The headphone market is so hot right now, that the market is totally overcrowded with headphone brands – even clothing companies have jumped on the bandwagon.  But don’t be fooled, a lot of headphones are poorly built and sound lousy.  Would you trust a headphone from the same company that made your sneakers?  These new pairs from Paradigm are no ordinary headphones.  They promise the same level of performance as the company’s award-winning home speakers, that have been 30 years in the making.  The H15NC is an active noise cancelling model that’s perfect for noisy environments, like on a bus, a subway train or an airplane.  The noise cancelling tech relies on dual microphones and sophisticated mathematical algorithms to deliver a completely silent and distortion-free noise floor.  Both models utilize 40mm mylar drivers with 15mm voice coils, and offer an in-line remote and microphone that allow you take calls from your smartphone, change music tracks and adjust volume.  Ensuring proper fit and comfort both headphones have supple, breathable leather earcups, a Comfort-Tilt adjustment on the earcups, and a Unique Flexi-Point adjustable sliding headband.  H15NC ($299); H15 ($199).  www.paradigm.com/shift

Don’t you just hate how your chairs hold you comfortably in one place? Me neither, but let’s say we do when we look at the Buoy by Turnstone. The idea is that staying still for long periods is bad for us and constantly fidgeting in our seats is good. The Buoy stool goes up and down and swivels like an office chair, but it also tilts in 360 degrees. They come in six different colours with your choice of twenty-five different fabric tops. Although, the fancy tops will cost up to 100 dollars more. Turnstone’s stool does seem like it would be fun for a while, though I can’t help but think the lack of lumbar support would give you a nice Mr. Burns level hunch. Starting at $199.  www.myturnstone.com

The days of compact digital cameras are counted.  We stopped reaching for ours completely when the iPhone 5 came out.  And now, the Samsung GALAXY S4 zoom takes the smartphone camera to a whole new level thanks to its 10x optical zoom and 16 mega pixel sensor, which will let you capture detailed far away and close up images in a variety of lighting conditions.  You’ll also appreciate the Optical Image Stabilizer (OIS) for letting you take sharp pictures even when your hands aren’t steady.  And those of you who are artistically inclined will want to try the Smart Mode pre-sets that’ll let you snap all kinds of artistic shots.  Oh yeah, the Samsung GALAXY S4 zoom is also an awesome smartphone driven by Android Jelly Bean 4.2.  Available later this year.  Price: $TBA.  www.samsung.com

Do you dream of printing an action figure of yourself on a 3D printer one day?  While 3D printers are now available at pretty accessible price points, the 3D design software might take you some time to learn.  In the meantime however, you can satisfy your inner 3D-printing geek with this printed bow tie from Monocircus.  Just slot it in on the top button of your shit – and voila – you’re ready for the next formal event.  Thanks to its light weight and the fact that it doesn’t have a strap that wraps around your neck, it claims to be very comfortable to wear.  The ladies are gonna love you for looking stylish, and the guys will dig the tech that made it possible.  $119.  www.monocircus.com

Let’s face it, helmets aren’t cool. That’s okay though, that isn’t why they were invented; they were invented to keep your brain inside your head. Luckily for all the safety-second people out there, the Hovding airbag helmet won’t mess up your hair unless you are actually in an accident. Wrapping around your neck like a scarf, the Hovding has sensors that will detect high impacts or falls and inflate the helmet in time to save your life. Now let’s just hope wearing scarves doesn’t stop being cool (oh, wait). $540.  www.hovding.com

We liked the specs of the Playstation 4 when it was first announced earlier this year.  Its eight x86-64 chip cores combined with 8 GB of unified system memory should make the next generation games looked stunning and more realistic than ever before.  And now that Sony has revealed the final details, along with the look of the console, there’s even more to get excited about.  Unlike the Xbox One, the Playstation 4 does not place any restrictions on used games (we really hope that Microsoft takes a big hit for this stupidity, prompting many Xbox fans to switch to the Playstation) and it doesn’t have to be connected to the web all the time.  Plus the lower price tag will make it accessible to more gamers.  We can’t wait to get our hands on the next gen titles like Destiny and Driveclub.  Coming this holiday season.  $400.  www.playstation.com.  For complete details check out www.canadahifi.com

You never know what to expect from a new apple product. Sometimes it just feels like they keep re-releasing the same thing every few months making a marginally better product each time. Fortunately, the new MacPro has a lot going for it, even with a few shortcomings with compatibility (this is Apple after all). I was immediately drawn to the unique look of the hardware; sporting a sleek cylindrical frame that stands less than 25cm tall. Then I saw some of the specs. With up to twelve cores of processing power, the new MacPro will easily be two times faster than its predecessor. Capable of 40Gb of bandwidth speeds and 20Gb/s data transfer speed, the most tangible measure of the MacPro’s power, is its ability to output 4K video to three monitors simultaneously. That’s a lot of HD. More news via www.extremetech.com

How often do you run into a situation where a custom-shaped piece of plastic could solve your problem – like making a “universal” tablet mount actually fit your car?  Or maybe you’ve dreamed of an action figure of yourself?  Now all of your 3D printing dreams can finally come true!  The days of expensive 3D printers that only engineers know how to use are coming to an end.  The Buccaneer 3D printer is the world most affordable home 3D printer that everyone can use.  It comes fully assembled and calibrated and will let you start printing your first 3D objects in minutes of cracking the box open.  And forget about learning how to use complicated 3D design software, this printer offers its own Smart Objects software which will let you choose from thousands of designs created by others from an online repository, and customize them to your liking.  Those who have 3D design software or coding skill can also easily design their own objects using the company’s Smart Object API.  Let your imagination run wild $347.  www.pirate3d.com

Ever see that umbrella fight scene from Iron Monkey where Donnie Yen beats the crap out of a bunch of guys with only an umbrella? Well the guys at Real Self-Defense sure did, and they’ve made an umbrella that won’t break, no matter how many people you assault. The umbrella is actually pretty unreal; the demonstration videos show it cutting a watermelon in half, holding someone’s full body weight and unleashing the pain on a heavy bag. A great tool as it’s also a fully functional umbrella that will hold up against rain and wind as well as any high quality umbrella. The downside is that you can only carry this with you on the rainy days; unless you use it as a parasol and walk around saying “Oh my, it’s hot as the dickens today.” No one will suspect a thing. $129.95.  www.real-self-defense.com

We featured the Oculus Rift a little while back; a virtual reality headset that makes the Virtual Boy look like… well, a Virtual Boy. A new Kickstarter campaign called OMNI is taking virtual reality to a whole other level with its realistic stationary walking controls. While wearing special motion tracking shoes, the player stays in one spot even though it feels like they are walking. This is thanks to the clever design where the shoes lock into tracks and slide back to the center. The device is compatible with Kinect, any virtual reality head set and can be calibrated to any system with a keyboard interface. The cost of your own virtual reality setup is quickly adding up, but it’ll all be worth it when we can get all of our exercise chasing innocent bystanders down the streets of Liberty City. Minimum pledge (at this point) is $429. www.kickstarter.com

When I was young, Hank Hill influenced me to believe that you can’t do better than clean burning propane and propane accessories. Then I realized I’m really not that picky as long as we are barbecuing something that used to be an animal (Heck I’ll take a hotdog anytime and anywhere too). That’s where the Weber Go-Anywhere Charcoal Grill comes in. This portable grill is great for camping, tailgating and a day at the beach. With a four square meter grill, you’ll have plenty of room for all of your steaks, burgers or lamb shanks. And you won’t have to worry about exploding, sorry Hank. $59.99.  www.amazon.ca

The Emopulse Smile is a new kickass idea that takes the smart watch to a whole new level.  Not only is the Smile a complete smart phone that you wear like a bracelet, it can also monitor your diet, health and stress level.  Thanks to its Near Field Communication (NFC) and Bluetooth capabilities this device also aims to replace your wallet and your set of keys.  Since the Smile will know when you’re asleep, it will automatically route any incoming calls directly to your voicemail and won’t let any pesky text messages bother you.  Music fans will be glad to know that this device can stream CD-quality music to any Bluetooth capable sound system.  And if all of this wasn’t enough, the Smile is outfitted with no less than 3 on-board cameras (one that’s able to track your face), which allow you to take pics, shoot video, Skype, and use your finger like a pointer for various tasks.  The Emopulse Smile is truly a device from the future – we courage you to help fund the project on its Indiegogo page.  $300+.  www.emopulse.com

We’re finally getting into that thirty degree summer weather and soon the swarms of mosquitoes and black flies will descend upon us, leaving only the very itchy behind. That’s where the Mosquito Mister comes in. Those bamboo torches don’t do a thing, but a four minute mist from this bad boy will protect an area of 600 meters squared for six hours. There is an audible twelve second countdown and the machine comes with a remote to turn it on from a distance; so it’s safe to say breathing the mist would be bad (also the fact that it is bug poison). This is great for hosting parties in the yard or at the cottage. Now if only they could make one that repels bears. $199.www.allclearmister.com

Let’s face it – reaching for the phone in your pocket to perform a simple task like checking the weather can be pretty cumbersome, especially while biking or driving.  It’s even worse if you’re a hipster wearing a tight pair of pants.  The Agent Smartwatch offers two-way communication with your smartphone via Bluetooth, runs downloadable watch apps, and can be recharged wirelessly using Qi technology.  The watch apps allow you to perform tasks like receiving texts, display who’s calling you, selecting music, checking the weather, display info from a pedometer/heart rate monitor while out on a jog, and even open your front door (by connecting with one of the new Bluetooth Low Energy locks).  Oh yeah, let’s not forget that it can also display the time/date via its customizable watch face.  $149.  www.agentwatches.com

The Scanadu Scout Medical Tricorder is a device nearly straight out of the pages of Star Trek.  This device is packed with sensors capable of conducting sophisticated physical exams.  Just bring the Tricorder in direct contact with your left temple for 10 seconds and it will analyze your vitals including the temperature, heart rate, oximetry, ECG, respiratory rate, blood pressure, urine analysis and emotional stress level.  The results of this analysis will be recorded and shown to you via a smartphone app.  This Indiegogo project has already achieved nearly 500% of its $100,000 goal and hence is on the verge of becoming a reality.  Estimated delivery date is March 2014.  $199.  www.scanadu.com

Remember being a kid in the summer? Not having to worry about cell phones and wallets and pushing your friend into the pool was funny, as opposed to, completely devastating. Sometimes it sucks having an 800 dollar machine on your person at all times. This is where the new Kickstarter campaign from Stash Incorporated comes in. Currently available in khaki or olive colour, Stash Shorts will protect all your valuables inside a plastic lined pocket. The pocket is sealed with a circular cap that hangs from a lanyard. Seems like the perfect solution to leaving your stuff unattended and getting stolen at the beach; but I think I’ll let someone else try it before I risk my iPhone. Minimum pledge of $69. www.kickstarter.com

Do you ever dream of what the future holds for us?  The Evacuate Tube Transport perhaps takes inspiration from the animated Futurama series but presents a completely realistic option for short and long distance travel, in the not so distant future.   This electric powered system uses car-sized passenger capsules that travel through vacuum tubes on frictionless maglev (using magnetic levitation).  Electric motors accelerate the capsules to 370mph for local trips and to a staggering 4,000mph for international travels.  Once they achieve the desired speed, the capsules simply coast through the vacuum tubes and don’t require any additional power.  The system is said to be silent, low cost, safe and faster than jets.  ET3 is still in the testing stages but we certainly hope that it will find some traction with investors.  Can you imagine going for a ride in one of these?  www.et3.com

Microsoft held a special pre-E3 press conference today to finally unveil the new XBOX ONE. The system looks nice; a simple, but large rectangle. The new dashboard is similar to the Windows 8 layout. But it’s the power that we want to know about. 8GB of ram allow three operating systems to run simultaneously and the packed-in Kinect responds to voice commands to make it easy for you to switch from your game to live TV or any of the other apps in less than a second. There are a lot of new gesture controls making multi-tasking multiple apps seamless and easy. XBOX Live is going to be ridiculous. If you thought eight on eight Halo matches were intense, you’ll piss your pants when see how many users are playing alongside you this Christmas. Then there are the games. EA showed off all the new sports games: NFL, NBA, UFC, etc. Forza Motorsport 5 and the new Call of Duty look great, but it was the game Quantum Break that really caught my eye. It seems to blend live action cut scenes with game play focusing on the control of time. Finally, the biggest news may be the fact that Steven Speilberg is producing a Halo television series. I mean, come on Microsoft, just take my money already! More news via ign.com

Ever wish you could fly around on a jetpack, but don’t want the fuss of falling to your death or exploding in the sky. Well here it is; the best thing ever. The JETLEV has been around for a while, but the new model is more powerful, more economical and more comfortable than the previous model. Aside from letting you jetpack into the sky, the JETLEV can also dive in and out of the water like a dolphin. The beast of an engine pumps 1000 gallons of water per minute at 60 PSI through both nozzles on the pack. You are limited in how high up you can go; as you need to be connected to the water for lift. Again though, that will help avoid the whole falling to your death thing. $68,500. www.jetlev.com

If you live in Ontario, Canada you’re undoubtedly dreading the liquor store strike starting this Friday. You better stock up while you can and I recommend grabbing a bottle of Forty Creek Copper Pot Reserve. Picked it up last week and boy is it smooth. It has a coppery taste (surprisingly in a good way); probably because it is blended with hints of toffee, nuts, spice and marmalade. Did I mention how smooth it is? It doesn’t even need ice. Copper Pot is 43%, which I guess is a new thing with whiskeys; a way of balancing the rich flavours. Definitely a great addition to your shelf, and remember to stock up for the holiday weekend. $28.45.  www.fortycreekwhisky.com