Sure, we’ve heard it all when it comes to Ford jokes. Found On Road Dead, Fix Or Repair Daily, etc. Say what you like about Ford, you can’t deny the coolness of their SmartGauge LCD panels in their new 2010 hybrids.

Instead of the usual boring analog dials, Ford gives you a LCD screen cluster and even some animations. Notice the fuel gauge. Nice to look at, easy to find and functional. The best part about using an LCD display is that it’s fairly customizable. You can display battery charge, GPS and Satellite radio coverage, maybe even current mp3 track information. Of course there’s the usual boring MPH and RPM indicators. They just don’t look boring.

Jamie Tomkins 2020 hybrid bicycle is a concept vehicle that came out of a GE Plastics Automotive competition. The design addresses China’s pollutions problems, since it would be constructed from cheap metals and plastics, plus the design should capture the hearts of Chinese motorists. You know, since it looks like a toy and all. It seems like a natural evolution. As a kid, you have your Big Wheel, then when you grow up you graduate to this two wheel version.

Toyota has a new take on night view in their Crown Hybrid luxury sedan. Previous attempts had images displayed directly on the windshield, while the new one uses LCD in the dashboard, where the speedometer and other details can be found. One of the most interesting features is their pedestrian recognition system.

It almost looks like some sort of Predator vision, which is weird for something designed to keep humans safe and not have them be killed. The system only currently works at speeds below 60 kph, but they are apparently working on ways to spot bicycles and animals. They neglected to say whether they were also working on a way to spot animals ON bicycles. That’s something I’d be interested in. I had some close calls.

The Suzuki Crosscage is an awesome looking hydrogen fuel cell and electric hybrid. It’s lightweight and compact with a power output equivalent to a 125cc engine. A single tank of hydrogen will get you about 200 kilometers, which is fine for commuting.

It also features a gearless transmission and a silent engine due to the power source. It gets it’s name from the cross-shaped cage used to protect the hydrogen tank. Don’t worry, it has some safety features, like a sensor that monitors the hydrogen system for any leaks. Check out the video below.

When two devices collide into one new hybrid device, the results can often be “What the hell were they thinking?”. This hybrid from Asus is one such cross-breeding experiment. It’s a flash drive from Asus that is also a wireless mouse. While it’s not the worst I’ve ever seen, I don’t see myself using this anytime soon.

Being a flash drive, it must be as bulky as it looks, so you wouldn’t want this in your pocket. As far as the mouse goes, who can use something that small? This isn’t for me, but if it pleases your tiny hands, you’ll have to wait for pricing and availability info, as we simply don’t know yet.