Microsoft has recently announced an impressive addition to their popular X-Box video game system which will replace the standard controllers. Project Natal, as they call it, is the future gaming technology we have been waiting for and has built in motion sensors that allows users to act out their moves  instead of having to press buttons. So if you are playing a fighting game (such as Street Fighter) you will actually have to do some physical kicks and punches in order to defeat your opponent. Project Natal is like a Nintendo Wii 2.0 – instead of having to swing around your controller you can just use your body, and no more worrying about cracking your new plasma TV. This new technology is also supposed to be equipped with voice and facial recognition software, which I’m assuming is used to distinguish between two players and keep track of player profiles.

Nintendo had better be prepared to answer back when Microsoft releases this future technology, or any hope for more Wii sales will be obliterated (assuming Project Natal turns out to be accurate and practical). The new gaming device is projected to be released near the end of 2010, just in time for the holidays, and has been speculated to cost somewhere around $100. There have also been some rumors going around as to whether 1 or 2 people will be able to use the gaming sensors simultaneously, but most signs point to 2 players. Exciting times for us video gamers!

For the past couple of years the world’s top space program NASA has been working on a future design for the very first personal flying suit. The puffin, as they call it, measures to be approximately 12 feet in length with a 15 foot wingspan. The aircraft module would land vertically, allowing for a person to step directly into it and has blades similar to that of helicopters. The puffin concept would relatively light weight and would use electric motors, allowing for high altitudes as well as being eco-friendly.

Now to another note: is the Puffin concept practical for consumer use? Highly unlikely, or at least not for a long time. First of all, this type of flying suit would cost hundreds of thousands of dollars, if not millions, so not many people would ever get to use one, as least for quite some time. Secondly, if this flying suit were to take the place of automobiles, modern travel would be extremely chaotic and the number of fatalities would drastically increase. Any type of mechanical failure or collision with another flying suit would be devastating and regulating travel would be nearly impossible. Yes, the idea is magnificent and I think most of us would like to have an experience like this someday, so hopefully this type of future technology will be able to advance, thanks to NASA.

Now that more and more 3D movies have been starting to come out (A Christmas Carol, Avatar, Alice & Wonderland, etc.) is the future technology of home televisions headed the same way? Can we expect to start seeing the next generation gaming consoles to be in 3-D as well? You better believe it and companies like Sony, Samsung, & Nintendo already have some surprises in the works.

By the end of 2010, Sony already plans to begin pushing their new line of 3D TVs to consumers, especially right before the major holidays. Samsung won’t be far behind, as they have taken some major steps in the home theater industry, producing the world’s thinnest LED TV, and also planning to start releasing TV apps (similar to the apps for your iPhone/Palm Pre) come July. The good news for us consumers is that we will have new technology to play around with and prices for regular plasma/LED TVs should go down and become even more affordable. Just make sure to save your 3D glasses the next time you see Avatar, you may just need them for your next TV.

Bookstore giant Barnes & Noble just announced today the release of their future eBook reader known as the Nook, and they are already taking orders. Priced competitively at $259, the Nook costs pretty much the same as the once popular Kindle, but offers a whole lot more. Check out some of the coolest specs the Nook has to offer:

• Color Touch Screen – Unlike the other eBooks which are pure black and white
• Screen Display – No glare or backlight with adjustable text size
• Share Books – You can share books you have purchased with your friends and family for free
• Huge Selection – There are over 1,000,000 available books (twice as many as the Kindle)
• Wi-fi Capable – Connect to the internet with local hotspots
• Media Slot – Supports Micro SD cards for extra storage space of up to 17,500 books
• 3G Network – Offered by AT&T so you can buy books from almost anywhere
• Customization – You can get custom covers with different colors as well as upload photos
• Free books – There are over 1,000 free books offered to Nook buyers
• Hands-on Demos – You can test out the Nook before buying at any of the Barnes & Noble stores

Barnes and Noble has chosen a very strategized release date, which comes right before the heavy holiday shopping. For those of you who have held off on buying a Kindle, your patience has just paid off. The Nook will make the perfect holiday gift to those who love to read and travel quite frequently. Additionally, you may find consumer product reviews of eReaders on the Consupo website.

Imagine being able to unlock your car doors and start your car engine with the wave of your hand. Imagine being able to make all of your purchases without your purse, wallet, checkbook, or credit card. Pretty soon, you may not have to imagine that at all, thanks to the advanced technology of RFID (radio frequency identification) implantable microchips. VeriChip has been developing RFID chips for the past 5+ years with the original purpose to assists doctors treat non-communicable patients, as well as act as a tracking device on animals. The radio frequency chip would be inserted between the thumb and the forefinger, and is about the size of a large rice grain.

There has been much opposition from religious groups and critics who claim that these devices can cause cancer and that such implants are the work of the devil. Another obstacle the RFID chip would have to face is the fear of getting the chip implanted through an injection, something that causes most people to cringe. For now, VeriChip is only marketing to the medical fields, but they say if and when people want the chip to be able to do more, such as pay for things and open locked doors, the technology will be ready to do so.

Sony, one of the world’s top companies in cool gadgets and technology, has announced a new, advanced lithium-ion battery that will last almost 4 times as long as the standard lithium ion battery. This future battery is also said to be able to charge to maximum capacity in just 30 minutes, not to mention that it can be fully recharged over 2,000 times. These batteries use lithium iron phosphate for the outer material, which allows for the enhanced lifespan as well as a faster recharge.

No word yet on pricing details or an exact release date, but it looks to be in the near future. Speculators say that the batteries will start out being used only in portable power tools, and then soon after in regular electronic devices, such as cellphones, cameras, &  flashlights.