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Products Which Crashed And Burned!

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While most of us remember Neil Armstrong, the first man on the Moon, not a lot of people remember the second man. As a society made up of people who worship winners, be it with inventions or discoveries, we always celebrate the people who come in first. Despite remembering the first man who invented the telephone, or the man who discovered electricity, we seem to conveniently forget the people who failed with their products. To make your weekend entertainingly educative, we give you a list of inventions which failed to take off the right way!

1. Radioactive health products 

Back in the day, when Radium was first discovered, the side effects weren’t as widely known as they are today. This particular element was considered to be a magic drug, a miracle of sorts. From healthcare products to medicines, everything was made better with Radium. In fact, drug companies went so far as to say that Radium would increase even your libido! People first started questioning this “Super Medicine” when a man used the Thor Radium powder to increase his sexual prowess. He ended up drinking not one, not two, but 1,400 bottles of the stuff. What was the drastic side effect, you ask? His jaw falling off! This was when people realised the radioactive stuff was actually more dangerous than positive for you! Oops.

2. Portable record players 

Back when radio players were the deal of the century, a lot of companies tried making them portable. Which means they tried producing record players which could be used on the go. If you have ever used a record player, then you have probably already guessed the problem! Record players are fragile. You have to make sure they are kept at a steady level and not in a position where they can be knocked over. Despite record players being on a rise again, this invention is probably never going to see the light of the day. Boo.

3. Scent enhanced movies

Hans Laube, the inventor of Smell O Vision, wanted to create a new method which let theatre goers experience interesting smells while watching a movie. When it was launched in the New York, Chicago and Los Angles cinema halls in the year 1960, Laube thought this method would be used worldwide. However, it wasn’t meant to be. The scent was accompanied by a strange and ominous hissing sound as well. Furthermore, a lot of people complained saying the movie sounds and the smells were completely out of sync. Along with a similar innovation called AromaRama, Smell O Vision was swiftly abandoned and consigned to the scrap heap of history.

4. Car boats/boat cars 

Boat cars, where first invented back in the 1770’s and where widely used during the Second World War. However, soon after the war ended, they were set aside for recreation. The car boats are now primarily used for water sports and as collector’s items!

5. Palm pilots 

Palm pilots were the first gadgets which actually fitted in the palm of our hands. When they initially came out, they sold a million pieces in the formative year. Therefore, one would think to call this particular invention a failure, would not be fair. However, when Microsoft rescued Apple with a $ 150 million investment, the iPods and iPhones of the world took over, making the palm pilots obsolete!

With every great invention being recognised and revisited, we thought it was only fair the not so greats were remembered with respect as well! if you happen to remember who the second man on the Moon was, or who the first or second Indian cosmonaut was, then comment and let us know!

 

 

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Entrepreneur Stories

PixelSky Capital Unveils INR 400 Crore Secondaries Fund

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Bengaluru-based investment bank IndigoEdge, in partnership with entrepreneur Hitesh Ahuja, has launched PixelSky Capital, a secondaries fund targeting INR 400 crore. The fund will invest in eight late-stage tech and consumer companies expected to go public within three to four years, with cheque sizes of INR 40–50 crore each. PixelSky has already invested in beauty retailer Purplle and aims to close a second deal by June 2025.

 

The fund focuses on secondary transactions, allowing existing shareholders to sell stakes to new investors, providing liquidity ahead of IPOs. Founders have committed INR 10–15 crore, with additional capital coming from domestic family offices and startup founders. Final close is expected by March 2026.

 

Led by Hitesh Ahuja, who sold his foodtech startup Yumlane in 2023, and IndigoEdge cofounder Zerin Rahiman, PixelSky marks IndigoEdge’s expansion from advisory and proprietary investments into fund management. The firm has facilitated over 150 transactions worth around $3 billion and invested INR 25–30 crore as a limited partner in multiple VC funds. PixelSky is currently evaluating about 20 companies before finalizing its portfolio

 

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Meta’s Upcoming AR Glasses: A Sneak Peek

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Meta is developing its first true AR glasses, set to launch in 2027. Before the public release, employees will test the device starting in 2024. The company is also releasing new generations of Ray-Ban smart glasses in 2023 and 2025 with enhanced features like a “viewfinder” display.

Specifications and Features

The AR glasses are expected to feature OLED displays and Qualcomm Snapdragon chipsets, offering sophisticated AR and AI capabilities. They will enable users to interact with virtual objects and project high-quality holograms of avatars onto the real world.

Design and Competition

Meta aims for a sleek design, potentially building on its Ray-Ban partnerships. The AR glasses market is competitive, with Apple and Google also investing heavily. Meta seeks to make its AR glasses a game-changer by offering a unique user experience.

Future Plans

In addition to AR glasses, Meta is expanding its VR offerings with new headsets like the Quest 3 and exploring other wearable technologies. The company is focused on reducing costs to make the AR glasses more consumer-friendly by launch.

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From Digital Wallet to Stock Market: MobiKwik Expands Its Horizons with New Brokerage Venture

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From Digital Wallet to Stock Market: MobiKwik Expands Its Horizons with New Brokerage Venture

MobiKwik is venturing into the stock broking sector with the launch of its subsidiary, MobiKwik Securities Broking Private Limited (MSBPL), following approval from the Ministry of Corporate Affairs on March 3, 2025. This move aims to diversify MobiKwik’s offerings beyond its core digital payments services and compete with established players like Zerodha and Groww.

MSBPL will provide a range of brokerage services, including trading in shares, securities, commodities, and derivatives. The subsidiary has an initial capital of Rs 1 lakh, with plans for an additional Rs 2 crore investment to support its operations.

As MobiKwik enters this competitive market, it brings a substantial user base of 172 million and a merchant network of 5 million. Despite recent financial challenges, including a reported loss of Rs 55.2 crore in Q3 FY25, the company aims to leverage its existing infrastructure and user engagement to capture a share of the growing investment technology market, projected to reach $74 billion by 2030.

This strategic expansion aligns with MobiKwik’s broader goals of enhancing its financial service

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