Porsche 918 Spyder: Ultimate Green Supercar Courtesy Porsche Cars North America

Gallery: Porsche 918 Spyder

The future of the car will be electrified, and the Porsche 918 Spyder concept shows just how much fun it will be. In this mid-engine supercar’s current configuration, a 3.4-liter racing V8 shares propulsion duty with three electric motors that produce a combined 218 horsepower. Together, all four powerplants create 718 horsepower and catapult the Spyder from 0 to 60 in 3.2 seconds, with a top speed of 198 mph—but if you don’t floor it, the Porsche can deliver up to 78 mpg. In E-Drive mode, the electric motors alone propel the vehicle. Three different hybrid modes allow you to choose between varying degrees of efficiency and performance.

In the unlikely event you need more power, the “E Boost” button will send a seven-second blast of current to the electric motors. Nearly 2,000 people have already signed letters of intent to buy a Spyder, and the automaker is developing it for sale, though it’s not clear when the estimated half-million-dollar car will appear on streets. In the meantime, the Spyder is already serving as a testbed for technology that will trickle down to the rest of us. Price not set.

SwiftPoint Mouse Courtesy Nick Wright/iMagic

When you use a laptop in a cramped airline seat, you have to sacrifice a mouse and use the less-accurate trackpad. The Swiftpoint, though, fits on the small, flat surface alongside the trackpad, turning your laptop into a no-compromise mobile workstation. To work in tight spaces, it uses a miniaturized version of the standard optical sensor and is held between your thumb and forefinger for precise control. $70.

E Ink Pearl Display (on a Kindle) Amazon

Apple established a market for luxurious mobile entertainment with the iPad this year. But for those of us who just want to read text on a screen, e-readers have also evolved. This year, E Ink improved the chemistry of its display’s pigment particles, resulting in a 50 percent greater contrast that makes beach reading even easier. The technology, called Pearl, was developed in partnership with chipset makers, meaning smaller, less expensive hardware can perform as well as costlier chipsets did in earlier devices. It may have been the year of the iPad, but Pearl brings the cost and legibility of e-readers closer to books than ever before.