S07.E24: Petnostics, Frends, popSLATE, Slyde Handboards

[yeswedo]

A man has an innovative way to check your pet’s health with your phone, but an old-fashioned way to capture the specimen; an engaged couple hope to make a deal for their hand-held surfing boards; two men provide female consumers a stylish way to listen to music on fashionable headphones; and an entrepreneur has an idea that makes the most of the unused space on the backside of your cell phone. Also, Barbara Corcoran invites several entrepreneurs to Cabo San Lucas to discuss topics ranging from opening up an online business to dealing with the “overnight” success of being on the show.

[starri]

 

two men provide female consumers a stylish way to listen to music on fashionable headphones

EUUGHHHHHH!

 

I bet they even allow her to coordinate them with her shoes.

[Eolivet]

Oh man, that was sweet. I'm so glad they let these stone-faced, smug jerks into the tank to look like the morons they are and be mocked by the sharks after they leave.

 

I may now hate female headphones as much as I hate man wipes. Not everything has to be gendered, geez!

 

I love Ashton Kutcher on this show -- can he stay forever? Partly because he's great to watch, and partly because he invested in Uber and has somehow miraculously managed to get through an entire half of the show without bringing them up once.

[bilgistic]

I guess I should have my lady card taken away because I thought those "women's" headphones were tacky.

Those guys were an odd couple, weren't they? I wanted to smack that smug look off the older one's face. If you've lost NINE MILLION DOLLARS and are asking for more money for your cheap-looking accessories that no one wants or needs, you should look humble.

People who say they "can't" get married because they don't have $10,000 are ridiculous. Fifty dollars and an apppointment at the courthouse will get you married. Fuck off with your handheld surfboards and get a real life with actual challenges.

I also have some disdain for the back-of-the-phone thing. It makes me shake-my-cane levels of mad for several reasons. Do we need to tech-ify and "smarten" everything? Am I supposed to be able to literally look at two things at once? I don't get it, and I don't want to.

Edited April 16, 2016 by bilgistic

[cooksdelight]

The dog pee thing intrigued me as I looked at my own dog and wondered "Will Scooby-Doo let me catch his pee while he aims it at a bush, out of my reach?"

[anonymiss]

The dual screen sounds great. I don't like constantly signing in and there's only so many things my lock screen can show me. It's like having universal power saving mode on without sacrificing regular mode. I'm surprised it didn't get a deal considering all the generic crap that have gotten them.

 

I'm not a big fan of Ashton because he seems like he's always acting the part. It was also laughable when he pitched with knowing how to run a Facebook campaign to target by age. Yeah, I think that's pretty common knowledge. I also didn't like how he was to Robert but that's fair in competition I guess. It just seemed unusually dismissive for a guest of the show.

Edited April 16, 2016 by anonymiss

[starri]

In this bizzarro world where Ashton Kutcher is a great addition to the Tank...What I think is great is that he seems pretty savvy, but he always seems to be so upbeat and positive in his dealings.  He was definitely working hard to outmaneuver Robert on that last deal, but he wasn't rude or dismissive, which a lot of the Sharks would have been.  The only time I can remember seeing him ruffled was in his first appearance when he really took offense to Kevin mouthing off, and frankly, Kevin (who I don't exactly like, but am usually amused by) deserved it.  He can stay forever as far as I'm concerned.

 

"We can't get married if we don't get an investment!"  $20 for a marriage license and a justice of the peace is often free.  There, done.  With that said, I didn't exactly hate them, so they must be doing something kind of right.  It's just not a product for me.

 

It's funny, those Headphones For Her were pretty much exactly what I expected them to be.  Reminds me of the Bic pens that come in special lady colors so that a woman can still feel feminine and pretty when writing something down, like a grocery list or a reminder to get her hair done.  I'm a man, I probably don't have any right to be offended by it, but even thinking about it, my blood is kind of boiling.  I didn't think the headphones themselves were too bad, though of course they were cheap-looking plastic, but that Bluetooth necklace thing was hideous.

 

I rather liked the man with the second cellphone screen, even though I didn't particularly like the product.  I also disagree with Robert about wearables--the Apple Watch hasn't exactly set the world on fire.  But I remember there was some Android phone a few years ago that had a rear e-ink screen, and clearly that was a big hit, because we're all carrying dual-screen phones now.  Maybe taking defeat graciously is something that more unsuccessful pitches should do.

 

I can't imagine sticking my hand under a dog to catch his/her pee, but those specimen cups would be a godsend in a doctor's office or a hospital.  I get extremely ooged out by urine dipsticks, and if you told me there was a way to do that without having to get my hand close to the actual pee, I'd be all over it.  Also, home pregnancy tests, at least in my germphobe mind.  I wonder why he didn't lead with human applications, but I suppose he'd have to get FDA approval, so starting with pets probably makes sense.  At least it's a product that actually exists, unlike the "disruptive" blood test company Theranos, whose tests don't actually work.

[ae2]

I also have some disdain for the back-of-the-phone thing. It makes me shake-my-cane levels of mad for several reasons. Do we need to tech-ify and "smarten" everything? Am I supposed to be able to literally look at two things at once? I don't get it, and I don't want to.

 

Heh.

 

 

Serious question... did females get into the whole fad of wearing stylish headphones? From what I recall, it was mostly a male thing. I was surprised there was no mention of them going after a market that doesn't exist, or trying to create a new market. 

 

Also, I thought that fad was sort of winding down. At the very least, Beats by Dre seems to have peaked.

 

I loved the back of phone e-ink screen. Not because I care about the lock screen apps, or the always on functionality, but because it would make reading e-books and long articles so much nicer and more convenient. I love my Kindle and carry it in my bag almost everywhere I go, but I still tend to pull my phone out when I have a few minutes of free time. If I could pull it out, flip it around, and continue reading a book on a much more pleasant screen, I'd be ecstatic.

 

When I come across a long article I want to read, I'll typically send it to my Kindle. The reading experience is better, and it's easier to preserve where I'm at in the article. It would be great to come across this article, flip it around to the back of the phone, and read it there on the e-ink display.

 

That would be an instant buy for me if I had an iPhone.

[designing1]

I would absolutely use those specimen cups. I have an enormous cat who's none too thrilled about being stuffed into his carrier and hauled -- with great difficulty (really, he's huge!) -- to the vet. If I could get a general reading on his health once or twice a year, it would help me know whether or not his checkup could be postponed for awhile. Years ago I had a diabetic cat and we had to catch his pee in a cup to check his sugar level with test strips. Yeah, he looked at us funny the first time we did it, but it's not that difficult to do. No one (well, no one I'd care to know!) wants pee on their hands, but a good scrubbing with soap and water does the trick and/or slip on a disposable glove. I can see the task being much more difficult for dogs, since they're outside peeing all over rather than in a confined area. I do wish they'd addressed what kind of testing for accuracy the product had gone through.

 

If I could have reached through my screen and punched the "we CAN"T get married because we don't have five figures for a reception" couple, I would have.

Edited April 16, 2016 by designing1

[Primetimer]

When the most compelling product pitched on your show requires users to collect their own pet urine samples, you know you're in for an episode distinctly lacking in thrills and chills.

Read the story

[Latverian Diplomat]

Those "fashion" headphones didn't sell in the Apple store, apparently. Which is a bad sign. I'm surprised that didn't get more discussion. They mentioned it as a "pivot", but I would say bombing at major retail stores is a huge problem.

 

That second screen is too expensive, and I think Lori was right that keeping up with phone shapes and sizes would be a constant hassle. Cases struggle to do it at a much lower price point. Getting the display to show what you want, and adjust it over time seems like a lot of fiddling that most users will tire of.  And you're racing against the phone makers, as battery life and lock screen features improve, the phone manufacturers will be absorbing your best features into their own product and making the add on second screen obsolete.

[piewarmer]

My dog gets regular UTIs, and I'd love to use something like petnostics to indicate whether it's time to take her in to the vet for a culture and treatment before I spend $75 on an office visit. It's not that big a deal to catch a pet's urine - I use a ladle from the dollar store. I realize many people are more troubled by urine/the thought of germs than I tend to be, though.

[marny]

The squeamishness about collecting a dog's urine makes no sense to me since pet owners collect their dogs' poop every day. It's not like you have to catch the urine in your mouth. Put on a glove and hold the cup or ladle in the urine stream. It's not a big deal. We do it for ourselves when we take pregnancy tests or give a sample to a doctor. It seems like a lot of shuddering over nothing.

Edited April 16, 2016 by marny

[piewarmer]

The squeamishness about collecting a dog's urine makes no sense to me since pet owners collect their dogs' poop every day. It's not like you have to catch the urine in your mouth. Put on a glove and hold the cup or ladle in the urine stream. It's not a big deal. We do it for ourselves when we take pregnancy tests or give a sample to a doctor. It seems like a lot of shuddering over nothing.

Maybe when you're a shark, you hire a professional turd roller.

[bilgistic]

The last three posts had me howling! piewarmer, don't go using that ladle for the church potluck stew! Or maybe do. I don't know your level of disdain for your fellow congregants.

[Jamoche]

 

Also, I thought that fad was sort of winding down. At the very least, Beats by Dre seems to have peaked.

Now it's Beats by Apple, but since it used to be Beats by Monster, I'm out.

[BusyOctober]

I thought the headphones were stupid and ridiculously expensive. They didn't look high-end to me, and no one tested the sound quality. I suppose there is some niche market of people who have enough discretionary income to spend on sparkly headphones. But then why not go for the exclusive angle and add Swarovski crystals or semi precious gems? Are these headphones accented with real gold or silver? I doubt it because they looked very dollar store "gold-colored" to me. if I had the cash laying around, I'd buy a set of Bose. And I don't need them bedazzled. I don't even know what to say about the Bluetooth snake necklace thingy beside blergh or fugly.

Then this morning I was walking through Target (as one without a Swarovski studded wallet does), and there in the electronics section what do I see but a display of headphones with interchangeable,customizable blingy covers...by Bauble Bar.

Add me to the list of folks irked by the poor pitiful engaged couple who "couldn't" get married without a deal. Her mom gave them $10k towards a wedding. They opted to invest in the business. Those two dopes made a choice on how to use the money. Welcome to adulthood! People make (more difficult) choices everyday where their money goes & then work through the consequences. Unless you are a millennial...then you just start a Go Fund Me page to get other people to pay shit you want and can't afford.

[KaveDweller]

I didn't get the headphones.....I thought they were really ugly, and I'd much rather where a pair of smaller less visible earbuds. And I think that necklace cost over a hundred dollars. Do people spend that much on headphones? I got my last pair for $15 at Target and they work fine. They even sold them in pink and purple for people more girly than me that require something like that.

I don't have pets, but I think it would be cool to have something like that Petnostics thing for people.

I thought the hand board surfing looks really fun. The people annoyed me with the not being able to get married talk, but they seemed to be smart and passionate about their business. I was glad they got a deal, but think maybe they should have gone with Robert.

The screen on the phone case seems like technology for technology's sake.

I kind of liked Kevin talking about how much money he made on QVC.

[Missy Vixen]

BUT WE CAN'T GET MARRIED WITHOUT A DEAL!

 

Please add me to the list of those who'd like to slap that couple. I thought their product looked like fun, but they can get married at their local courthouse for the price of a license and the justice of the peace. Then again, the bride would not get the Wedding of Her Dreams. 

 

Ashton Kutcher works my last nerve but I have to admit being entertained last night while I watched.

[shksabelle]

The older guy pitching those tacky headphones was definitely hiding something. He looked shady AF

[NikSac]

The dog pee thing intrigued me as I looked at my own dog and wondered "Will Scooby-Doo let me catch his pee while he aims it at a bush, out of my reach?"

 

lol very good question!  I won't even pretend my dog's this well trained, but when we first went to obedience class one of the things they taught us was how to have them pee on cue. The logic was in case you ever needed to collect a urine sample. My female dog who's no longer with us did get the peeing on cue thing down and I might have been able accomplish this feat with her. With my male dog who's trying to hit a tree or bush?  No way.

[NikSac]

I don't have pets, but I think it would be cool to have something like that Petnostics thing for people.

 

It already pretty much exists. Here's one example out of many: http://www.amazon.com/Mission-Urinalysis-Reagent-Strips-Parameters/dp/B009WW455I

 

Although you do have to pee in your own cup (or dollar store ladle hehe) to use it.

[needschocolate]

I have a feeling the hand board couple had a discussion the night before, where she made him promise that they would not give up more than 20% of the company.  She really didn't seem to want to take the deal and couldn't bring herself to agree to it - he finally had to be the one to say yes.

 

I agree with Ashton, there was something about the earphone guys that seemed really shady to me.  I like how every shark basically said something to the effect of, "This is an interesting product, but you suck.  I'm out."

 

I didn't quite get his marketing strategy, but I think the dog diagnostics (dognostics?) was a good idea. There are times that your dog may act a little different and you don't want to spend $100 at the vets, or more at the emergency vets because dogs never get sick during normal business hours.  It would be a nice reassurance. 

 

I know that the segments we see were not necessarily filmed on the same day (although with Ashton there it is probably more likely than usual), but I found it interesting that $150 for a set of headphones was considered a fine price (but the sellers sucked), $150 for a mini surfboard that is just a bit better than a fast food tray was a good price, and $150 for an iPhone case that does all the stuff the guy said it did was way too high a price.  I don't surf and don't wear gaudy jewelry, so the phone case was the only one I thought was worth the price. 

[KaveDweller]

Those "fashion" headphones didn't sell in the Apple store, apparently. Which is a bad sign. I'm surprised that didn't get more discussion. They mentioned it as a "pivot", but I would say bombing at major retail stores is a huge problem.

 

Yeah, I'm amazed the Sharks didn't pounce on that little tidbit. The Apple store is a pretty visible place to be, and I think most customers there expect high prices on stuff.  If they didn't have that deal I'm sure a Shark could get them in the Apple store. But if they are already there and not selling, there's not much that a Shark can do. If people don't want it, they don't want it.

[LittleIggy]

I don't see how one would catch a cat's urine. I have cats, and they would be pissed (yes, I said it) if I tried to stick a cup under them while they were using their box. I imagine they would run away.

[candall]

Sign me up for those pee cups.

 

Okay, I have a lot of dogs and have put a couple of vet offspring through college.  But, oh, maybe every six months I load up an animal and drive an hour to my vet to announce rather lamely that the animal "isn't acting right."  An active dog is lethargic or a cuddlepup seeks isolation, a chowhound becomes indifferent to food.  So we get there, the dog appears to be fine, I pay for the office call and leave with instructions to keep an eye on him.  (Unless they run tests--$$.)  I would love to be able to get a reading on a dozen different variables at home.

 

P.S>I asked a vet once why a vet visit often seems to BE the cure and he told me the surge of adrenaline temporarily improves a limp or a cough.  Aha!

[designing1]

I don't see how one would catch a cat's urine. I have cats, and they would be pissed (yes, I said it) if I tried to stick a cup under them while they were using their box. I imagine they would run away.

 

Well, we cat owners know they all have their individual personalities and quirks. We weren't sure we'd be able to catch urine from my diabetic cat, but he was a very laid back guy and his only response was looking slowly over his shoulder to see what the heck his crazy humans were doing back there. (Here's how laid back he was: He began life with us as a stray before we took him in to be strictly a house cat. When he was still living outdoors, he would sleep stretched out on his back in the middle of the driveway, completely vulnerable, even when none of us were out there to protect him.) I suppose urine-catching could be a challenge with any cat with a more guarded, cat-like personality.

[mtlchick]

 

I love Ashton Kutcher on this show -- can he stay forever?

 

 

Not forever but I wouldn't mind if he was rotated in more often.  I don't care much for his acting but if you can land the cover of Forbes and you have billionaires who trust your instinct to invest their money (which explains why he gets along with Cuban so well) then kudos for him on having the insight. 

 

As per the products...the pee cups would be hard for me as my dachshund and my shi-tzu are both pretty short so the ladle would be my only option.  But it's not a bad idea anyway: my vet is close by but even a consult is not cheap. 

 

I didn't fully HATE the necklace headphones, but I do think they needed a design overall.  If they could get the right person to sell it like a (sigh) Kylie or Kendall Jenner then they could save face.  But if they were at Apple which is a pretty hard deal to get into and Apple eventually said "sorry, no" then something is up.  Apple still sells products that aren't specifically from them. 

 

Speaking of which, I think the case is a pretty good idea, but it would be a lot just to keep up with the ever changing design.  At least most Iphones can stay on the market for 2-3 years before they are discontinued (and there was no change in sizing between the 6 and 6s) but with the amount of Android products out there, you would have to pick and choose which models will do well and for a short period of time at best.

[Pjxf99]

Hmm, having never tried to collect urine from my cats I'm now wondering how they would respond. I guess I could give it a try while they're healthy in case I have to do it one day....

**Heads to dollar store for ladle

I'm surprised there isn't more of a market for blinged out headphones overseas, only because so many of my Asian friends trip over themselves to buy things like that. I buy headphones/earbuds at the dollar store so I'm clearly not the target demographic.

[bilgistic]

I got a hot deal on a $10 set of bluetooth earbuds, but they don't hold a charge all day at work. I have a couple sets of regular earbuds that I paid less than that for, and part of their appeal is that they are unobtrusive. I don't know that any woman over maybe 25 would want those huge earphones on her head, but I could be wrong. I thought those big earphones appealed more to young men.

[starri]

I thought those big earphones appealed more to young men.

#sizematters

 

I will admit that as a not-terribly-young man, I do have a pair of over-the-ear Bluetooth headphones, but that's mostly because anything with a wire doesn't last long around me.

[theatremouse]

I think with the whole ridiculously expensive headphones thing, they have to know they're going for a specific market and it's not necessarily a huge number of people but it's people willing to spend. Some people will spent $200 on headphones for the sound quality; others will if it's a fashion statement. They're clearly going for the latter. People who can be convinced that this is the cool thing to have, and either have the cash to spend on such things, or will save in order to do so (or rack up credit card debt to do so). This is definitely a rich person's toy and its success is dependent on the cool factor and having sufficient rich people willing to pay for it so the margins are awesome because the entire target audience is not price sensitive. So basically their whole business depends on marketing and convincing the public they are "the cool thing". The branch into the necklace could help them transition from "product" to "brand" if that thing took off, but that's a big if and their entire valuation seemed to be based on it. They simultaneously claimed to not be able to keep up with demand, but also had a ton of product returned back to them. Sure they sold it since, but its being returned to begin with is still a terrible sign. And the story that they learned their lesson and don't sell product in that way any more really only addresses half the problem there.

 

Beats by Dre seems to have peaked in popularity. Do they really believe the next step from that is "some other headphones become the next big thing"? And not maybe "people are over the notion of headphones as status symbol"? 

[NikSac]

P.S>I asked a vet once why a vet visit often seems to BE the cure and he told me the surge of adrenaline temporarily improves a limp or a cough. Aha!

Yep! We once rushed to the emergency vet because my dog's gums were pale, nearly white. They were ready and waiting and ran her to the back immediately. Of course by then she was fine. The vet jokingly 'prescribed'a car ride if it happened again.

I do like the idea of the at home test, since critters have a habit of acting so different at the vet. I just question the need for the cup itself.

Edited April 17, 2016 by NikSac

[DocTerv]

You can buy 100 urine test strips for $25 dollars or so. Dip one in the pet's urine and compare the color change to the chart on the bottle. There! You just saved yourself $1000.

My concern with with this product is Petnostics' claim that "By allowing you to check your pet's health instantly, Petnostics makes healthy living easier for pet families." A urine dipstick might alert you that the pet has a UTI or Diabetes but there are innumerable other things that won't show up on this test that might make a pet ill. I wonder what the liability risk is if someone's pet dies after their Petnostics' test proclaimed them "healthy"?

Full disclosure, I'm a veterinarian but if people want to do urine dipsticks at home, be my guest. ;-)

[Sara2009]

Oh man, that was sweet. I'm so glad they let these stone-faced, smug jerks into the tank to look like the morons they are and be mocked by the sharks after they leave.

I may now hate female headphones as much as I hate man wipes. Not everything has to be gendered, geez!

I love Ashton Kutcher on this show -- can he stay forever? Partly because he's great to watch, and partly because he invested in Uber and has somehow miraculously managed to get through an entire half of the show without bringing them up once.

I really like Ashton on this show too, and I had always disliked him before. What's with that? Ha ha

[bilgistic]

No $10 (or whatever) urine test was going to tell me what was up with my cat, who turned out to have chronic pancreatitis (well over $2000 and numerous trips to the vet told me that). (Yes, I love my cat.) I guess I see the point in the doohickey if your pet gets chronic UTIs, for example, but you still have to go to the vet for them to make the official diagnosis and give the meds. You're just out the extra price of the pee tester.

[Amarsir]

That second screen is too expensive, and I think Lori was right that keeping up with phone shapes and sizes would be a constant hassle. Cases struggle to do it at a much lower price point. 

The Pareto Principle is in effect here. If you fit just the iPhones and Samsung Galaxy S-series you cover half of all smartphones.  Getting the next 10-15% would be difficult as you're covering the LG G-series, Nexus, Note, Moto X, Lumia, HTC One, etc. For that you're right, probably too much hassle. And the remaining 40% of the market is cheaper phones who wouldn't be your target market anyway.

 

But I think it's all your other points that are the real issue. If it was a product with a real future, they could grow huge only making 2 sizes per year.

Edited April 18, 2016 by Amarsir

[mtlchick]

 

I thought those big earphones appealed more to young men.

 

I'm a 38 year old female and I bought the older Solo headphones by Beats 3 years ago because of the quality and admittedly "look how cool I am!"  (luckily they were also 40% off.)  Last Christmas, my neighbour's kids got the big Solo2 wireless headphones. They're girls aged 12 and 15.  Needless to say I was 1) jealous they got them because they were nice looking and 2) thinking "your parents got you $300 Canadian headphones.  I hope you're doing your homework."  Branding does a lot to go after the younger set.

[psychoticstate]

My dog gets regular UTIs, and I'd love to use something like petnostics to indicate whether it's time to take her in to the vet for a culture and treatment before I spend $75 on an office visit. It's not that big a deal to catch a pet's urine - I use a ladle from the dollar store. I realize many people are more troubled by urine/the thought of germs than I tend to be, though.

 

My dog has had two bouts now with stones in his bladder.  He needs his urine checked once every 6 months to make sure his PH levels are where they should be.  If I can use the Petnostics test I would totally do it.  I think each urine test at the vet is somewhere around $60 (which may or may not include a visit charge.) 

 

I don't get squeamish at all about collecting the urine, especially with that ladle thing.  I pick up his poop every day, which is far more gross.

 

 

I don't see how one would catch a cat's urine. I have cats, and they would be pissed (yes, I said it) if I tried to stick a cup under them while they were using their box. I imagine they would run away.

 

Many moons ago I worked as an assistant in a vet clinic.  When we had cats that we couldn't stick for urine, we would give them a litter box with strips of newspaper in it.  They would go and while the newspaper would soak some of the urine, enough would collect on the bottom of the pan to pour out to test.

[candall]

My dog has had two bouts now with stones in his bladder.  He needs his urine checked once every 6 months to make sure his PH levels are where they should be.  If I can use the Petnostics test I would totally do it.  I think each urine test at the vet is somewhere around $60 (which may or may not include a visit charge.) 

 

I don't get squeamish at all about collecting the urine, especially with that ladle thing.  I pick up his poop every day, which is far more gross.

Oh yes, there's lots of stuff ickier than pee.  (I just paid $75 for a human laserbeam forehead thermometer because I'm bad with canine rectal temperatures.  Pleeease let it work.)

 

Those simple OTC strips DocTerv mentioned have a PH square.  And I think there's usually a square for blood, too, which would be good for your kidneystone kid.  They're not expensive--you could just run one of those "under the tap" every few little whiles and make sure all the colors were staying in the normal range, per the container.

Edited April 19, 2016 by candall

[NikSac]

You can buy 100 urine test strips for $25 dollars or so. Dip one in the pet's urine and compare the color change to the chart on the bottle. There! You just saved yourself $1000.

My concern with with this product is Petnostics' claim that "By allowing you to check your pet's health instantly, Petnostics makes healthy living easier for pet families." A urine dipstick might alert you that the pet has a UTI or Diabetes but there are innumerable other things that won't show up on this test that might make a pet ill. I wonder what the liability risk is if someone's pet dies after their Petnostics' test proclaimed them "healthy"?

Full disclosure, I'm a veterinarian but if people want to do urine dipsticks at home, be my guest. ;-)

 

I'm curious, are the ranges for the "people tests" the same as for the critter tests?  I was even wondering that between dogs and cats, and wondered if the people pee tests would be accurate or if you'd need a different comparison chart.

 

I totally agree a lot wouldn't show up on the test, and hope it wouldn't give people a false sense of security. It does seem like a decent idea once in awhile to possibly detect things early, though.

[Jersey Guy 87]

People who say they "can't" get married because they don't have $10,000 are ridiculous. Fifty dollars and an apppointment at the courthouse will get you married. Fuck off with your handheld surfboards and get a real life with actual challenges.

 

Kevin was willing to marry them for free, on TV.  No appointment necessary.

 

I didn't get the headphones.....I thought they were really ugly, and I'd much rather where a pair of smaller less visible earbuds. And I think that necklace cost over a hundred dollars. Do people spend that much on headphones? I got my last pair for $15 at Target and they work fine. They even sold them in pink and purple for people more girly than me that require something like that.

I don't have pets, but I think it would be cool to have something like that Petnostics thing for people.

I thought the hand board surfing looks really fun. The people annoyed me with the not being able to get married talk, but they seemed to be smart and passionate about their business. I was glad they got a deal, but think maybe they should have gone with Robert.

The screen on the phone case seems like technology for technology's sake.

 

I kind of liked Kevin talking about how much money he made on QVC.

 

The headphones looked cheap, and I thought the "designed for women" angle was condescending.  The bluetooth necklace model was absolutely hideous.

 

I can see the pet urine test thing being an occasional buy to save a trip to the vet if one of my dogs appears to be sick.  But I'm still going to get regular blood work done on them.

 

The hand surfing looked cool, the marriage angle was dumb.

 

I think the software behind the phone screen thing is what's interesting - that's what I would invest in.

[zxy556575]

I think the software behind the phone screen thing is what's interesting - that's what I would invest in.

 

This is (purportedly) new technology for a skin-based touch screen. It all looks photoshopped at this point.

[candall]

I'm curious, are the ranges for the "people tests" the same as for the critter tests?  I was even wondering that between dogs and cats, and wondered if the people pee tests would be accurate or if you'd need a different comparison chart.

 

I totally agree a lot wouldn't show up on the test, and hope it wouldn't give people a false sense of security. It does seem like a decent idea once in awhile to possibly detect things early, though.

Wow, I just learned so much about dog Ph.  (I never knew that baby shampoo is way too acidic for dog skin.)

 

But anyway:   "In healthy pets, the urine pH is typically in the 6.5 to 7.0 range. If the pH is acidic (pH below 6) or alkaline (pH above 7) it may allow bacteria to thrive and crystals or stones to form."  As long as you know the number, the strips are all the same.

 

But Amazon does sell 50 canine/feline Ph test strips for $9--and also cranberry juice pet treats. 

: ))

[BabyVegas]

Part of the fun of watching this show, for me, is deciding what I would or would not invest in and what questions I, as an investor, would ask. For the headphones, I would have been out ten seconds after they finished their pitch. The idea of pink-taxed headphones is totally infuriating. Beyond that, based on the size, the woman would either need to be carrying a large purse or a backpack. I don't even think they'd fit comfortably in my medium-sized purse. So I can pay $15 for a pair of decent Sony earbuds that can fit in even my smallest purse or $100+ for a pair of equally cheap looking headphones that I can coordinate with my outfit (because women love to shop, amirite?) and that don't fit in half the purses that I own.

 

As for the phone, if I were an investor, I'd have had two major questions. 1) How durable is the case? and 2) does it feed off of the phone's battery? On my old phone I had an Otter Box, which was incredibly protective. I dropped my phone down a few flights of stairs and all I got was one teeny little crack in the screen that I barely noticed. I'm thoroughly willing to waste the space on the back of my phone for a cover that durable. And as to my second question, on a new phone using the battery might be fine, but as the phone gets older and the battery wears down, I'd be unlikely to attach anything that uses additional battery life, even if it was very little battery. Especially not something that essentially replicates a couple select features of my phone. And that's not even getting into the security concerns of having my phone connect to an outside device that seems to have no security features. I was surprised that neither Cuban nor Herjavec brought up any questions of what kind of security was in place to prevent someone from piggybacking off the case/screen device into your phone.

 

I'm also with all of you hating the "we can't get married because we don't have the money for our dream reception" attitude. I feel the need to defend my generation - that's not a Millenial thing, that's an asshole thing. We all make choices. They made the choice that their product was worth more than their wedding. Fantastic. Welcome to the real world.