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The U.S.’s northeast coast is buried under another blanket of snow, and coming to the rescue is Snowdozer, an unusual ice scraper that’s designed using crowdsourcing.
Snowdozer is an invention appearing now on the website Quirky, a self-described “social product development company” that solicits product ideas from its user community, and then the rest of the Quirky community helps develop those products — not unlike Kickstarter.
If an idea is deemed worthy by those users, Quirky’s team of engineers turn it into 3-D renderings. If enough people pre-order it, the company builds the product, and it becomes available in the real world. It’s a concept where products are brought to market by survival of the fittest.
At this writing, there are 485 commitments for Snowdozer, with a total of 1,200 needed for the product to cross the threshold into production. The presale price is $17, with a retail price of $20 if it goes into production.
It looks like the committee of users might have designed a competent scraper, using double blades to remove ice. Those twin scrapers are complemented by a snow brush on top, and a front grip allows you to press down hard enough for some serious leverage. There is an extendable handle that can reach all the way across the windshield, and for extra convenience there’s a hole from which to hang the thing when you’re not using it.
If you’ve ever been caught in a snowstorm without a good snow scraper, you know how important a little device like this can be. Do enough people really want such a thing? That’s the beauty of Quirky; It lets the site’s visitors vote with their wallets.
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Looks like it's working.
Twin blades cut through the ice. Would four be better, like a razor?
Here's a diagram of its parts.
That extendable handle makes it easy to store.
Hope it doesn't scratch the hood.
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Hope Snowdozer gets produced! It looks like a useful tool to me.
hmmm… better solution :) Park your car in a garage…
Seriously, it loots the business though. Cool product!
ever had to go to work and have your car outside for 8 hours? must be nice to never have to leave the comfort of you home. :)
Neat crowdsourcing and all, but the size and positioning of the brush makes that thing basically useless. So I have to pull or push all the snow off my car with a tiny brush? No thanks.
Well since when I tried to post it conviently deleted everything I’ll just write too big and basic ice scrapers do just fine for the price.