You were downvoted, and my interpretation is that people thought you were sarcastic and thought that this was an inappropriate jab, and downvoted for this reason.
I think they're right that you're being sarcastic, due to the word "offhand".
However, if we read your comment seriously (you are seriously stating it) then I actually agree with it: this means the "wrong" part of your comment is the /s (which you didn't include) and otherwise your comment is very solid.
I'd like to defend it.
Here are just some of the off-hand ideas that were demonstrated in this video:
- Beam forming
- Vision for device tracking. (VISION!!! DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW OFF-HAND OF AN IDEA THIS IS?)
- Inclusion built into every manufactured phone and uBeam beamers located all over the place, so that even a trickle ends up recharging the phone "throughout the course of a day" -- assuming you aren't actually using it.
- Have it be something you don't even notice. (So that for this reason it doesn't matter if it barely works). ie if you have your phone in your pocket for an hour while you sit and talk to your friend, it goes from 51% to 83% charge. That is a good and viable definition of "don't even notice it."
These are extremely off-hand ideas. It is extremely possible that adding a dozen other extremely off-hand ideas are all that it would take to make this a viable, pervasive technology, built into everything.
For example, it was demonstrated on a huge receiver that is much larger than the phone it was attached to. A couple of off-hand ideas about how to make the receiver smaller might be all it takes to make this more interesting.
There are further possible off-hand ideas. add in about a dozen and, if they have appropriate patents, they have a monopoly on a charging solution.
When you have a choice of two cafes across the street, and if you spend an hour in one of them your battery will be 10% more charged than before you entered, would you choose that one over the other one?
You would if you were at 1% battery level and waiting for an important client.
Bam. You've just made a case that this brings free users to cafes as a direct competitive advantage, much like having wifi might.
And what was this -- oh, right: an off-hand marketing idea I just had.
Don't dismiss off-hand ideas.
If you like, it's all Steve Jobs ever contributed. Send them - send them all. You might end up making uBeam work.
Note: I have no association with the company or any horse in this game.