A group of seven buds -- most with past or present Microsoft affiliations -- have applied for a patent on "temperature stablized storage containers." The seven buds notably include Nathan Myhrvold, Microsoft's former CTO, and Big Bill himself, William H. Gates III. 

What did these intelligent folks come up with? Well get this: it's like a beer keg... that keeps your beer cold! Yes, this is pure brilliance. One of those great ideas that seems so obvious you are surprised it hasn't been invented yet. (Sure -- you could put your keg of beer in a tub of ice, but what a hassle. This is the 21st century after all, we should be more reasonable.)

The temperature stablized storage containers could be used for beverages besides beer, but hey, if you had a keg of fruit juice, you could just put some ice in your drink. No this invention certainly was intended for storing "a beverage such as beer, for example, at a temperature appropriate for serving depending upon the type of beer." Or even "may be used to store wine at an optimal storage temperature range, generally 50 to 55 degrees."

Well it doesn't seem all that unlikely that this super-keg idea will ever see production, who knows, perhaps it will become a retirement side-project for Bill in his twilight years.