Microsoft returns to the music player market with the Zune HD, a stylish competitor to the iPod Touch. Powered by Nvidia Tegra, it features a 3.3-inch OLED touchscreen, built-in HD radio, 720p video processing with HDMI output, and Wi-Fi connectivity for streaming and sharing.
The Shoe Inn Go is a portable automatic dispenser that slips waterproof, no-slip shoe booties over your feet without touching them. Popular with contractors, real estate agents, and home cleaners, the toolbox-sized gadget holds 100 disposable Reboots and runs on refills starting at $15 per pack.
Leica now offers a build-your-own camera experience for the MP and M7 models. Starting at $4,560, The Configurator lets you personalize surface finishes, colors, cladding, viewfinder frame-lines, controls, and engravings with over 4,000 possible combinations to match your style.
Canadian university students created a mathematical model analyzing zombie outbreak scenarios based on George Romero's slow-moving undead. Their conclusion: quarantine fails, coexistence is risky, and only aggressive attack eliminates the threat within 10 days of a 24-hour incubation period.
The MAXXeGUARD takes data destruction seriously. This industrial-grade machine applies 19.8 tons of pressure to slice hard drives, CDs, flash drives, and phones into 1mm metal fragments. At 540kg and the size of a fridge, it's billed as mobile but definitely not portable.
Hungarian designer Peter Vardai created the Fotel, a convertible chair that shifts from armchair to rocker in 20 seconds by lifting the seat, flipping the frame, and dropping it back in. Carbon fiber keeps it light yet sturdy, while elastic bands conform to your body.
Rio's Copacabana beachfront is getting a stunning new landmark in 2011. The Museum of Image and Sound features a zig-zagging architectural design by Diller Scofidio + Renfro, seven floors of galleries and cultural spaces, and an outdoor movie theater on the roof with panoramic beach views.
The Plus Wireless Interactive Whiteboard is a portable dry-erase panel that rolls up for transport and connects to your computer via Bluetooth. Using an electronic pen, you can interact with projected programs as if the surface were a giant touchscreen, available in three sizes from 56 to 72 inches diagonal.
Samsung's CL65 digital camera crammed Wi-Fi, GPS, Bluetooth, and DLNA into a compact body with a 3.5-inch touchscreen and Smart Gesture UI. The 12MP shooter offered 5x zoom, 720p video, geotagging, and direct social uploads to Facebook and YouTube for $399.99.
French bike builder Ludovic Lazareth engineered a monstrous quad bike powered by a supercharged BMW V12 engine producing 500 horsepower. Running on E85 fuel and priced at $283,000, this ominous beast features a narrow rear track for straight-line traction and wide front for stability.
The Rotgutonix is a thermometer-style alcohol detector that identifies whether your drink has been diluted. Stick it in your glass for 20 seconds and it reveals if you're getting pure Johnny Walker or watered-down rotgut. Currently recognizes six liquor brands, though it can't test mixed cocktails.
Dubbed the world's largest portable hammock, the Bliss Triple spans over eight feet wide and nearly ten feet long, comfortably fitting two or more adults. Despite its spacious size, it packs into an attached pouch weighing just 26 ounces and supports up to 770 pounds of weight.
Samsung's innovative dual-screen point-and-shoot cameras sport a second LCD next to the lens, letting you frame perfect self-portraits. The ST500 and ST550 feature 12-megapixel sensors, tap-to-shoot on the front display, and kid-friendly animations to keep little ones looking at the camera.
Strawz transforms simple sipping into an engineering challenge. This DIY kit includes 24 straws and 20 connectors—elbows, T-joints, four-way intersections—that let you build wild drink-passing mazes. Draw from multiple glasses, create shared sipping routes, and mix beverages in ways never intended. Dishwasher-safe and endlessly reconfigurable.
Driverless taxi pods called Personal Rapid Transport are coming to Heathrow Airport in 2010. The bubble-shaped vehicles seat four passengers, travel at 25mph on dedicated roads, and let riders select destinations via touchscreen instead of steering wheels.
V-Beat Drumsticks make air drumming real. Motion-sensor sticks and two pedals let you play a full seven-piece percussion set anywhere, producing actual sounds without the expense or space of a real drum kit. Includes guided learning modes and costs around $42.
This aftermarket replacement shell for the Nintendo DSi swaps the standard plastic casing for a completely clear (or blue-tinted) transparent one, exposing all the internal circuit boards and wiring. Comes with a screwdriver and instructions for the DIY swap.
This funnel-shaped desk lamp packs a 4.5W LED light, iPod dock with charging, four integrated speakers, FM tuner, USB port, and AUX input. The anodized aluminum body houses everything in 8.9 x 8.9 x 16.4 inches, controlled via IR remote.
When your iPhone dies mid-game, reach for this novelty deck. These 52 playing cards are styled to look exactly like Apple's smartphone, with glossy fading colors and graphics on the display panel. Made from washable PVC plastic, they're a quirky tribute to mobile gaming's analog ancestors.
A creative DIYer built shelves inspired by Donkey Kong's tilted platforms, mounting them at angles like the iconic game. Painted with alternating triangles and mini ladders, they capture the retro gaming aesthetic—though keeping items secure on the slanted surfaces seems like a precarious bonus level.
This hourglass-shaped brewing contraption takes 12 to 24 hours to produce pure, concentrated coffee extract using only gravity and ground beans. No electricity required—just patience. The result is 16 ounces of potent extract you can dilute for hot or cold drinks, priced at $79.95.
Style Your Garage sells life-size billboard tarpaulins that disguise your garage as an airport hangar, Ferrari showroom, or tractor storage. The colorful wraps velcro over single, double, or triple-bay doors and come in dozens of designs including vehicles, animals, and robots.
The Recordable Supporter's Megaphone amplifies your voice up to 15W and plays pre-recorded messages on loop, so you don't strain your vocal cords during protests, sporting events, or rallies. Eight hours of battery life and a built-in siren function make it perfect for any cause.
French designer Aissa Logerot created Halo, a concept spray-can that paints with LED light instead of pigment. Paired with slow-shutter photography, it captures light graffiti in mid-air. The can recharges kinesthetically by shaking, mimicking real spray paint's feel.
These Catgirl Earphones feature a fur-covered headband with perky cat ears and dangling earbuds. Available in black or white fur with pink inner ears, they're pure kawaii novelty from Japanese gadget maker Thanko. Sound quality takes a backseat to cuteness, making them ideal for anime fans and cosplay enthusiasts willing to sacrifice audio fidelity for maximum adorableness.
This wearable beer dispenser lets you carry liters of draft on your back like a boozy backpack. The plastic rig features a tap-connected hose, hanging cup pouch, and backpack straps so you can walk around dispensing cold brew all night for thirty-five bucks.
London entrepreneur Sam Heath claims he's made the world's largest free-floating soap bubble at 20 x 5 x 5 feet using a proprietary mixture and rope tied between two sticks. His company Bubbleinc sells bubble solutions and equipment, but keeps the record-breaking formula under wraps.
