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Twitter Places,Location-Based Social Network Integrates Foursquare,Gowalla & TomTom

by Ron Callari

Back at Chirp, Twitter set its coordinates to up the ante on becoming a major player in the location-based social network space. By acquiring Mixer Lab's GeoAPI just before the developer conference, the microblogging platform was prime to start launching local-based services. Twitter Places is one of the first.

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While Zynga's FrontierVille Urges Men "To Go West" It Also Appeals To Gays & Ladies

by Ron Callari

Never content to let grass grow beneath its Farmville feet, Zynga keeps broadening the playing field, gaining more and more of an edge over competitors such as Playfish and Playdom.

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World Cup's Vuvuzela Is The Sound Heard Round The World

by Ron Callari

Vuvuzela (pronouced voo-voo-ZAY-lah) is the horn of plenty. Its name in Zulu roughly translates to "making a lot of noise" — and it sure does. This year's World Cup in South Africa is distinguished by a sound not found in too many other destinations. At best, it's been compared to the sound of a herd of elephants - at worst perhaps, "the traffic jam from hell."

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Augmented Reality Sunglasses Can Insert Social Networking Into Your Sights

by Ron Callari

We're slowly becoming familiar with augmented reality as viewed through our smartphone cameras and apps like Layar. What if those same effects were available by just slipping on a pair of sunglasses? The folks at HUD (Heads Up Display) are touting that game-changing, technology as we speak.

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Otarian Carbon Footprints Every Item On The Menu

by Gloria Campos

Would you be more likely to visit a restaurant if the menu offered the carbon footprint information of each meal? Would the meal you order depend on its sustainability? Not sure. If you happen to have the opportunity to dine at restaurant called Otarian you can find out.

GoodShop & GoodSearch Honors Thy Father With Gifts That Keep On Giving

by Ron Callari

This Father's Day, what better way to honor the number role model in your life than buying or searching for a gift that will apply a percentage toward Dad's favorite charity or non-profit.

QR Codes Augmenting Our Lives From Tokyo To Manhattan

QR Code in Times Square for Internet Week NYC!

by Ron Callari

While Quick Response (QR) codes received some controversy last month when Facebook was rumored using them to generate bar codes on users' profiles, the technology does have merit and continues to enhance the use of augmented reality in our every day lives. Last fall, I even speculated that "tag technology" could potentially replace Google Search at some point in time.

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Don't Just Exercise, Pupercise!

by Lady Bee

The Shabby Dog, seller of dog and people things that are anything but shabby, has come out with a line of products to get you and your dog off your respective bums. After all, it's always easier to get in shape when you partner with a great companion. And for a girl and her dog, Pupercise is chic and unique.

Titillating Turbans: Charitable Business Makes Fashion For Cancer Survivors

by Beth Graddon-Hodgson

Some of the most inspiring businesses out there derive from a personal need, and there's one business that provides a great example of this. One entrepreneur decided to start a business based on her own personal demands that she couldn't quite fulfill and has decided to give back to others with more than just her inventory.

10 More Hot Products To Keep Your Pets Cool

by Lady Bee

Almost three years ago I wrote my first blog for InventorSpot. It was about ways to keep your pets cool in the summer. Those products are still great for chilling out your pets in the summer, but I thought I would add another 10 to the list.

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Buzzd Aggregates Foursquare, Gowalla & Other LBS Check-ins

buzzd, location-based social network aggregator!

by Ron Callari

Now you can find out if that local Thai restaurant that just opened is really as good as the ads say they are - or if that nearby music venue is the hottest nightspot in town. Based on geolocation, buzzd will analyze the check-ins closest to you and take your location-based mobile experiences to the next level.

Enjoy Designing Your Cat's New 'Scratch Tower'

by Lady Bee

We've featured cat scratchers of all kinds, but this is the first one you can put together in so many different patterns. Moderncat Studio has created a unique scratching post using corrugated cardboard vertically on a standing base, when it is usually reserved for horizontal scratchers. Plus, the Scratch Tower offers lots of design possibilities to intrigue you and your cat.

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Unf**ken Believeable, SwearJarr Cleans Up Twitterville, One Cuss Word At A Time

by Ron Callari

Better than washing your mouth out with soap, the digital age is putting its own 21st Century spin on a time-honored tradition. What's old is new again, if you can't control the language you tweet in 140 characters or less.

Fun Infects Campana Brothers' New Fossils Designs

by Toby

Fernando and Humberto Campana are two design-prolific brothers from Brazil, known to have more fun doing what they do than most people in the world. All of their designs are inspired by fun and many are inspired by toys, often in animal form. The NativoCampana series, new for 2010, includes some pretty fun-but-creepy-looking insect and snake "Fossils" just released in limited editions yesterday!

Eggling Crack & Grow Egg Plants

by Toby

Egg plants? Not really. Nor are they 'eggplants.' Not even eggs. But they do grow plants, not chicks, and when the plants get big, you can smash the Egglings and use them for fertilizer.

Absolutely, Pawsitively Cutest, Most Clever Pet Gifts Ever From Takkoda

by Lady Bee

If you love animals, there's a particular source of original, clever, and often hilarious novelties, greeting cards, home accessories, and stylish t-shirts for adults, children and even infants that definitely ranks up there with the best this pet writer has seen...

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Kindles Might Be Getting Thinner, But No Color, Nor Touch-Screen?

by Ron Callari

Anonymous reports indicated to Bloomberg that the next-generation of Kindle's electronic-book reader will roll-out yet this summer. The Kindle uses a black-and-white screen that mimics the appearance of paper. The new version will have sharper contrast that makes e-books look more like real books, the people familiar with the product said.

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Facebook Could Face More Privacy Backlash With Augmented Reality QR Codes

Tag, You're It, Facebook, QR Codes & Augmented Reality!

by Ron Callari

Microsoft has publicly released a tagging system that will allow users to leave a breadcrumb trail for the firm, its advertisers and just about anyone else to follow. Attaching QR barcodes to products, street scenes, magazines, business cards and such when viewed through smartphone camera can redirect users to programmed URLs that can contain content, photos or videos.

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Pets Keeping You From A Good Night's Sleep? Pet Bunk Beds May Help

by Lady Bee

The best part of sleeping with your pets is getting cozy together... them making a fitted nest in the bends of your waist, knees, or elbows before you all comfortably drift off to sleep. The problems come later when you can't move from that original position, which is not that cozy anymore, without causing great disturbance.

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Prime Minister's Loud Shirt Selling For High Price

by Steve Levenstein

A loud, five-colored checked dress shirt once worn by Japanese Prime Minister raised a few eyebrows among Japan-watchers. Now ShirtsMyWay, a Shanghai-based company, has turned a media frenzy into a marketing opportunity.

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