InventHelp’s Gadget Girl has a new favorite weekend hobby – strolling Pittsburgh’s neighborhoods for the various food trucks. These mobile restaurants tend to be no larger than a closet, yet they pack huge portions of amazing cuisine from around the world for just a few bucks.

Food carts are exploding in popularity, and that’s in no small way thanks to the invention of Twitter. In Los Angeles, Kogi BBQ trucks have tweeted their way into the mainstream. Kogi’s unique Korean-Mexican fusion has earned a reputation among foodies all across the country, which is no small feat for a few trucks selling Korean tacos.

No one knows who tweeted first, but now many food trucks send daily tweets to hoards of devotees to announce specials for the day (think “grilled asparagus with yellow nectarines and sesame seeds”).

The fun part is that food fans have to be in the know to order the daily specials. They’re nowhere to be found on the menu. Call it the thrill of the chase or the thrill of preferential treatment, but these carts keep things exciting for their customers and secure repeat business.

If the food carts aren’t tweeting, you can bet their customers are! In Portland, Ore., where food carts have grown from a few in 2006 to more than 170 this year, foodies send reviews and recommendations to other hungry subscribers. One user said, “My friend Michelle can’t stop raving about Persad, the juice cart! I’m heading up to Grilled Cheese Grill myself tonight.”

InventHelp’s Gadget Girl certainly understands the thrill of the hunt, even if it’s just the hunt for dinner. Do you have a favorite food cart in your city? If so, consider tweeting to spread the word!

Can’t get enough of Twitter? Be sure to visit our InventHelp page for updates from “The Invent Help People”!

InventHelp’s Gadget Girl was flipping through the channels this week when I heard a familiar voice. Billy Mays – famous for his booming voice (and Pittsburgh accent) on infomercials for Oxi-Clean, Orange Glo and a slew of other products – has transformed from spokesman to invention hunter on his show Pitchmen, now airing Wednesdays at 10 pm on The Discovery Channel.

Mays, who grew up in the Pittsburgh suburb of McKees Rocks just minutes from InventHelp headquarters, and fellow pitchman Anthony Sullivan scour the world for inventions they believe they can pitch to the masses. The show can be an emotional rollercoaster as Mays and Sullivan make or break the dreams of these dedicated inventors.

I had the pleasure of seeing Mays just recently at the 2009 International Home & Housewares Show at McCormick Place in Chicago. Michael Tsang, the winner of our 2009 Inventors’ Corner Direct Response Panel Review, was thrilled to have his prize presented to him by Mays and Sullivan. His invention, the Plate Topper, is a cover that keeps food fresh by sealing itself over the top of a dinner plate.

Coincidentally, Tsang had met Billy Mays before. As a student at Princeton four years ago, Mays gave Tsang some feedback on an earlier model of the Plate Topper. Tsang incorporated Mays’ suggestions, and today he feels the feedback helped to advance the invention to where it is today.

“I’ve done everything I wanted,” Mays, who today lives in Florida with his wife and children, told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. “Now I want to give back with this new show and help other people take their product to the next level. It’s the American dream, and I’m helping them achieve it. I’m proud of that.”

It seems, at least to those of us here at InventHelp, that Billy Mays was born for the job of helping inventors. Gadget Girl is sure to stay glued to The Discovery Channel’s Pitchmen and watch our hometown pitchman in action!

As InventHelp’s Gadget Girl and the rest of world were riveted by reports of the dangerous Conficker worm over the past few weeks, Mac users enjoy the luxury of blowing off the hysteria. Even Gadget Guy, a Mac loyalist, watched with amusement as I ran my antivirus program day after day to warn off any attacks on my precious PC.

According to security experts, those days of peace and solace amid PC panic may be coming to an end. Researchers have found computer malware invented specifically to target Mac computers and expect these attacks to become more common.

For years, Macs were protected by relative obscurity. As Macs grow in popularity, they become bigger targets for online thieves. Plus, the bad guys online know that Mac users tend to be proportionally more affluent than PC users and are tempted by potentially large payoffs.

A Trojan horse program, dubbed the “iBotnet,” has infected only a few thousand Macs, specifically Mac users who have downloaded pirated versions of the Mac software iWork. The malicious software is called a “botnet” because infected computers become part of a network that is controlled by the program’s author.

Mac’s botnet is significantly less of a threat than the highly publicized worm Conficker. Conficker, by comparison, was thought to have infected up to 10 million computers. Worms are different than botnets because they sneak into a computer and replicate without the owner’s knowledge.

In a statement, Apple said it works diligently to resolve computer security problems before they can manifest into larger issues.

Still, InventHelp’s Gadget Girl expects to see antivirus companies invent computer protection software designed especially for Macs. Welcome to the Fear Club, Mac users!

Inventor Jon Bohmer, a Norwegian-born entrepreneur based in Kenya, faced a problem that’s ever-so-common among innovative thinkers. In his quest to help developing countries, he looked for solutions that were way too complex for way too long.

Of course, the complicated problems that Bohmer is trying to resolve are anything but simple. One is the issue of rural residents, fueled by poverty and desperation, cutting down trees for firewood at unsustainable rates. This practice leads to deforestation and, in turn, global warming.

Bohmer’s solution? The Kyoto Box, a solar-powered oven, which allows villagers to boil water, cook and bake by harnessing the power of the sun. By making it easier to boil water, the invention could save millions of people who die each year from drinking unclean water. In addition to its humanitarian benefits, the invention is environmentally friendly. It’s even named after the international treaty that aims to reduce global warming.

And here’s the twist – this lifesaving invention costs only $5 to make. Bohmer uses two cardboard boxes (one inside the other) and an acrylic cover that gathers and traps the sun’s powerful rays. Black paint on the inner box and foil on the outer box work to intensify the heat. With the Kyoto Box, villagers no longer have to trek lengthy distances to search for firewood or risk drinking contaminated water.

Bohmer’s invention won the FT Climate Change Challenge, a contest to find and promote the most innovative and practical solution to climate change. The Kyoto Box beat out more than 300 other competitors to take the grand prize.

The box can be produced in existing cardboard factories, and the inventor has designed a more durable plastic model that also can be produced cheaply. Bohmer’s dream is to distribute the solar ovens throughout rural Africa.

Practical solutions like this prove that the best ideas aren’t always the most sophisticated. This invention story brings to mind one of InventHelp’s Gadget Girl’s favorite acronyms: KISS, or Keep It Simple, Stupid!

Ever since I bought my iPod a few years ago, it’s always by my side. From the journeys into the InventHelp office, to the walks in the park, to cross-country flights, Gadget Girl and her beloved iPod were together in tune through life.

A few weeks ago, I noticed that the sound was cutting out on one side of my headphones. This happens to me often because, admittedly, I’m a headphone abuser. I coughed up the cash for a new set like I have so many times before, only this time, the problem persisted.

Oh, the anguish! Having to choose between listening to my tunes in one ear or not at all is a fate I wouldn’t wish on any music lover.

I made an appointment at the Genius Bar at my local Mac store to speak with a technician, who confirmed that my headphone jack was on the fritz. My options? I could get an expensive AM/FM converter that attaches to the bottom of the iPod and provides another jack or recycle the iPod for a discount toward a new one.

Unfortunately, Uncle Sam hit InventHelp’s Gadget Girl pretty hard this tax season, so I shopped around for a more cost-efficient way to fix my iPod. Luckily, a combination of tool kit inventions and an online community of do-it-yourselfers provided me with a new option: replace the headphone jack myself.

I found a great deal for the replacement headphone jack on eBay, and two weeks and $6 later I had my tools and replacement part. Next, I looked up how-to videos on YouTube.com. With the help of the ever-handy Gadget Guy, we opened up the iPod, removed the bad jack and replaced it with the new one. Sure, we had to pause the video about 50 times, but who’s counting?

If you’re having issues with your battery or hold button, there are videos and tool kits available to repair those, too. But, let it be known that Gadget Girl and InventHelp don’t necessarily recommend slicing open your iPod. I took on this repair fully prepared to replace my iPod should I end up on the losing end of this technology battle.

With the help of some rogue do-it-yourselfers and a few tiny tools, my fixed iPod and I are now back to our morning commutes and blissful walks. InventHelp’s Gadget Girl: 1 – iPod: 0!

As a girl who grew up in the ’80s when “big hair” was all the rage, InventHelp’s Gadget Girl learned firsthand that curling irons and ears do not play nice. An InventHelp inventor decided that one burned ear was one too many and developed a solution.

Ear Cuffies are soft, flexible covers that prevent burns caused by curling irons, hot combs, hot rollers and other heated styling devices. Before styling, just slip the Ear Cuffies right over each ear. An elastic band keeps the ear-shaped cover firmly in place, protecting the ear from unfriendly appliances.

Ear Cuffies reached a national audience with a recent appearance on The Today Show’s segment, What’s Hot in Housewares. The hosts joked that their stylists would “never make mistakes,” but I imagine that even when working with beauty professionals, accidents are bound to happen! Ear Cuffies even made the rounds on Pittsburgh’s own KDKA Radio, during Shelley Duffy’s lifestyle segment.

InventHelp’s Gadget Girl could see this invention working well for young girls who are just learning to style their hair. It’s a little late for this invention diva, but not for the new generation of gals out there! Beauty schools could benefit from this idea, too.

If your ears have had enough curling iron abuse, you can order the Ear Cuffies for $4.95 a pair at InventHelpStore.com.

InventHelp’s Gadget Girl loves the playfulness of April Fool’s Day. Putting a rubber band around the kitchen sink sprayer? Funny. Infecting computers with a dangerous superworm? Not so funny. But, that’s what may happen to some PC users this Wednesday.

You may remember my blog a few weeks ago about high-tech pranksters that hijacked construction road signs. Even I got a little chuckle thinking about road signs blaring warnings like “CAUTION: ZOMBIES AHEAD!!!”, but high-tech pranks like viruses are just mean spirited.

Viruses can make your operating system go haywire, causing data loss and compromising security on sensitive information like banking numbers and credit card information. The Conficker worm, which many experts say could strike on April Fool’s Day, is especially sophisticated and dangerous.

What can you do to keep this April Fool’s gag from corrupting your files and depleting your data? Microsoft, who has a $250,000 “bounty” on the worm, offers PC users some basic tips on protecting your digital life. First, make sure that your antivirus software is installed and up to date. Many programs allow you to set these updates automatically. Also, never open attachments or install software from sites that you don’t trust.

The invention of protective software like Webroot’s AntiVirus with AntiSpyware has kept many computer users safe from viral infection. Even with an antivirus program, your risk is much lower, but not eliminated completely. What worries some technology experts is that Conficker is a worm, wiggling its way into the system through Windows’ software weaknesses. Viruses, on the other hand, tend to come in attachments.

If your computer does become infected, you can try to download Microsoft’s Malicious Software Removal Tool. Because Conficker is so advanced, you may not be able to access this site. In that case, try Windows Live OneCare, which scans your PC for free.

With April Fool’s Day behind us, it seems that the world is not going to come crashing to a halt due to Conficker worm. Still, we at InventHelp hope you’ll use these tips to keep your PC safe all year long!

InventHelp’s Gadget Girl knows better than to mock someone else’s invention ideas. I knew one inventor who always said that inventions are like family. “No one is allowed to make fun of my family but me!” he joked. But, not everyone feels the invention camaraderie like InventHelp and Gadget Girl.

Fox News compiled a list of what it considers to be the 10 Worst Inventions in History. Sure, opinion is subjective, but it’s hard for even an invention lover like myself to disagree with some of these! Click on the product name to learn more and read the full text of the article here.

1. The Detachable Dog Sack – Animal safety alert! This sack holds the dog on the outside of the vehicle so Rover can’t shed hair in the cab. Yikes!
2. Kitty Wig – The name says it all. Truth be told, I find animal clothing and accessories to be pretty hilarious. Nothing gets me going around Halloween like a Daschund in a lobster costume. But, a blue wig? That’s pushing it.
3. iPhone Fingers – Smudges be gone!
4. The Pedal-Powered Wheelchair – Why not pedal… if it’s an option.
5. The Inflatable Dartboard – Thankfully, a puncture repair kit included.
6. iFlyz Portable Media Player Airline Holder – Billed as “Your in-flight personal media solution”, this iPhone, iTouch and iPod compatible device clips to an airline tray in the stowed and locked position. Come on, Fox News, that isn’t so bad!
7. Motorola’s P970 – It’s a battery-powered battery charger. Maybe not the most efficient product but it did make it to market!
8. Method for Collision Recognition With a Pedestrian – This device determines if you’ve hit a person or an object. To those of us at InventHelp, wouldn’t it make more sense to just stop?
9. Anti-Eating Face Mask – Why exercise when you can strap a metal cage to your face?
10. The Prankster Fire Alarm Trap – This invention cuffs mischievous pranksters who falsely pull a fire alarm. But, what if there’s really a fire? InventHelp’s Gadget Girl has to concur with Fox on this one!

While some of these ideas don’t compare with world-changing inventions like the Internet or antibiotics, each one was invented as a solution to a problem. For that, we at InventHelp salute these inventors. That being said… I’d have to agree with Fox News on some of these. Call me crazy, but I still see a market for the Kitty Wig!

Tackling homelessness in the United States seems like a monumental undertaking, but every journey begins with a single step. For many homeless men and women in the Los Angeles area, a new invention called the EDAR is a step in the right direction. We at InventHelp would like to recognize this ambitious effort to curb one of our nation’s greatest ills.

The EDAR, which stands for Everyone Deserves a Roof, is a four-wheeled, tent-like home that’s designed to be waterproof, sturdy and mobile. Each unit is equipped with a mattress and a sleeping bag for comfort. An integral braking system keeps the unit from rolling away, and a padlock is included to prevent theft.

While the accommodations seem modest, EDAR owners like Brenda Gardenhire told CNN, “it’s like your own home, your own apartment, your own room.” Other EDAR owners jokingly refer to it as the “hobo condo.” Humorous moniker aside, it serves as a stepping stone to get off the streets and back into society.

Movie producer Peter Samuelson, of “Revenge of the Nerds” fame (one of Gadget Girl’s childhood favorites), has long been an advocate for impoverished and homeless children. As he rode his bike from Los Angeles to Santa Monica, he stopped along the way to speak with the homeless about their needs. A roof was the most common request by far.

Initially, Samuelson wanted to build a permanent shelter, but securing funds needed for the $3 billion undertaking in tumultuous economic times proved nearly impossible. The EDAR, on the other hand, costs about $500 per unit and serves as an economical alternative.

He partnered with the Pasadena Art Center College of Design to create the design concept, and the EDAR was born. Currently, the EDAR has a waiting list, and requests for more information on the EDAR have poured in from around the country and around the world.

We at InventHelp love to see inventors use practical innovations to create positive change. For more information on the EDAR and to see how you can help, visit their website at EDAR.org.

InventHelp’s Gadget Girl was thrilled to find out that two of her tech favorites are teaming up! Amazon’s Kindle Reader, which enables word nerds like me to read books, magazines and newspapers electronically, will now be offered as an app for the iPhone and iPod Touch.

In a bid to encourage consumers to embrace e-book technology (and entice those who are turned off by the Kindle’s $359 price tag), Amazon is offering the app for free. And don’t confuse “no cost” with “no features” – the app includes some of the Kindle’s signature elements. Users can adjust the size of the text, add notes, and bookmark places.

The app does not connect to Kindle’s store, however, so if you get the urge to download some Hemmingway on a whim, you’ll need to log in to your web browser. If you happen to own a Kindle already, the app will sync the two.

Ian Freed, Amazon’s vice president for the Kindle, told MSNBC that the company sees the software as a way to introduce non-Kindle owners to e-books while complimenting current Kindle owners’ exiting programs by enabling them to read their content directly from their Apple devices.

We at InventHelp sure do love to see great concepts work together in harmony!