Is this the dumbest tech toy ever?
June 26, 2009 by Valerie HelmbreckPosted in: Communication, Gadgets, Hardware, In this week's e-newsletter, Latest News & Views, Web sites, e-commerce, mobile technology
Okay, so I thought the iPhone fart-sound app was the dumbest technology item I’d ever heard of, and I was wrong. Today, I learned about the “eScale”.
The mobile phone fart sounds were technological wonders of invention compared to this bathroom scale that shares your bloated humiliation with the world — wirelessly, of course.
Anybody who thinks people will pay folding money for a bathroom scale that uploads the user’s weight to an Internet site for broadcast is daft.
Which probably means it will sell like hotcakes.
Says the “Bodytrace.com” promotional copy: “The BodyTrace eScale and Website is a complete package for all of you who take their health seriously. By tracking your weight you can ensure a healthy lifestyle and your fitness or weight loss goals can be achieved in an efficient way. The eScale is a bathroom scale that wirelessly uploads and displays your weight at the BodyTrace Website.”
And all this for the low, low price of just $119. But wait, there’s more. It’ll also cost you $19.99 for a three-month subscription to the Web site.
The makers of the eScale boast that the Web site’s motivational interface “encourages users to share progress, exercise ideas, recipes and lets people create groups made up of friends, family or co-workers to work jointly towards a common goal. Users can even upload progress pictures to motivate themselves and others!”
What joy! I can’t wait to post fat pictures of myself and view those of other chubby dieters!
Hmmm, buy an eScale or stab myself in the eye with an icepick. Can’t decide…
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Tags: bodytrace, escale, Gadgets, tecchnology toy, Web site
June 30th, 2009 at 10:48 am
It may work! I think there have been worse ideas out there that wasted much more money.
June 30th, 2009 at 12:10 pm
Peer pressure is a valid incentive for losing weight, and does work on some people. I agree that most would not be willing to share this information with the world, but for some it could be the push that makes them commit where others would not. But that is a lot of money for potentially humiliating broadcasts, for sure.
July 6th, 2009 at 11:49 am
Valerie, you crack me up!!! I look forward to your articles since they are often thought provoking, and even a little controversial; and with a twist of humor, usually sarcastic, that I personally find I relate to quite well. Keep them coming!!!
Uh, as for the scale and the cost that comes with it in the aforementioned article, NO thanks! I think some things are just better done the old fashioned way!
November 30th, 2009 at 12:19 am
hope this helps and thanks again for your great post