"Sometimes I'm rather impressed by the ingenuity of those in the business of making scammy gadgets. Over the years, I've examined a wide range of products, from scam devices that claim to save you money on your power bill to a high-power USB charger filled with an unusual goo-like substance. Also: Want to cut your electric bill? Skip these scam 'power-saving' devices - and buy this instead"
"The most recent scammy gadget that came across my workbench was an "advanced electromagnetic antifreeze snow removal device." A relative of a friend of mine bought the device, wondered why it didn't do what it claimed, and it ended up in my hands. Let's take a look at the device. Its box makes a lot of promises, from using "active electron interference" to preventing water from condensing and icing on your windshield, to claiming it does not interfere with or affect the human brain."
"Giving the gadget far more benefit of the doubt than it deserved, I left it in the car overnight on a frosty evening. Unfortunately, the device did nothing. Interestingly, the solar panel does actually work and recharges the little battery. Then I tore the device open, which fell apart easily. There was a tiny circuit board inside, a tiny battery, a tiny solar panel, an LED, a chip to make the LED blink and control battery charging, and that was it."
A product marketed as an "advanced electromagnetic antifreeze snow removal device" promised to prevent windshield icing using "active electron interference" while not affecting the human brain. The physical unit was a small black box with a switch, micro USB port, self-adhesive tape, and a blue blinking LED. The built-in solar panel and charging circuitry functioned, but the device failed to remove frost when tested overnight. A teardown revealed only a tiny circuit board, a small battery, a tiny solar panel, an LED, and a single chip to blink the LED and manage charging. Consumers should prefer proven de-icers, scrapers, and windshield covers over unproven gadgets.
Read at ZDNET
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