The Gate3 WorkClub ‘is a work community where you will find relief from the isolation and challenges of the modern work-style; an exciting and interesting group of people from every walk of work that will give you new perspective and uncommon solutions.’ Designed for ‘professionals who primarily work in a home office’ and ‘small and virtual companies’. I think that it’s a sort of meatspace meet space for virtual workers. A cross between a monthly membership fee based StarBucks, gym…

Running Kilts? With a ‘privacy snap’? Boggle. ‘If you suffer chafing from running shorts, you need a Running Kilt! The Running Kilt is similar in design to regular running shorts, but with no fabric between your legs to get in the way…We also have pre-cut soft fleece Lounging Kilt fabric for a limited time…’

Sean and James (above) have invented this game see, called TinyTag. A kind of mini Laser Tag. Which looks like it could be a blast to play in the wrong hands. You can bounce the signal off walls or your palm and it has a 65 foot range, just perfect for an open range cubicle office floor. $14.99. ‘Hi, My name is Sean. I accidentally invented TinyTag when I was in kindergarten. My dad helped me build it. My neighbor…

I know that there’s lots of these around, but isn’t this mobile phone holder dinky? �11.95. ‘If you’re always losing your mobile phone then this brushed aluminium holder is the perfect answer to your problem. This stylish device ensures that your phone always rises above the sea of papers on your desk – for instant calling.’

P-Mate. Too scary (but for all the wrong reasons, ’cause it looks like a brilliant solution to an eternal problem). ‘No toilets available when in desperate need of one? Dirty toilets? Always standing in the wrong line? …The unique and original P-Mate which enables woman [sic] to pee while standing upright. Once you have used it, you can’t do without it. The P-Mate is made of environmentally friendly, fully recyclable material. The P-Mate should be used only once.’

The Voller Portapack. ‘Using patented Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) advanced Fuel Cell technology to power the fuel cells…[the]…versatile Portapack range of battery re-chargers can be used to charge the batteries in portable electronic devices such as mobile phones, laptop computers, power tools, remote monitoring equipment or portable electronic equipment used by industry or the military.’ [Via Gizmo] It’s a start eh?

You know what a pain it is when your mailbox – the real, not digital, kind – is such a long distance away at the end of your stately home driveway? Well now you don’t have to send the butler out into the rain every ten minutes to keep checking to see whether your Tiffany’s catalogue has arrived, you can simply use your Mail Alert system. Your little man will thank you. ‘The Mail Alert? notifies you immediately when your…

Blinkx. ‘blinkx changes the way you find and access all kinds of information, from anywhere in the world, without having to search endlessly. blinkx rapidly links you with the information you need from the web, from online news sources and files on your own PC.’ I’ve just installed it and it looks somewhat interesting. Kind of like an Alexa toolbar but with local document search thrown in. I like the cool fly out menus, I don’t like the lack of…

Urban Exploration Resource. I don’t know what’s more weird, that there’s a group of people who like exploring derelict places, or that there’s an online forum dedicated to the…er…sport…pastime…habit?

The Museum of Useful Things. Like this four way rubberband.

There are times when you really have to rock back on your heels and splutter in disbelief. The Deer Hunter’s Edge Hunting Predictor. Whatever it takes to even the odds when up against a blood thirsty, ferocious elk, eh? $129.99. ‘With a barometer, electronic compass, thermometer and on-board micro-computer, this hand-held instrument is one item every deer and elk hunter should own. The unit not only gives present readings and accurate weather forecasts, but also tells the best times to…

It would be easy to be snide about this Kidsmart Vocal Smoke Detector if it weren’t for the fact that I have a sneaking suspicion it might actually save a life or two at some point. Which is really rather neat. $69.95. ‘This is the only smoke alarm that allows you to record a wake-up command for your child, such as “Sally! Wake up!” in your own voice. In tests to date, the familiar voice alarm has proven effective at…

Um. I have this growing and mind-numbingly terrifying belief that very very soon we’re going to be surrounded by a vast ocean of chatty, peppy, personality charged devices which will be programmed to drive us all totally bonkers by behaving like a marketing man’s C3PO love child. How else to explain this ghastly Nobby thing? �25.00. ‘Nobby not only speaks the time. He also engages you in surreal interactive conversations. First get his attention by calling his name. Then ask…

Look, what is it exactly with mousepads and people? Are they content with a simple, flat, rubberised mat for rodent rapidity? Oh no, they have to go and Turbo it up like some sad desktop pimpmobile. The Mouse Pad Calculator with Radio. $19.95. ‘Combines a Mouse Pad, Calculator, Digital Alarm Clock and FM Radio Scanner. So you can listen while you work. Speaker with excellent sound quality. Earphone jack and Volume control.’

The Plug In site offers up a veritably feastabular cornucopia of plug ins for programs like Photoshop, Premiere and Paintshop Pro. Some free, some not.