The system itself will set you back $80,000, no pool table included. At the Esquire Ultimate Bachelor Pad, where it's currently set up, it's projecting on a $125,000 pool table. Bottom line: you can't afford it.

In addition to this setup, where the balls reveal an image hidden underneath, you can also set it up to have flames track behind the balls, or water that ripples as the balls pass over it. It's a pretty awesome trick, one that works surprisingly smoothly.

They're working on new software that will make it more useful than flashy, too. Imagine playing pool and having the lines where you should shoot projected down on the table, with a computer doing all the math necessary to show you just where to aim and how hard to hit. Pretty sweet.

[Esquire Soho]

What's also cool is that the technology has spun off an augmented reality projection. It basically lets you cheat and line up shots like you can playing a pool video game. I'm betting it won't be long until we see that sort of thing show up in night spots where drunk folk can appreciate the eye candy. Oh, and unless you're a handbag trance fan, turn down your speakers for the video. [Deep Green via GrunchGear and Boing Boing Gadgets]

But what would something like this be like to drive I wonder? Like a cross between a car, inline skates and a unicycle I bet. Hmmm, that sounds better than my car too. [Hurricane Billiards via Autoblog via Born Rich]

Indeed. Throw some alcohol into the mix here and you have a perfect storm of potential disasters—everything from electrocution to ruining a perfectly good iPod. Still, if you are willing to take the risk, the iPod Stereo Pool Oasis can be had for $200. [Hammacher via Coolest Gadgets via DVICE]

The X-wing (pictured here) is not only 5-feet long; it includes a water cannon. Couple that aqua weaponry with a few "pew pew" noises and you've got yourself a second degree sunburn before anyone even pulls out the Death Star beach ball.

Seriously, I'm calling a do-over to my childhood. But I can wait until Power Wheels releases a line of working mini Tie Fighters. [StarWars via OhGizmo!]

This $3400 piece of furniture keeps all your pool accessories tucked away, so that when your not hustling friends and family for money, your newly acquired Jacksons are the only thing you have to look at. And when you are hustling friends and family, there's even a spot for them to sit while they watch you run the table. It's a win-win situation! [Leather Cue Bench via BallerHouse via Born Rich via Dvice]

Under the film surface, meant to emulate the felt top of a regular pool table, is safety glass. It's 3/4 of an inch thick, and the bumpers are standard, so I suppose it's safe enough to play on. But maybe I just want someone to sink that 8 ball so hard, the entire thing shatters. Saving that, some director should use one in a bar gunfight scene. [Baller House via Nottage Design via Born Rich - Thanks A.J.!]

The whole thing is a little slapdash due to the budget limitations of the students who made it, but it's even more impressive when you consider the means they had to work with.

The limiting factor of our implementation was hardware. Unfortunately, projectors and web cameras with adequate wide angle lenses are priced outside of our means, and as such, we found that we needed to use key-stoning algorithms to correct for the fact that the camera was located in the corner of the room, rather than above the pool table, and had to use a very large mirror mounted to the ceiling to allow enough room for the projector to display on the whole table. The mirror introduced further issue insomuch as a mirror, glued to a large piece of plywood and hung upside down does not tend to be flat. And as a result, we had to account for those distortions in our code as well.

It’s also worth noting that the code was designed using Microsoft Visual studio 2005 as an embedded OS project for an e-Box 2300.

If they had better cameras and projectors running through a faster machine, it could be a pretty amazing teaching/cheating tool. [Project Page via Hackaday]

According to the manufacturers, the Aurora Pool Table has been "specially designed to replicate the play found on a commercial pub style British pool table", which I'm sure means that a) is compliant with the pool rules in that country and b) comes with a five gallon bottle filled with a mix of urine, old beer, and fried pork grease mixture, so you can spray your carpet and furniture until it really feels like a real British pub. Without the drunk lads.

• Replicates playfield dimensions of 6ft slate bed British pool table
• Pocket sizes the same as found on British pool table
• Commercial standard cushions
• Hard wearing commercial standard Blue cloth
• Blue LED flood lights in the pockets
• Specially designed Pool Cue "Holster" for storing cues
• Reversible dining top - can be used as a dining top or a card table top
• Ball return system
• Adjustable feet levelers to ensure a level play surface
• Accessories include 2 x 48" cues, a set of Red & Yellow balls, Chalk, Triangle, Brush

Unfortunately, it's only available in (Great!) Britain. [Liberty Games]

While it only has 1GB of storage space, this shouldn't be too big of a problem since the 1.8-inch screen can only show off videos at a resolution of 128x128 and at a rate of 15-fps. No word on price yet, but who cares how much it costs when you fulfill your lifelong dream of watching porn at the bottom of the pool?

• Memory: 1GB • Display: 1.8 Inch Color LCD • Video Format: AMV •Conversion formats: MPEG, WMV, ASF • Video Resolution: 128x128 • FPS (Frames per Second): 15fps • Music Format: WMA, MPEG • Bit rate: MPEG 32-192Kbps WMA 5-384Kbps • Picture Format: JPEG • Record Format: WAV • Earphone Jack: 3.5mm • SNR (Signal to Noise Ratio): >75dB • Output of earphones: 2x5mW(32Ohms) • Languages: English, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, French, Italian, German, Spanish, Portuguese, Denmark, Dutch, Polish, Russian, Turkish, Czech • USB: 2.0 full speed • System: Windows 98/ SE/ ME/ 2000/ XP, Mac OS 10, Linux 2.4.2 • Power Source: Built-in Rechargeable Lithium Battery • Dimension: 105x50x22mm (LxWxD)

Other Features:

• Waterproof (up to 3 Meters. Must keep the Earphones in while submerged in order to keep inside components dry)
• Waterproof High Quality Earphones
• 3 hours recharging time
• 6 Hours Playback

Accessories:

• User Manual
• Waterproof Earphones
• USB
• Power Adapter
• Mini CD with Driver and Conversion Software
• High Quality Armband
• Neck strap

This Aquavee portable swim system offers similar benefits, allowing you to "swim in any style at any time" and continue swimming as long as you're able to keep flopping and kicking. It works by using a harness and suction cups to hold you in place. Suction cups are, as you know, the world's most secure way to attach something, so you know this is going to work forever. On the bright side, you won't have to plant stakes into the ground—something that's not quite kosher if you live in an apartment complex like us. [Aquavee]

When the 12-inch gizmo is floating in the pool, its photovoltaic panel converts the sunlight into a harmless, low-power electricity current. The current then energizes a specially alloyed mineral electrode, causing the release of mineral ions into the water. This ionized water controls the growth of micro-organisms naturally and efficiently, it says.

One Floatron is powerful enough to clean a 40,000-gallon pool. And on top of that, your kids can use it as the most expensive Frisbee ever made—although I am waiting for one of you to send me a link to a bling-studded disc commissioned long ago by P. Diddy to play Fetch with La Lopez.

Solar Pool Cleaner [Go Sun Solutions]

Plus, when you're done playing pool and want to switch to tennis, the gigantic pointy stick will make your swings even more deadly to your opponents.

Product Page [GoldneShopvia DCEmu via Kotaku]

Sure, $4,000 is a lot of money, but it's pennies compared to remodeling your pool to fit more than two old dudes and some kids. – Jason Chen

Product Page [Hammacher via Red Ferret via Geekologie]

The cue's actually a great idea to get beginners into the action quicker, since it's no fun to lose all the time no matter what game you're playing. Which is why we stopped playing Gears of War with Travis. – Jason Chen

Product Page [CueSight via Coolest Gadgets]

Floating golf, floating table tennis, what's next, floating foosball? I hope, foosball rocks. –Travis Hudson

Product Page [Via OhGizmo!]

Product Page [Via ubergizmo]