International Design Awards - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 02, 2020, 11:56:38 pm
content: I keep getting spammed by this mob:https://idesignawards.com/product.htmla.k.a "vanity award" or "buy an award"I thought it might be funny to come up with a totally wacky product idea so outrageously stupid to see if they'll give it an awardMight be totally worth the entry fee(I don't know how much it costs though)

author: Mr.B
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 03, 2020, 12:20:01 am
content: A solar powered atmospheric water extractor… Oops, that one is already a flogged dead horse.A battery booster that gives 8 times the life of a standard cell… Oops, that one has been done too.A self deicing, backlit road powered by the sun… Hmmm… I am going to have to give this more thought.

author: cdev
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 03, 2020, 12:22:05 am
content: No no, dont pay them anything, that would ruin it..They will probably say you won, then hit you up for money at what they think is your vulnerable moment, telling you it will advance your career, etc.

author: Domagoj T
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 03, 2020, 05:52:33 am
content: Just the other day I talked to my brother about this. He has a small construction company. In the last year, he's got several unsolicited offers for various awards (usually financial or business practices excellence BS). One of them asked for roughly $1500.Just a datapoint

author: daqq
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 03, 2020, 06:38:39 am
content: QuoteI'm honestly trying, but I can't think of anything more stupid than things that I have already seen being sold as real products. Sorry.

author: Black Phoenix
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 03, 2020, 10:05:38 am
content: This makes me remember a reward we have for Small and Medium Companies in Portugal (We call it PMEs) called PME Lider created by a organization called IAPMEI.The objective of this is a yearly reward was to show what companies excel in technology, business practices and good financial health. Of course you have to apply and pay to be analysed. The problem is that the rules are so lax that everyone can get that reward without even trying.So basically all companies put that on the websites, brochures and even in their Company Car's as if was the biggest thing, when most of the companies also have that too.

author: VK3DRB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 03, 2020, 01:31:14 pm
content: I have been getting spam for an American Green Card because I once expressed an interest. Apparently they are legit, but I don't trust them - and there is no such thing as a free lunch especially if it is fishy. Besides who in their right mind would want to go there now. I blocked them from my phone and my email and it seems to have worked.Incidentally, I was getting an average of three Indian scammers calling me via the home landline number every day for the last 18 months. I used to treat them like the lowlife effluent they are, but I got fed up. I fixed it this earlier week by changing my home number and making it unlisted. No more calls. Now the only issue left is to stop the politicians' robocalls calling me on my mobile phone - that is more difficult to do because the slimy politicians made themselves exempt from the Do Not Call Register.The only mailing list stuff I welcome is from reputable electronics companies like Texas Instruments, Digikey, ST Microelectrics, Altium, Mektronics etc. They are great companies with great products and their emails are always welcome.

author: SerieZ
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: September 03, 2020, 02:17:04 pm
content: Maybe we could make a submission under "Education - Behavioral correction tools" for people who are impressed by vanity Awards.

author: pardo-bsso
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 03, 2020, 05:11:47 pm
content: Quote from: SerieZ on September 03, 2020, 02:17:04 pmSo... a fancy anti static Graduated electronic decelerator?

author: Refrigerator
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 03, 2020, 07:49:25 pm
content: Why is it so hard to come up with a stupid idea, i can't believe i'm actually struggling to be stupid for once.

author: T3sl4co1l
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 03, 2020, 07:51:31 pm
content: It would be the electrical equivalent of these:https://imgur.com/gallery/6yuAZOuTim

author: Refrigerator
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 03, 2020, 09:13:48 pm
content: Quote from: T3sl4co1l on September 03, 2020, 07:51:31 pmActually that broom would be quite useful for me

author: Brumby
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 04, 2020, 12:35:32 am
content: Actually, I overheard a couple of interesting conversations in Bunnings about some ideas customers wanted to get the bits for. Unfortunately, I avoid hearing the details by perusing in the opposite direction ... not wanting to get sucked into such conversations.Maybe I should take notes in the future.

author: Cerebus
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 04, 2020, 01:58:21 am
content: Just for giggles I had a look through "last year's winners".First off, there are alotof them, who knew that there were quite so many vain, dishonest people around. I say dishonest because, apart from the odd sucker, all the people who have bought these "awards" know exactly what they are getting into and no doubt then plaster their websites and packaging with "Gold Award bla bla bla bla". In some respects it's quite helpful to consumers, when I see a UK or US product with one of theseon it Iknowthat they bought it, and hence know to avoid the product/company. You'd be horrified by the number of household names that buythoseparticular awards*.Secondly, there's one name that leaped out at me, the "Logitech Creative Team and ManVsMachine" got a gold "award" in Graphic Design for the "G502 LIGHTSPEED Wireless Gaming Mouse Video". Really guys? Haven't you got something better to spend the marketing budget on? Beer and titties perhaps? (I used to know the UK marketing manager for Logitech - hedefinitelyspent some of the marketing budget on beer and titties. I know this for a fact as I was one of the ones invited to the strip club. Didn't go, but Ididdrink the beer.)Thirdly. I kinda don't want to go here, as I know I'm tempting some of the prejudiced idiots out of the woodwork, but you can't help but note that there's a very heavy bias towards certain nationalities among the award "winners".And finally, I'm tapped out of suitable stupid product ideas, but I'll mull it over in the back of my mind. I quite like the idea of a high-tech IoT version of the broom referred to above. Anybody good at glossy 3D renders?*Technically for this one you don't buythe award. You apply for one, you always get it, and then you can optionally chose to pay forthe rights to use the award mark.

author: vk6zgo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 04, 2020, 02:22:53 am
content: Many years ago, I saw a UK made centre punch, all prettied up with a teflon sleeve on the part you hold, packed in a blister pack which sported the "Duke of Edinburgh's Export award"It was a bit costly, but I needed a new one, the old one having disappeared.After all, it was "British made" & simple enough---what could possible go wrong?The first time I used it, the tip shattered & flew across the room!I then had to put everything to one side, go to the local hardware store & pick up a replacement.They had some Oz made ones------ cheap, no packaging, wrapped in a bit of oilsoaked paper in a cardboard box.Bought one, which lasted for years until it, too, disappeared.One day, I will find all those centre punches & end up with twenty or so, to go with all the 1/2" set spanners I keep finding.No Oz made centre punches now, all of them are from the. PRC or India!

author: Cerebus
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 04, 2020, 02:36:22 am
content: Quote from: vk6zgo on September 04, 2020, 02:22:53 amThe Duke of Edinburgh'sexportaward was all about how much money was being made for Blighty, I don't think quality was a consideration,per se.Given the Duke of Edinburgh's robust and frequently off colour remarks I wouldn't be surprised if his side of the awards discussion went something like this: "So they're exporting all the duff ones off to the sheep shaggers? Excellent! Give them an award.".

author: ebastler
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 04, 2020, 06:25:23 am
content: Quote from: EEVblog on September 02, 2020, 11:56:38 pmCome on, the jury is led by the prestigiousYolande Wong,Senior Freelance Journalist,Chief Content Operating Officer of DESIGNKEEPER.Love the job titles. This bunchmustbe good.

author: vk6zgo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 05, 2020, 04:11:48 am
content: Quote from: Cerebus on September 04, 2020, 02:36:22 amIndeed, but it wasn't really a lot to expect a Pommy device to at least do what it was designed to do.Of course, from the point of view of "bean counters", if you make something which lasts forever, you only sell one to each customer.(unless they are something that regularly disappears)If you make crap, you can only sell one before the sucker catches on, but, seeing there are an almost endless supply of suckers, (as the Nigerian "princes" will testify), & the device costs a lot less to make, it is definitely a "win" situation for the manufacturer.Of course, that incident was back in the days when the UK was "purring up" to the EU, & Oz wasn't really part of their "glorious future".That has changed, & they are thinking of recycling one of our ex PMs as their new export "Supremo"!Geez, Tony will revel in that!Meanwhile, back then, the PRC exported a lot of basic tools, like pipe wrenches, spanners, & other such stuff.A bit rough around the edges, solid, lasted for years----not a good business model.Time passed, Commies learnt how to be Capitalists & outdo the existing ones!