Tonium PaceMaker
The Tonium PaceMaker's ($550, www.pacemaker.net) intuitive two-wheel interface turns anybody's fingers and MP3s into a DJ. Its slim design and small size transforms anywhere into your personal studio. The 60GB digital audio device can hold 15000 songs. Any of them can be easily synced with the beat-matching feature, thus starting your journey into personal musical exploration.
JL Audio HD800/5 amp
The enemy of amplification is distortion. JL Audio has developed a new weapon in the quest for pure sound with Single Cycle Control. This process compares the audio signal to the real PWM waveform and corrects it accordingly at a rate of over 400,000 times per second. Various causes of distortion are put under control. The HD800/amp ($1,099, www.jlaudio.com) boasts both form and function. Its slim chassis will easily slide beneath a seat or in a side panel while it kicks out a 500Wx1 and 75Wx4.
Alpine iXA-404 Head Unit
Many head units are complicated to use, which is ridiculous considering you're supposed to be driving at the time. Alpine's iXA-W404 ($550, www.alpine-usa.com), designed specifically for the iPod, couldn't be more user-friendly. Alpine created a touchscreen interface that functions like a big version of the iPhone and iPod Touch. It's even got customizable widgets, including a clock, photo-viewer and calendar. There's a bright 4.3" touchscreen that displays iPod video. Interestingly, there's a disc drive, so get ready to rip those CDs you haven't got round to yet.
Minoru 3D Webcam
3D is coming of age and 3D TVs were all the rage at CES 2009, with 3D movies being shot in increasing numbers. The Minoru 3D Webcam ($89, www.minoru3d.com) is bringing something new to the 3D phenomenon: you. Resembling a cute mini-robot, the Minoru is a single device with two cameras set roughly the same distance apart as human eyes. This creates a stereoscopic effect that is decoded when the video is viewed with one of the included five pairs of colored glasses. Record yourself lunging at the camera and you'll see the effect really works.
Audison Thesis Component Set
Audison is known as a purveyor of high-end amplifiers. Not wanting to be one-sided, its introduced a line of Thesis speakers for 2009. Features of the System TH K2 coro two-way component system ($TBA, www.audison.eu) include a rare-earth neodymium magnet, copper-clad aluminum wire voice-coil, X-pulp cone with Polycrystal dust cap, low-profile triple-wave rubber-butyl surround and the proprietary Thesis cooling system. Audison's Thesis shows that extensive research and development, combined with quality materials, pay off in the end.