News and Events

Keep up to date with the latest news and events of Modular Bikes.

Saturday, January 28, 2012

Newest Patent Application

A piece about a patent application from New Scientist magazine.

Over the years I have made several applications for patents and have a granted patent application for my Modular Bike.  For me they are not a way of making money and possibly never will be, but if I feel I've invented something, I like to lay claim to that invention. Filing for a patent application is possibly the only way to do that, a proof of invention that can be tested in a court of law. 

Patenting is often a middle step between invention and commercialization, it gives inventors some commercial protection and allows them to pursue their dreams without their invention being stolen or plageurised.  The inventor's aims can range from making and manufacturing something useful which benefits mankind all the way through to  retiring on royalty checks, drinking on a remote tropical beach.  Usually there's a bit of both of these!

There is a discipline involved in applying for a patent which involves drawing and describing the invention in unambiguous detail.

As of a few days ago,  some parts of my latest patent application have been published on the internet in the form of a competition entry.  It's a way of getting publicity for the invention, I might even do well in the competition.

Here is the link  to the competition entry relating to my latest patent application.  The patent concerns useful packaging for cycles.

Sofar, I have been to Watermark patent attourneys discussing the application and poked my head in the door at Corex, a fluteboard manufacturer.  Also , Alan Ball from http://www.evolvetrikes.com/ and I have a conversation about intellectual property every now and then as we procede along Melbourne bike paths.  Thanks to everyone who as given me advice!

If you are interested in talking to me about useful packaging for cycles, please contact me,
steve the@symbol modularbikes.com.au.

Best Wishes

Steve Nurse

Thursday, January 12, 2012

Every1s a Winner, Babe

A while ago I bought John's phones for my wife and myself.  These are very simple mobile phones, they don't do texting, they don't take photos, they don't run apps, they don't send you emails or let you twitter or facebook or surf the f*&^ing internet,  they just make phone calls and do a reasonable job of it. 

We are fairly new to mobile phones and mine is just coming into infrequent use now.  So few people ring me that I usually know who's ringing me without looking at screens or anything!

Well anyway, my phone has been dwelling in the bottom of my backpack for a while and it gets hit by things and rubs against things and starts to look a bit down at heel  ("everything I own gets battered in the end" I said to someone once) and eventually I get to thinking maybe a case would be good for this phone.  This is just mostly idle speculation (like "I would like to surf Pipeline one day") until I started sorting through a few old  music cassettes I own and tried fitting my John's phone into the cases.  Lo and behold, the phone almost fits in some of them and with a bit of persistance I find one where it does fit with only a small amount of modification.  The photos tell the story.  This makes me so far behind I am in front, or so far ahead I am behind.  I don't care.  Am waiting for the day when the cassette rings when its sitting on the table proviking the response:  "Steve, you're cassette's ringing" as in "Max Your Shoe's ringing"

See Photos below. PS, there is a commercial, cassette-like cover for the i-phone 4, see here.

Regards




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Buy "The Cycle Zoo" through PayPal

Hi,

In the last few days, I have added Paypal Buttons to my website, so it should be much simpler for you to purchase my book, "An Illustrated Guide to the Cycle Zoo".

Here is the link to the payment page: http://www.modularbikes.com.au/thecyclezoo.html , click on "Purchase The Cycle Zoo".

Here are the links to  reviews and mentions of the book and boardgame

http://modularbikes.blogspot.com/2010_06_01_archive.html

http://modularbikes.blogspot.com/2010_10_01_archive.html

Happy Purchasing!

Regards

Steve Nurse

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Ewan Nurse: Portal 2 v. National Bicycle Game

Hi

On the same day last week, a few parcels arrived in the mail, one addressed to my son Ewan, the other to me.  Both happened to be games, mine (the historic National Bicycle Board Game) had come from Albury through ebay, Ewan's ("Portal 2" Playstation video game)  was ordered through an overseas website.  Anyway, very different games but I managed to capture Ewan trialling the games on film.  Or on silicon or whatever digital photos get stored on.  So here are the photos.  Ewan's comments on the games follow after the photos


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 The main problem with the board game is that unlike more complex games (such as Monopoly or Cluedo) that need some level or decision making and tactics, the National Cycle Board Game only requires the player to role the dice. A cat is just as good a player as an adult. Portal 2 on the other hand asks a lot more from the player. It needs problem solving, trial and error and some level of hand-eye motor skills in order the solve the puzzles and move through the world. And, despite the common criticism that video games are an anti-social venture, this can be played multi-player either online or with a second controller, requiring team skills and communication to solve the ever more difficult puzzles.

National Cycles was fun, but short lived, with most of the entertainment coming in the form of the banter between players. Portal 2 provided both this discussion between people in the room and was engaging in it's own right.