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I don't deny it.
The OP wants to know about the worst technologies/gimmics. My point is that almost all technologies are gimmicks because they don't allow you to do something special that can't be done with out the gimmick.
I said almost. I am waiting for someone to mention an exception.
The topsheets of Euro/Jap rubbers are now grippier than they were in the 1980s and one does not need to use speed glue (at least for some time)
Blades: No real innovations but this is mainly due to the restrictions that the ITTF has put in place.
Lighter blades and rubbers would be a real innovation. Hitting a 2.7g ball with a 100g or 200g racket accelerated to the same speed makes not much difference (~1.35% in the ideal case) but we would "waste" only half the energy...