Invisible Link

Smoke Alarm ZigBee is a new wireless technology that efficiently transmits short data messages. Smoke alarms by Freescale Semiconductor will use ZigBee and run for months on regular batteries. That way, people upstairs could get an early warning if a fire breaks out in the basement. In prototype

LocationFree TV Channel surfing is so passé. The new way to watch TV? Take Sony’s 7-in. or 12-in. LCD TV anywhere there’s a hot spot, and it will let you play movies or shows from your home DVD player, TiVo or cable box over the Internet. $1,100 to $1,500

Heart-Rate Monitor Another ZigBee design by Freescale, it will continuously monitor heart rate, even when a patient is moving around the hospital. When activated, it wirelessly transmits readings back to a base station or PDA. Look for it in the next few years. In prototype

NetDisk Drive Pack rats, have we got a drive for you! With 120 GB of storage space–enough for more than 100 hours of video–Ximeta’s megadrive lets a family with three or four computers share just about everything. And it comes with a wireless router built in, so you can cut free with a laptop. $330

Wi-Fi Mobile Phone Tired of carrying around a phone and a PDA? Motorola’s MPx opens like a traditional clamshell for calls and can be flipped open sideways, like a pager, for Web browsing and e-mail. Built-in wi-fi means speed when you really need it. Price not yet determined

Plasma TV These days, everything gets plugged into the TV–starting with the VCR, the DVD player and the cable box. Samsung’s 50-in. wi-fi plasma TV is cable free (except for power) and ready for wall mounting. Accessories get plugged into a wireless transmitter that you can hide anywhere. $10,000

Pocket PC Phone Get two great wireless options in one device. HP’s iPaq h6315 lets you hop on a wi-fi network from your home, office or a hot spot like Starbucks for a speedy connection. But if you’re out of wi-fi range, stay online via T-Mobile’s slower cellular data service. $500

Remote Control Most high-end TV remotes are too complicated for mere mortals to hook up. The Philips RC9800i is a tad easier to configure, thanks to an automated setup function. Wi-fi networking allows you to stream music from a PC to the device and even snag TV listings online. $500

AV Notebook Toss out your TV, stereo and VCR because Toshiba’s Qosmio–with its brilliant 15-in. screen, built-in Harman/Kardon speakers and TV tuner–can record TV and burn DVDs. Wi-fi and Bluetooth networking mean it’s ready for use at home, in a dorm or on the open road. From $2,600

Music Network Sonos finds the music stored on all the computers in your house and transmits it wirelessly to shoe-box-size ZonePlayers placed next to stereos or sound systems. Hand controllers can be used throughout the house for full mood control. $1,200 for starter kit