They call it a jet pack, but, when people think of jet packs they actually think rocket engines.  These are two tiny, extremely efficient turbo props that spew out jets of air, so in that way, it’s a jet pack like those little one man boats are called Jet Skies.  In other words, the word “jet” is in there for marketing.

None the less, it’s a strap on flying machine for one person, and it works.

The inventor, Glenn Martin, trusts the safety of the device so much that he lets his wife fly it.

Wait, that sounds wrong.  I mean that in the sense that he trusts it not to kill his wife.

They even let a New York Times reporter give it a try, but of course the guy promptly flew it into a tree.

Video here.  NYT Article here.

I was surprised by the choices that Gizmodo made as their “Weirdest and Most Wonderful Gadget Designs of 2008.”

Yes, some of them are kinda cool, but none of them especially fires my rockets, and if those are the most wonderful gadgets of 2008 then this has been a boring year for gizmos.

Meet “Tyrant.”

This is designer Alice Wang’s evil alarm clock that works through peer pressure, intimidation and humiliation.

It apparently connects to your cell phone via bluetooth, and if you don’t wake up at the appointed time, it begins dialing people at random on your cell phone every three minutes so that your friends, family, acquaintances, business contacts, ex-lovers, and probably even your annoyed in-laws will tell you to wake up so that your alarm clock will stop pestering them.

This is pure evil genius.  Two thumbs way up for Alice Wang.  But I would never, never get one for myself.  Ever.

A little version of the "Big Dog" robot featured a couple days ago…

I like the handle on the back.  Makes it look like a four-legged appliance.

A loud, buzzing version of a pack mule, but at least one that doesn’t leave piles of donkey poo for you to step in.

Check out when they try to kick it off it’s feet.  That’s groovy!

No, these are not roller blades. It would be more accurate to describe them as foot bicycles.

“Booster Blades” are a very groovy advancement in personal transportation technology. It’s funny to say it that way, but, again these are not roller blades. There’s a propulsion system built in, and brakes.

Yes, brakes. True brakes. The one thing that I always thought roller blades needed.

Unlike roller blades, when you want to move forward you don’t push your feet side to side to build momentum. Propulsion is produced from a regular, normal stepping action. The lifting and lowering of your feet power gears with your own weight, spinning the rear wheels and moving you forward. In a way, you’re actually peddling the blades forward. They have video of them in action on their site, and also up on YouTube.

Move your feet up and down, just like walking, and you roll forward under power. To stop, you lean your feet back, and it applies brakes.

I think they’re ingenious. And yes, you can buy them now.

It appears the HeadThere Giraffe has some competition from iRobot.

While this telepresence robot lacks the screen to display the controller’s face, it appears to be designed to take more abuse … which it will undoubtedly receive.

The purpose of the robot is so that a company expert can tour a factory or job site and get a first-hand view of a project without having to board a plane and fly halfway around the world. So you can think of this as more a robotic project manager, whereas the Giraffe is more like your robotic CEO.

If one of these were running around my company … people would glue spring-ball bug antenna to the top, and tape a sign to the back that says “Kick me.”

I love the idea of the thing, but I also loved the idea of talking computers — that is, until I actually had to talk to them. Now there is nothing I hate more than a talking computer.

So it will be with these.

We all know Scotty brought transparent aluminum to our century from the future. You remember, when they saved the whales in Star Trek IV?

Well now, finally, someone has found a use for it besides making a giant aquarium for space-faring Cetaceans.

It’s about time, too!

Transparent aluminum is the coolest thing I’ve ever seen, and it’s really wild drinking from a can that you can see through. It has practical uses, too, because now you can see what is really in the can. As in, no more surprises! Not that things normally spoil inside the can, but, how many times have you bought what you thought was a dark beer only to find out it’s a light?

No? No one? Am I the only one?

That’s what I get for buying beer while already inebriated.

Anyway, it’s awesome that the cost of producing transparent aluminum has fallen to the point where they can now use it in the beverage industry. No doubt we’ll start seeing it everywhere.

Too bad it’s actually plastic. April fools everyone! However, this is a real transparent “can” — my kids and I found it at the local Asian shopping center.

I like the packaging! Didn’t care too much for what was inside it. Yuck.

Here’s a groovy one for the girls!

It’s a phone. No, wait…

It’s stylish jewelry. No, wait…

It’s a unique combination of both.

From Yanko Design. Designer: Tao Ma

This is none other than a vacuum chamber for your fruits, veggies, etc.

Place your bread and other yummies into the Auto Vacuum FoodFresh, close the lid, and this gizmo sucks all the air out of the chamber, thus making your food last longer and stay fresher.

I think it’s great!  It’s a true kitchen-geek toy if I’ve ever seen one!  I think I’ll vacuum everything I can stick into it.