The Clapper was a bad smart home gadget — and a viral sensation

July 19, 2026 David Pierce

A photo of two hands clapping, next to a large beige box — The Clapper.

Clap on. Clap off. Well, more like, Clap, pause for half a beat but no longer because otherwise it'll stop hearing you, clap again because you waited too long, clap louder and faster, that didn't work, clap two more times, and suddenly: on. The Clapper didn't always work - and even when it did, it might fry your gadgets in the process - but it managed to become a big hit anyway.

On this episode of Version History, we tell the story of The Clapper, from its beginnings as The Great American Turn-On to its debut alongside one of the great advertising campaigns of all time. The Verge's David Pierce and Victoria Song are joined by Allison Marsh, …

Read the full story at The Verge.

Previous Article
US Marshals arrest the Tate brothers in Miami
US Marshals arrest the Tate brothers in Miami

The manosphere influencers Andrew and Tristan Tate were arrested Saturday in Miami by US Marshals in relati...

Next Article
The future of physical games is not looking great
The future of physical games is not looking great

This is The Stepback, a weekly newsletter breaking down one essential story from the tech world. For more o...