10 Prototypes Your Money Can't Buy (Yet)

BOSTON (MainStreet) -- Money can't buy happiness. It also can't buy the latest and greatest cars and gizmos.

Before high-tech toys hit the market, they begin life as a prototype, a workable mock-up of the eventual product. These creations are often the source of breathless fanboy blog leaks or, in the case of Apple's(AAPL) iPhone 4, something an errant engineer can accidentally leave behind in a bar.

In many cases, these are nearly complete and polished forebears of what's on the way to store shelves and dealer lots. Others are more exotic, more forward-thinking and not ready for prime time.

Just as the fashions that prowl the catwalks of Paris are sometimes meant more for inspiration than to be wearable, the mock-ups of things to come are merely glimpses of what could be. The cars may not be road tested and the technologies may still be years away from being useful. Enjoy them from afar because, short of breaking the bank or breaking into R&D, there's no way to get your hands on these sneak peaks ahead of the shopping rabble.