SensoryMetrics: re-inventing the User eXperience

In 1941 a ballpoint pen cost $9. With such a high cost, trusty Consumer Reports built this pen testing machine to compare how long different brands of pens would last. Nearly 70 years later, consumers are still being pillaged by the ink cartridge pirates…
A short history of ink gouging:
1888 - John [...]

Popularity: 7%

Filed under: Business, Innovation, Patents, Pirates | No Comments »

Having successfully taken on phone vendors, Apple continues its push for world domination. The next target: Hallmark! In a patent application (Gift Card Carriers) published a couple weeks ago, Apple defines its vision for gift card holders that double as greeting cards. The card would (of course) feature lovely pictures of Apple [...]

Popularity: 7%

Filed under: Business, Patents | No Comments »

This morning, BallmerCorp published an application with the awkward title of “Providing Modified Notifications When Inferring a User Might Not Want to be Notified”. The implication is that the user doesn’t really know what he/she wants, so Microsoft will decide.
From the first claim:
when it is inferred that the user [...]

Popularity: 9%

Filed under: Mobility, Patents, Usability, User Experience | No Comments »

Granted today by the USPTO, patent #7,349,830 describes a patent granted to Microsoft for Weather Profiling. And you thought global warming was going to be bad:
Sleet driver not found.
A problem has caused The Sun to stop Shining correctly. Windows will close the sun and notify you if a solution is available. Ok?
You may be a [...]

Popularity: 25%

Filed under: Environment, Patents, User Experience | No Comments »

The USPTO published a patent application from Apple today describing a “three-dimensional display system.” Pretty soon that Meatloaf video on your ipod will scream out at ya like a 3-D bat out of hell!
According to Apple:
Recent developments in computers and computer graphics have made spatial 3D images more practical and accessible. The [...]

Popularity: 30%

Filed under: Gadgets, Media, Patents, User Experience | No Comments »

John Geddie, a Michigan inventor, was granted a patent for the “Portable Bar” on July 21st, 1987. This odd contraption specifies a “plurality of valves and containers” to mix up a bunch of different drinks. Trouble is, you’d need to be a NASA astronaut to know how to operate this thing… Come [...]

Popularity: 24%

Filed under: Gadgets, Geek Wear, Innovation, Patents | 2 Comments »

Here’s a contest being promoted by Canadian Business Magazine and sponsored by Nytric, Rogers and some Bearskin Lawfirm… The second annual Next Great Canadian Invention has a top prize of $50,000 - mostly in services like feasibility studies, design, and prototyping. It’s an interesting opportunity, and unfortunately, lots of limitations. You do have [...]

Popularity: 19%

Filed under: Business, Events, Innovation, Patents | No Comments »

It may be an Academy Awards weekend, but the USPTO just announced this year’s inductees into their Hall of Fame. Included in the list is Mick Halonyak Jr. - generally regarded as the inventor of the first practical light emitting diode (LED). If it wasn’t for him, your lame-ass D-Link router wouldn’t [...]

Popularity: 28%

Filed under: Events, Gadgets, Geek Wear, Innovation, Patents | 2 Comments »

MS published an application today with the US Patent and Trademark Office today for “Failure Recognition”. I know what you’re thinking… they’re finally claiming something they’re good at. Insert your own wisecrack in the comments section!
What I’m wondering now… will Microsoft launch an infringement lawsuit because Toshiba recognized [...]

Popularity: 20%

Filed under: Patents | 2 Comments »

FedEx, Apple, BMW and tons of other companies have created wonderful interfaces for you to track your order, manufacturing status and shipment of the product you ordered. Today, Dominos launches it’s “WTF, Where’s my Pizza”… Ok.. the ACTUAL trademark is PizzaTracker… If within a 30 minute span, you’re so obsessed [...]

Popularity: 26%

Filed under: Business, Patents, User Experience, Web 3.0 | 3 Comments »