Hugo Avila:
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Product Link: http://www.japantrendshop.com/survival-senbei-rice-cracker-iphone-case-p-1547.html
Survival Senbei Rice Cracker iPhone 5 Case Handmade food phone cover
This product is an iPhone 5 case made out of brown rice and salt. It is handmade by “Mariko” and costs $69 plus $13 shipping worldwide. It is sold primarily as a novelty item since it is not very protective for a case. The ad states that it will break if dropped or even handled roughly.
I do not think this product will be widely adopted because it is too expensive, it presents too much of a risk, and offers little benefit. I do not think people would be willing to risk breaking their iPhone to make a joke or have a novelty case that offers practically no protection. In addition, since it is food it would probably leave pieces behind when placed in pockets or purses. The claim that the case could be eaten in an emergency also makes little to no logical sense. For $69, you could buy dozens of snacks that are better than a rice cracker and just as portable. It would also leave your phone without a case, which is the intended primary use of this product.
Overall, I do not think this product will be adopted because the negatives far outweigh the benefits. The only way I see this product selling in any significant amounts is if the price is greatly reduced and it is sold as a gag gift.
Heejoo Cheon
‘Portable Air Leg Massagers’ is perfect for everyone who concerns about their legs. Whoever sits or stands for a long time, their legs must be swallowed at the end of the day. Also, whoever exercising, their legs need to be massaged after exercising not to be bulky. Not only for their beauty, but also for their health, leg massager is interesting because massage can promote blood circulation and help to relax. In this respect, leg massager is interesting product for most of the people, especially for females because they concern more about their leg shape compare to males.
There are some leg massagers on the market; however, ‘Portable Air Leg Massagers’ is superior to its competitors because of its portability. Most of the leg massagers are heavy and big. However, ‘Portable Air Leg Massagers’ are smaller and lighter than others. This feature is perfect for people who want to be massaged regardless of the place. They can massage their legs at the office, at home, or even on a trip. Also, this product contains two food pads which can be used to massage tired soles. These features (portability and multi-usability) make the product adoptable.
However, it won’t be adopted quickly because of its one air massager, weight, and price. Firstly, this product only contains one air massager which means people need to massage their legs one by one. The massage time will be doubled. Also, its weight is around 450g (15.9 oz) which is not really light to carry it everyday life. The most important problem is price. It cost around 150 dollars and this is not really affordable for people who have other priorities to buy. The product needs to be improved in terms of weight and price to be adopted to public.
Soonyeon Kim:
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Product Link : http://www.thinkgeek.com/product/d9da/
The ice straw is basically made for refreshing and fun way to drink liquids and protection of the environment(little one step?). Thinkgeek.com suggests that customers to make this straw by using juice or water and it is of course meltable. They were creative on the one side that it is eco-friendly, but there are weaknesses of this product. This product will not be adopted under two reasons. At first, the user’s tongue will stick to the ice straw due to the laws of thermal conductivity, and the difference in temperature between tongue and the ice. It is mainly because of the moisture on tongue freezes on contact of the ice. Secondly, the Thinkgeek does not provide how long the ice straw usually lasts when it is absolutely meltable because it is frozen liquid. I am not thinking about adopting this product because of these two reasons, and especially when I see the picture of a customer’s picture. We will better be sticking with the plastic straws I guess ☺
Tiffany Sam:
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Product Link: http://www.japantrendshop.com/usb-heated-futon-mouse-pad-p-1545.html
The product is a combination of a kotatsu, a traditional Japanese heated table, and a mouse pad. Because the base is a mouse pad, it does not require too much space, nor is it heavy and bulky. Connected and charged through a USB port, the innovation keeps the user’s hand warm while using a computer mouse. It is targeted toward the working population, particularly those who spend a majority of their time at a desk and computer. While the pad restricts movement by keeping the hand in an enclosed pocket, the user is still allowed a few inches of clearance. Because it attaches by Velcro, the assembly of the product is quick and simple. Although it can be used as a heater, the module can be removed and the product can function as a wrist support. Finally, while the heating capabilities of the pad are no doubt functional, they cause the innovation to be prone to overheating and potentially causing burns on the user’s hand.
The heated mouse pad will be adopted at a fast rate. Its characteristics of innovation, communication channels, time, and social system all reveal and effect of positive diffusion for the heated mouse pad.
In terms of innovation, the hardware consists of the mouse pad and the parts included in it. The software, or knowledge required to use the item, is relatively self-explanatory as the inclusion of a Velcro allows users to efficiently assemble their heated mouse pad. The relative advantage of having the item compared to not having it is positive – while mouse movement is slightly more constricted, the warmth and comfort experienced outweighs the minor inconvenience. This innovation is a preventive adoption because it would be used preemptively to keep the cold feelings away. For compatibility, while there are no societal values or beliefs around this invention yet, the fact that the product is a combination of two existing technologies means it is easier to adopt into the social system. Not only is it based off two older innovations, but one is the extremely traditional kotatsu and the other is the modern mouse pad. Therefore, this hybrid innovation fits into the categorical norms of the social system. The innovation has a very low level of complexity, requiring only a Velcro assembly and having a USB powersource. In terms of trialability, this product may be a bit lacking as unless the adopter can borrow the innovation from another user, the only way to test the pad is by buying one first and returning it if unsatisfied, resulting in discontinuance. Observability has a similar problem – the user must find someone who has the product and be able to observe their usage of it.
All forms of communication channels would be effective in this case. Mass media channels, generally much less personal in nature, can be particularly useful in the informative stage. Interpersonal channels will be most effective: in the workplace, the coworkers have the ideal blend of homophily and heterophily. Because they all work in the same environment and experience similar pressures and stimuli, they are generally homophilous. Yet, because not all have been exposed to the innovation, in terms of the heated mouse pad, they are very much heterophilous.
The time aspect would probably be faster because the adoption of the heated mouse pad would be an optional innovation-decision. The individuals do not experience the mandate or incentive of an authority figure, nor is there a necessity for a uniformity regarding the heated mouse pad. However, diffusion throughout the social system will be rapid as the stage of knowledge, persuasion, decision, implementation, and confirmation because of the characteristics of the general homophily of the group.
Lastly, in the social system, the communication structures and norms also are favorable to the mouse pad’s adoption. Change agents are less likely to be involved than opinion leaders. Companies are not invested enough in the $37 product to hire a team of change agents to convince workers to adopt the mouse pads.
Yehyun Kang
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Product Link: www.thinkgeek.com/product/ba37/?pfm=Search&t=Whiskey%20stones
I can assure you that everyone has had this experience: When you’re thirsty, you want to find a cold beverage. But if there is only a warm beverage, what are we supposed to?
Here is the answer! Whiskey Stones can prevent your beverage from becoming watery when the normal ice cubes melt. Ice cubes melt faster than we usually expect, so we cannot enjoy the original taste of a beverage because it becomes watery.
According to ThinkGeek.com, a few great soapstone workers invented these useful Whiskey Stones. They are basically just made of stone, so all you have to do is put them in the freezer for a couple of hours and then place them in the beverage you are about to enjoy.
People love and adopt Whiskey Stones because they do not require any specific skills or knowledge. The price is pretty affordable, so you can use them forever.
Kevin Xiao:
Product Link: http://www.japantrendshop.com/auto-mee-p-1612.html
Auto Mee S, the small orange cylindrical piece atop the IPhone in the picture, is a robotic smartphone tablet screen cleaner developed by the Japanese firm Takara Tomy. This gadget can clean and wax any tablet screen all by itself in just a few minutes. This mini robot is only 7 centimeter in diameter and is powered by one AA battery. This product is priced at 21 dollars.
Auto Mee S will most likely not be widely adapted by the general public in the near future. Because this small robot can only be used on smart phone and tablet screens, its market is limited to people who have smartphones and tablet. Most casual users will not find it necessary to professionally clean and wax their phone screens very often. Therefore, only a small percentage of people will even be interested in buying a product solely to clean their phones. Moreover, even those who are obsessed with keeping their phone screens clean might find this gadget a little excessive. Most people would choose to quickly clean their screens with wiping paper instead of sitting around for a few minutes waiting for the little robot to do a relatively effortless job.
Rarely anyone would consider Auto Mee S’s function a necessity. If people do buy this product, it would most likely be because they think small robots are fun to have and are worth the 21 dollars. The developer can target these robot lovers as potential customers and make Auto Mee S more appealing by adding other functions. For example, they can add digital time display system on the robot. People would keep Auto Mee S on their desktops or nightstands in place of their tradition clocks and occasionally use the robot to clean their phones. Another way to help the product adapt is to make it more portable. Although the product is already small, it is not small enough for people to carry it around. If the developer can make Auto Mee S small enough to be carried in people’s pockets, more people might want to use this product. Making the robot attachable to the back of smartphones can also increase its popularity. With these changes, Auto Mee S might be able to find its niche market and be slowly adapted.
Alice Wang:
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This Oyasumi Goodnight Brow Stretcher is a sleeping band you wear that fights wrinkles on skin at night. The general public will most likely not adopt this product for several reasons. First, this kind of beauty product is projected towards women from ages 30-50. This consumer group, intending to get rid of wrinkles, will probably buy anti-aging cosmetic products for fighting wrinkles on the entire face instead of just area around the eyebrows. Second, because this is a one-size product made of nylon, polyurethane, and silicone, it will fit very tightly on the forehead, which may cause discomfort to some people. There is a chance that sometime during the sleep cycle the user will subconsciously take it off, if so, this product will not be put into a good use as it intended to. Third, the product is a little bit overpriced for the elasticity of the band might wear off after a long usage. $53 to purchase a sleeping band every once in a while sounds economically inefficient for getting rid of wrinkles around your brow for there are a variety of substitutes or similar replacements for this product.
It might be better if the sleeping band is composed of partial adjustable belt to accommodate different users instead of stretching to different sizes as people with bigger head circumference will encounter more discomfort than those with smaller head circumference. Also, if the firm can reduce the price to a more reasonable range, the product will have a bigger chance of being adopted.
Bo Ram Oh:
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Product Link: http://photojojo.com/store/awesomeness/iphone-lens-dial/
The iPhone Lens Dial is consisted of three optical-quality coated glass lenses: Wide Angle, Fisheye, and Telephoto. These lenses are for iPhone users who want to take pictures with the phone more professionally. It is made by aircraft-grade aluminum and equipped with two tripod mounts in case of taking portraits or landscape pictures.
With the iPhone lens dial, you can enjoy taking pictures with various effects like above. There are three types of lens: Wide Angle, Fisheye, and Telephoto. You can make your pictures more actively and funny with those lenses. If you want to switch the lens, you can rotate it very easily. People don’t have to wait for a long time to change the lens even though they are urgent. (0.7x Wide Angle, 0.33x Fisheye, 1.5x Telephoto)
I think this product will be adopted quickly. There are so many people who has their own smartphone. There are a lot of application products related to iPhone in the market also. People don’t have to take their own pictures with expensive digital cameras. They can use their phone to take pictures almost like professional camera with those lenses. In addition, due to the deveoplment of social media, they can express themselves on the internet with their pictures. For example, Facebook becomes huge storage of pictures that uploaded online. People don’t hesitate to take the pictures with their iPhone because it deosn’t cost much also. It become the general hobby for everybody who has phone. Therefore, these kinds of products which are related to iPhoneography will be adopted and developed very fast in the near future.
Wei-ping Shih
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Product Link: http://www.japantrendshop.com/deoest-odor-eliminating-deodorant-underwear-p-1554.html
The Deoest Oder Eliminating Deodorant Underwear found on Japan Trend Shop is a high-tech underwear using Nano-level technology to kill the stinky particles given off by the body. It is currently priced at $74 and boasts to kill 95% of the odor, of which 80% of the odor will be removed within the 30 seconds.
However, I don't think this technology will be adopted because of two main reasons. First, the current price of $74 is rather ridiculous for a pair of underwear. It is too luxurious for most middle-class population and perhaps even for the wealthy population because the function of the underwear itself is simply odor removing, which itself only targets a small percentage of the population that suffers from body odor problems. Furthermore, even if a person has body odor problems, simply removing the odor in the area covered by the underwear can not be seen as effective or noticeable.
Second, the function of odor removing isn't just that appealing because most people change their underwear every day. Developing on the argument against the product's function mentioned earlier, if however, the technology is managed to expand to killing germs and resolving other hygienic concerns, then maybe more people will be interested because then they won't have to change their underwear for a long time. Even so, most people will still be repulsed by the idea of wearing underwear for more than one day regardless of the potentially resolved hygienic issues so that general direction of the product is not really effective.
As mentioned earlier, possible improvements that may help the general public adopt this technology is that if the price of the underwear decreases and the function of the underwear is extended to killing germs and bacteria because right now it is really nothing more than a $74 good smelling underwear.
Product link: http://www.japantrendshop.com/
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