With the 4th of July approaching, our minds turn to gadgets with lots of pyrotechnics. We recently saw a news story on MSNBC about the Frankenhorn Flamethrower Trombone. The horn has been modified with a torch and compressed air mechanism so that it now generates a 21-foot fiery blast of sound with a concussion wave of 150 feet. The trombone can still be played, but it has a mean recoil.

See the Frankenhorn in action in this YouTube video.

For golfer’s who love gadgets, golf club manufacturer PING has a new golf app that helps you improve your game with better putter strokes.

This free app works in conjunction with the PING cradle, which allows you to attach your iPhone or iPod Touch to your putter. The iPING app will then record stroke consistency, tempo and impact angle.

Find out more about the iPING Putter App and view an informational video on the PING website.

With Father’s Day just around the corner, we’ve got the perfect gift for dads who are concerned about the environment. This battery-powered lawn mower from Neuton features a Duracell rechargeable battery that lasts for up to an hour.

According to Neuton, this mower has the power to cut even wet grass. It comes with a bagger and mulch plug. Because there is no gas or oil, the Neuton mower can be folded up and stored vertically. With an estimated cost per charge of 12 cents, this mower will also save dad some money.

Find out more about this battery-powered mower on the Neuton website.

We are currently living through a gadget revolution, with increasingly powerful mobile devices and touch screens providing new forms of human-computer interaction. Although it may seem like today’s tablets, smartphones and e-book readers are entirely new inventions, the fact is they evolved from earlier technology that was often ahead of its time.

A Microsoft research scientist named Bill Buxton has amassed a collection of vintage gadgets that serves as a fascinating reminder of where many of our newest gadgets originated.  Pictured here on the left is a transistor radio designed by Dieter Rahms in 1958. It’s sleek, functional design and innovate scroll wheel was the inspiration for several generations of the iPod (seen on the right).

Read more about Bill Buxton’s old gadget collection on the Atlantic Monthly website.