Nintendo Switch hotter than toilet paper
And that is a compliment. The wildly popular game Animal Crossing has added to the frenzy to find the hand held game device which is in short supply. Buyers have gone online to Craigslist and eBay to find devices. “I found someone selling a Switch with a roll of toilet paper and a mini bottle of hand sanitizer for like 720 dollars,” Jennifer Baik, 24, said. “I was like what’s more valuable here, the Switch or the toilet paper?” Charlotte Observer
dis-rup-shun: Online games and gaming devices are COVID winners. While game research Interpret doesn’t have the data, one can expect that many old XBoxes, Nintendos and PlayStations have been dusted off and once again have become part of the daily experience. One could track pricing of second hand games to see if their prices have increased in the past two weeks.
Solve TP shortage — don’t use it
Bidet manufacturer Tushy is facing a 10x increase in demand for its product , a simple, DIY bidet attachment to the toilet. The attachments are about $100 and eliminate the need for toilet paper. The CEO says that given Americans’ reluctance to embrace, like other parts of the world, the bidet, our society flushed 15 million trees down the toilet each year.
dis-rup-shun: Another COVID winner — the bidet. From an environmental perspective, adding a bidet seems like the responsible thing to do, even without a global pandemic, unless, of course, you are in a region where the value of water is greater than the value of paper. Again the question is, how well will these COVID winners due when this is over? Expect long-term gains from higher awareness of companies such as Tushy.
Sex toy and condom sales skyrocket
Sex toy manufacturer Lelo is reporting a 40% increase in sales and online pharmacies are reporting a doubling of condom sales. Experts are mixed on if the pandemic will lead to a large number of conceptions as past crises have. WiredUK
dis-rup-shun: Let’s just hope that the increase in sexual activity does not get mixed up with the spike in use of Internet video conferencing, or a new online amateur industry will be born.
Best work at home laptop games
For people who are living on their laptops and looking for a little diversion between conference calls, CNET offers a lineup of the best games that can be “snacked” — that is, enjoyed in short sessions without requiring hours of indulgence. Top suggestions are: Deep Sky Derelicts, Disco Elysium, Fortnite, Blade Runner, Thimbleweed Park.
dis-rup-shun: Games that help us interact with people are probably the best diversion, especially for those sitting alone in their own home or apartment — isolated from coworkers and loved ones. On the other hand, perhaps games that connect us with other people are even more important for those trapped at home with loved ones!