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Top-Shelf Memory
You pick: Hundreds of CDs scattered everywhere or your entire music collection stored inside a system smaller than a legal pad. Sony's CMT-L7HD holds 370 hours of tunes on its 20-gig internal hard drive. Transfer an album's songs all at once, or one at a time. The system reads the album and artist info embedded in each CD and organizes accordingly. You tell it to play the songs in a specific order or create ad hoc music mixes.
Remote
The dedicated clicker flips open, revealing a keypad for inputting or editing the names of stored tracks.
Album Dial The solitary wheel scrolls through the CDs you've uploaded; titles, artists, and songs appear on a fluorescent LED.
CMT-L7HD: $1,000. Sony: www.sonystyle.com.
Double Agent
With Pentax's binocular-digicam combo, you won't get caught sneaking your camera into a concert. The lightweight DigiBino can zoom in and snap up to 5 frames per second. The 0.8-megapixel cam stores 100 shots in its built-in flash memory. The binocs' r oof-prism layout keeps the eyepieces aligned with the lenses, and crosshairs in the viewfield help you focus.
Lens The optics magnify objects up to seven times and provide the equivalent of a 280-mm lens for the camera.
LCD
The 1.6-inch pop-up display frames photos before you snap them, then previews shots before you upload them to your desktop.
DigiBino DB100: $299. Pentax: www.pentaxusa.com.
Jet Propulsion
A Jet Ski has nothing on this ride. The high tech surfboard packs 330 cc - similar in power to a small motorcycle - right in the center of the board. Sink the tail of the board underwater, then slide onto it as you would a surfboard - on your stomach, face-first, using your arms to pull yourself up.
Photos by Carlos Stoliar
Design
The divots under the board allow water to flush directly into the pump without interruption - great for high-speed turns. The 24-in ch-wide base provides stability, so you can easily get up on your feet.
Pump
A water pump, coupled with the engine, gives the board its immediate thrust. The quick movement actually helps riders keep balanced as they change gears.
Handle
The control grip attached to the engine features a Start button, thumb throttle, and safety kill switch.
Engine
This two-stroke engine is illegal in California because of noise and fume regulations. But for better or worse, you can rip through the rest of the states' waterways at up to 40 miles per hour. Power- Ski plans to release a more environmentally friendly four-stroke engine next year.
Jetboard: $6,000. PowerSki: www.powerski.com.
Mood Lighting
Isn't it time to recycle those dusty old Chinese lanterns? The Lunette fiberglass paper lampshade clips onto any standard-size light bulb.
Clip An open-wire design clings to the light bulb, while the rubber-encased ends grasp the shade.
Material Similar to rice paper in its handmade look and transparency, the fiberglass paper is coated in plastic and sewn together for a durable, flame-retardant shade that hides its seams.
Lunette: $25. Pure Design: www.puredesignonline.com.
Theater in a Box
Rather not waste your entire weekend setting up your new home theater system? Motorola saves time with the DCP501, a standard-size box that holds all the essentials - digital cable receiver, DVD/CD player, and an AM/FM stereo and amplifier. The all-encompassing device minimizes the need for wires and delivers everything from the pleasures of surround sound to 500 channels.
Remote One clicker commands all three devices in the box, plus a TV or VCR that's connected to the receiver. If you lose it, reach for the buttons on the DCP501's front panel.
Expansion
The rear ports accept a MiniDisc player, satellite receiver, PVR, analog or digital camcorder, DAT or tape player - and your VCR.
DCP501: $899. Motorola: www.motorola.com.
PLAY
Virtually New York
Eye Gloss
Rinse 'n' Read
Read Me
Fighting Fire
Cyberman
Tadpole
Armitage: Dual-Matrix
Next-Gen Multiplayer Online Games
Stunt Driving From the Sofa
Turn Your PS2 Into a PC
Puppet Master
Sim Studio
Audiovent Studio
Julia Fordham
The Makers
Fetish
Setting Up Base
Instant Readouts
On-the-Fly Typing
Char Warriors
Good-Bye CD Towers
Covert IM Services
