Solving Problems, You Didn't Even Know You Had

That's what the free market is best at doing, not only filling observed needs, and then driving the price down, or quality up, of the products and services, but also anticipating needs and then creating demand for products and services where none existed before.

Who knew 10 years ago that ring tones would be a multi-billion dollar a year business?

Who knew you could sell coffee for $4 a cup, to regular folks in most every urban/suburban community?

Who knew colon hydrotherapy would sweep the nation and be enjoyed on a regular basis by tens of millions of Americans (OK, wait, that one hasn't happened yet, that's still a coastal elite sort of luxury)?

Gizmodo has some of the next wave of gadgets you didn't know you could live without, but once you know they exist, you must have them (or not).

First up, the UV (for bacteria killing) / Heat (for defeating moisture) powered shoe dryer!

Next, an inflatable meeting room (you know you want one, $5900 price tag, be damned)!

And, a radio-controlled mouse (a fake critter kind, not the pointing device)!

Finally, Even more expensive than usual Bottled Water for Idiots! (with Extra (and useless) Oxygen!!)!!!

That's today's round-up of products you didn't know you needed or wanted, but come 2010 will wonder how you ever lived without.