Fetish
Biojector 2000
You've seen something like it on Star Trek. The ship's doctor pulls out a funny-looking gadget and places it on a trekster's arm. Then you hear a fffft sound, and - voila - the patient has been injected with a serum sans needle. Now science fiction has yet again become science fact, this time via Biojector 2000, a device that uses compressed carbon dioxide to shoot vaccines and other medicines through the skin. With the threat of AIDS, hepatitis, and other diseases, both patients and nurses are shyer than ever with needles. And because there's no pin-prick, it's less painful and more popular with kids. US$995. +1 (503) 639 7221.
Jabra EarPhone
What's that ringing in my ear? Oh, it's the phone. The Jabra EarPhone combines a microphone and headset speaker into a single device about the size of a thimble. Just place this little gizmo in your ear and you can eliminate the need for a telephone handset. It's also a far better device than those kludgy headset phones that stick a boom-mike in front of your face. The EarPhone comes in a variety of models, ranging from a US$99 version designed for sound input-output with a Mac, to a US$199 model that includes a sleek dialing pad. The only drawback: It's so unobtrusive, people will think you're talking to yourself. (800) 327 2230, +1 (619) 622 0764.
Apple Newton MessagePad
It was one of the most hyped products in micro-computer history. Almost two years after word about it first leaked, Apple's Newton MessagePad handheld computer finally made its debut. Much of the press was in an Apple-bashing mood and thus Newton played to mixed reviews at first. Much like the original Macintosh 128K machine, the Newton has its share of flaws, bugs, and limitations, but it's still an amazing product that heralds a major revolution in personal computing. Normal people should wait for the next model, but it's a critical status symbol for the truly wired. US$699. +1 (408) 996 1010.
Handeze Fingerless Gloves
It's the Car and Driver look for keyboard jockeys. The Handeze Fingerless Gloves were designed by the New England Therapeutic Research Group and are sold by the Therapeutic Appliance Group. Made from a stretchy, high-tech fabric called Med-A-Likra, which looks a lot like the stuff used to make those skin-tight bodysuits, the gloves have yet to receive an authoritative medical stamp of approval. But user testimonials and the company's marketing materials claim that wearing the gloves helps relieve cramping, fatigue, and pain caused from too much typing or mouse clicking. US$19.95 per pair. +1 (401) 769 4441, +1 (401) 769 4441.
Quadlux FlashBake
You're fried, you're toast, you're done. And all faster than ever before, thanks to the latest technological breakthrough in cooking. Microwave ovens are passe. FlashBake introduces a new generation of oven that works on high-powered lights controlled by software. The device was developed for heating silicon wafers formerly used in computers. The story goes that while awaiting a pizza delivery, FlashBake's inventors realized that a pizza box resembles a big wafer. Now so does the FlashBake oven, which can cook a pizza in 46 seconds, a New York steak in 105 seconds, and a chicken filet in 2 minutes. US$7,500. +1 (510) 498 4200.
Fisher Studio 24
Now there's a relatively inexpensive juke box for the digital age. The Fisher Studio 24 is a CD juke box that can store 24 CDs. With all that music on tap, you'd need a database to keep track of all the tunes, so Fisher threw that in as well. You can program and select music according to musical type, mood, disc name, family member, or any other way you like. The discs are stored vertically to reduce warpage as well as wear-and-tear, and if you like, you can always just pop in a single disc to listen to a favorite tune. US$499.95. +1 (818) 998 7322.
Onkyo RBDS Tuner
Full-text radio is here. Huh? We're talking about the radio broadcast data system (RBDS), a new technology that allows radio stations to broadcast textual information about a song that is playing, the station's programming bent (helpful to discern heavy metal from jazz when all you hear are commercials) and possibly even traffic reports. In the RBDS scheme, text scrolls across a special tuner display. The first of its kind is the Onkyo T-450RDS AM/FM tuner. Onkyo's tuner lets you scroll the entire message being transmitted by an RBDS station, so you'll be able to immediately identify the station's call letters and other information, such as US$349.95. +1 (908) 233 8800.
Sony Vdeck 500
If you want to produce your own desktop videos, you'll need to hook up a VCR to your computer. Inexpensive consumer decks don't have the right computer connections, and those that do are overkill if you're just getting into the technology. Another option: Sony has just introduced the Vdeck 500, an 8mm VCR designed from the ground up as a computer peripheral. The Vdeck 500 records standard 8mm tape but can play back both 8mm and Hi-8 tapes, and can be controlled by software compatible with Sony's VISCA standard, used for capturing and editing videoclips to your hard disk. US$1,099. (800) 352 7669, +1 (201) 930 7005.
Paint Alchemy
Adobe's Photoshop has inspired some of the most eye-catching software add- ins we've ever seen. Aldus's Gallery Effects was the first fantastic extension to Photoshop. Then came Kai's Power Tools, which added another grab bag of twisted special effects. And now comes Paint Alchemy from Xaos Tools, the folks who do all those far-out special effects for MTV's Liquid Television. Paint Alchemy includes 75 well-tuned special effects styles, including pencil sketching, mosaics, and swirls; or you can alter and edit those styles to create hundreds of your own. US$99. +1 (415) 487 7000.
Fractals Everywhere
You've read the book, now see the software. Actually, you probably haven't read the book, but if you like math and are into fractals, Fractals Everywhere by Michael Barnsley is a must-read. Barnsley's the guy who co- discovered fractal compression (see "Fractal Compression, My Main Squeeze," page 54), and in this landmark book, he presents the conceptual framework underlying fractal compression technology. When you pick up the book, you should also pick up the companion software - the Desktop Fractal Design System. The software lets you generate graphics, interactively control images, and lots more, and is available in both Macintosh and IBM-PC versions. Software: US$45. Fractals Everywhere: US$50. Media Magic catalog: (800) 882 8284, +1 (415) 662 2224.
Crystal Eyes Stereo Eyewear
Remember those red-and-green, cellophane-and-cardboard 3-D glasses used for watching grade B horror movies? No, they're not back. Instead, they've been rendered totally obsolete by the amazing Crystal Eyes stereo glasses from Stereographics. The glasses are based on LCD shutter technology that works like this: A computer displays a rapidly alternating left-eye and right-eye image. The glasses are synchronized to the image via an infrared LED transmitter that sits on top of the computer monitor. The result is full- motion video in eye-popping 3D color graphics. They cost US$1,500, but we bet that a US$150 Nintendo version will be out by next year. +1 (415) 459 4500.
Nokia Cellular Modem
For the truly wired who want to go wireless: Now you can extend the benefits of a cellular phone to any laptop or handheld computer that has a PCMCIA slot. Nokia has developed the first PCMCIA cellular modem - and it's not much bigger than a standard credit card. The card connects to Nokia's cellular telephone to provide fax and data modem capabilities along with the voice capabilities of the cell phone. US$699. +1 (813) 536 5553.
