Multiview Email

Idea: When composing an email to a group of people, often you wish to share different amount/type of information while keeping the central theme/content the same. Ideally, you would like to have a common email sent to everybody and let everybody know about the recipient list, but you might want to add/explain some of the stuff to a subset of people, or read-aloud read-between-the-lines to some of them. What I would like is an email with multiple views. For example, if I am throwing a party, I would like to send an invitation including place and time to everybody, and then attach a personal note for some of the invitees.

Reward: No need to use mail-merge and send out emails individually. Use the bulk mail, that you are used to (especially in usergroups), and customize them at your will.

Bonus: It would be like your email having multiple personalities.

LetMeSpeed: Speed legally, Avoid accidents

Idea: Road accidents is the number 1 cause of deaths in the United States. Many of them happen due to speeding. Sure, all the cars are designed to go beyond prescribed speed limits, but that shouldn't mean that we have right to exercise that. Frankly, I can think of very few reasons which can justify speeding, emergency medical situation being one of them. What if we could build a table of such emergencies and assign each one a code, and then expect the driver of the vehicle to enter one of these codes to get authorized for speeding for long distance. Sure, you can speed to avoid minor accidents, but that shouldn't take more than a couple of minutes. All cars could be programmed to either ask for speeding authorizations once driven beyond speed limit for a threshold time (say 10 minutes), or not respect accelerator. Now each of the authorized speeding vehicles should be traceable and can be asked to provide proof for the speed request.

Reward: No more speeding related accidents, and if you have to speed for the right reason have a legal way to do it.

Bonus: Catching thieves on the road was never easier. You can deny all speed authorization request for that particular car, and you're all set. Also, if you're able to regulate speed of vehicles remotely, you can do a perfect job at traffic obedience.

BrowseLib: A true online library

Idea: All libraries have online portals where you could search for an item you're looking for and it tells you where it has shelved it. In a lot of ways, it's just like an online store. While this facility is good, it doesn't quite offer some of the same advantages that a manual casual browse in the library provides. What I would like from an online library interface is to be able to browse books shelf-by-shelf, to be able to scan covers and first couple of pages, and move on to the next book. I would also like to be able to browse books from similar categories, just like how they're shelved in the library and better since in an online version choices of shelving are endless (and customizable). I would also like to participate in book review sessions and broadcast a story-telling session sitting in my chair at home.

Reward: A true library experience from convenience of your home.

Bonus: I should also be able to virtually pick up a book, go to a table with people from similar reading interests and spark a literary conversation. How about that for a virtual library date?