Home And Appliances

This week we present a hot water-dispensing fridge, Peanuts-themed iPhone/iPad cases, an outdoor TV, a skinny smart phone, a 24-megapixel D-SLR, a literally handy iPad stand and a literally Jammin' ecologically-correct boombox, and a Web site where you can sell it all a few years from now.

Technology isn't always about, well, technology. Sometimes it's about how you package the technology. This week's top gadgets include ergonomic innovations that improve an iPad case, an external hard drive, a Webcam, a video baby monitor, a vacuum cleaner and even an alarm clock.

No more calls, we have a winner. After years of searching, I've found the best sub-$100 in-ear earphones. I've also found waterproof smart phone cases that can accommodate nearly any make/model, a new automatic espresso machine, a Kermit clock radio, and colorful cases for the Amazon Kindle Fire.

Our dens and offices are filled with hip tech, but our kitchens and utility rooms lag far behind those in Europe. For one thing, with strict EU energy efficiency standards, they are all about power and water savings. Here are examples of Europe's appliance superiority from last week's IFA in Berlin.