Vacuum Cleaners Discussions |
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DysonInventsBig
Location: USA
Joined: Jul 31, 2007
Points: 1454
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Original Message Jun 28, 2008 12:41 am |
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Dyson is in the news frequently and so a dedicated thread. .
This message was modified Aug 2, 2008 by DysonInventsBig
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CarmineD
Joined: Dec 31, 2007
Points: 5894
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Reply #421 Dec 29, 2008 7:08 pm |
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According to recent dyson product literature, and I quote: "Dyson has over 450 engineers and scientists obsessed with developing new and better products and technology." "Obsessed " is a poor choice of words IMHO. As is the lack of a direct link of these pros to vacuum products and technology, its primary business. As a consumer for a $500 plus household vacuum, I really don't care/want to know that hundreds of dyson engineers and scientists are obsessed with better products and technology .............that may be totally unrelated to vacuums. Or that the company filed 635 patents, many of which are unrelated to the vacuum I'm thinking about purchasing. And that the company is not an inventor of vacuums but a problem solver. In other words: Is this hype, unrelated to the vacuum's performance, substitutes for: Never clogs, never loses suction? Carmine D
This message was modified Dec 29, 2008 by CarmineD
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DysonInventsBig
Location: USA
Joined: Jul 31, 2007
Points: 1454
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Reply #422 Dec 30, 2008 5:16 pm |
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Thanks for pointing this change out. The use of Flash to present information like this is usually tedious at best, but this Dyson example is quite good. There's lots of stuff there that even a borderline Dyson obsessive like myself didn't know. If you're new to the world of Dyson, you could literally spend hours here. Points :- Videos of dust mites http://www.dyson.co.uk/insidedyson/#dustmitezoo See them move and everything! Things we never launched The Dyson tank vac:- http://www.dyson.co.uk/insidedyson/#thingsweneverlaunched Our family had a VAX 'tank' cleaner at about the time Dyson were looking in to this area. They were popular, the tagline from the TV adverts "The best selling vacuum cleaner that Washes, washes, washes...." True to the write up, the novelty of waiting until the summer to shampoo your carpets soon wore off. DC06 robot vac http://www.dyson.co.uk/insidedyson/#dc06 Really good segment, with a number of videos of the machine that haven't been seen before. Inventions http://www.dyson.co.uk/insidedyson/default.asp#inventions Sound absorbent screens, developed by Dyson engineers to filter out human voices - crazy! Dunno about the implied fact that only James Dyson's thumbprint has access all areas around the HQ - but it's certainly true that the workforce as a whole is kept isolated. For example, if you were working in marketing on a certain product, you'd be allowed access to 'the basement' to talk to the people working on your product, but you wouldn't be able to see what else might be going on. Research, design and development http://www.dyson.co.uk/insidedyson/default.asp#rdd Nice video - 'gotta love that giant robot arm! Dyson HQ http://www.dyson.co.uk/insidedyson/default.asp#dysonhq '...there's no air conditioning - displacement ventilation is used to blow cool air in at floor level while warm air naturally rises and is dispersed through vents in the roof' I remember some years back, the account of a journalist who turned up to interview James Dyson, who was witness to an air conditioning engineer protesting that it wasn't possible to do what James was asking. James was proclaiming "But we want FRESH air", before asking him to go off and think about it again. Clearly, it was somehow resolved! You're welcome and thanks for your your posting, I read and click on em all. I friend told me of the/a problem with the diesel filters; what to do/how to dispose of the pollutant’s once they were filtered. I've seen many U.S. Dyson [not discussed here] dishwasher, clothes dryer and washing machine patents. Interestingly, LG (pretty sure it was LG) has a patent on a clothes dryer that used a single [tapered] cyclone to remove moisture. DIB
This message was modified Dec 30, 2008 by DysonInventsBig
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DysonInventsBig
Location: USA
Joined: Jul 31, 2007
Points: 1454
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Reply #423 Dec 30, 2008 6:53 pm |
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Hello DIB: His point was you can't sit back and wait. You have to get out and sell. He was not in the sales end, he was part of upper management. Tho, he held sales persons in all fields in the highest esteem. I wasn't so young at the time. I was one of the older crowd in class. He respected and liked me because I was in business before becoming a college student. Carmine D. Does it take a professor to figure this out? He would of been much better encouraging you/the class in understanding a widgets potential, the many avenues to profiting from said invention and to take it seriously. Certainly inventions that can be measured to be radically better are the easiest to get the attention of others and/or profit from. DIB
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DysonInventsBig
Location: USA
Joined: Jul 31, 2007
Points: 1454
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Reply #424 Dec 30, 2008 7:16 pm |
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According to recent dyson product literature, and I quote: "Dyson has over 450 engineers and scientists obsessed with developing new and better products and technology." "Obsessed " is a poor choice of words IMHO. As is the lack of a direct link of these pros to vacuum products and technology, its primary business. As a consumer for a $500 plus household vacuum, I really don't care/want to know that hundreds of dyson engineers and scientists are obsessed with better products and technology .............that may be totally unrelated to vacuums. Or that the company filed 635 patents, many of which are unrelated to the vacuum I'm thinking about purchasing. And that the company is not an inventor of vacuums but a problem solver. In other words: Is this hype, unrelated to the vacuum's performance, substitutes for: Never clogs, never loses suction? Carmine D Carmine, The old vacuum cleaner is perhaps thought to be developed as much as it can (just my guess) and Dyson has much competition/future competition (Dyson-like filtering). Dyson MUST invent outside of vacuums. He loves inventing and all that goes into it, so invent he will. - That’s the fun stuff. Even your darling Dave Oreck invents and/or claims to be cutting edge and/or buys inventions outside of his core antiquated vacuum line. Hype? Well Dyson/his peoples hype also has patent protection (aka monopoly) which (globally) folks purchase. Hype comes from manufacturers without producing innovation or innovation with benefits, so they lie and hype their tired wares. Ironically Amway’s latest television commercials talk of their owning over 700 patents. Why do they advertise this? Because it works. DIB
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CarmineD
Joined: Dec 31, 2007
Points: 5894
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Reply #425 Dec 31, 2008 7:02 am |
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Hello DIB: The good professor's point was that the students should seek positions in sales. And yes, most college freshmen need a seasoned professor with both academic credentials and real business world experience to steer/guide them into the right professions. I can't recall at the time if there were any women in the class. Probably a couple. Maybe they even became dyson sales reps? I have great respect for companies large and small which successfully produce and market their products for consumption. And contempt for companies that can't and say they do [read: hype]. Your fave inventor's company prefers to file hundreds of patents in lieu of producing/marketing products. His hopes are that at some future point in time another company will take all the risks to produce and market a consumer good/product that directly/indirectly infringes on a patent. Then a potential unrealized gain may be made by selling the patents and/or threatening legal actions for patent right infringements. It's an innovative business approach, indeed. Certainly full employment for patent right lawyers. You think the good history lovers of Bath are onto him? Carmine D.
This message was modified Dec 31, 2008 by CarmineD
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M00seUK
Joined: Aug 18, 2007
Points: 295
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Reply #426 Dec 31, 2008 12:43 pm |
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Your fave inventor's company prefers to file hundreds of patents in lieu of producing/marketing products. His hopes are that at some future point in time another company will take all the risks to produce and market a consumer good/product that directly/indirectly infringes on a patent. Then a potential unrealized gain may be made by selling the patents and/or threatening legal actions for patent right infringements. It's an innovative business approach, indeed.
I think it's misguided to imply that Dyson are typically of this type of behaviour. To my knowledge, they haven't sold the rights of any of their patents, nor do they have any current licensing arrangements in place with anybody else. They have filed a large number of patents in their short history - they even have their own dedicated in-house IP department. But, like any similar technology company, only a proportion of what they patent will make it in to final products. For example, one patent they have from a few years ago is a cable management system, so that a robot cleaner can clean a room while getting its power from a wall socket. Their method looks good and from the reference sources they're not the only major company who have been investigating this possibility. Presumably, this type of method has yet to make it to market (by anyone) for one of the following reasons :- 1) It doesn't work well enough in practise. 2) It is believed this feature wouldn't be perceived favourably by the consumer. 3) It's not worth taking any further. They've progressed with an alterative method that works better. 4) Recent advances in battery technology will quickly make it redundant. But, of course, there's no real incentive to not file a patent. Advances in other product areas could make a valid business case at a future date and it prevents any competitor making a claim in the meantime which would invalid the claims. There are a large number of opportunists purely in business to file patent with no desire at all to ever manufacture a product themselves and simply make as much money as possible by holding the big players to ransom. Partially with software patents, towards which the US parent system is very favourable, unfortunately). These people are the scum of the earth in my view. In my view, what Dyson does is above board, ethical and exactly the same as any company of the same profile. Please feel free to prove otherwise if you disagree.
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DysonInventsBig
Location: USA
Joined: Jul 31, 2007
Points: 1454
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Reply #427 Dec 31, 2008 3:43 pm |
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Hello DIB: The good professor's point was that the students should seek positions in sales. And yes, most college freshmen need a seasoned professor with both academic credentials and real business world experience to steer/guide them into the right professions. I can't recall at the time if there were any women in the class. Probably a couple. Maybe they even became dyson sales reps? I have great respect for companies large and small which successfully produce and market their products for consumption. And contempt for companies that can't and say they do [read: hype]. Your fave inventor's company prefers to file hundreds of patents in lieu of producing/marketing products. His hopes are that at some future point in time another company will take all the risks to produce and market a consumer good/product that directly/indirectly infringes on a patent. Then a potential unrealized gain may be made by selling the patents and/or threatening legal actions for patent right infringements. It's an innovative business approach, indeed. Certainly full employment for patent right lawyers. You think the good history lovers of Bath are onto him? Carmine D. Carmine, Inventors (mechanical or otherwise) invent so guys like this professor can have a job and live a more fulfilled life. Perhaps he and others who influence our moldable youth should wear a sign around their necks with a list of his/her proved-out strengths, this way students will not seek advice apart from this list. A freshmen buddy of mine was asked by his professor why he was still taking his class... “Why are you here? You’re doin it.”... My buddy had an idea for a widget while only 20 years old, borrowed $10-20k from his dad (a very cool Dad took a 2nd on his home), partnered with another friend (in his mid 20’s), paid a machinist to build some prototypes, applied for a patent, drove 50 miles to a national trade show, showed their widget to anyone who would listen, and ultimately met their future international distributor there, inked a deal, had their distributor pay for their packaging machine (they were out of money). Within 6-8 months their product was advertised on national television and they were millionaires within 2 years. Adults need to more responsible when advising our youth (our future). DIB
This message was modified Dec 31, 2008 by DysonInventsBig
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CarmineD
Joined: Dec 31, 2007
Points: 5894
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Reply #428 Dec 31, 2008 4:21 pm |
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"There are a large number of opportunists purely in business to file patent with no desire at all to ever manufacture a product themselves and simply make as much money as possible by holding the big players to ransom. Partially with software patents, towards which the US parent system is very favourable, unfortunately). These people are the scum of the earth in my view." ******************************************************************************************************************************************** Hello M00seUK: HAPPY NEW YEAR! I'd say a company that boasts of 450 engineers/scientists and over 630 patents may be guilty. Carmine D.
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CarmineD
Joined: Dec 31, 2007
Points: 5894
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Reply #429 Dec 31, 2008 4:24 pm |
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Hello DIB: HAPPY NEW YEAR! I'd say the retired CEO and President of one the largest companies in the world, who sat on over a dozen boards of the largest fortune 500 USA companies, and took no salary from a State University for teaching, save the sheer pleasure to teach University students, is a special kind of professor. Certainly worthy of my registration/enrollment in his classes. In fact, most students considered attending his classes both an honor and privilege. Not many absentees even tho it was the first class of the day. I don't think he could list his many business accomplishments on a single page and advertise so others might read and know at a quick glance. He had many careers in his lifetime. It would take many such pages to do him the justice he deserves. He is one of the smartest men I ever met in my lifetime. And I met many. Ironically, at the same time he was spending alot of time in Nevada. He bought and sold real estate in the desert of Las Vegas to build hotel/motels. In one his many career ventures, he managed to obtain several engineering degrees so he would know how to read blue prints and meet state/local codes for building requirements. Made multi-millions of dollars. And still does from his current investment/ownerships in these properties. Gifts most away to charity, since his Wife and just about all his family members including offspring [and friends] are deceased. He and I get together for coffee once a week and talk about the good old days. I still enjoy his business wisdom and humor on current world events. Carmine D
This message was modified Dec 31, 2008 by CarmineD
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DysonInventsBig
Location: USA
Joined: Jul 31, 2007
Points: 1454
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Reply #430 Dec 31, 2008 6:59 pm |
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Hello DIB: HAPPY NEW YEAR! I'd say the retired CEO and President of one the largest companies in the world, who sat on over a dozen boards of the largest fortune 500 USA companies, and took no salary from a State University for teaching, save the sheer pleasure to teach University students, is a special kind of professor. Certainly worthy of my registration/enrollment in his classes. In fact, most students considered attending his classes both an honor and privilege. Not many absentees even tho it was the first class of the day. I don't think he could list his many business accomplishments on a single page and advertise so others might read and know at a quick glance. He had many careers in his lifetime. It would take many such pages to do him the justice he deserves. He is one of the smartest men I ever met in my lifetime. And I met many. Ironically, at the same time he was spending alot of time in Nevada. He bought and sold real estate in the desert of Las Vegas to build hotel/motels. In one his many career ventures, he managed to obtain several engineering degrees so he would know how to read blue prints and meet state/local codes for building requirements. Made multi-millions of dollars. And still does from his current investment/ownerships in these properties. Gifts most away to charity, since his Wife and just about all his family members including offspring [and friends] are deceased. He and I get together for coffee once a week and talk about the good old days. I still enjoy his business wisdom and humor on current world events. Carmine D Carmine, Happy New Year to you and the other posters here. I could not agree more of your assessment of “Patent Trolls”. I put them in the same category as ambulance chasers and whores. Dyson has no record of being any sort of patent troll. Fact. Well, it is more rare than I would guess... glad to hear of a successful guy giving back and in many ways. On this day and of this comment of waiting or implying inventing was daunting was in error. Smart, rich, sincere, etc. men get it wrong all the time. *Andrew Carnegie once told Alexander Graham Bell his telephone had no value. One of our Apollo astronauts (unsure of his name) was asked to evaluate a new material called velcro, he felt it served a purpose in weightlessness but saw no value otherwise. The smart ones get it wrong often, your friend got it wrong on that day, yet and for sure his track records proves him right mostly. Your friend sounds like he could easily support the many ideas Dyson has for strengthen our two countries via inventions, engineering and design. I knew a billionaire who was super quick, smart, and could be much fun to be around, yet it turned out he had a dark ruthless ability and track record. He was probably smarter than even Dyson, although he quite enjoyed destroying people and companies, unlike Dyson. DIB *I’m fairly certain it was Andrew Carnegie.
This message was modified Jan 1, 2009 by DysonInventsBig
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