It's Friday, it's been a long week, and later today I'll have an interview that will provide lots of useful information I will share with you next week. But for the moment, I'd like to introduce something I'll call "a market niche we never knew we had."
Electronic cigarettes, or e-cigarettes.
They come with a rechargeable battery, a sensor, some atomization technology, and, in fact, a small logic board. They also come with accessories and a USB port. Best of all, the disposable versions are on "mega" sale this week for $14.99 (which is how I discovered this market in the first place -- a press release).
For the moment, let's set aside the question "Why would I buy a disposable e-cigarette when the old-fashioned types are already disposable?" Here's what Wikipedia says about e-cigs:
The housing for the battery and logic board is usually the largest component of an electronic cigarette. It is generally referred to simply as the "battery". This unit may contain an electronic airflow sensor for automated operation, or a button for manual operation. A timed cutoff switch (to prevent overheating) and/or a colored LED may also be included here.
Most electronic cigarettes use a lithium-ion rechargeable battery to power the heating element. Battery life varies depending on the battery type and size, frequency of use, and operating environment. To recharge their batteries, many different types of battery chargers – such as AC outlet, car, and USB – are available.
The price range for these things: $14.99 for a disposable model, up to hundreds of dollars for rechargeables and e-cig kits. They also come in custom colors and flavors -- the possibilities are endless.
By the way, these things don't help you quit smoking, can contain nicotine, and presumably are bad for the environment once you throw them away. They are smokeless, however, so I guess you can use them inside. And they do contain electronics, so you might want to get one of your outside salespeople on it.
If you know of a unique market niche, write to us at editors@ebnonline.com. Maybe we can make this a regular Friday feature.
My personnel feeling is that this is not really going to benefit any smokers. The e-cigarettes also seems to be very costly for a disposable model. This is no more than an LED light.
I believe e-cigarette may be more harmful than normal cigarette. This is because you can control the amount of nicotine you can put in. It was a weird situation once i came into the office and saw my colleague smoking, with e-cigarette of course. People may not be comfortable i guess.
Thanks for the feedback, all! I am a non-smoker, so I'll admit to some pre-conceived notions going into this article. I think the smokeless aspect of e-cigs is a positive and I thank our readers who use e-cigs for their input. I also think that if you are going to use nicotine, a non-tobacco delivery method is preferable. For smokers, it's not the nicotine that is the most harmful (athough it is the most addictive) it's the stuff in the tobacco. Kudo to anyone who has quit smoking--I hear it is very, very difficult.
Actually, there are quite a few websites that contain information about the damage caused by smoking. They sometimes come up in a search for cigarettes online. Some are informational, though others are designed to sell you products to help smokers kick the habit.
Well, in addition to studies and benchmark, I was wondering how Internet could support and promote educational actions in order to
-increase number of people fully aware of possible healt damages -promote "etiquette" to observe for both smokers & no-smokers -promote "etiquette" to observe for public location owners (restaurants/fast-slow food etc) -broadcast alternative solutions to decrease nicotine dependency
Here @ EBN we have discussed a lot about social networks, could they support actions in the sense above summarized? Personally, I think so.
For smoke addicts, the e-cigarette may help but because of human mentality, it is not yet real. The unfortunate issue is the outcome of that research because the comfort level of many cigarette lovers are very detrimental to the health of the fellow non-smokers. In work places, many people can not do without smoking 3-4 time with 8 hours of work ..... what a cummulative impact on production? Littering of the environment is another socio-economic impact.
I assure you, mbertozzi that the tobacco industry is not happy about these bans and likely tried to prevent them. They are always motivated by the protection of the nonsmoker. To quote the article I linked to in an earlier comment:
A city health department study published in 2009 found that 57 percent of nonsmoking adult New Yorkers had an elevated level of a nicotine byproduct in their blood indicating recent exposure to cigarette smoke. The comparable nationwide figure was 45 percent.
City health officials say that people seated within three feet of a smoker are exposed to roughly the same levels of secondhand smoke, regardless of whether they are indoors or outdoors. The ban is also intended to help reduce trash in public places.
The litter from smokers is another thing that irritates me a great deal. Smokers just dump the butts and even empty boxes of cigarettes on the sidewalk wherever they happen to be. I realize that we no longer have ash trays strewn everywhere, but that's no reason to turn the sidewalk into one.
Exactly Ariella, you have mentioned US, but picture looks different in several other countries. It has been proved strong correlation between smoke (active and passive) and human health. I was wondering if Govs could improve e-cigarette adoptation just to fight that issues.
It is time also to put on the table another question: was smoking banned in US for safety reason or with the aim (from major tabacco industries) to avoid huge refund to person impacted by?
In the US, smoking is banned indoors almost everywhere and now -- in New York City at least -- even outdoors in parks and beaches as I mentioned in an earlier comment. The laws are in place to protect those of who don't smoke. I still remember a seminar I took way back when in grad school.. One day was rescheduled, so only another student and I met with the professor. Because it was not the set class, he felt free to light up. My fellow student took that as license to smoke, as well. And I was stuck with second-hand smoke. I am even put off by he smell cigarettes it that clings to smokers even when they are not smoking.
But to get back to the e-cigarette development, Blu, a company that develops them, has created a social network for smokers:
Their newly-developed “smart pack” contains a radio device that emits a signal and can search for other packs. If one is within 50 feet, the pack vibrates and flashes with a blue light. So people who smoke these e-cigarettes can meet up to chat, and smokers can easily find retail outlets that stock the blu cigarettes if they want more.
I agree with you, in principle, but as per other products or services, this market niche will be very conditioned by Gov rules which are still depending on location and change a lot from country to country. Sometimes smoking is really forbidden, sometimes is full admitted also in public area such as restaurant, airports and so on. Maybe launch of e-cigarette in the market will face different results just for above reasons.
EBN Dialogue enables and encourages you to participate in live chats with notable leaders and luminaries. Not only editors and journalists, but the entire EBN community is able to comment and ask questions. Listed below are upcoming and archived chats.
Archived Dialogues
Thailand Stages a Comeback Join EBN contributor Jennifer Baljko on Thursday August 23, 2012, at 11:00 a.m. EST for a live chat on how electronic manufacturers in Thailand have shored up their supply chain to reduce the impact of future natural disasters.
Euro-Crisis: What It Means for High-Tech Firms Join EBN Editor in Chief Bolaji Ojo and Contributing Editor Jennifer Baljko on Thursday, July 12, at 10:00 a.m. EDT for a Live Chat on high-tech and Europe's economic difficulties.
Microsoft Surface: Potential Winners & Losers What are the implications for the electronics industry supply chain of Microsoft Corp.'s decision to launch its own tablet PC? Join industry veteran and EE Times' systems and OEM expert Rick Merritt on Tuesday, July 3, at 12:00 pm EDT for a Live Chat on this subject.
Join EBN contributor Jennifer Baljko on Thursday August 23, 2012, at 11:00 a.m. EST for a live chat on how electronic manufacturers in Thailand have shored up their supply chain to reduce the impact of future natural disasters.
Peter Drucker famously said "Trying to predict the future is like trying to drive down a country road at night with no lights while looking out the back window." Yet in the razor's-edge world of electronics—with a lean supply chain and just-in-time demands—the need to know the future is vital.
While no one really can accurately predict the future, we can take guidance from another Drucker saying which is the best way to predict the future is to create it.
You've heard the saying "the No. 1 supply chain risk is your people." That hasn't always been the case. But today's complex global supply chain requires a new type of multitalented employee. It's one who understands, finance, marketing, economics, is savvy with technology, graceful with relationships and can think analytically.
Where are these people? Are universities properly preparing the next generation supply chain professionals? How do train your existing workforce for these new, demanding positions?
Brian Fuller, editor-in-chief of EBN, will lead a 60-minute Avnet Velocity panel discussion that will ask and answer these and other questions swirling around today's supply-chain talent challenges.
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