What technological innovations passed by places?

It seems like everywhere on earth has an invention that, for one reason or another, nobody uses even though it would probably make their lives easier. For example I'm from the USA, and nobody uses electric kettles even though they're nicer than the kettles you put on your stove, in my humble opinion. Also, in the USA you see abandoned shopping carts everywhere because we don't have that thing where you put a coin in and you get it back when you return your cart. I lived in China for 4 years and in that time I only ever met one person who owned a dryer. Don't quote me on this, but I believe this is because there's a belief in China that sunlight kills the bacteria in your clothes, so they prefer clothes lines.

What other things just never made it to a place?