Even water bottles can be reinvented with new technology. Platypus has done just that with their new, flexible SoftBottle. This reusable, BPA-free bottle is completely flexible. Stow it in a drink holder or pocket when full. When empty, just roll it up and pack it away. The eco-friendly SoftBottle weights 80% less than other water bottles and it comes in a variety of shapes, colors and sizes. Find out more at the Platypus website.

Since Apple announced its new iPad tablet device earlier this year, rumors have been swirling about when it will officially go on sale. The latest rumors are saying that March 26 will be the first date that the Apple iPad will be availabe in the Apple Store. According to Apple, the iPad without 3G will begin shipping in late March, with the iPad 3G version coming out 30 days later.

The iPad is expected to compete with Amazon’s Kindle in the e-book market.  It will also run apps for the iTunes App Store, like the iPhone Touch.  The iPad will play music and video with its built-in iPod.

The Doodle-Track Car is small enough to fit in the palm of your hand, but it packs hours of entertainment. This small toy car has the amazing ability to follow any dark line, either printed or drawn with a marker or crayon. You can design and print track layouts on the Doodle-Tracker website, or drawn freeform tracks. The Doodle-Tracker Car was named by Popular Science magazine as one of the best toys at the 2010 International Toy Show. It retails for $14.99.

NASA and GM have unveiled a joint a new dexterous humanoid robot called Robonaut2 (nickname R2). Developed at NASA’s Johnson Space Center, the robot is designed to work side-by-side with humans, either in manufacturing plants or on missions in space. In factories, R2 will be able to take over some of the repetitive jobs that cause long-term injuries to humans. In outer space, this robot can take over some of the more dangerous tasks. Vision sensors in R2’s head and pressure sensors in its fingers allow it to work with a high degree of precision.

See amazing footage of R2 in action in this YouTube video and read more details in the NASA and GM Press Release.