This handy little gadget is something that you probably use all the time in the summer months, especially if you don't have air conditioning. It sure looks different in this picture, though. Do you know what it is? Give up? It's a new bladeless electric fan from Dyson. But don't fans need blades, you might wonder? Not anymore, apparently.

This innovative new design draws air into the fan's base, forces it up through the mechanism, amplifies it and pushes it back out through the ring at the top. Since there are no blades to break up the flow, it feels like a constant, steady stream of air is rushing towards you. The strength of the air flow can be adjusted to a gentle breeze using the dimmer switch on the base. Dyson says this fan is also safer than a conventional model, since there are no whirling blades to cause injury and it's less likely to tip over because most of the weight is in the base, instead of in the top. It comes in a 10- or 12-inch model and costs around $300 for the smaller version.

photo: dyson