Anyone who's ever used a Roomba robot cleaner before will know that it bumps into furniture regularly, even mounting curtains if your back is turned. This new Neato (New! Improved! Neato!) uses a Room Positioning System with its lasers, mapping the floorspace in 36-degrees so it doesn't get into trouble against your prized chaise lounge.

On sale in February, it'll cost $400. Did we mention it comes with lasers?! [Wired]

This 'Silence Amplified' concept follows the UltraSilencer model which is on sale now, but I think we all know which model we'd spring for. As it's a completely silent vacuum cleaner, you'd be able to hear the music played via the inbuilt iPod dock (guess that's a concept iPod in the dock, too?) and integrated speakers, with Electrolux claiming:

"One of the results is that vacuuming to music gets the job done faster, with less stress, and it can even result in some more calories burned."

Sure, we'll take what exercise we can get, especially if it picks up all that cat hair from the tiles. [Electrolux]

The Miele S7 has LED lights to illuminate every place it can reach while you suck pizza crumbles, Lego pieces, and dead spiders thanks to a 1,800-watt engine, built-in sensors that adjust speed and height depending on the surface, and a six-litre vacuum bag. As you can see in the video, every place really means every place: The S7 has a twisting head design that allows it to turn into every direction possible, including laying down on the floor, completely flat.

Unlike other vacuum cleaners, this one comes with all the different accessories to clean special surfaces built in its own body. No need to go to the closet to get them. Available in five different models, going from $370 to $551. [Miele via T3]

When you think of Dyson—if you think of the expensive British vacs at all—you probably think "suction." After all, the slogan "doesn't lose suction" is plastered on all of the Dyson vac marketing material. But James Dyson's first innovations were not in vacuums, but in wheelbarrows of all things. Sir James built a wheelbarrow with a ball on it—the ballbarrow—adding stability to a traditionally wobbly device.As you can see in the video above, the DC24 pivots right and left as you twist your wrist, allowing it to corner like it's on rails. It has two tiny rear wheels, but they rarely touch the floor. It's all ball.

Does that make it worth the money? It's up to you—we're not going to tell you it's the best vac in the world. It's just fun to see a product as part of an evolution, rather than some standalone brain fart. If you want to know more about Dyson's early days (he designed boats, too, including something called the seatruck), have a look at this old Core77 interview. And if you want to know how his Airblade did against the Mitsubishi Jet Towel, well, just check out our Ultimate Hand-Dryer Battlemodo. [Dyson]

Archie has had to replace the carrying strap after it broke (he replaced it with a suitcase strap) and the starter button has gone twice, but apart from that, the machine has given him no trouble. "The Goblin is a very simple design," said the 78-year-old, who only replaced his black-and-white telly with a color model two years ago. "It is a motor and a fan with a cardboard tube attached. There is little to go wrong with the cleaner, so there is very little reason why it should not go on working forever. It will probably outlive me." – Ad Dugdale

The 71-year-old vacuum cleaner that's still going strong [Daily Mail]