This slim leather wallet is designed specifically for your front pocket, not your back. Its curved profile and compact 5×3.5-inch footprint slip easily into tight spaces while holding cards, ID, and cash. It's more comfortable to sit on and harder for pickpockets to swipe.
This piano-themed hard drive enclosure does more than store files. Slide in a 2.5-inch SATA drive and you've got a full multimedia player that streams video and audio to your TV via HDMI, records shows like a DVR, and handles everything from DivX to MP3.
Sketch3D takes Etch-A-Sketch into three dimensions with a trio of knobs that render stereoscopic images. Wear red-cyan glasses to see your creations pop off the screen. Built on Unity and a Windows Embedded system, it can connect to larger displays, though it's not yet commercially available.
British designer Crispin Jones created this elegant analog watch that ditches traditional hour and minute hands for a single "eye" traveling across 12 colored circles. The Cyclops offers approximate time-telling with a sundial-like approach, perfect for those who prefer style over strict punctuality.
Ford's web-based Mustang Customizer lets you digitally deck out a 2010 Mustang with custom hoods, spoilers, grilles, paint jobs, wheels, and stripe kits. Tweak environmental details like sky conditions and burnout length, then save your design or share it in the gallery. All parts shown can be purchased from Ford Racing.
The Sea-Doo GTX Limited iS 255 might be the most advanced jetski ever made. It seats three, packs a 255hp supercharged Rotax engine, hits 70mph, and introduces reverse propulsion braking—real brakes you step on. Full suspension and touring seats complete the luxury PWC package.
Sony's Party Shot is a robotic camera mount that takes the work out of party photography. It pans a full 360 degrees, uses face detection to find groups, composes shots via rule of thirds, and waits for smiles before snapping. Compatible with select Cyber-shot models, it runs 11 hours on two AA batteries.
Transmission Audio's Ultimate speaker system demands two million dollars for stereo, nearly seven feet of headroom, and a 40-foot wall. Each handmade channel packs 40 subwoofers, 24 woofers, and arrays of tweeters generating 31,000 watts at 146db SPL—jet-engine loud.
Twenty-year-old Wu Zhongyuan spent three months and $1,600 crafting a wooden helicopter in his backyard using elm wood blades, steel tubing, and a 150cc motorcycle engine. Though he claims it can reach 2,600 feet, local authorities grounded the homemade aircraft before its first flight.
This commercial-grade automatic pancake machine produces up to 200 four-inch flapjacks per hour with zero mess or effort. Just load a batter pouch, press start, and grab a fresh pancake in 30 seconds. Already popular in Australia and New Zealand, the ChefStack is now available stateside.
The Amphicar was a commercial amphibious vehicle produced from 1961 to 1967, with 4,500 units made. Only about 500 remain functional today. Powered by a 43 bhp Triumph Herald motor, it reaches 70 mph on land and 8 knots on water. Restored models sell for $30,000 to $50,000.
Designer Dominic Hargreaves' Contortionist folding bike ditches the chain for a hydraulic system, folds smaller than competing models despite 26-inch wheels, and can be pulled when folded. Shortlisted for the James Dyson Award, it's currently in production talks with German car manufacturers.
This interactive concrete installation uses Arduino and embedded LEDs to create touch-sensitive slabs that respond to surface contact. Each 13-inch block features 400 individually controlled lights arranged in a 20x20 grid, with two blocks able to transmit traced patterns between them in real-time.
Professor Emeritus Clayton Bailey has created over 100 life-size robot sculptures since 1976, transforming discarded appliances and scrap auto parts into goofy steel characters. From wearable robot armor to Marilyn Monrobot with her teapot head, these sculptures reimagine androids as playful cartoon sidekicks rather than threatening machines.
Antrepo Design's Spoticam is a clever desk lamp that masquerades as a box-style CCTV camera. With its aluminum housing and adjustable tilting arm, it mimics real surveillance equipment while providing low-level lighting for desks or mounted walls.
The Ring-O-Star is a silicone ring that attaches to your bike's handlebars via an aluminum expander bolt, creating a cup holder for your morning coffee. Designer Paul Kweton's creation lets cyclists keep their caffeine within reach, though it does raise questions about scalding spills and road safety.
The Parasync dock handles up to 20 iPods or iPhones at once, syncing them all through a single USB connection to iTunes. Built for Mac compatibility and designed for schools or large households, this multi-bay charging station is a curious piece of Apple accessory history.
This ingenious backpack solves the sad-puppy-face problem by hauling your small dog and laptop to work in separate compartments. The Pet At Work Travel System expands to 16 inches deep, includes a foldable Pet Dome soft crate, and comes in black or tan for $178.
The Mimo 710-S is a 7-inch USB-powered secondary display designed for road warriors. Its foldable stand converts into a protective clamshell cover, making it easy to slip into a laptop bag. At 800x480 resolution, it rotates 90 degrees for portrait or landscape viewing.
Four specialized robots now tackle London's most dangerous acetylene cylinder fires, reducing response times from 24 hours to under three hours. The crew includes Brokk with its giant claw, bomb-disposal veteran Talon, water-hosing Black Max, and multi-tool equipped Bison, working together to extinguish industrial blazes without endangering human firefighters.
Disaster City in College Station, Texas is a 52-acre training facility where emergency responders learn their craft. The mock community features full-scale collapsible structures simulating derailed trains, bombed skyscrapers, and earthquake damage, complete with live actors playing victims.
The F1Showcar Motion Simulator pairs a full-size Formula One replica car with a pneumatically-powered motion platform and rFactor racing software. Built with authentic F1 tires, racing bucket seats, and professional controls, this extreme simulator carries drivers up to 6'2" and 200 lbs through life-like racing experiences for $44,900.
Nikon's Coolpix S1000pj was a compact camera with an unusual party trick: a built-in LCOS projector capable of beaming photos up to 40 inches high. The 12-megapixel shooter solved the problem of showing photos to groups by requiring nothing more than a blank wall.
This live-action Duck Hunter toy transforms the retro arcade game into physical play. An ornithopter robot duck flies autonomously around your room for up to 40 seconds while you shoot it with an infrared pistol. Hit it three times before it lands to win.
These tumblers pair glass tops with heavy concrete bases designed to resist tipping, helping clumsy drinkers avoid spills. The weighted bottom keeps drinks stable even when bumped. Available as a set of two for $40, they bring function and novelty to any home bar.
The Mini Fit XL tackles laptop overheating with repositionable fans you can aim at hotspots, a 22-step adjustable stand for ergonomic viewing angles, and a split design that doubles as a document holder. Announced for Autumn 2009 with no price disclosed.
James Cameron's Aliens gave us the iconic M14A Pulse Rifle, and now you can own a painstakingly accurate replica. This officially-licensed collectible matches the original prop's dimensions, includes a LED ammo counter, retractable stock, and removable magazine. Limited to 250 units at $899.95.
