I did a blog post yesterday about an idea I had for a website.
Here are some other ideas which I’m kicking myself I wasn’t able to follow through with..
“Internet Cafe”
When I was back in school, in this instance circa 1996, I had this idea with a friend of setting up a cafe, to be specific, it was going to be an “Internet Cafe”. A bunch of computers in a room which were connected to the internet so people could get online, and we would serve coffee. An “Internet Cafe” in the literal sense. At that time, there were no “Internet Cafes”, or at least I wasn’t aware of any in Australia like the one we were dreaming up.
Because I’ve always loved listening and playing to music, there were going to be Open Mic nights, and it was going to be a place that everyone could just hang out at.
The downside was that the two of us with the idea were 16, still in school and wouldn’t have been able to fund it. Granted, we probably weren’t in a position to run it ourselves, but given the market at the time, this particular venture was a new market, even to the point we might have been able to franchises (I could dream!).
The reason I talk about franchises, looking at the bigger ones in Australia at the moment: Coffee club had just started franchising 2 years earlier, in 1994. Gloria Jeans opened 3 stores late in 1996 then in ’98 started franchising. Starbucks wouldn’t have a store open in Australia for 4 years.. mid-2000.
“Statistic ball”
Imagine a ball (was thinking an Australian Rugby League, Australian Football League, Tennis or Baseball ball), which had the ability track information such as its speed, height, force and more.
OK, I had no chance of making this at the time because it would have been physically impossible because the technology didn’t fully exist and if it did, it wouldn’t have been small or lightweight enough. Also, I was about 10 at the time. Ironically, at the time, I didn’t dismiss it because of this, I was more worried about how it might change the balls dynamics in the air.
And yes, it was a good idea.. because it looks like the patent was filed in 2010, I had the idea back in the late 80’s, early 90’s. Patent: https://www.google.com.au/patents/US20120058845
“Throw camera”
I had a similar idea at the time of the “Statistic Ball”, a camera which could take a 360 degree photo after being thrown up in the air, the photo being taken the moment it reaches the stationary point at the top of the throw. It exists, and is on sale now. Look up Panono…
“Order and pay ahead coffee”
I came up with this idea in the last few years. Just before an actual product was made. A very simple idea (as most are). Takeaway shops large and small have similar offerings, like websites and the ability to call a head, but the idea of this was to focus around coffee shops. The phone app would allow you to select a participating coffee shop, order you coffee and pay for it and a number of items in the app. Ordering ahead for a later time or an option to ‘make it now, I’m close’. In the app, the ability to ‘set favorite’, for future one button presses to order the same coffee. I know some people enjoy the conversation with their barista’s, but the ability to order as you are on your way to work and then literally just pick up your coffee as you walk past the coffee shop could save you a few minutes.. expanding that out, say just 1 minute a day, that’s 4 hours a year (based on 1 minute a day for 48 weeks)!