Accessories are key...

The 'UnCuff Link' from Sparrow may not be the most stylish - but they could get you out of a jam. The cross piece acts as a key for most standard handcuffs. Cost: 59 USD

Info and order via Sparrow:

www.sparrowlockpicks.com

A real PAL...

The 'PAL-V' is the next generation gyrocopter. The Personal Air and Land (PAL) vehicle does double duty as a car, and gyrocopter - while working within the current laws of both road and air vehicles.

Info and video from PAL-V:

pal-v.com

Magic powder...

The 'Bytox Hangover Prevention Patch' is a transdermal patch full of nutrients that are depleted from your body by over-indulging. Just apply 45 minutes before drinking. Cost: 15 USD. Could a nobel prize be far behind?

Info and order via Bytox:

www.bytox.com

Blown...

Clearing landmines is nasty business - an Afghan designer has come up with a novel approach. The 'Mine Kafon' is a wind blown tumbleweed-like device, made of bamboo and plastic. As it rolls around a minefield, it can either map or detonate mines. Clever. Read more and watch test video via the designer's site:

www.massoudhassani.blogspot.co.uk

Case in point...

For the fan of things 'hidden behind bookcases' - here's a tumblr collection of secret bookcase doors.

Hidden bookcase doors via TUMBLR:

hiddenbookcasedoors.tumblr.com

Yes, grasshopper...

UPDATE: SpaceX, the commercial space group that built the Dragon space system, is testing the 'Grasshopper' - their project for reusable rockets that land 'buck rogers style'. Baby steps.

Read more (and watch a test video) via Wired:

www.wired.com

Christmas is coming...

Traditionally, an 'Advent Calendar' is a quaint way to count down December towards Christmas. The 'Whiskey Advent Calendar' adds a little twist: rather than a picture or a small sweet - each countdown is a small dram of whiskey to try. Cost: 240 USD

Whiskey Advent Calendar - available from Masters of Malt:

www.mastersofmalt.com

Ninja improv...

Follow the link for a quick instruction on how use a regular t-shirt as ninja headgear.

In japanese only - but, it's pretty self explanatory:

mcsgsym.tumblr.com/post/34843604704

Sliding by...

This winter's best toy might just be the 'Snolo' - the somewhat over engineered carbon fiber sled. Cost: 3,000 USD

Register interest at the Snolo site:

www.snolosleds.com

Nesting...

It's possible to sleep suspended in the trees using the 'Cocoon Tree Pod'. The high tech pod is made of an aluminum frame and waterproof panels - resulting in a suspended sleeping platform for two. Cost: about 8,000 USD.

Info and details via Cocoon Tree:

www.cocoontree.com

Black box...

The 'memoto' is a very small, very simple camera that keeps a record of your day. The digital camera works with software to organize your photos automatically - keeping a record of what you've been up to. Wonderful and terrible.

Read more about it via Memoto:

memoto.com

It's not a knife...

The 'HEST' (Hostile Environment Survival Tool) made by DPx does a lot more than your average knife. The multitool includes surfaces for prying, wire stripping, a hex driver, bottle opener, and more. Cost: 250 USD Ma

Info and order via DPx:

www.dpxgear.com/hest-2.php

Uplifting...

Scientists have created a small scale 'tractor beam' in the lab - using something called 'bessel beams' to attract small bits of dust. It's a start. Read more about it via New Scientist:

www.newscientist.com

And one more thing...

Just a bit more than a year since Steve Jobs passed on - his yacht that he was working on the 'One more thing' made an appearance in the Dutch city of Aalsmeer. The sleek minimalist yacht features an interior co-designed with Phillipe Starck.

More info and video via The Verge:

www.theverge.com

Keep an eye on that car...

The 'Hamilton Scotts Apartment' in Singapore has a lot of amenities - but one of the most interesting is the garage / elevator that is controlled via biometrics. The garage then becomes a visible part of the apartment. Cost: about 9 Million USD.

Details and video via Huffington Post:

www.huffingtonpost.ca