances causes a bit of motion sickness for the viewer. I find it interesting that the nature of Prezi that can make it appear incredibly superior also has the potential to cause the viewer physical discomfort. Luckily, it is within the users control to manage the types and amounts of zooms that occur throughout their story as to intrigue, rather than upset, their audience. Also, although the interface is quite user friendly, I think this aspect could be enhanced even more so to reduce the amount of tutorials users need to review to make the most of the software. I do believe that once one understands how to use the basic tools, Prezi is easily executed. I am in the process of completely a fully developed Prezi during which I will likely encounter more pros and cons with the software.

Prezi can solve the epidemic (dramatic, I know) of static, one-dimensional, snooze-worthy presentations and instead, make the ideas interactive and fun to explore for everyone involved. Businesses, professionals, teachers, students, and virtually anyone who finds a need to relay an idea or set of ideas can benefit immensely from learning more about how to use it best. Almost immediately, everyone watching a good Prezi will notice the elegant and professional impression it provides.

Prezi’s success is evident as they have gained over a million new users a month and report 1+ prezi  creations a second.

Some quotes from Prezi.com are:

“Prezi is helping reinvent the art of presentation. Farewell, one-dimensional thinking. Welcome instead the power of inter-connection, flexibility, and the unexpected 'Aha!'” –Chris Anderson, TED Curator

"A marvelous approach to the visualization of information." –Rob Campbell, Founder, PowerPoint

Oh, and signing up for Prezi is fast and FREE and we could all use a couple more free things in life.