Thursday, January 3, 2013

Simple things that make me go WOW!

When we started living in New York a year ago, I was given the gift of TIME.  I was still working and had more domestic responsibilities but for some reason, I felt that I had more time on my hands - enough to make me appreciate the simple things I typically would take for granted. 

I want to share about two product innovations that I recently got excited about. Mababaw lang but still ... Even when I was younger, I have always been fascinated by innovative products (to the point that I bought a plastic "template" to shape my eyebrows!) and I would mentally categorize them as "must have", "nice to have" and "amusing to have, but no!".  

Today, I am writing about two simple "must haves".  These two things are simple yet innovative.  It's like with a little more thought and effort, one's life becomes much more comfortable.  Simple innovations driven by simple customer needs like mine.

Innovation #1.  Recently, I discovered that a stirrer I use everyday is actually a Stir and Plug (yes, that's what they call it.).  It's old news for most people but for me, it was plain AWESOME.  It solves my problem.  I've been buying coffee at Duane Reede at the corner of my kids' school for months.  I've been using the same stirrer and often wondered why they bothered with a plastic, decorative one if they can just use the usual popsicle stick variety.  Little did I know that this cute plastic stirrer with a decorative end is actually dual purpose -- a stirrer and a lid plug.  It was meant to meet the needs of the typical New Yorker I see everyday -- on the go, travels pretty much on foot, coffee on the way to work, or school.

So how does it work?  After stirring your scalding hot coffee, snap off the stirrer and plug the lid with the decorative tip (look closely: there's an image of coffee!).  Voila! No spills even if you brisk walk (tried it!).  Imagined or not, I feel it keeps the coffee warmer longer,  I remember a cafe I frequented in Manila used scotch tape to prevent spills for to go coffee.  They should switch to this "technology" soon!  I head their competitor, CBTL, is already using it.




Innovation #2.  Again, for a coffee drinker like me. They call it RumeCuff, patent pending.  Before I begin, allow me to share my morning and afternoon routine: walk 7 blocks to the kids' school, get a tall Starbucks Americano at a nearby Duane Reede, then walk briskly back. 

With the number of coffee I buy, I thought it might be wise to get myself my own coffee sleeve - my way of helping the environment by reusing.  When I saw RumeCuff, I said why not?!  This cuff not only helps the environment by promoting reuse, it also allows me hands-free movement especially in the winter when I prefer my hands tucked inside my coat pockets.  I can junk the hand bags for my money and house key. Sweet. Just what I needed ... if only it can also hold my iPhone.  Maybe that can be Innovation #3.  I will buy one too.  Haha.




So there -- simple things that make me WOW.  Until the next big Wow, or Awww!

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