gadget:
This is my roomates idea, and it probably already exists: a zack morris cell phone with a bluetooth device inside. Have your real phone in your pocket talk with the 80’s cell phone. But to take the idea further; it could be cool for the car phone in my car that hasn’t been useful since I was in middle school. Also, with bluetooth you can pretty much embed a device into anything. Put it into a soda can, or make it small enough to fit in some sunglasses.

venture:
Since I now have a rough understanding of how the rental agencies operate in boston and have updated a couple thousand listings i’ve come to the conclusion that there aren’t enough detailed photo’s or even videos of apartments. Take a video of the thing, host it on youtube, then people come in already knowing which apartment they want but still have to just make sure its perfect. Is there a rule against taking video?

day 1

I think at the end of the month I’m going to pick the best idea out of the bunch and try to make it a reality.

Gadget: So waiting for the train today in mcdonalds cause it is snowing in April made me think that if I knew where the train was then I could be waiting somewhere else. Why doesn’t the MBTA put live GPS update’s on their website and allow people to access this information with their phones. This way I know that the B line is going to be arriving at 1:35 and I don’t have to wait in mcdonalds for twenty minutes and leave smelling like a heard of cattle. Also I can plan on when I leave work around when the T is going to be passing by. I’m not holding my breath for this service. The mbta should make a gadget that you buy that will tell you these things, the technology has been available for this type of device for ten years.

Venture: I’ve always wanted to sell a bumper sticker that said “bumper stickers suck” or “Bumper stickers are for losers”. Who wouldn’t laugh at that? If I sat down and thought about other dumb shit to put on a car’s bumper I think it would be a legit business. How about “Please rear end me I’d like a new car”. This made me think of the statement I heard a while back referring to political bumper stickers: a bumper has never solved anything. But maybe they can put some money in the bank.

Get caught up here.
Gadget:
I lost my wallet this summer, and it was pretty much terrible. So why not have a GPS device in your wallet so that when you lose it you can find it. Better yet why not have a GPS device on your keys as well as anything else you might lose… like a cell phone. The GPS will be tied into a secure website where you can pinpoint the location within a couple of feet. If you are lazy and have lost your keys, cell phone, and wallet because they fell out during a heavy napping session on the couch your problem is solved.

Venture:
I’ve always wanted to sell hooded sweatshirts. I’m pretty sure I could design some that would crush it. Not a ton of detail on this one, but its straightforward enough.

Gadget:
I want to utilize RFID in my daily life as much as possible. Imagine having a card that can sense when you wake up because you pass by a sensor to go to the shower, it then heats up water for coffee and starts up the toaster to make the eggo waffles you left there the night before. When you come home the settings you’ve saved on the RFID card knows that after 5 o’clock all the lights should be turned on, since it’s november it also knows that the heat should be turned up. There is an infinite number of applications for RFID and for the most part none of them are mainstream.

Venture:
This one is easy, build a business around implementing RFID services. People will want high tech homes in the future if they don’t already want them right now. I would love to start installing these features. Also since there are an infinite amount of ways use the application it makes innovation easy and fun. People will love the product you are selling them and because of that it would be a great business to be in. Your not selling them tax software, your selling them freedom from lightswitches etc. If my music can follow me around the house, from room to room, and save me money on the electric bill, rich people will beg you to install the product.

Okay, i’ve decided to take on a new challenge. For the month of April I will be coming up with one new invention idea and one new business idea every day. The criteria for an invention idea is that it has to be a physical object that serves a purpose. For the business idea, well it has to be something that is interesting and would be able to make money.

The reason I want to do this is because I think it will help me clear my head of previous ideas and will allow me to expound on newer and more interesting ideas. Also I have been very inspired by the creativity class I’m taking at Harvard and I want to challenge myself.

So with that out of the way!

The first invention idea:

An alarm clock that hangs on the wall like a photograph but is more like a tablet pc than anything else. It will have the weather, headlines, amazing speakers w/access to your music collection, access to pictures to display a slide show all day. The alarm clock will be voice activated. There will be a motion sensitive camera that will sense if you yell snooze and then if you don’t get out of bed it will wake you up -> never oversleep ever again. If you aren’t waking up it will adjust the volume. I want this contraption, and I want it right now.
The first business idea:

Admittedly this is not my own idea, yet I have added important elements. How great would it be to have a fast food restaurant that specialized in grilled cheese sandwiches? There is an endless possibility for ways to create the perfect grilled cheese. Add a slice of tomato, add ham, add bacon strips, etc. The signature drink served at this restaurant? Green tea. Green tea can be done a hundred different ways too. I wish I was on my way to this restaurant.