This year’s Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, which runs Jan. 7–10, features a ton of new gadgets that will have all of us tech types (InventHelp’s Gadget Girl included) anxiously awaiting their release.

With 1.7 million square feet of exhibit space, there’s plenty of room for gadget hunters to find the newest cell phones, chips and other devices that defy categorization.

The most sought-after products at the convention will probably be mock-ups and prototypes of products that are still a few years away from hitting store shelves.

Many companies may bring working prototypes of cutting-edge devices with them to Las Vegas, but they won’t display them under glass or leave them at a booth for manhandling. Rather than risking poor reviews for a product that isn’t nearly ready, these companies will hold closed-door meetings with a select group of potential partners and analysts, and make them sign non-disclosure agreements.

Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates (pictured above) delivered his 12th and last Consumer Electronics Show keynote as a full-time employee with the company he founded more than three decades ago.

“It will be the first time since I was 17 that I won’t have my full-time Microsoft job,” said Gates, who has said he wants to devote his energies to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation’s world health and education projects.

CES 2008 Innovation Awards & Honorees

August is Gadget Girl’s favorite month because it’s host to my favorite celebration: National Inventors Month! As you take time this month to reflect on important inventors and innovations, InventHelp^® and Gadget Girl offer three simple ways to help you to improve your own inventing prowess!

1. Start Anytime

It’s never too late (or too early) to become an inventor. Some folks are born with the drive; others may not have their first great idea until well into the Golden Years.

Today’s up-and-coming generation, or Generation Y, are well on their way to becoming the most entrepreneurial group in history. New technology and resources make it easier than ever to become a do-it-yourselfer.

2. Keep It Simple

Inventions don’t necessarily have to be complicated. Sure, a robot that can climb stairs is very impressive, but it doesn’t have much of an impact on the lives of everyday Americans.

It’s the simple things that make day to day life easier.

The Band-Aid® is a perfect example of a simple yet practical invention. Invented by Johnson & Johnson employee Earle Dickson in the 1920s, the Band-Aid® today is so popular it’s hard to find a medicine cabinet without a box of them.

If there’s one thing to be learned from the Band-Aid® story, it’s that keeping it simple works. If there’s a second thing to be learned, it’s that people are perpetually clumsy!

3. Keep at It

Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither are inventions.

Take, for example, toilet paper. While running out of tissue in the bathroom now registers as a major catastrophe, it wasn’t always so.

It may be hard to believe, but it took almost ten years and attempts by several different individuals before the concept of toilet paper on a roll really took off.

The toilet paper story shows that although you may have a great idea, simple factors like the ability to market your idea can work against you.

And while persistence is no guarantee of success, it’s always better to try and fail than to never try at all! Gadget Girl and InventHelp® encourage you to use these simple tips to become a better inventor. Remember, every great invention starts as a great idea!

People are visual creatures by nature. The show-me-don’t-tell-me line of thinking translates into invention publicity shots as well.

Last entry, we discussed how to write a good press release. Let’s say you are lucky enough to get a phone call from an editor who wants more information about your idea. A good, high-quality publicity photo could be very helpful.

With these ten easy tips, you can attempt to show your invention in its best light:

1. Focus on your invention. We know you’re beautiful, but unfortunately, an editor is interested in seeing your invention, and not necessarily you. If your product can’t be easily understood in a still photograph, have someone take your picture while you demonstrate how to use your invention.
2. Remember, the content of your photo should be appropriate for publication in a newspaper or magazine!
3. If you’re using a 35-mm camera, choose a 400-speed film. This film works well in most lighting conditions.
4. If you’re using a digital camera, set it at the highest possible resolution. This will result in a large, high-quality image. Do NOT send computer printouts or Polaroids. Send the images as a CD or via e-mail. If you mail the photos, be sure to mark “Do Not Bend – Photos” on the envelope.
5. Get close to your subject. Take the photo from a variety of angles and distances. If you’re using a model, be sure not to cut off his or her head!
6. Take the photo outdoors on a slightly overcast day (bright sun can wash out a photo). Or, take the photo indoors in a brightly lit room.
7. Use background to your advantage. Eliminate clutter. You want an editor to see your invention, not the stuff piled around it. And don’t photograph a dark invention next to a dark background. A simple, plain tablecloth can make a good backdrop.
8. Watch your fingers and the camera strap! The last thing you want is for your favorite photo to be ruined by a blurry finger in the way.
9. Be sure that the image is not blurred. Sturdy yourself by standing with your legs slightly apart, keeping your knees slightly bent, and elbows close to your body.
10. Finally, be creative and have fun with it!

So, you’ve got an idea and you’re ready to try to communicate. First off, decide if your invention details can be communicated or not. Ask your patent attorney if it is ok. If so, then you need a press release.

What exactly is a press release? In a nutshell, it’s a short, to-the-point news story that seeks to demonstrate the newsworthiness of a person, product or event. Press releases are then e-mailed, snail-mailed or faxed to editors in the hopes that the publication will pick up the story.

The sad fact is editors are bombarded with press releases. If you want to keep yours out of the trash bin, here are a few simple tips:

• Don’t write an advertisement.
  Editors are notoriously picky folks. The last thing they want to look at is a screaming advertisement masquerading as a press release (think along the lines of: “NOTHING ELSE LIKE IT ON THE MARKET!!!!”) Revenue for publications is based on advertising revenue. This makes them very uninterested in publishing an ad for your product for free!
• Get to the point.
  Focus on the newsworthy aspect of your invention. Describe how your invention solves a problem. And try to think beyond simply: “It saves time and money.” Be specific…This idea will prevent you from losing your keys, etc…
• Choose your magazines carefully.
  Say you’ve got a new fishing invention. Seems logical to send it to the editor-in-chief at Sports Illustrated, right? Not exactly. Because larger, commercial magazines are generally looking for news about products already on the market, you may miss your target audience altogether. Namely manufacturers and marketers, who tend to read industry-specific trade publications. So instead of Sports Illustrated for your invention, why not try a trade publication like American Sport Fishing? This is where business information about new inventions may be picked up by an editor.
• Go to a pro.
  Publicity is a time-consuming marketing activity, which is why publicity releases are included in InventHelp’s submission to industry services. If you’re not a client, you might want to consider hiring a publicity firm that can handle the writing and distribution of releases for you. Many companies charge by the word for such services so be sure to ask about pricing up front.

Check back with us later for tips on the use of a publicity photo!