Awesome Tech

At first glance, this gadget looks like just another USB charger for your car’s cigarette lighter outlet. But this smartly-designed device also packs a spring-loaded glass breaker and a seat belt cutter, which can save your life if you’re ever in a car crash.

PC parts maker Corsair’s first attempt at a complete computer is a surprisingly competitive package. The One is a compact (mini-ITX) build with a restrained design, separate radiators for the GPU and CPU, a huge exhaust at the top, and a competitive price, given its power.

Shnatko shows off one of the coolest coffee tables we’ve ever seen. It’s got a matrix of 512 RGB LEDs he’s programmed to display a variety of animations, and proximity sensors which can be used to detect movement and objects, and change the display accordingly.

Lomography’s latest camera has a wide-angle 38mm (21mm equiv) f/4.5 glass lens. It’s designed to offer the sharpest pics you can get with an instant, and can focus down to about a foot. It does multiple exposures, and comes with a remote shutter release and color gels.

It might look ridiculous, but this mask does serve a useful purpose. The Hushme uses masks your voice during phone calls, letting you make private calls without prying ears listening in. It can also cover up sounds with everything from Darth Vader to a squirrel.

Rocket scientist Mark Rober and his pal spent about 3 years perfecting their invention. This motorized dartboard is designed to track a dart being thrown at it, and ensures a bulls-eye assuming you’re somewhere within its board. It also can make you miss every time.

Engineers from the Georgia Tech Center for Music Technology developed a robotic marimba player who “listens” to live music then provides improvised accompaniment via artificial intelligence algorithms. Listen to more smooth robojams here and here.

A bargain-priced, compact 3D printer made primarily from sturdy metal components. It not only can print PLA, PVA, ABS and Nylon, but offers modules for carving and laser engraving. Our main concern is the lack of an enclosure for containing noise, odors, and debris.

A USB charging cable with a combo plug that supposedly works with both Apple’s Lightning port and microUSB ports. The cases of Magbine’s connectors are also magnetized for easy storage, while the cable itself has a braided sleeve for durability.

Researchers at EPFL looked to the soft wings of insects to create a drone that could solve one of their biggest problems. Its frame is made of 0.2mm fiberglass, which makes it soft and flexible. The rotors attach to the electronics with magnetic joints for added resilience.

Designed with Yves Behar’s Fuseproject, The Frame is an upcoming 4K TV that really looks like a picture frame. When not in use, it enters “Art Mode”, cycling through 100 4K resolution artworks. It also adjusts to ambient light and has a variety of magnetic snap-on bezels.

A user-friendly Internet solution for large households. Plume consists of multiple small routers that plug into a socket in each room. These tiny routers learn and adapt to your usage, and let you manage connected devices through a dead simple app.

Love to go out to dinner or drinks with friends? Split the check with ease with the Square Cash app. It lets you request or send cash instantly, and spend it with a virtual credit card or Apple Pay.

Joto is a modern take on an X/Y plotter that displays pictures, screenshots, notes and more by drawing them on a whiteboard marker, then erasing them when it’s time for a new image. With support from developers, it can integrate with apps like Twitter, Slack and Spotify.

Pandora’s upgraded streaming music service has a slick new user interface and playlist features. On each of your radio stations, it can make a playlist of tracks you’ve thumbed up. It can also automatically add songs to a playlist based on the ones you’ve already added.

Mechanical object designer and inventor Neil Mendoza created this machine, which uses a variety of mechanisms which make music using rocks. Some are fired at aluminum keys, others smack into marble, and yet others are slapped with leather to produce notes and rhythms.

Nike’s concept running shoes were designed to help athletes run fast. Their goal – to break the two hour mark for a marathon. The shoes use 3D knitting and modern structural tech reduce the energy needed to lift the foot, provide cushioning, and help propel the foot forward.

Miso Robotics‘ “Flippy” can automatically identify burgers and other items on the griddle, and flip them at the right time. It’s rolling out to the CaliBurger chain over the next couple of years, and eventually will help line cooks with other tasks. We want a Mise en place bot.

Shinola turned its Runwell watch design into a timeless wall clock. The clock has a zinc case, domed glass cover, and aluminum dial and hands. Available with a white, black or navy dial. An optional stand lets you set the clock on a tabletop.

A flat speaker that’s meant to sit and disappear under your big HDTV. It’s meant to serve both as a home theater speaker and as a music playback device just like other Sonos speakers. It has six mid-range drivers, three tweeters, and one woofer. Drops 4/4/17.

A big honkin’ waterproof speaker. Perfect for tailgating or job sites, with up 100w of power, Bluetooth, AM/FM, and analog audio sources. Its battery can deliver 75 hours of sound per charge and can juice up gadgets. A telescoping handle and wheels make for easy transport.

View your tablet hands-free with this convenient stand. It lets you angle your device just right on a tabletop, or even on a wall. It folds down small for easy transport, and is perfect for viewing videos or reading recipes. Save 40% in The Awesomer Shop.

“The greatest advance in television since color television itself!” A hilariously kitschy time capsule of technology over 50 years ago – as RCA shows off its fancy 7-function wireless television remote control which it released back in 1961. Oh, the days before a “mute” button.