1. Traxxas XO-1 RC Model Car
Who knew radio-controlled cars had gotten so sophisticated? The spectacular Traxxas XO-1's electric motor can zip this 27-inch-long pocket rocket from 0 to 100mph in 4.92 seconds. Its maker calls it "the world's fastest ready-to-race radio-controlled supercar." The $1,099.99 price might seem like a lot to the rest of us, but to RC car enthusiasts, it's a pittance.
2. LG Nitro HD Smartphone
Smartphones keep getting better, and this LG Nitro HD, soon available on AT&T, has a 4.5-inch screen with 1280 x 720 resolution. If it looks anything like the Samsung Galaxy Nexus we reviewed last month (which has a screen with the same resolution), the Nitro is going to have a sweet HD view. Its 329-pixels-per-inch resolution beats the Apple iPhone 4S's "retina display," which trails behind at a mere 326 pixels per inch. [via DVICE]
3. JLab Audio B-Flex X-Bass USB Speaker
Plug this compact speaker into your laptop's USB port, and you're in for some surprisingly crispy sound. JLab also claims this new model can rock some enhanced bass. We've heard the first version of this B-Flex line of speakers, and it sounded surprisingly good, especially for its diminutive size. The JLab Audio B-Flex X-Bass USB Speaker is now available for $39.95.
4. BenQ Joybee GP2 Palm Projector
Projector technology has gotten so advanced, you can pack enough high tech inside this tiny package to throw a bright and sharp 160-inch image onto a nearby wall, creating an instant theater wherever you can find a dark room. The BenQ Joybee GP2 cranks out the 720p HD video, with impressive specs to match. It retails for $699, but you can find it on the web for $549.
5. Mini Bombs For Small Drones
As spy drones get smaller and more powerful, creative weapons inventors are figuring out how to miniaturize bombs that can turn those mechanical angry birds into ferocious bombers. Defense contractor Raytheon has manufactured small tactical munitions that are small enough to ride underneath a medium-sized drone aircraft like the one you see here. The larger Predator and Reaper drones already carry bombs and missiles, but this little bomber is small enough to be carried to (and operated from) a battlefield, rather than from remote control rooms half a world away. [via Ubergizmo]
6. Haptic Shoes for the Blind
Who says you have to have 20/20 vision to confidently walk around? Researcher Anirudh Sharma at Hewlett-Packard Labs outfitted a pair of running shoes with proximity sensors and a directional actuator that transmits special vibrations to its soles. Those haptic signals, which can be felt as steering impulses for backward, forward, left and right movements, guide its wearer along a safe path -- with a little help from GPS and Google Maps. In the prototype stage so far, its inventor hopes these new kicks can someday be a reliable substitute for a white cane. [via Gizmag]
7. Tetra-Shed, For the Office of the Future
This is not your daddy's cubicle. Designed as a garden office, you can work al fresco and open uas many of its portal panels as you'd like. If it gets too cold, close the whole thing up and the neighbors will think an alien spacecraft has landed. The Tetra-Shed's modular construction is designed for a solo worker, or you can cluster up to six of them for the whole team to get some serious futuristic work done. It'll be available in a variety of colors in January, 2012.
8. Free Calls on Google+ Hangouts
If you haven't been a part of Hangouts on Google+ yet, you might want to consider trying it -- the group video conferences work well and they're a real hoot. Now, Google makes them even more enticing by offering free voice calls to users in the U.S. and Canada from within Hangouts. Best of all, whoever you call doesn't even have to possess a Google account to join into your chat -- just call up your pals and they can hear and speak with the other participants of your Hangout, free. [via TechCrunch]
9. Jetman Flies with the Big Dogs
Everybody dreams they can fly like a bird, but jetman Yves Rossy does it for real, and his arms don't even get tired. He's honed his jetpack kit to a fine edge, and now he can fly fast enough to join a formation of full-sized L-39C Albatros jets. He starts his flight by leaping out of a helicopter, and lands using a parachute. [via Geeky Gadgets]
10. Toyota Fun Vii is the Car of the Future
This self-driving car is a design concept Toyota rolled out at the Tokyo Motor Show this week, and it's the most technologically advanced vehicle we've ever seen. Its inside and outside are like gigantic smartphone screens, onto which you can upload your favorite colors or video. There's even a cute navigation concierge lady to help you find your way.
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