This article talks about the flops of this year's gadget market:
* Sony introduced a hard-drive-based digital music player that WON'T PLAY MP3-ENCODED SONGS.
* A Japanese company created a USB Flash drive that is designed to look like a piece of sushi... and charges $99 for them as compared to $20 or less for comparable non-"designer" drives.
* Hot Cubby USB Cup Warmer: a coaster that plugs into a computer's USB port to keep drinks warm.
* Griffin Technology, who spawned the amazingly useful iMic USB microphone adapter, came out this year with the iBeam laser pointer attachment for the iPod. Why?
* Procter & Gamble's "Scentstories;" a CD-like "player" that emits smells to describe such events as exploring a mountain trail, relaxing in a hammock, or wandering barefooton the shore. If you really want to confuse yourself, you can even play all three at once.
* Toshiba developed a Bluetooth wireless washing machine that can download clothing care instructions from a PC or send out a signal to the connected computer in case it breaks down.
All novel ideas, of course... but in what way are they at all useful?
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