Ety8 Bluetooth Earphones

From the “It’s About Time” department — introducing the first in-ear Bluetooth-enabled wireless earphones. Weighing less than half an ounce, they’re super-comfy and come with a selection of eartips to ensure a perfect fit. These nifty gizmos work with iPods (with Etymotic’s patent-pending 8•Mate iPod Adapter) and other Bluetooth-enabled music players. They’re also the first Bluetooth earphones to provide 35 dB to 40 dB noise exclusion — reducing the typical airplane-cabin noise level to that of a normal living room, and greatly enhancing your ability to hear the music without having to turn up the volume to unsafe levels. $299 with iPod adapter, or $199 for earphones alone. (http://www.etymotic.com)

Aegis Bio Hard Drive

This virtually indestructible, hardware-encrypted biometric hard drive (say that three times fast!) lets you securely access your files with a fingerprint sensor. Able to store up to 10 fingerprint profiles, the Aegis Bio secures data with real-time 128-bit AES hardware encryption — making the drive impenetrable even if it’s removed from its enclosure. It’s cross-platform compatible, enabling you to take your data from work to home and on the road, and no software is required on the host computer to access your data. A 16-point omnidirectional shock-mounting system also protects the drive from accidental falls and knocks. $179 to $379, depending on GB size. (http://www.apricorn.com)

SPOT Satellite Messenger

This ingenious tool, the world’s first satellite messenger, lets you contact friends, family or emergency services, if need be, with GPS accuracy, independent of cellular coverage. With a push of a button, your location can be tracked to within 20 feet using Google Maps and the dedicated SPOT network.Weighing just over 7 ounces, it works around the world with 99.4 percent accuracy, and runs on AA batteries. It’s ideal for outdoor enthusiasts, for long road trips through areas where cell phone coverage might be spotty — and for letting loved ones know your whereabouts in the event of a natural or man-made disaster. $149.99, plus $99.99 service fee. (http://www.findmespot.com)

Bluetooth Laser Virtual Keyboard

This innovation from ThinkGeek is arguably one of the all-time coolest gadgets to grace this column. Connecting to PDAs and Smartphones using Bluetooth, this tiny, 3.5-inch device projects a full-size QWERTY keyboard on any flat surface. You can type away just as you would on a regular keyboard — accompanied by simulated key-click sounds. Its rechargeable battery lasts for 120 minutes of continuous typing. Compatible with Palm OS 5, PocketPC 2003,Windows Smartphone, Symbian OS, and Windows 2000/XP; limited Mac OSX support. $179.99. (http://www.thinkgeek.com)