Stud/Dud and Single? are pretty much public record search engines repackaged in a neat app format. There's not much to making a search with either aside from entering a name (and any details that help narrow down the query) and you'll get partial results on the iPhone and the rest emailed. But if you want, you can see video guides of the search procedures here and here.

Stud or Dud

The idea behind Stud/Dud is that it parses public records and checks for stable address history, real estate ownership, business records, professional licenses, bankruptcies, criminal records and evictions in order to determine whether you've got a "stud" or a "dud" on your hands. I've unfortunately had more than my fair share of "duds" based on this app, but they were still lovely people. Except the guy who ran off with some knee high stockings of mine. I never did figure out what happened there.

Are They Really Single?

I thought that the things I found out through Stud/Dud were going to be as depressing as it gets, but Single? proved me wrong. The app checks for marriage, divorce, spousal and other domestic relationships and then determines the likelihood of the person still being in that relationship. I didn't really care about any former lovers being in relationships, but I still tossed a few names into the search to try it out. And found out that my high school sweetheart is married to his grandmother. Awkward shock aside, the app did say that it's "unlikely" right below the "wife" designation, but geez, that's quite an error to make. At least I really hope it's an error.

After that final mortifying search, I gave up. I didn't even want to enter the last ex-boyfriend's name since at the rate I was going he'd have four wives in three states and one would be his sister. But if you're braver than I and in the mood for some horror, the apps are $.99 each through the App Store and there are various charges if you want a detailed background history (addresses, phone numbers, email addresses, etc), but honestly I think this is a fun app that shouldn't be used for such creepy things. In other words: Please don't stalk anyone. [Stud/Dud and Single?]

Gadgetwise's Jenna Wortham was forced to contemplate the hardship of loving someone who's in lust with electronics when one of her readers wrote in with a desperate plea for advice:

My boyfriend is in love with his iPhone. He uses it all the time-during dinner, the movies and even in bed! I have an iPhone too, so I can understand his obsession, but at the same time it's becoming enough of a distraction while we are together to be a problem. What should I do?

Jenna explained that, as any other relationship issue, you can resolve this one by talking with your partner. You need to set limits, figure out when it's absolutely unacceptable to reach for the digital mistress and when the wandering attention can be excused. That's it. It's that simple. Whether your lover is obsessed with an iPhone, a BlackBerry, a printer, or tricked-out ottoman, communication is key. [NY Times]

Photo by Fe Ilya

When you get your Presence in Absence kit, the two pendants are actually one single birch wood-encased gadget. You and your dear one are supposed to use the included carving knife to separate the two flash drives and bond while cleaning up the wood shavings. This process and the future data sharing represents how the two of your are parts of a whole and belong together. You'll share pictures, videos, music, the events in each other's lives that you miss out on during times apart.

Quite sweet. Call me crazy though, but I think I'll stick to less symbolic bonding experiences when reuniting with my long-distance lover. [Dezeen]

A company called Retrevo did what they call a "Gadgetology study" to gather up information about the typical iPhone user. While it's not exactly a flattering snapshot and the methodology behind the surveying process is a mystery, I'll be damned if some of the details don't hit home:

• One in three iPhone owners has texted or emailed their significant other to break up.

Yes, I'm a horrible person and have done this. I was even oh-so-sensitive and wrote "Let's make like a city in Croatia and Split." Suffice to say, it didn't go over too well.

• One in four iPhone users has broken up with their partner because that person spent too much time on their mobile device.

While I can't say that I've done this yet, it's actually a persistent fear that it'll happen to me because I'm the one who spends too much time with my phone.

• One in three iPhone owners say that, if their partner had out-of-date gadgets, it would be a turnoff.

At first I shook my head about this statistic, but then I recalled pleading with an ex that he accept a shiny, new phone as a gift because his was "so old that no one even makes apps for it." Geez, this survey is making me feel horrid. So horrid that I think I'll refrain from commenting about this last statistic, except to suggest that some of the "adult material" might come in the form of MMS messages or email attachments, but I, ahem, I wouldn't know:

• One in five iPhone owners admits to frequently watching "adult material" on their iPhones. (Twice as many as BlackBerry owners).

The rest of the results are over on the Retrevo site, take a look and then let's talk about what horrible, undatable people we are (or how you're a far better person than I). [Retrevo via TUAW]

It can also tell your fortune, if you're living life solo these days. I'm assuming both solo and couple fortunes are pulled out of thin air and are wildly inaccurate and/or vague, but hey, maybe it's actually a magic calculator that can learn about the various nuances of your personality based solely on your birthday and the fact that you'd buy such a stupid calculator. Anything is possible. [Amazon.jp via Technabob]

[Marisa Jahn via Design Launches via Luxury Launches]

The Travelmate boasts some environmental benefits too. The small fuel tank uses bio-ethanol, which burns for 2.5 to 3.5 hours.

The aluminum and glass casing is also weather resistant, making this an acceptable addition to the backyard barbecue. That's a romantic barbecue, mind you. And it better be romantic, with a $3,300 asking price. [Unica Home via Inventor Spot]

"Will you marry me?" was inscribed on the back. Says Ben: "I figured since you've given Zune tattoo guy some love you might be interested in my story." Well, of course, Ben. We at the Giz love a happy finish—sorry, ending—and nothing warms the cockles of our heart on a December morning than tales of love and bravery.

Ben's method sure beats the alternatives: "Are you sure, it's positive? Shit, we'd better get married then;" or the classic "aaaaah... urmmmm... eeeeeer... Willyou... ahhh... (gulp)marryme?" (muttered); and my favorite, a drunken proposal in a cocktail lounge on a Sunday afternoon (it obviously worked, I said yes.) I have one observation to make, however. Using be-mulleted romance-minstrel Glenn Medeiros' power-ballad Nothing's Gonna Change My Love For You as your soundtrack d'amour is playing a dangerous game, Ben. Still, I guess the only way is up, eh?

The good news is that Ben's proposal was accepted. Congratulations from all of us at Giz, we're looking forward to making tits of ourselves on the dancefloor at the wedding.