Well it looks like the age of star wars is almost here. The funny thing is, this isn't really new. My hero and avatar Nikola Tesla laid down the foundations for beam weapons 100 years ago. Of course, they won't give him credit for it. Anyway, check out this link: http://www.prisonplanet.com/articles/january2006/120106beamweapons.htm
ancient greeks had a beam weapon 2000 years ago. Fittingly called Archimedes death ray: http://web.mit.edu/2.009/www/lectures/10_ArchimedesResult.html
Its funny you should mention Archimedes. I just downloaded a documentary about him I'm going to watch this evening. The Greeks were so advanced. My history teacher one day told the class while I was in college that if the Greeks had stopped fighting with one another and worked together, they could have begin sending rockets into space by the 15th century. Can you imagine where that would put us today?
For $1749 you can have your very own laser gun: http://www.amazing1.com/burning-lasers.htm (scroll to the bottom) I've been daydreaming about this one for years. Price hasn't changed much. And then there's the MegaZooka Air Gun... http://www.thinkgeek.com/geektoys/warfare/729d/
Interesting stuff, especially about the beam weapons. I think I saw that magnify the sun stuff on Mythbusters.