Sony Aibo ERS-7M2

Five years after Sony's pricey purebred wagged its metal parts into existence, we're still not entirely sure if Aibo's a stud or bitch. But it's good enough for the Japanese company to breed a new litter of digital pups capable of yet more new tricks. The latest updates, in black and white options, can dance to MP3, WAV and Windows Media files and allow owners to control, program and navigate wirelessly from a PC. New video-recording capabilities also empower this cyberdog to play watchdog of sorts, recording activities about the house while the owners are at work or on vacation. The robopet's eyes can snap pictures, retrievable via email. Now all lonely, single homeowners need is to get QRIO the half-pint robot, Roomba the robomop, NeCoRo the turbo feline, and we'll have a real family.

Price: US$1,900
Availability: Mid-November
Device: Robot dog
Basic specs: In pearlescent white or new black, 180 x 278 x 319mm, 1.65kg with battery and Memory Stick, 64bit RISC CPU, 64MB SDRAM, 350,000-pixel CMOS sensor, integrated IEEE 802.11b card, mini mics and speaker, 1.5-hr operating time, 2.5-hr charge time

Segway Centaur

Segway, the guys who brought the world the two-wheeled Human Transporter which this little corner of the world, sadly, hasn't had a chance to test drive, has decided that four wheels are better. The scooter pioneer has released a quad plaything called the Centaur which scores alone for its sheer cool factor. Resembling an overgrown toddler's four-wheeler, this offroad bike is anything but kiddy. Geared for any terrain, it can switch between two and four wheels, and works along the same gyroscopic principles as its two-wheeled sibling; i.e. lean forward to go forward, lean back to go back. Plus the Centaur apparently uses regenerative braking, which means the batteries are recharged during deceleration and hill descents. Sweet. Too bad Segway's not ready to go to market with this just yet.

Click to see enlarged image

Price: N.A.
Availability: US; still concept stage
Device: Four-wheel vehicle
Basic specs: Dynamic stabilization technology, top speed of 40kmh, 16-24+km on a single charge, up to 181kg payload, 68kg

abKey Keyboard

Remember Dr August Dvorak and his keyboard? We don't, either. The poor man apparently died bitter, fighting to sell his improved design to an industry that just wasn't interested. Now 72 years later, Singapore inventor Bob Teo aims to do what Dr Dvorak was unable to--displace the QWERTY keyboard. His abKey Keyboard rearranges the letters alphabetically as well as logically, drawing inspiration from TV game show Wheel of Fortune which he caught as a grad student in the US. Teo claims his keyboard lets users type more accurately, up to twice as fast, is lots more comfortable, and can be learned in 1 hour. Ergonomically, the abKey cracks into two halves and can be angled at an elevation, thanks to its German-designed hinge. However, just as most Singaporeans are unlikely to give up their durians and chillies, the cultural inertia of QWERTY remains an Everest that Teo has to scale.

Click to see key arrangement | keyboard base

Price: US$90
Availability: Asia, from March; will be showcased at CES 2005 in January in Las Vegas
Device: Ergonomic USB keyboard
Basic specs: USB hub, onboard multimedia buttons

USB Noodle Strainer

We love our noodles here in Asia, but why on earth would anyone need a USB-powered noodle strainer? Japanese instructions being what they are (or aren't), we're still baffled by how this cook pot strains your noodles. Or why it even requires USB power. Conjecture from fellow surfers is that it's a water bath to keep your ramen or soba cold and moist. For those who feel their life isn't complete without a USB Noodle Strainer, we strongly recommend the Sushi Specs to go with your next USB-powered meal.

Click to see close-up . Picture by Impress Corp.

Price: US$120
Availability: Japan
Device: USB-powered cookware
Basic specs: Original USB, bus powered, 5m USB cable

TrailSkate

Think Rollerblades with fat tyres, and you're halfway there. Used by Olympic athletes and Nordic skiers for training, GateSkate's TrailSkate claims to be the world’s first all-terrain skates to feature a hand-operated brake. However, they're nothing like in-line blades since the initial experience is said to feel like wearing concrete boots while trying to execute a Rollerblade-ski combo. The inflated tyres and springy chassis are probably great for zipping down the biggest hill you can find, like Mount Faber. But you'll want to get the motorized MotoSk8 blades to skate uphill in.

Click to see side by side view | wide skate view | side view | being used

Price: US$349
Availability: US
Device: Extreme sports skates
Basic specs: Wheelbase 21 inches, 5.68kg, lightweight aluminum wheels, 8 X 2-inch air tires, hand operated hydraulic brakes, boots that fit over owner's shoes, hydraulic drum brakes located in rear wheel of each skate

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