We need this tech everywhere, right now (pictures)

During my travels in Asia, I encountered plenty of everyday tech that I wish I had at home, like this amazing Handy phone.

The Handy phone brand outfits 37,000 hotel rooms in Hong Kong and Singapore with low-powered devices that help navigate and inform foreign travelers for free -- they're just included in the price of your stay.

Stop pressing germ-slicked buttons when you want to cross the street. In Hong Kong, wave your hand in front of a yellow box like this to keep your fingertips bacteria-free.

CNET editor Aloysius Low showed me Singapore's smart trash cans. In trial now, units like this track how much waste they collect, and signal sanitation workers to come empty the bin.

Beijing's airport has these Microsoft Windows-powered kiosks that I used to check on my flight and learn more about the airport.

Here, a passport scanner and phone help you get personal, and dial for deeper assistance.

Since I can select my language and pick from any number of options (like finding food once on the other side of security), this digital information desk was more convenient for simple tasks than waiting my turn at a staffed desk.

I found global adapter outlets like this in my hotels in China, Singapore and Seoul, South Korea -- but I don't tend to see them in the US or Europe, and that's too bad. They were extremely convenient, though I would keep an eye on devices overheating -- they may not all convert electricity equally well.

Affixed to almost every table in South Korea is a button to summon your waitstaff, for instance when you want to order, need more tea, or think it's time to collect the bill. Some even have a dedicated beer-reorder button!

I love these simply because I get impatient trying to flag waitstaff down, first with my eyes and later with waving hands. I've seen a few of these in Korean restaurants in the US, but I think they'd be useful everywhere.

Smart toilets fascinate me, and they're pretty common in high-end spots. Here at Samsung headquarters is one of theirs.

The electronic bidet seat lets you control where you want to shoot the cleaning spray and at which intensity. (But my favorite part is the seat warmer.) Read more about my trip here.