When I first spoke to Memorex, they wanted me to review a plain old 2GB USB flash drive that was uninspiring and most importantly, nothing to write home about. Well, the PR lady at Memorex had just gotten a hold of the new Travel ID flash drives with a built in LCD, and my initial response was— “Now that’s more like it!”  

It’s only a 1GB USB flash drive, but the attractive feature comes in the form of an LCD screen that tells you how much memory I have left. So instead of plugging the drive in and clicking on properties, I can find out just by looking at the LCD screen. I plugged it in once, after I tore off the packaging. The LCD initiated right away, saying I had 973MB left, and I haven’t plugged it back in for 3 days. That tells me the screen is energy efficient, and I’m guessing it can last a lot longer than that. The LCD has a bar chart that shows the capacity, for those that are not good with numbers. The only pet peeve I have is that the cap is completely detachable, which means I’ll lose it, eventually.  

The drive will go for $200 and is not yet available in retail stores.

This 15-User Fingerprint Deadbolt Lock from SmartHome provides maximum security for your home or business. Just program up to 30 prints, then install the lock on either side of any standard wooden door.

[I'm trying to refrain from more Back to the Future references today, but I just can't help myself. If you remember, in Back to the Future II, Jennifer was trying to escape her future home in Hilldale, but there were no doorknobs. Doc instructed her to press her thumb against the metal plate so that the door recognizes your fingerprint and opens. But, her future self walks through the door instead, and she passes out.] 

With the Fingerprint Deadbolt Lock, you're given 3 emergency keys in case your finger is having a bad day. It requires 4 AA batteries that are good for 300 uses. I wonder how well it works, though? Available from SmartHome for $274.99.

This may look like a plane, but it's actually a conceptual design of a flying SUV from the minds of talented grad students at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Terrafugia, a general aviation, manufacturing company, is working with the students on what is called, the Transition Personal Air Vehicle (PAV).

According to the Terrafugia Web site: The Transition will be capable of driving at normal highway speeds, flying at speeds that approach the light sport aircraft limit, and parking in a standard garage. If you travel between 100 and 500 miles at a stretch, then the Transition is for you. If you don't already have a pilot's license, you will need to get one before you can operate the Transition. Typical cost to obtain a light sport pilot's license is around $3,500.

The Transition weighs 1,320 lbs with a 100-horsepower engine and a 20-gallon capacity. Its gas mileage in the air is around 30mpg. The Transition is 18.75-ft long, 6.75-ft wide, and with a wingspan of 27 ft.

The first delivery of the Transition PAV is scheduled for 2009, but a fully operational prototype is said to be expected in 2008. How much is it to buy this vehicle? An estimated price of $148,000!. But, don't expect air conditioning (due to weight restrictions); however, it will offer heat. Didn't the DeLorean have air conditioning?

Watch the Transition PAV change from a car to an aircraft.