Phosphorus and Lime

Before parties, guests register online and complete questionnaires. The answers are then transferred to digital memory devices -- red, plastic squares slightly larger than a matchbox -- that the guests wear like necklaces.

During a party, people point their devices at one another to check how compatible they are. The devices flash red, yellow or green, depending on their level of compatibility.

– New way for singles to meet -- the digital zap (Yahoo! News)

The bad news for me is that I had an idea for an "icebreaker" device very similar to this a couple years ago.

The good news is, OneKeyAway over-complicated their device to the point that it will never be more than a novelty gadget "for professionals who want to meet other professionals" in a speed-dating environment.

The bad news is that a better marketer will simply copy this, figure out how to mainstream it, and make a social networking gadget that's more popular than the iPod -- and it won't be me.

The other good news is that the article notes that the inventor of this started working on it in 2004, which was before I had my idea. So I don't feel so bad after all.