Mark speaks down-the-line with product designer,
Simon Heap, as the two share their top five world-changing products, and gently collide over what can be construed a “product”.
Simon has dedicated his life to making, as he calls it, “a better mouse trap”, and now specialises in designing
products for sport. You might know Simon’s work from
Dragons’ Den, or perhaps you’ve bought his
potato masher?
Simon once designed a CD player and argued for a sense of jeopardy within the mechanism (in the same way that there is a way to put a record on wrong), and Mark finds another member to join the ranks of those who mourn the passing of the MiniDisc. He also discovers that the Japanese may have the word he’s long searched for, to describe that wonderful sense of joy and satisfaction you get from a mechanical interaction: a good button, a sturdy spring or a crunchy click.
- (00:00) - Introduction
- (09:26) - Simon's pick: the wheel
- (11:40) - Mark's pick: wireless radio
- (15:04) - Simon's pick: the match
- (17:58) - Mark's pick: commercial aviation
- (24:02) - Simon's pick: penicillin
- (26:50) - Mark's pick: Nokia 8110
- (32:16) - Simon's pick: World Wide Web
- (36:20) - Mark's pick: Apple Macintosh
- (41:52) - Simon's pick: marine chronometer
- (44:12) - Mark's pick: audio cassette
- (50:38) - Building the final list
- (55:52) - Goodbyes
What is List Envy?
What's the most-used emoji? Who's the best Bond villain? Does anyone care that an olive is technically a fruit?
Discover hidden gems from pop culture to pasta, hip-hop to history, and meet the creatives, enthusiasts, and experts who love them.
Each week, host Mark collaborates with a guest to build a top-5 list on a topic they choose. If you want to know what your next TV binge should be, or where to go on your next trip abroad, List Envy has you covered.