Awesome Tech

Conan O’Brien recently stopped by New York City’s YouTube Space to check out their virtual reality lab, where he doodled a 3D self portrait, destroyed some guy’s cubicle, ate some virtual food, and learned how the tech might change our lives (or at least porn) for the better.

One-man toy studio Michael Sng aka Machination Studios is ready to sell his first collectible. Like the Colossus prototype, the Mk. 1 Cyclops is a remote-controlled mobile fortress inspired by World War I technology. You can get it as a DIY kit or fully assembled.

The latest gen wheel illumination from MonkeyLectric is designed to automatically turn on and off as you pedal, displaying bright and eyecatching colors and designs as your wheels spin. A new hub-mounted rechargeable battery makes them easier to use than ever.

A mobile app that helps archive all of those old printed photos you’ve got lying in boxes and albums, storing your printed memories right alongside your digital ones. It automatically eliminates glare, crops, straightens and enhances. Available on iOS and Android.

A pair of tiny and wireless sensors that let you play drums using only drumsticks and a MIDI smartphone app such as GarageBand. It works with both iOS and Android. You can even buy a second pair and strap them to your feet to mimic pedals.

The Timex IQ+ Move is designed to look like a traditional analog timepiece. It tracks steps and distance, calories burned, and sleep habits, and can sync time precisely with your phone. It’s not as feature rich as other smartwatches, but we much prefer the styling of these.

The new FlashTorch Mini flashlight is 40% smaller than the original FlashTorch while still packing enough intensity to set objects on fire and even cook food. It has a customized 65W Carley halogen bulb, three brightness settings and a battery that lasts up to 100min.

JetPack Aviation is offering the general public a chance to experience its latest jetpack, the JB-10. The winner will be given $1,000 worth of travel vouchers, fly the JB-10 in Los Angeles and have dinner with the company’s founders.

The LaserDock is a compact RGB laser projector for visualizing music. It comes with easy-to-use Windows and MacOS apps that have hundreds of effects for digital music, MIDI and live instruments. Pair it with a fog machine and mosquito nets to get a cool 3D effect.

Assuming you don’t keep a flash or a microphone in your camera’s hot shoe, this nifty gadget provides a new and easy way to carry your camera, with a sturdy quick-release aluminum handle that slides into that spot. It’s also great for stabilizing low-angle shots.

Voice assistants like Siri and Alexa have a handful of funny Easter eggs, but Google Home’s assistant has a seemingly endless repertoire of comedy in her bag of tricks. David Chen shares a bunch of her cringeworthy one-liners. It takes nearly 8 min before it repeats.

NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab shows off a small robot that’s capable of driving straight up the side of a building. One version uses gecko-like microsuction to stick to smooth surfaces, while another uses insect inspired microspines to grab onto rough walls.

From the makers of the Seaboard comes a modular and newbie-friendly MIDI controller. Blocks’ main unit is the Lightpad, a pressure-sensitive block. You can connect multiple Lightpads together or with the optional control Blocks. Works with iOS and desktop DAWs.

Alienware’s smallest gaming laptop now comes with a mobile version of the new GTX 1060 GPU and quad-core i5/i7 CPU, and its keyboard now has N-key rollover. It works with Alienware’s external GPU dock and can be configured with a 2560×1440 OLED touchscreen.

The Spontaneous Pop Up Display (SPUD) is a 720p pico projector which sits behind a 24″ 16:9 projection screen. The screen opens up like an umbrella, then folds over the projector when not in use. The whole setup weighs less than 2lb. The projector lasts up to 10h per charge.

A USB charger for neat freaks. Eclipse can house up to three USB cables – three USB-A, or two USB-A and one USB-C – and delivers power at up to 3A. It reveals the cables and lights up with a press of its touch-sensitive lid, and can be placed on a table or wall mounted.

The Hydraulic Press Channel teamed up with tech company F-Secure to demonstrate how to permanently erase the data on various devices – by crushing them to smithereens. While it’s likely to thwart most data thieves, it isn’t an effective method for compressing data.

We’ve got an Amazon Echo and it’s awesome except for when an Amazon commercial comes on and says “Alexa…” and it tries to answer the TV. Brian Kane posted this hilarious hack of what Amazon’s next Echo version should look like. Alexa, Take Me to the River.

GoPro and DJI both hope to be at the top of holiday lists, each offering up a folding drone, video stabilization, and ease of use for amateur flyers. WIRED’s Brent Rose got his hands on both drones, and shares his thoughts on which to buy.

V-Moda’s in-ear sport earphones are our new go-to pair for daily listening, with bright highs, punchy bass, and great isolation from outside noise. They come with lots of ear tips, sport wings, and ear hooks for versatility and comfort. Read our full review on Technabob.

The 8-Bit Guy dusts off his Connectix QuickCam to show us how quickly time flies. The first commercially available webcam, this bad boy shoots in black and white at a resolution of 0.08 megapixels at up to 15fps, requires connection to two different ports and originally cost $100.

A timepiece based on the band Snake Plissken wore to countdown until his arteries explode in John Carpenter’s classic Escape from New York. Beyond its countdown timer, it’s a smartwatch with world time, date, stopwatch, pedometer, compass, weather, and notifications.

An upcoming online tool that drafts presentations in seconds. Enter text and SlideBot will look for stock images to go with it. You’re also free to edit and export your presentation. Drops 1/2017 for $19/mo. (no contracts). Demo here.