Defense contractor L-3 Link built the Simusphere, an ultra-high-definition F-16 flight simulator that runs on 120 Intel Dual Core machines with nine projectors creating a 180-degree field of view. The $15 million system renders over 30,000 simultaneous entities for the most accurate combat training conditions available.
This 1-inch cube speaker weighs a mere 17 grams and claims to be the world's smallest standalone speaker. Despite its dice-sized form, it offers built-in amplification, works with iPods and most media players, and can stick to your shirt with tape or clip to your keychain.
This belt-style wine thermometer hugs your bottle and delivers a precise digital temperature readout in minutes, so you can serve reds and whites at their ideal chill. Heat-sensitive bands measure between 5°C to 30°C, the device auto-powers down when removed, and its 2,000-hour battery keeps going for years.
These sandals pack a copper coil, battery pack, and red LEDs to detect metal up to two feet deep while you stroll the beach. When they find coins or jewelry, they vibrate and flash instead of beeping—so you can hunt treasure without the dorky detector look.
NEC's CRV43 desktop display is a curved 43-inch ultra-widescreen monitor that spans your entire peripheral vision. Using four DLP projectors instead of LCD tech, it delivers 2880×900 resolution with a 10,000:1 contrast ratio and 32:10 aspect ratio for simulations, design work, and immersive gaming.
These Atari keychains are fully functional mini consoles that plug directly into any television with RCA inputs. Loaded with seven classic games including Asteroids, Pong, Breakout, and Centipede, they let you carry nostalgic arcade gaming wherever you go for just $9.95.
The e-Volve Gadget Holster 2.0 is a shoulder-worn organizer designed to carry an iPhone, wallet, passport, and small accessories securely. With dual pouches, zippered pockets, and a cable-management system for earphones, it offers hands-free convenience for $30—even if it looks like a man-purse.
Sony unveiled the PSP Go at E3 2009, a pocket-sized gaming handheld that ditched the UMD drive for digital downloads. With slide-down controls, 16GB storage, and 40% lighter weight than the PSP-3000, it marked Sony's shift toward downloadable titles while maintaining full backward compatibility.
Amazon's Kindle DX doubled down on screen size with a 9.7-inch display designed for textbooks and newspapers. The large-format e-reader featured PDF support, an accelerometer for auto-rotation, and storage for 3,500 titles in a 1.3-pound device.
This manual treadmill generates its own electricity as you run, powering digital displays and electronic incline control without an outlet. The EcoMill combines eco-friendly unplugged operation with motorized-treadmill conveniences, handling runners up to 500 lbs on 47-slat surface with elevations to 15%.
These apocalypse-worthy steel spike brackets bolt onto lawnmower tires to aerate your lawn while you mow. The 1.5-inch spikes improve traction on wet or sloping ground and make your mower look like it rolled off a Mad Max set.
The Manual Hard Drive Destroyer is a 70-pound tabletop device that bends hard drives at a 90-degree angle in 15 seconds, preventing data recovery. Turn the crank eight times and your SATA drive is mangled beyond most thieves' abilities to access. Optional motorized mode available for heavy-duty destruction needs.
This versatile hard disk dock does far more than transfer files. It clones drives, reads microSDHC and USB storage, and plays 1080i video with 5.1 audio directly to your TV via HDMI—no PC required. Handles everything from DIVX to MP3 for sixty-nine dollars.
Venexx Perfume Watches blend timekeeping with portable fragrance, storing 50–60 sprays in a steel case with a discreet atomizer built into the bezel. Designed for women on the move, each watch includes a filling kit and ships with a perfume sample—priced between €110 and €150.
Original Seiko G757 Sports 100 watches from the 1983 Bond film Octopussy are now available for collectors. These authentic units feature the same 80s digital aesthetics Bond wore on screen, minus the fictional transmitter tracker. Currently priced at €769 for working, good-condition pieces.
This Batman-worthy escape device features a dual-hand grip, anchor system, and harness with centrifugal braking that controls your descent at two seconds per floor. Designed for skyscraper emergencies, it was tested on a 100-story building with automatic rate control so even height-fearful users can rappel down safely.
When a 4-port hub won't cut it, Cambrionix offers the nuclear option: a 49-port USB hub originally designed for lab testing. It requires its own ATX power supply and costs £399 plus VAT, but if you've accumulated a small army of USB devices at home, this motherboard-style behemoth finally gives every gadget a permanent home.
Diesel's DZ4160 Freak of Nature lives up to its name with a literal Frankenstein design: half steel oval chronograph, half gold square formal case on a 46mm quartz movement. The belt-style strap follows suit with steel bracelet meeting leather band. It's aggressively ugly yet utterly captivating.
Critter and Guitari's Box Amplifier Kit lets you build a functional guitar amp for just $30 using any throwaway container. Solder the components, stuff them in a cardboard box or tin can, plug in your instrument, and play. Perfect for DIY musicians who want affordable, smashable gear.
This clever behind-the-ear device detects when your head begins to drop and sounds a loud alarm to jolt you awake. Perfect for late-night drives when coffee isn't cutting it, the Anti Sleep Driving Alarm is an affordable safety tool every car should have.
Gold-To-Go vending machines debuted in Frankfurt, selling small gold pieces—1-gram SIM-card-sized bars starting at 31 Euros—to street-corner investors. The automated kiosks mark up market prices by 30% and could expand across Germany, Switzerland, and Austria if the pilot succeeds.
The Plug Mug solves unauthorized coffee cup theft with brilliant simplicity. This ceramic mug features a hole near the bottom that leaks unless you insert the accompanying plug. Leave it unplugged in the office pantry and watch would-be borrowers learn their lesson the messy way.
Twelve inflating airbags cycle through a twelve-minute massage routine to keep blood flowing through your posterior and legs during extended sitting. Rechargeable with a 48-hour battery life, this compact cushion works for office chairs, wheelchairs, planes, and road trips.
The Castrade Game Box was a Japanese adapter that let you play console games on any LCD monitor. It accepted inputs from PS3, Xbox 360, Wii, and PSP, scaled the video output, and provided audio through a 3.5mm jack—turning work monitors into impromptu gaming displays.
The Flying Alarm Clock solves the chronic oversleeping problem with comedic genius. When the alarm sounds, a propeller launches into the air and lands randomly in your room. You must find it and dock it back on the base to silence the alarm—guaranteeing you're fully awake before you can hit snooze.
The Pertelian is a backlit USB LCD display that alerts you to emails, stock quotes, eBay auctions, IRC messages, and more while you game or work full-screen. Customizable with community-built apps, it includes timers, Teamspeak support, and multi-timezone clocks for $48.99 at ThinkGeek.
The K-box from Kerchoonz transforms tables, walls, and windows into giant speakers using patented gel-audio technology. Barely larger than a smartphone, it connects to any music device and delivers full bass response for up to 20 hours on a USB charge.
