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Every month we search far and wide to bring you a dozen of the best new ideas in gear. These gadgets are the first, the best and the latest. Check out the gallery below to get the first look at what consumer technology has brought us this month.
Click to launch our guide to this month’s best gadgets.
Sony Handycam HDR-CX760V
Sony’s new camcorder records video that’s 13 times as steady as that of its predecessor. As the shooter moves, the entire lens assembly—including the glass and image sensor—moves with him, canceling out any wobble in the footage. Sony Handycam HDR-CX760V $1,600 (est.)
Fiskars StaySharp Max
Most push mowers pinch grass between two blades like scissors, which causes blade-dulling friction. The hard steel blades on the StaySharp Max are positioned so that they never touch each other, resulting in less friction and wear. Fiskars StaySharp Max ** $250**
Mr. Heater HERO
Standard forced-air heaters make a ton of noise, but Mr. Heater’s battery-powered model cuts sound pollution by half. Its brushless DC fan eliminates the need for high fuel-nozzle pressure. Lower pressure allows combustion noise to disperse. Mr. Heater HERO ** $190**
Toshiba Excite X10
At 0.3 inches, Toshiba’s Excite X10 is the thinnest tablet available. Unlike in other LCD tablets, Toshiba bonded the Excite’s touch-sensitive film directly to its digitizer panel, which is responsible for translating touch into commands. Removing the two-millimeter gap between layers decreases thickness and may also speed response times. Toshiba Excite X10 $530
Planetary Gears Corkscrew
The Planetary Gears corkscrew generates six times the torque of other manual openers. A hand crank turns one central gear, which spins three smaller ones attached to the screw. One crank rotation threads the screw into the cork six times. ThinkGeek.com Planetary Gears Corkscrew $70
Sennheiser RS 220
Sennheiser’s wireless headphones rival the audio quality of wired pairs. Unlike other cordless headphones, they don’t compress the audio signal; the transmitter modulates between several wireless frequencies and breaks the signal up among them. The headset recomposes the signal for playback. Sennheiser RS 220 $600
Innergie Magic Cable Duo
The Magic Cable Duo can be used to charge multiple gadgets, be they an iPad, iPod or an Android phone. The USB charging cable ends in an iDevice plug, but it also has a flip-up microUSB plug at the nape of that connector. Innergie Magic Cable Duo $20
TaylorMade RocketBallz
TaylorMade’s RocketBallz fairway woods add as much as 17 yards to shots. A 0.4-inch-deep slot on the bottom of the head allows the clubface to bow inward, helping the club to launch balls farther than previous models. It also has steel that’s thinner (0.4 millimeters) and lighter on top than on the bottom. The difference lowers the club’s center of gravity, letting golfers hit shots higher and with more spin. TaylorMade RocketBallz $229
Gillette Fusion ProGlide Styler
Gillette’s Fusion ProGlide is both a trimmer and a razor. Vibrations from the handle keep the five blades on the razor head from rubbing and irritating cheeks, while a microcomb lifts and guides hairs to the cutting edges. The trimmer has three small combs for different lengths that hold hairs in place to ensure an even cut. Gillette Fusion ProGlide Styler $20
Eastman Perennial Wood Deck Boards
These deck planks will go 25 years without rotting or decaying. In the manufacturing process, Eastman submerges the wood in the compound acetic anhydride and applies pressure and heat. The process permanently expands the wood cells so that they absorb less water. Eastman Perennial Wood Deck Boards $3/foot
Griffin GuitarConnect Pro
Griffin’s dongle connects any instrument with a quarter-inch plug—guitars, basses, keyboards—directly to an iPad or iPhone. Joined to the device’s 30-pin port, the GuitarConnect Pro allows users to relay tunes directly into GarageBand or any other music-editing software. Griffin GuitarConnect Pro $80
BiKN for iPhone
The BiKN tracker system helps iPhone users keep tabs on their dogs, backpacks and keys within a range that’s 15 times that of similar devices. An iPhone case with a radio-frequency ID chip connects to up to eight tracker tags as far as 800 feet away outdoors (or 100 feet indoors). Users page tags with the BiKN phone app to locate their missing items. BiKN for iPhone (case and two tags) $130
