Microsoft Photosynth | Free

This remarkable software, which can be downloaded for free, analyzes dozens (or hundreds) of photos taken of a location or subject--the Eiffel Tower, say, or a room in a museum. It looks for overlapping points in the images, then arranges the snapshots into a browsable 3D model. The result is a fresh way to organize and share photography--opening up new possibilities for a 180-year-old art form.

Spore

Few video games have built up as much anticipatory buzz as Spore, and it's not just the game's pedigree (it was designed by Will Wright, the mastermind behind SimCity and The Sims) or its grand scope (players guide the evolution of a universe). It's the technology. Spore doesn't rely on stock characters stored in a library of animations. Instead, the software uses sophisticated logic to allow players' creations to interact spontaneously.

Amazon Kindle

Like previous e-book readers, the Amazon Kindle relies on an easy-to-read E Ink display that needs no backlight and draws power only when loading a new page. (It can handle thousands of pages between charges.) The Kindle's key innovation--the one that blazes the way for digital paper products--is its inclusion of a high-speed EVDO antenna and a deal with Sprint that allow users to download books quickly, from nearly anywhere.

Livescribe Pulse Smartpen

Smart pens, which digitize handwriting for later manipulation on a PC, have been more like novelties than productivity tools. Not this one. The Livescribe Pulse smart pen uses an integrated microphone and a revolutionary method to record and retrieve audio. The user taps his or her handwritten notes to get the pen to play the appropriate audio.

Craftsman Nextec Multi-Saw

A new breed of saw doesn't come along very often. The Craftsman Nextec Multi-Saw qualifies--it's a 12-volt hybrid of a jigsaw and reciprocating saw that hits a new level of versatility. The tool is small enough to get into tight spots, powers through tough jobs and can operate at up to 2000 strokes per minute. $150 (in a kit with a drill, two batteries, a charger, two blades, a drill bit and a work light).

Potenco PCG1 Power Generator

(Illustration by Dogo)

The Potenco PCG1 pull-cord generator creates electricity for portable gadgets with far greater efficiency than hand-cranked devices. The PCG1 is the geek-chic version of a generator for the developing world. It weighs 14 ounces, has both an internal NiMh battery and a mini-USB output jack and can convert 2 minutes of effort into 40 minutes of cellphone talk time.

Nissan Around View Monitor

Nissan Around View Monitor | from $1950

Nissan's advance in automotive safety is a parking system that allows a driver to see 360 degrees around the car. Other parking systems show only what's behind. Using ultra-wide-angle cameras positioned at the front, rear and sides of the vehicle, Nissan's version synthesizes images into a bird's-eye view on the navigation screen. It's optional on new Infiniti models, such as the EX35 and the FX35/FX50. Included in packages from $1950.

M-Spector Digital Inspection Camera

Drywall often undergoes its own form of exploratory surgery, as DIYers cut surfaces open just to diagnose a disease. This tool provides an alternative. The LED-lit lens--which is fixed on a 3-ft., flexible cable--beams behind-the-wall imagery to a 2.4-in. LCD. It helps users find leaks, trace wiring and more.

Intel Atom Processor

In addition to being a marvel of miniaturization (47 million transistors on a single 26 x 26 mm chip), the Atom processor is brilliantly efficient, with a power specification ranging from below 1 watt to 2.5 watts. Chips such as the Atom, made possible by a new Intel manufacturing process, can bring computer-level power to highly portable devices--further blurring the distinction between cellphones and computers.

Caroma Profile Smart Dual Flush Toilet

Inventive, conservation-minded DIY plumbers have rigged gray-water systems to their toilets for years, reusing water from the sink for flushing. Caroma's Profile Smart designs the concept right into the fixture, by providing a sink and faucet atop the water-storage tank.

Microsoft Photosynth

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