CES 2008: Weirdest and Wildest Gadgets

CES always includes a strong selection of bizarre and odd gadgetry, and 2008 has proven to be no exception. Here's a sampling of the strangest, most unique, and most downright disturbing gadgets of the show!

WowWee Tribot

WowWee's latest isn't as freaky as the talking chimp head it's shown at CES in the past, but the Tribot is plenty odd in its own right. The Tribot does away with legs in favor of three wheels that let it move in any direction while still facing forward. But the neatest thing is that it screams and yells, while moving its eyebrows and popping out its ears in concert. Too much robot Mountain Dew, methinks.

Norazza Data Destroyer

I like whacking old hard drives with a hammer as much as the next guy, but Norazza's $8,000 monster lets you smash and smush old hardware into complete irretrievability at the touch of a button. Hulk smash hard drives!

Guitar Hero Air Guitar Rocker

Can't master the buttons on the Guitar Hero axe? No worries. Strap this device to your belt and swing a magnetic pick near it. Dulcet guitar solos will play right out of the included, hip-mounted amplifier. Ten songs come with it, including "Iron Man," "Smoke on the Water," and "More Than a Feeling." Oh, and it has nothing at all to do with the actual Guitar Hero game. 30 bucks.

TankChair

It's like a wheelchair, but with tank treads instead of wheels. Designed for off-roading, it can even handle stairs. It also scares small children while letting you totally dominate the buffet line. In addition, the company makes a small robot that is controlled by your head movement and a special remote control you wear on your head. (Priceless pic ahead!)

Liquid Image Digital Underwater Camera Mask

It is what it says: a camera built into a pair of diving goggles, letting you capture either aquatic ocean life on your snorkeling expedition or your neighbor's spindly legs in the pool. The 5-megapixel model runs $99. You add your own storage card.

BugLabs

These guys have been making the blog rounds for months, but being able to see their open source gadget parts being put to use to make a modular camera, phone, GPS, or combo device was pretty cool. The company has 81 snap-together modules in the works that let you build, well, anything you want.

TolePure

Nothing unusual really about the TolePure warm water washing toilet seat; Japan's had stuff like this for years, and there's always at least one toilet-oriented device at CES. Still, the good people at Databank won my heart with the best booth sign I've ever seen in my life. I want it for my office.