So yes, I am the level of geek that requires seeking out and locating particular patents, and finding if I’ve infringed on them. (so far no.)

There are a number of tools out there, but sadly many of them don’t really do what you need. Straightforward patent searching is all anyone can really ask for. The U.S. Patent office hasn’t exactly had the greatest site for the past few years (since it has been up).

Simply put, these guys are overworked and haven’t really been able to “web 2.0″ up. For the past few months I’ve been using Aspator. A great little plugin for Firefox that makes searching, on the USPTO site no less (United States Patent Office for the layperson). It’s pretty cool, you type in a search query it generates an answer list just like normal. However, with Aspator there are small links at the end of the results and they allow you to see the inventor, view the full patent in .pdf acrobat form, and more.

The latest wrinkle in patent searching you may have recently come across is the Google Patent Search that you could clearly see that brought you too this article.

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I’m not the most organised of DIYers, I’m currently fitting a new kitchen and the place is a bomb site of cabinets, pipes, tools and B&Q receipts. I just come across this toolbox that could help with my lack of tool organisation, the iPod Radio Toolbox.

The iPod Radio Toolbox is like a regular toolbox (you know one of those things you’re “meant” to put your tools in) but also incororporates an AM/FM radio, speakers and a connection and holder for you iPod (or cheaper alternative).

You can get the iPod Radio Toolbox from whatever works for $49.99.

So you’re little Johnny, or Cousin Myrtle are total hackers and get into everything. They run linux on their handheld and their toaster, and they think Mac is just a palindrome for a Cam which they tune their hybrid’s 3 cylinders to run even smoother and more efficiently on. You have no idea what to get them, and their crazy ways flummox you to no ends.

Fear not dear reader! A solution is on the way!

Open Source (as you well know) has become more mainstream this year than ever! (Or are you not running firefox yet?) It is the movement of movements (and allows us to do wonderful things to our computers without paying huge prices). Granted, we will always have wonderful professional products that we willingly pay for due to their excellence, support, and ease of use, but there are wonderful little products and tools that are available to everyone for cheap as free! (I’m winking at you Strong Bad!)

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Head lice, one of the scourges that affect both parents and schoolchildren, looks as though their time is almost up with the invention of the LouseBuster, a device that effectively blows most of them dead within half an hour instead of using expensive medicinal shampoos that take weeks to be effective. This device is capable of killing both the nasty bugs and their eggs by literally drying them out, offering a much cheaper and time-saving alternative should a commercial version ever be released.

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Both of you has had the most romantic dinner throughout the time you’ve known each other, and being hot-blooded young adults, chemistry has turned up the libido in both. Without any further ado, you and the love of your life head into the bedroom and start giggling around like little kids as your eyes light up in anticipation, knowing what’s to come ahead. Unfortunately, after all the initial brou-ha-ha, your fingers fumble when you try to open up that packet of rubber only to see it drop on the bed in pitch black darkness, killing off the mood instantly. You mutter a curse under your breath, and wonder why you didn’t read Coolest Gadgets earlier to pick up a box of Pronto condoms.

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So, you say, “I’ll have a few Mr. Mcgroovys.”

You might think there is some highly alcoholic drink headed your way, luckily, you’d be wrong.

If you are a kid, or an adult that likes to make fun things for said kids, you my friend are in luck. For the scant price of 8$ to 20$ (depending on the size of the kit you want), you can get a pack of Mr. Mcgroovys rivets for cardboard.

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How many of you actually have PC cases made out of anything other than the normal metal or aluminum bits and pieces? Probably only a very, very small percentage do, as the amount of time, effort, and money required to construct a custom case is monumental to say the least. One must have the passion in order to cook up an interesting-looking, fully functional PC case from everyday objects that lie around the house. The Ari Levine PC case is mostly made from Lego bricks that children use to expand their imagination, and the creator has done a pretty banged up job with all the parts meticulously pieced together to form a pleasing sight to the eye of any passers-by.

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One of the perks of running CG is we often get sent gadgets to review, most of the time we’ll give them out to the community as prizes (we currently have a $1,000 competition running and since the start of that competition we’ve received another $1,500 worth of prizes for the next one :)). This next bribe, freebie review piece is one we’ll be keeping as we had to make it our selves, Kokino the Paper Robot toy.

A1 Quality Toys contacted me a little while ago to ask if I’d like to review their Paper Toy Robot, as I’m one to rarely say no it turned up a few days later, thanks guys. Read the rest of this entry »