5 New Things That Will Blow Your Mind

Sur

e, with your cell phone, MP3 player and BlackBerry, you probably think you have enough gadgets in your life. But here are innovations that even the most weary of consumers can appreciate. From a game controller you swing like a racquet to software that can translate your speech into Chinese, a few of the coolest things out there

Flight Plan
With fuel costs at an all-time high, Boeing's 787 Dreamliner, which will go into production next year, will be taking off at just the right time. Thanks to advanced engines and a body that's 50% lightweight carbon-fiber composite, the 787 uses 20% less fuel than similar-size planes yet has the range of much larger jets. It also promises greater passenger comforts. Cabin pressure will be closer to sea level, easing pressure buildup in the sinuses and ears. Humidity will be set at 15% to 20%, rather than around 5%. And instead of pulldown shades, the windows will have "electrochromatic" controls that change the tint of the pane from clear to opaque. "Passengers will notice a difference in the way they feel at the end of a 787 flight," says Walt Gillette, Boeing's vice president of airplane development.