Some Joker once asked, "Where does he get those wonderful toys?" Think about it for a second: Besides enjoying a healthy night life, the Caped Crusader is probably the biggest gadget freak on the planet (our own Dan Tynan excepted, of course). As a fashion plate bedecked with nifty electronic doodads and as owner of a cave full of other cool hardware, Batman is the kind of gizmo enthusiast we can get behind.

So, in honor of the July 18 release of "The Dark Knight," the new Batman movie, we've assembled some potential crime-fighting support gear worthy of a couple of late-night sorties through Gotham City.

All you need now is a traumatic childhood incident and a lifetime of martial arts training. Don't get any funny ideas.

DISCLAIMER: PC World makes no promises that assembling said gadgets will make you a bete noire (or bat noire) to the criminal element in your metropolis. Do not attempt to jump from high buildings, fashion a Lycra outfit to wear outside the house, or--under any circumstances--put on underwear outside your pants. --Darren Gladstone

Holy Shuttlecock, Batman: The Flee Flying Digital Camera

Okay, I think Batman would be interested in this little gizmo that you toss and watch as it takes pictures at predetermined intervals during its flight through the air. The tail of the Flee Flying Digital Camera is designed to keep it stable; and the designer, Hakan Bogazpinar, envisions that the Flee would use Bluetooth to send the photos back to your mobile phone. Batman would obviously be in a position to throw the Flee from more-interesting places (the sides of tall buildings, under Gotham City bridges, etc.), but we wouldn't mind just tossing this around our local park.

Unfortunately, so far, the Flee is just a concept device, but perhaps Bruce Wayne and his millions could get involved! --Anne B. McDonald

Bat Army Knife

Batman has a gadget for just about everything on his renowned utility belt, right? Well, what if you had a single gadget that contained just about everything. Wenger's Giant Swiss Army Knife V1.0, (which makes me fear the prospect of a Service Patch), comprises 85 implements with 110 functions. Oh, sure, you can do pedestrian stuff like unscrewing the bolts connecting the Joker's latest death-device, cutting through ropes when the Scarecrow ties you down, or hotwiring the Batmobile because Aunt Harriet lost the keys.

But what about during off-hours? That's when Bruce Wayne will appreciate the golf divot repair tool and the cupped cigar cutter attachments. Besides, who else is gonna spring for this US$1499 monstrosity? --Darren Gladstone

The Perfect Batphone?

Could Batman use a touch-screen phone with his Batgloves? That has yet to be determined, but in terms of its sheer looks (and flashy ad campaign), the HTC Touch Diamond looks to be a perfect fit for Bruce Wayne's alter ego. It'll take a trans-Pacific journey via Batmobile and Batboat to pick one up--they're available only in Taiwan--but this sleek 3G Windows Mobile phone has

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