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Best Gifts for Patent Attorneys 2010

Stephen Jenei — Fri, 17 Dec 2010 19:32:52 +0000

I know I preach that over-consumerism is a bad thing (see: simplify | the benefits of minimalism) but we’re back again this year with a list of the best gifts for patent geeks and entrepreneurs. Here are some ideas to stimulate discussion. So, sit back over a cup o’ joe and take some time to look around to see what gifts you might like:

Apple iPad Tablet (16GB, Wifi) – You knew this would hit the No. 1 spot, right? I can’t tell you how much I wish I had one every time I trudge through the airport carrying my laptop (plus charger and accessories). This is the ultimate geek accessory. Just don’t forget the Apple iPad Case.

BCBGeneration Charlie Messenger - For the road warrior, nothing makes things go better than having a descent travel bag. For a wheeled alternative, try: High Sierra Carry-On Wheeled Backpack with Removable Day Pack (Black).

Rolex Oyster Precision Submariner Chronometer Stainless Steel Watch – For the best in anti-simple living. If you have to be pretentious, go big or go home. Or, just get a fake like everyone else with the Replica Rolex Submariner (Note: “Box only be sold with the watches, we do not sell box solely.”)

Giuseppe Zanotti Women’s Open-Toe Pumps – Lawyers should dress well. Actually, dressing well is an important function of a lawyer. Many faux pas are forgiven the well-dressed lawyer. Clients appreciate it and dressing well can be done simply without too much expense. Made in Italy, these Giuseppe Zanotti sophisticated pumps adds a sleek heel and professional polish to suits and pencil skirts. For the more practical patent attorney, you can always go with the Kenneth Cole New York Penny Loafer.

iRobot 560 Roomba Vacuuming Robot – What lawyer wouldn’t like some obedient servant that slaves away for pennies and never complains? For the compulsive cleaner in your life, the Roomba vacuum makes its way around furniture, cleans up the place and finds its way back to its charging base. The Roomba may not be the best cleaner but it can make a best friend for a lonely lawyer. For those that would rather drink coffee than clean: Jura-Capresso Impressa F9 Fully Automatic Coffee and Espresso Center.

Western Digital My Book Essential 2 TB Desktop External Hard Drive – Today, lawyers rely heavily on computers to help accomplish almost every task. Do you have a disaster recovery plan? Practices and procedures for backup, storage, disaster recovery, and restoration are crucial to your law practice. Get a drive and then put backup procedures in place – don’t wait to “break glass in case of emergency”. For a more portable option: Toshiba 500 GB USB 2.0 Portable Hard Drive.

The Daily Show with Jon Stewart Presents Earth (The Book): A Visitor’s Guide to the Human Race – This may not be for everyone but after a long day of dry intellectual property issues, a bit of irreverence feels good. For the other end of the political spectrum, try Decision Points by George W. Bush.

UGG Australia Women’s Bailey Button Triplet Boots - While I admit I don’t understand the appeal, my daughter swears these are great. You may want to stay more conservative with some Pelle Moda Women’s Nemo Two Piece Pumps.

Canon VIXIA HF S200 Full HD Flash Memory Camcorder – Patent geeks love gadgets and especially gadgets with killer specs. Fortunately, this one has great specs but a price that has come down to real world usage. Want cheaper? Go with the Flip UltraHD Video Camera.

KitchenAid Artisan Series Mixer – For some reason, I love kitchen gadgets. This one is a good addition for any chef. Check prices often because it seems to change hourly but it can be picked up at a good price if you work at it. If you want smaller, go with the Microplane 40020 Grater/Zester.

Well, that’s the list. It’s a good place to start and applies equally well to lawyers, inventors and business folks alike. While I think any of the above gifts would be fine for assistants, too, the consensus seems to be that AmEx cards are best. Please suggest your own preferences and gift ideas in the comments.

Also, check out last year’s list here.

Best Gifts for Patent Attorneys 2009

Stephen Jenei — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 22:37:31 +0000

We’re back again this year with a list of the best gifts for patent geeks and entrepreneurs. We thought that No. 1 on our list would be the Apple Mystery Tablet but it’s still a no-show. And, no, we’re not going to recommend the $1800 UWCP Underwater Cellular Phone System from OceanReef (see the bizarre commercial here). Here, we just want to provide a list that is versatile and that stimulates some ideas and discussion. So, sit back over a cup o’ joe and take some time to look around to see what gifts you might like:

Klipsch IMAGE S4i Noise-Isolating Headset w/3-button Apple control $99 – It is impossible to overstate the value of a descent pair of in-ear headphones. Not only do they sound better than your stock earbuds, they cut down on the cacophony of traffic sounds, load talking, crying from associates and complaints from staff. Cheap alternative: JBuds J3 Micro Atomic In-Ear Earphones with Travel Case.

Timbuk2 Commute 2.0 Laptop Messenger Bag $79 - For the road warrior, nothing makes things go better than having a descent travel bag. It’s a solid gear bag, with more than enough space for a laptop, DSLR, various accessories and a phone or two, and it’s TSA compliant. The laptop compartment unzips to lay flat so you don’t have to remove your laptop at airport security. Plus, it’s waterproof. For a wheeled alternative, try: Delsey Helium Fusion Carry-On Expandable Suiter Trolley.

Kindle DX Wireless Reading Device (9.7″) $489 – With the latest incarnation of Amazon’s personal digital reader, the Kindle DX allows users to not only catch up on the latest novels while in transit, lawyers can use their Kindles to work more efficiently during the course of the business day. Good for depositions as well as reading blogs (like Patent Baristas!). Just don’t forget the accessories: Amazon Kindle DX Leather Cover.

Giuseppe Zanotti Women’s Pumps $259 – Lawyers should dress well. Actually, dressing well is an important function of a lawyer. Many faux pas are forgiven the well-dressed lawyer. Clients appreciate it and dressing well can be done simply without too much expense. Made in Italy, these Giuseppe Zanotti sophisticated pumps adds a sleek heel and professional polish to suits and pencil skirts. For the more practical patent attorney, you can always go with the Kenneth Cole New York Penny Loafer.

iRobot 560 Roomba Vacuuming Robot $379 – What lawyer wouldn’t like some obedient servant that slaves away for pennies and never complains? For the compulsive cleaner in your life, the Roomba vacuum makes its way around furniture, cleans up the place and finds its way back to its charging base. The Roomba may not be the best cleaner but it can make a best friend for a lonely lawyer. For those that would rather drink coffee than clean: Jura-Capresso Impressa F9 Fully Automatic Coffee and Espresso Center.

Western Digital My Book World Edition 2 TB Storage (White) $269 – Today, lawyers rely heavily on computers to help accomplish almost every task. Do you have a disaster recovery plan? Practices and procedures for backup, storage, disaster recovery, and restoration are crucial to your law practice. Get a drive and then put backup procedures in place – don’t wait to “break glass in case of emergency”. For a more portable option: Toshiba 500 GB USB 2.0 Portable Hard Drive.

Scientific Explorer’s Disgusting Science – A Kit for Studying the Science of Revolting Things $19 – In general, chemistry sets have gone the way of the home x-ray machine due to tort lawyers — some of the first chemistry sets included such items as sodium cyanide, radioactive samples, and glass blowing kits. But, you can still get some neat kits to satisfy the inner alchemist in you. Alternative: Scientific Explorer’s Spa Science Chemistry Kit.

SurfShelf Treadmill Desk and Laptop Holder $39 – If you must exercise, at least now you can still bill for your time. The SurfShelf treadmill desk attaches any laptop or portable DVD player to most any exercise machine so you can get buff and still hit your billable goal. We’re not sure if sweat voids your laptop warranty, though. When you’re ready to ramp things up, try the Kettler Racer GT Indoor Cycle Trainer.

The iPhone 3Gs $199 – We have to include the Apple iPhone. Yes, we know most geeks already have one and that it requires a 2-year agreement with the devil AT&T to use it but you can’t beat the functionality. And, yeah, there’s an app for everything. Non-Apple alternative: Motorola Droid A855 Phone (Verizon Wireless).

iTunes Gift Card – Premium $100 – I’m against gift cards in general for the lack of ingenuity but if you’re going with an iPhone or iPod — or even if you’re not — you can’t go wrong with an iTunes card. While I love all the great free podcasts, there are always items to purchase. Good alternative: Apple iPod shuffle 2 GB in Black.

Also, check out last year’s list here.

What a Long, Strange Trip It’s Been In 2008

Stephen Jenei — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 14:39:25 +0000

It’s been a wild ride of a year and it is with mixed emotions that we bring 2008 to a close. With 228 posts and 6 million hits, a lot has gone into Patent Baristas and I hope this only improves next year.

To wrap up the blogging year, I thought I’d just mention a few of the top viewed posts for 2008:

We would also like to acknowledge some of the top referrers to Patent Baristas (not in order). It is with great thanks that I note those that bring many of the visitors to our site:

Here’s wishing you and yours a great year in 2009!

Best Gifts for Patent Attorneys

Stephen Jenei — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 22:10:21 +0000

Patent attorneys are a diverse bunch so there’s no one definitive list for gift ideas. Some litigators are always on the go — going to court, depositions and other meetings. Others spend hours upon hours in their offices — generally, working at the computer. Thus, we tried to come up with a list that is versatile and meant only to stimulate some ideas and discussion (and, no, we’re not going to suggest the EyeClops Night Vision Infrared Stealth Goggles). So, sit back and take some time to look around to see what gifts you might like for the patent lawyer (or inventor or entrepreneur) on your list:

The iPhone $199 – Number one on the list has to be the Apple iPhone. Yes, we know it requires a 2-year indentured servitude agreement with the evil overlord AT&T to use it but you can’t beat the functionality. Besides the essentials like email, contacts and calendar, I have this stuffed with hundreds of songs, several audiobooks and even a couple of full movies (useful for long plane trips). Don’t even get me started on podcasts. This gift absolutely requires a visit to the Apple iPhone APP Store for downloading the best additions. My newest? Public Radio Tuner by American Public Radio. Non-Mac alternative: BlackBerry Storm.

iTunes Gift Card $50 – I’m against gift cards in general but if you’re going with an iPhone/iPod — or even if you’re not — you can’t go wrong with an iTunes card. While I love all the great free podcasts, there are always items to purchase. Alternative: Apple 1GB iPod Shuffle.

Cole Haan Penny Air Loafers $211 – These are everything a patent attorney would want – a sleek, classic penny loafer with patent leather, of course. As one of my colleagues insisted, “shoes must be cute and functional!” For the not-so-practical patent attorney, you can always go with Manolo Blahnik from Barneys.

Garmin GPSMap 60CSx GPS $279 – This is perfect for the patent attorney. It’s chock full of high tech and requires going outdoors to use it (for some much-needed exercise). This is a device that can provide hours of geek fun just loading maps. Hopefully, they will make it outside, too. For those strapped in an automobile, try the Garmin nüvi 760 Bluetooth Portable GPS Automobile Navigator.

Ecoist Limited Edition Candy Wrapper Hobo Handbag $176 - One of my female colleagues said that she really likes eco-products and especially recommends the Ecoist handbags. These are made from recycled candy wrappers, food packages, soda labels, subway maps, newspapers, and other waste-bound materials and turned into functional, durable and eye-catching handbags. What’s not to love?

Timex Expedition E-Compass Titanium Watch $111 -A watch that combines technology (an electronic compass) with titanium. This is made for patent attorneys. No more getting lost on the way to the break room. Also, consider the Citizen Eco-Drive Women’s 300 Meter Professional Diver Watch.

Tea of the Month Club $80 - OK, we love coffee (obviously) but patent attorneys are often under too much stress so some soothing tea is a really great refreshment. Nothing calms the nerves like some freshly brewed loose leaf teas — greens, blacks, whites, oolongs, you name it. I think the very best tea is Mariage Freres Marco Polo. Can’t break the java addition? Try the Starbucks Coffee Collection.

Laser Projection, USB Enabled Virtual Keyboard $179 – You can see the attraction already. Lasers! USB! Virtual! I have no idea if this thing works but you’ve got to admit it certainly has gizmo panache. For the less adventuresome, try going for the new Kindle Wireless Reading Device.

Canon PowerShot 8MP Digital Camera with Image Stabilized Zoom $159 - There are plenty of cameras that take better pictures. There are plenty of cameras that are small. This one is a solid, reliable, and stylish point-and-shoot ultracompact digital camera that produces high-quality images. It is not for Ansel Adams. It is great for bloggers to keep in a pocket when out at meetings — or just pictures of the kids when out and about. For more practicality, get your loved one to back up their important documents with a WD My Passport Essential 320 GB USB 2.0 Portable Hard Drive. It’s for their own good.

Wii Fit & 5 in 1 kit $279 -If you don’t mind looking silly on the the Wii Balance Board — and it requires a Wii console to play — this might just be what it takes to get you off the couch. I haven’t tried this but it looks fun with lots of different activities, including aerobics, yoga, muscle stretches and balance oriented games. When you’re ready to ramp things up, try the Kettler Racer GT Indoor Cycle Trainer.

That’s the list. It’s a good place to start and applies equally well to lawyers, inventors and business folks alike. Note, I was going to include a list of gifts for administrative assistants but, after some poking around, I found that it just set off a flamestorm over at Above the Law and corporette. While I think any of the above gifts would be fine for assistants, too, the consensus seems to be that AmEx cards are best. Please suggest your own preferences and gift ideas in the comments.

Also, check out last year’s Patently-O list.

Update:

Securing Innovation suggests saving some money and going with Manolo knock-offs.

Homesourcing For Attorneys

Hard Rockin’ With iBarista

Stephen Jenei — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 00:53:55 +0000

Editor-in-Chief Barista, Stephen Jenei, will be live-blogging the BIO Intellectual Property Counsel Committee’s Fall Conference and Committee Meeting on Oct. 20-22, 2008, at the Hard Rock Hotel at Universal Orlando, Orlando, Florida.

The Conference should be an excellent opportunity for BIO members to hear, listen, and learn about current and projected topics related to biotechnology IP. So, why not get a free gift?

Since we ended up having some iPod Shuffles left over from the BIO2008 International Convention, in San Diego, Calif., after running the Patent Baristas’ iBarista contest, I thought I’d give everyone a shot at picking up the last remaining iBarista iPod.

Basically, all you have to do to win is be the first person to find me at the Fall Conference and ask for the iBarista iPod. That’s it. (Don’t forget to see all the iPod Giveaway Terms and Conditions here).

Otherwise, if you’d like to meet up during the conference, drop me a note and we’ll schedule some time to have coffee together.