Douglas M. Gaus
www.newproductconsultant.com

Check out the great review of my licensed toy, the new for 2017, POOF® Ninja Flyer™ by Alex Brands® in the above video... The lead-in from Chicago tv station WGN called the upcoming piece "the summers' hottest travel toys" and then handed it over to Mark (didn't announce his name) who interviewed Laurie Schacht, the "chief" Toy Insider of the website, TheToyInsider. Laurie talks about the "Best Toys On-The-Go" and then goes over a table full of awesome new toys but saves the best toy for last!   My Ninja Flyer red shark-like fin makes its appearance around 3:11 of the YouTube vid...then the full toy is reviewed and then thrown in flight finishing out the piece....

WGN even threw in a cartoon-like sound byte of glass breaking after my toy was thrown, just for tv fun..but no worries, Mom's out there, this toy is made of soft and safe foam, and was engineered and produced with materials as to not break objects like house windows...Also, the toy is shown thrown by Laura and Mark with a frisbee'ish backhand type toss (maybe that's why she accidentally called it by the wrong name, Ninja Toss) which is fine...however kids, you can throw it faster, farther, higher and with cooler and louder whistling sound by throwing either overhand or sidearm, like a true Ninja! 

The Poof Ninja Flyer is currently available at these direct links:  Shopko, Amazon and the Alex Brands website

Bill Reese of TheToyInsider also does a nice write up, with information and pictures that dovetail with the toys debuting on the WGM video...check it out at http://www.thetoyinsider.com/the-best-on-the-go-toys-on-wgn-chicago/

I might be a little biased, but the Ninja Flyer would be a great combo to purchase with its awesomely flying cousin, also invented by me and licensed and sold by Alex Brands®, the POOF® Fling Flyer™ !!

Also see Laurie's other great information on fun new toys at:

http://www.thetoyinsider.com/

Been behind the ball in the middle, above, on my projects...haven't been able to get to my blog due to that the last couple months but hope to soon...Have some great stuff going on, more to come soon!

I shook the magic eight ball, asked it if I would be getting completely caught up soon and then looked underneath...It said "My Sources Say Yes"...I know the Magic Eight Ball is well connected, so I gotta trust it!

A lot going on in the New Year!  The Consumer Electronics Show in Vegas starts tomorrow and runs through Sunday.  Check out Gizmodo's review of LG's new 65" OLED TV, that is thinner than a woman's finger...I won't bore you with a rehash, just read Alex Cranz' comprehensive review here...The TV has some pretty darn tight abs and is pretty darn cool!

Eddie B, Eddie B...How could i have ever doubted thee?

I'm personally eating some serious crow since hearing the great news that Eddie Braun, Hollywood stuntman, successfully piloted his team's rocket, Evel Spirit, over the Snake River this past Friday afternoon.  But I never had any doubt he could do it as a professional stuntman, I just had doubt that the $$ powers to be would come through to allow him to actually do the jump.

It takes some serious b@lls to do what he did and he came through big time!!  He also lulled me into thinking it wasn't going to happen with the silence that happened the weeks and days before the jump.  But he did what a true pioneer does, he quietly went about his business and did what he was set out to do.. Eddie and team Evel Spirit were looking for a calm day with great weather conditions and last Friday's conditions in Twin Falls were just right...so they jumped the launch date by a day too.

Congrats Eddie, and sorry again for ever doubting that this could happen!!  Like I said in my original blog, I hoped that you would prove me wrong, and you did!!  Your courageous, heroic jump will forever be in the annals of Twin Falls and Idaho history!

And Evel's spirit (not your rocket) in the sky was watching down over you and most definitely giving you a kind wink and a thumbs up after you and rocket cradled gently to earth safely on the other side of the canyon..

Editor's Note (Again): Not to be overlooked, but you also have inspired the next generation of kids to do great things like this...Just like you were inspired by Evel and his stunt work and accomplishments when you were a kid!!

As we're just a few days from the tentatively announced Sept. 17 launch date, Eddie Braun, professional stuntman, and his team for the rocket craft Evel Spirit have gone silent.  They (along with daredevil “Big Ed” Beckley) have been promising for years to re-create the late Evel Knievel's 1974 stunt, again, to be set in the Twin Falls are of Idaho.  On the internet, recents pics can be found of the new "Evel Spirit" rocket and a ramp along with plans for static testing.  Eddie B. has secured rights to launch but not sure what else has been secured at this last minute.  Are there no television stations or any other promotional deep pockets stepping forward to broadcast the little known event?  

For this rocket reboot, Braun enlisted Scott Truax, the son of Robert Truax, Evel Knievel's original rocket engineer for the 1974 jump.  For those who are old enough to recall that jump, the rocket went off as planned but the parachute deployed early, leaving the rocket to fall to canyon of the Snake River, like a toy rocket descending to earth after being shot to the sky with a rubber band.  Luckily, Evel Knievel survived his fall into the Snake River, but many viewers over the years have blasted the ill-fated stunt as a firecracker dud, as the Snake River was never fully "jumped".  Braun, who has idolized Evel Knievel since a kid, has desired to "right" the bad jump that happened to his hero over 40 yrs ago. 

Will Eddie be able to pull a rabbit out of a desert hole in Twin by sometime Saturday?  His Kickstarter campaign says they are definitely going to launch, although the funding campaign was  pulled over 3 weeks ago with only about 1/3 of the original $150K funded...The Kickstarter website says to check for updates at Evelspirit.com, which is a non-working url...and that link just redirects to the same Kickstarter page.  Eddie Braun's twitter account has some new hopeful postings within the last 20 hrs, so maybe there is some last minute push to really  make this happen.

Slash, of Gun's and Roses, even got in the game and re-recorded the Elton John song '"Rocketman" to help promote and further the Evel Spirit jump and cause.  I haven't heard Slash's version yet but assume its an instrumental, as he doesn't sing...but I can hear Slash's guitar jamming in melody with the faint Elton John vocals still playing in my head..."I think it's gonna be a long long time...." (boy who cried wolf syndrome)

Editor's note: Eddie B. and company: I'm not the naysayer type so I hope you all prove me wrong! If you do blast off in Twin, very safe travels and God Speed to the other side!

I don't have a twitter account, so a screenshot off my phone will just have to do and be posted to my blog!  Very easy for anyone to go to the Walton family's website (or download the Walmart app) and click ADD TO CART! Just follow online instructions to complete purchase...also available on Amazon  and Alex Brands website, Kohl's, as well as various toy retailers selling on the web! You are now a proud owner of an exciting and fun new toy!  In the coming months, I will be posting on YouTube some great ways to play with the empowering new toy, that applies to the young and any aged person, male or female!

Click on any of the below links below to purchase your new POOF Fling Flyer!

• Alex Brands
• Amazon
  
• Walmart
  
• Kohl's
  

There's a new smartphone in the pre-order stage (and hopefully getting ready to be introduced to the world very soon) called Runcible.  A lot of the new product's concepts themes were similarly submitted by me to Big Idea Group (B.I.G.) for an idea hunt they had some 5 years ago (sadly, i noticed by doing a quick search on the net that B.I.Gs url is broken and they are no longer in business...and Mike Collins, the longtime CEO, still has his name in the innovation game, but is now CEO'ing Launch Angels, a VC/Investor Group).

The basic concept I submitted to BIG for the Social Networking Device idea hunt, shown in a quick photoshop pic above left, envisioned a roundish cell/smart phone.  My ideation papers stated that the new product would have "rounded, smooth product edges; product feels good in pocket like a flat rounded stone perfect for skipping on the water or like a heavier coin (no sharp edges like rectangular cell phones)."  In the Runcible video below it states in a calming woman's voice "Runcible...fits in the palm of your hand...more like a lucky stone, than a smart phone".

At the time, I knew there would be some manufacturing hurdles to procure a screen that was rounded to accomodate the unconventional shape of the device....but knew that in the highly competitive world of consumer electronics, where there's a will, there's a way. Similarly to the Runcible, I also had versions made of nice wood and also with environmentally friendly colors, including a pinkish Burl for the ladies!

I came up with several names for my new product, including the Place and Show names Pebble and Obsidian...but went with my #1 pick, Geode....as i described "when you open a geode to find a beautiful crystal formation inside, it is akin to turning on a new social networking device to find a whole new world awaiting."

I've also had the new concept picture displayed on my website, under the technology caption in the ideation tab, since I uploaded it to the site in 2011.  To anyone out there affiliated with the Runcible project, I'm not trying to assert my rights regarding any intellectual property....but it is nice to see maybe my idea making it to the market in a very similar form to that I envisioned.  As the eccentric Charles Caleb Colton once said back some 200 years ago, "Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery."

It's currently raising $$ on the crowd sourcing site, Indiegogo, where it is over half way to its goal of $250K...Check out the pitch to procure some more green at https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/runcible--2#/  

Maybe soon, I'll get to see a very close version of my new product idea sold vicariously through another company!

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This is the first year in Boise for the young and budding antique show and artisan market, run as "Pickin' Boise", but run as "Pickin' on the Prairie" in Washington and Northern Idaho. Expect the quality of items to be a great step up from garage sales and flea markets previously held at the Expo.  Promised sellers will have vintage, antique, farmhouse, industrial, primitive, repurposed and more!

Come out and meet some kind and friendly vendors peddlin' their wares!  Hours are 9 am to 6 pm on Saturday May 14th and 10 am to 4 pm Sunday May 15th. Small pickers (under age 12) are free, everyone else pays just a fiver and one spot!