AUGUST 12, 1993

Full News Archive

• Headline: Dirt Devil's Investor Challenges. Impact: The Dirt Devil's disappointing performance led investors to lose faith in household cleaning innovations. This apathy trickled down to future inventions, leading to the creation of the Roomba, which decided that cleaning should be done by robots too lazy to complain.. Fact: Dirt Devil vacuums were once marketed as 'the ultimate cleaning machine'—ironic considering they couldn't even clean up their own investor relations..
• Headline: The Rise of Handyman Services. Impact: The rise of handymen like Mr. Caceres sparked a nationwide trend of do-it-yourself projects that led to an influx of Pinterest fails and a booming market for home improvement reality shows. Thanks, Mr. C!. Fact: Mr. C's motto is 'no job too small,' which may explain why he still hasn't tackled the plumbing in his own bathroom..
• Headline: CURRENTS; Take a Chair For a Test Sit. Impact: The experimental chairs led to an obsession with design over comfort, resulting in countless hipster cafes where patrons are too busy taking selfies to notice their backs are breaking.. Fact: These chairs are so experimental that sitting in one may cause existential crises about the meaning of furniture. Proceed with caution..
• Headline: CURRENTS; A Shop Put Together Like the Clothes It Sells. Impact: The yurt-style shop inspired a surge of 'glamping' trends in retail, where the line between shopping and camping became dangerously blurred. Next thing you know, you'll be buying boots while roasting marshmallows.. Fact: J. Morgan Puett claimed the yurt style was 'authentic.' Because, of course, nothing says authenticity like a garage turned boutique in SoHo..
• Headline: CURRENTS; In the Eyes Of Beholders. Impact: The introduction of computer accessories for 'new problems' led to a vicious cycle of innovation where every solution spawned ten new issues. Welcome to the age of the ergonomic wrist brace and the chiropractor's dream.. Fact: Knoll Extra's products are so innovative that they should come with a warning: 'May cause more problems than they solve, but at least they look good doing it.'.