Gadgets

An Instant Camera with Real Options

Throwback appeal aside, there's something innately enjoyable about snapping a shot with a Polaroid-style film camera and watching as your photo slides out. The rechargeable Fujifilm Instax Mini 90 offers all the instant gratification along with a number of modern functions (double-exposure mode, macro setting) to help your old-school photos print with more clarity. [$200; fujifilm.com]...

The World Cup-Caliber Soccer Ball

As legions of pro soccer players from around the globe prep for World Cup 2014 in Brazil, Sunday leaguers can taste a little of the looming action with Adidas's official tournament ball, dubbed the Brazuca, a slangy portmanteau of Brazilian and bazooka. Unlike, say, baseballs, different models of soccer balls perform completely differently: Some are slippery, others curve, and some bruise players feet. That's why the introduction of a new tournament ball is such a big deal for fans. Like its predecessor, the universally despised and notoriously unstable Jabulani, the Brazuca will affect the tournament's outcome. This time around Adidas…

The Washable Headphones

There are certain problems in life we aren't even aware of before we are presented with a solution. Take headphone filth: Urbanears' new machine-washable Humlan headphones don't accumulate sweat stains, hair products, and hat lint. They sound better for being free of both static and static cling. Humlans come in a wide palette of colors, and keeping them looking reasonably new is as simple as periodically unsnapping the fabric and chucking it in the laundry. If that were the end of the story it would be fine, but at just $49, these are also surprisingly full-bodied headphones well-suited to pop…

The Indoor Biker's Workout Buddy

For serious cyclists, winter is indoor training season. Having a way to track your watts, a measure of burned calories, is the only way to make sure you're ready for next spring. Enter the Bkool trainer, which offers pedalers the chance to actively compete against friends and, well, rivals online. The kit includes several components that all work in tandem. First, there's the trainer itself, which snaps on the rear quick release of your bike and keeps you from accelerating into the wall. The trainer changes resistance level automatically as you pedal. There's also a cadence sensor that helps you…

The Fully Equipped Folding Bike

Quick to collapse yet tough enough to handle most roads, the smooth-shifting Tern Eclipse S18 comes with such commute-enhancing add-ons as a wheel-powered 150-lumen light and a seat post that doubles as a tire pump. [$2,100; ternbicycles.com]...

A Do-It-All Duffel

MJ Approved: Gear Lab Consider the Owen & Fred Work Hard, Play Hard Duffel your knock-around bag for the New Year. The 23-liter canvas-and-nylon satchel is perfect for the gym or a long weekend, and it's priced right. Buy two. [$96; owenandfred.com]...

Heat-Trapping Workout Wear

MJ Approved: Gear Lab Under Armour ColdGear Infrared – a collection that includes everything from golf wear to running apparel – features thermo-conductive pods in the lining that absorb your body heat to keep you better insulated during cold-weather workouts. It's an effective enhancement that warms without adding bulk. [From $35; underarmour.com]...

Taran Killam's Other Comic Career

Daniel Zuchnik / Getty Images If you've ever wondered how James Bond somehow went through his entire career without ever having a child, you're not alone. Saturday Night Live star Taran Killam turned that idea into the origin of his new six-issue comic book series The Illegitimates, in which the children of a famous spy are recruited to battle his arch nemesis. "I'm like, 'If they're going to town, there's no way he's being safe,'" Killam says of Bond and Pussy Galore's rendezvous at the end of Goldfinger. "Then there's The World Is Not Enough, the one with Denise Richards…

The Enlightened Headlamp

MJ Approved: Gear Lab Black Diamond ReVolt Headlamp Once the sole province of coal miners and spelunkers, headlamps have become de rigueur for savvy campers. And like other commonplace gadgets, the once simple devices have gone remarkably high-tech in recent years. Low-wattage incandescent bulbs have been replaced by high-power, low-cost LEDs, and smart functionality has been built in, including emergency signals, strobes, and night-friendly red lighting. The Black Diamond ReVolt Headlamp is a full-featured model that adds even more welcome refinements, including the unique ability to use regular and rechargeable batteries. The brightest headlamp we've had the pleasure of using…

The World's Best Speaker?

Courtesy Photo Meridian DSP7200 Meridian's DSP7200s are likely the best stereo speakers you will ever hear. They are also almost certainly the most expensive you might ever consider investing in – they retail for a stratospherically high $35,000 a pair, after all. For those with the means and the inclination, however, they offer an exceptional audio experience that has few equals. The DSP7200's obvious and imposing physical attributes – each speaker is a towering 43 inches high and almost 14 inches wide – is matched by an alluring design: The rounded edges of the glossy shell look more like sculpture…