TV show calls Littleton inventor
Invention update: Scott Schroeder of AllTerraSkates in Littleton has advanced to the second round of interviews for ABC’s upcoming reality show “American Inventor.”
Producers for the show held auditions in Denver on Dec. 2, and Schroeder showed off his high-performance all-terrain skates, featuring shocks and independent suspension. Schroeder was one of 260 people who attended the casting call.
“On Dec. 14, I received a call from the casting department of ‘American Inventor,’ and the producers wanted to know more about me. Specifically, they (want me to fill out) more forms regarding my previous employment history and will do a criminal background check,” Schroeder said. “I was so excited that I could hardly believe it. I feel like I deserve to succeed because it has taken so much work (10 years) to get to this point.”
A team of judges will choose a group of finalists who will receive $50,000 to develop and refine their inventions.
In typical “American Idol” style, the winner of “American Inventor” will be picked by viewers who call in to vote for the best invention. The winner’s invention will get produced, and the inventor will win $1 million.
– Kimberly S. Johnson
Power strip doesn’t block outlets
Whether powering your home-theater equipment or booting up your PC and its various peripherals, power strips can be a great way to plug in a load of gadgets without sticking all the plugs in a six-way wall socket.
Unfortunately, those large power-conversion bricks often wind up covering several outlets, reducing the available power-strip plugs from five to as few as two. The PowerSquid Power Multiplier solves that problem by putting distance between the sockets. The device offers five grounded outlets that extend several inches from the base. Any type of plug or transformer can be plugged into an outlet without blocking other plugs.
One caveat: The $15 PowerSquid, available from thinkgeek.com, is not a surge protector, so devices plugged into it are vulnerable to power interruptions.
– The New York Times
