Here's a good idea -- a product designed to deal with a common consumer complaint, that plastic clamshell packages can be too difficult to open.

The product, which looks like a high-tech pair of scissors, is called Open It. I found out about it on the Chicago Tribune's Eric 2.0 technology blog.

Eric Benderoff had this to say about Open It:

I’ve used it on several packages in the past few days, wishing that I’ve had it nearby for months. It would have saved a lot of aggravation, or what the company that makes this handy tool, Zibra LLC, calls "Wrap Rage."

In my "tests," it easily cut along the seams of such packaging, snapping them right open. (Tip: it is best to open clam shells by cutting along the edges; not straight across the box.)

Open It is far better than a scissors at opening clam shell cases, trust me. I open a lot of them.

Sounds like a good tool to have on hand next week, when a lot of people are going to face the difficult task of wrapping, and unwrapping, a lot of clamshell packages. Difficult-to-open packages are a common complaint, but because of security and product protection issues, I don't think they're going to disappear anytime soon.