(S01E05/S01E06) Finally we're getting somewhere. Though at first I thought two hours was way too much
to go through these rounds, I actually think it's the previous four episodes that dragged on longer than necessary. It
was a little confusing how the inventions were show to us in the previous weeks, as there were some I just don't
remember seeing at all, though they moved on. The Mobile Family Plot? Flush Pure? Did they show us these before? Eh, no
matter. Here's the list of those inventions they showed, the ones that made the first cut and the ones that make the
final twelve.Here's what didn't make it to round two:
- Hook N Pull -- This guy blew it. And on top of that, the packaging he used screamed "I don't need you guys -- I can put these on shelves today."
- Kitty Glove Keyboard -- What? I didn't see enough to understand it, but it sure seemed goofy.
- Soft Spin Nail Polish Remover -- "Really really really really" sucked at the presentation. You need a machine to remove nail polish?
- Hop and Pop -- The judges were feeling generous the first time this made it through.
- Baseball Protective Gear -- This one didn't get far at all, though it seemed to be one of the better ones to not make it to round two.
- Warps Chess -- The judges hated it and probably wondered what they were smoking when they let it get this far in the first place.
- Tool Buddy -- I never saw this before tonight, but the guy says he made lots of improvements. Unfortunately, not enough.
- Video Tattoo -- Like I said before, this is already done. I'm glad they dropped it.
- Disposable Bedding -- I'm so glad I don't have to sit through hearing this lady again.
Here's what made it to round two (but no further):
- Quad Flosser -- How can this guy say he's not easily intimidated, yet gets major stage fright twice?
- Toy Figure Manipulator -- Flopped, though it did seem like a cool little toy. We only caught a couple glimpses of this, and I wish I saw more, actually.
- Video Gift Box -- Blew it in the first go, but somehow it made it past the first round.
- Disc Eraser -- Er, this thing makes CDs unreadable? Is that the invention? Hey, I have one of these at home already. I call it a hammer.
- 101 Cookie & Cake Kits -- They hated the presentation, but it makes it to round two. Thankfully, that's where the pain for me ends.
- Solar Power Rockin Cooler -- I'm glad to see this one end here. It was way too gimmicky.
- Cookie Stacker -- Actually, I could see people buying these. I guess it's just too specialized.
- Character Building Buddies -- She didn't have a sob story sad enough to make it further. I agreed with the judges on this one.
- Anemone Alarm Clock -- Stupid. There were other ideas that were better that didn't get this far.
- Mobile Family Plot -- I'm sorry, but this just seemed freaky to me. Carry around ashes of multiple people in one box? Just not my thing, I guess.
And here they are, the final twelve:
- Sackmaster 2000 -- Just as good as the first time. I'd put this in the top three inventions so far.
- EZ X Portable Gym -- Wow, this guy bombed in the first round, but he makes it all the way. Once again tears get the best of the judges. I truly see this guy's heart, but I'm not sure I can see this product beating out the others.
- Receiver's Training Pole -- The guy's energy is what gets this thing moving, and it really does seem like it could work well for the intended user. But is it enough to make lots of cash with?
- Flush Pure -- I don't know about this one. I guess I'd need them to talk about how it works more.
- Spherical Safety Seat -- If all the safety concerns I have with this product are taken into consideration, this really should win the show. It's at least in the top three.
- Word Ace -- I just don't know about this one. The guy's got passion, I'll give him that, but if I was going to buy a family board game, this isn't unique enough to catch my eye.
- Restroom Door Clip -- This is the last item I'd put in the top three. This is such a simple product that is cheap to produce and easy to carry. If it doesn't make it here, it'll make it elsewhere.
- The Headliner -- I can't relate, so I'm not sure what to make of this. I guess I'll have to take her word for it.
- Here Comes Niya Doll -- It's OK, but it just can't beat my top three. No way.
- Double Traction Bike -- Nice gimmick, but it's too specialized to make a million dollars on it.
- Toner Belt -- Energetic guy, and I think this is at least better than the EZ X system, especially with portability.
- Un Brella -- Seemed way too long in her prototype, so I hope at least that pole colapses somehow. However, I've seen better products out there, so this can't go too far.
So, which of those final twelve was the one Doug Hall would stake his reputation on? We'll probably never know, as he's likely told the show producers only to reveal that choice of his if the person wins the whole thing. Seems likely.
Now we get to see the final twelve compete after using $50,000 to develop their product (or go to Mexico?) Did you know that the million dollars the winner gets is just an advance on what the final product makes? I'm not sure what I think about that.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
4-13-2006 @ 11:42PM
Duane said...
I think the Safety Seat has no chance, mostly because of all the safety concerns. I just don't think that the show has the resources to surmount some of those hurdles. I'm not even sure, as designed, that it would fit in most cars. That's a big diameter.
That sandbag shovel wins the award for best world-changing potential. Imagine every household in every floodzone in the world having one of those things. It's like those portable fire ladders, or the special axe you keep in your car with the sole purpose of smashing the window in case you ever get submerged in the lake. You may never use it, but people will buy it to have just in case they do. Imagine sending them by the hundreds or thousands to foreign countries that have even worse flooding problems than we do.
Personally of all the inventions the only one likely to find a home in my house would be that toilet seat thing. If the guy has managed to build some sort of bacterial filter right into the seat so that there's nothing else impacted, i.e. looks exactly the same and doesn't require any special interaction to activate, then there ya go. A valid problem (airborne bacteria caused by the flush and spashing water) and a solution that doesn't get in the way.
d
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4-14-2006 @ 12:11AM
cheryl said...
I say it's the woman's restroom door clip. It's simple, smart, can be used for something else.
The gym stuff has already been done. There is already a snap-on dumbbell set out there, and the other one you put on your belt, is too gimmicky.
The sandbagger is a close second. It's a great product, but not really 'universal' compared to the restroom door product. Personally I wouldn't have one, but my city might.
The umbrella is intriguing and universal as well. But does it work? And hasn't someone already gotten the patent?
That's what I wonder about all of these. Have they applied for or done a patten search? Some of these seem too similar to pattens already approved.
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4-14-2006 @ 5:18AM
Mort said...
The thing is, if the show is trying to steal ideas, then they're doing so in a pretty public forum. I expect that the inventor will be well compensated. If they truly screwed anybody there'd be lots of public spotlight cast on the whole thing, and sometimes having somebody's name on the dotted line doesn't always mean that you win.
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4-14-2006 @ 7:54AM
Edward said...
Sackmaster 2000 - somebody will sell a thousand or two, tops. There's many hundreds of dollars to be made here, so what?
EZ X Portable Gym - just another fitness product. Boring!
Receiver's Training Pole - he will sell dozens, and then it will break a neck or put an eye out. Come on judges, think!
Flush Pure - well, since they made the whole damn show about stupid toilet gimmicks, they had to let one in to the final 12, right?
Spherical Safety Seat - it would kill kids. By the time the accident's impact is over, the seat would have rotated one inch, and the kid's head would have hit the edge.
Word Ace - it will make it to Toys R Us and do okay.
Restroom Door Clip - as seen in Wal Mart 2 months from now. And forgotten 4 months from now.
The Headliner - it's a wand. I mean, it's a pad.
Here Comes Niya Doll - it's a doll that you have, Darla. It _was_ a reputation as an inventor that you had, Doug.
Double Traction Bike - see a pothole on an ordinary bike, you stand up and bounce over it. Hit one on this bike, the weight of the front rider wrecks the front rim, you veer off into the parked car, and the front rider is dead. Sorry Frank!
Toner Belt - the wires pull too weakly to give a good workout right now. Make them pull stronger, and bump into someone while you're tired. The wire loops around somebody's finger and zip, takes the finger right off. It will never see the market.
Un Brella - like I need more junk around my house that solves a problem I don't have.
I'm afraid that from here out the ratings will join the producer's obsession, right there in the toilet. But I'm hope it does okay, it was a fun show for a while.
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4-14-2006 @ 8:04AM
Dave said...
Is this American Inventor or American Sob Story? If something interesting doesn't happen on this show next week, I'm ditching it. All of the previous episodes could easily have been done in two at the most.
I also feel like I have no interest in any of the inventions. The football trainer is probably the most interesting,but I'd never buy it as I'm not a football coach. All in all I give the show a C+.
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4-14-2006 @ 8:40AM
simmsays said...
I was upset that the criteria for the inventors is not whether they ahd a great invention but how much you were hurting and how much you sacrificed and messed up you life for the invention. Whya re the ones who are in foreclosure and fired better inventors than teh ones who did it creatively?
Simmssays...
http://www.AmericanInventorSpot.com
AmericanInventorSpot.com
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4-14-2006 @ 9:37AM
Dave said...
"I was upset that the criteria for the inventors is not whether they ahd a great invention but how much you were hurting and how much you sacrificed and messed up you life for the invention. Whya re the ones who are in foreclosure and fired better inventors than teh ones who did it creatively?"
Precisely why this show is lame. Too bad, it was a good idea.
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4-14-2006 @ 1:12PM
Chris said...
Terrible hosts with contrived attitudes and horribly bad inventions that are either already available or should never be produced. This sorry show is dead. Take it out quickly with a swift and crushing blow to the over-bloated heads that created it. Bring on the next lousy idea for a reality show.
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4-15-2006 @ 3:51PM
Sy Stebins said...
Top three has got to be the car seat, the sandbaggy-thing and the toilet seat with the bacteria filter. These are all things that could change the world. As for the rest...been there, seen that.
Look forward to seeing the 50 grand help the world. Please no more sob stories. I hope it's going to be more upbeat like the guy who jokingly said he's go to mexico with the money. More humor, less bullshit !
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4-20-2006 @ 11:14PM
Kimberly Como said...
WOW!
The sackmaster 2000 not the winner? I need to find out how to contact this guy, he has something. I predict that hundreds of request for this product come in from all over the world. Not for one or two but for hundreds/ thousands. Government officials: city, state, federal will all be using this soon. The judges missed this one big time.
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4-21-2006 @ 12:29AM
Willster..Inventing Scot said...
I was just watching and seen the name chosen by Cheryl ... damn the un brella is crap name..
I would have called it " downpour" ...so Chreyl send me a quarter from each one sold for the name...
I wish you all the best......
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