Here's how it works: You stand on a skateboard, which contains a wireless controller with real-time sensors, while wearing 3-D virtual-reality goggles with earphones.

As you move on the board, its sensors determine what scenes and sounds you'll experience through the goggles.

The $99.95 set automatically keeps score (no cheating!) and can be set for different levels of play.

It runs on three AAA batteries and one 9-volt battery.

Information: technoscout.com

KDS introduces new notebooks

KDS USA is introducing a new line of notebooks — the Valiant 6000G series — with Windows XP Professional and 1-gigahertz Intel Pentium III processors. Depending on the model, the notebooks offer up to 256 megabytes of RAM, a 20-gigabyte hard drive, a 14.1-inch TFT XGA color screen, a 56K modem, built-in Ethernet networking, a Lithium Ion battery and DVD-ROM or DVD/CD-rewritable drives.

The notebooks are about one inch thick and weigh just over six pounds. Prices range from $1,299 for the 681DP with DVD-ROM drive to $1,599 for the 681XH with a DVD/CD-rewritable drive.

Some models are in stores now, including Wal-Mart, Office Depot and Microcenter; others are due out next month.

Information: kdsusa.com

Maps on your Palm

Anyone who has ever unfolded and then tried to refold a map can appreciate the PalmPak Travel Card: Rand McNally Road Atlas for select Palm organizers. This handy 16-megabyte expansion module contains road travel information for the 48 states within the continental United States.

It delivers city-to-city driving directions, calculates driving times and distances for more than 12,000 communities, and can list basic information about hotels, restaurants, stores and other businesses near more than 10,000 highway exits.

The card costs $39.95 and is compatible with Palm's m505, m500 and m125 handheld computers.

Information: randmcnally.com/store

Techno fun with the Boy Genius

Jimmy Neutron may not be a wizard like Harry Potter, but the animated character in the new Nickelodeon film can perform plenty of magical feats nonetheless.

Fans of the film can pretend to be Jimmy in the "Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius" titles for the PC and Game Boy Advance.

As kids play these games from THQ, they can try Jimmy's shrink ray gun, grappling hook, rocket ship, jet pack backpack and even turn Goddard, the dog, into a scooter and a helicopter. In the $29.95 PC title, kids 8 and up guide Jimmy through seven levels of adventures. In the $34.95 Game Boy version, they explore 24 levels and compete in four racing games.

Information: thq.com

LapLounger ideal for traveling worker

Despite its name, the LapLounger is designed to help you get more work done when using a laptop computer. Its foldable piece of plastic has a nonskid surface that helps keep your notebook PC from slipping and sliding off your lap and other surfaces. It also has built-in channels that help vent the laptop's heat up and away from your lap. The laptop platform, which measures 12fl inches wide and 10› inches deep, can be adjusted up or down to suit different users. The LapLounger costs $29.95 and is available in tangerine, blueberry and black.