CAR handguards are the shortest - and most AR builders are moving to midlength to have better gas dynamics. It's not as hard on the internals as a carbine length sometimes turns out.
Moving to piston driven is problematic. There are some good companies going that route, even Remington introduced a new upper yesterday. None are discounted, all are proprietary, parts are hard to get. That means long waits for spares, and only at their price. The result is that you get a gun that doesn't get quite as dirty as DI - but all guns get dirty.
Free float handguards are nice for the looks, mount a lot of equipment, and do prevent a sling from moving the barrel and point of impact. They seem to be about a 1/4 MOA improver. A better quality barrel will do as much. Disappating heat is variable - AR's don't really get hot unless a lot of mags are run through quickly. If you plan to shoot 4-5 mags continuously in a string of just a few minutes, there will probably be other problems over the long run. Regardless of the handguard, things will heat up.
Fit of various combinations of handguards, gas blocks, etc is a common question - but not that many have tried them all. It's easier to get dimensions off websites and compare yourself. The vendor is the best source of info as they have tried most of them and received feedback from customers who've done things no one thought of before.
Check the SHOT 2010 threads for info on new products. Most makers hold off on announcements until the show, and they are usually the only ones with knowledge of their future plans. Since the invention of the internet, more are holding future products a lot more quiet. It seems that small groups of brand fanatics create difficulty with their complete lack of knowledge about product development and their repeated requests for instant gratification.
New products can take years to bring to the market, and it is a risk that the money spent will be lost in a resounding sales dud. The handgun market is full of examples. The new S&W .380 looks like one, too, but that's my opinion of it's looks.
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