Zuca Pro carry-on bag
$289; Zuca.com
If you’ve traveled enough to know which
hotel chain has the best-smelling shampoo, then this rolling carry-on is designed for you. The aluminum frame is so tough you can actually sit on top of it (though NFL linebackers should be aware of the 300-pound weight limit). Inside are a bevy of removable, color-coded packing pouches that stack for maximum efficiency – and there’s a TSA-approved toiletry pouch, so you’re not left with a cool suitcase but no toothpaste.
Verizon Hub
$200, plus $35 a month;
VerizonWireless.com
Serious gadget hounds haven’t been excited about a home phone for quite some time, but Verizon’s new touchscreen setup uses the Internet to make itself relevant. In addition to acting as a traditional wireless phone, the Hub uses a high-speed Web connection and a fantastic touch screen to provide features such as weather, a calendar that updates in real time and the ability to watch videos or look at photos during particularly boring calls from grandma.
Linksys By Cisco Wireless Home Audio Director
$449; LinksysByCisco.
With a built-in 50-watt RMS amplifier and an arsenal of ports on the back, the Director is designed to sit next to your fancy home-audio rig and grab music from your network using its built-in WiFi antenna. Setup is supremely simple and the Director plays nice with the rest of the Wireless Home Audio series, in case you have more rooms in need of Metallica.
Polaroid PoGo
$199;
TheNewInstant.com
OutKast’s Andre 3000 probably won’t be singing any pop anthems about the ZINK instant printing method, which involves heat-activated dye crystals embedded in the photo paper. But Polaroid hopes the first digital camera/portable printer to hit the States will help ease the pain caused when it ceased production of its iconic instant film just a few months ago.
Samsung BD-P4600 Blu-ray player
$TBA; Samsung.com
Blu-ray players are great for putting beautiful pictures on your TV screen, but most come in boring black boxes. Samsung’s new player, which drops in the first half of this year, is designed to be wall-mounted , so they gave it smooth curves and their signature “Touch of Color.” Behind its pretty visage is a player that streams Netflix movies and Pandora music and makes use of BD Live using WiFi, something few other BD players, besides the PS3, can boast.