thought this yahoo article would be of interest to viewers of this thread
Top 10 gadgets of 2009
Tom Royal
Thu 10 Dec 10:41 GMT
This last year has been a remarkable one for technology, and particularly small pocket-sized gadgets: from web-surfing smartphones to miniscule music players and tiny laptops, we've seen many brilliant new products vying for your disposable income. Here's our selection of the very best 10 gadgets from 2009, hand picked by the experts at Computeractive magazine.
1. Apple iPhone 3GS
Apple's iPhone 3G was a great smartphone but the 3GS, launched this year, is one of the best we've ever seen. Although it looks much the same as the 3G this latest version has a better camera, can record video clips and can be controlled by speaking into the microphone. And with more power inside it's also faster when surfing the web and better at playing 3D games.
2. HTC Hero
2009 has been a year dominated by smartphones and the Hero, alongside Palm's Pre and Apple's iPhone 3GS, is one of the finest. It's not the first phone to use Google's Android operating system, but by packing it into a sleek case with a large touch-screen, HTC produced the first great Android phone. It's a great way to surf the web, download applications, play music or even make the odd call.
3. Asus Eee PC 1005HA
This year saw tiny netbook computers move from gadgets for geeks to mainstream success. Asus started the trend with its original Eee PC, and its new 1005HA sums up everything that's great about the latest models. It's small and sleek with a fast wireless connection and a 10.1in LED backlit display, but most important is the battery: this little computer will run and run, lasting well over six hours on one charge.
4. Flip Mino HD 8GB
When Apple announced that it was packing a video camera into its iPod Nano music player, video camera makers had to act quickly - and Flip Video was impressively fast to respond. Its newest, updated pocket camcorder has a large 2in screen, a brushed metal body, two hours of video storage and can connect to your TV via HDMI. And, just like the older model, it records high-definition 720p video.
5. Sony X-Series Walkman
Sony's Walkman brand has had a tough time of late, with Apple's iPod dominating the portable music player market, but the X-Series marks a return to form. It has a 3in wide touch-screen but can also be controlled with buttons when in a pocket, can connect via WiFi to show websites or Youtube videos, and provides noise cancellation with any headphones. And, of course, it sounds great.
6. Palm Pre
One of the most eagerly awaited gadgets of the year, Palm's newest phone is one of the few that can rival Apple's iPhone range. It's small and sleek but packs both a multi-touch screen and, unlike the iPhone, a slide-out keyboard. Its WebOS software is simple to use and can run several applications at once - a trick lacking from Apple's products.
7. Sony Vaio X
Over the last few years we've seen quite a few thin laptops, from Apple's Macbook Air to the Dell Adamo, but the Sony Vaio X is the first to literally stop us in our tracks. This tiny computer packs an 11.1in LED-backlit screen into a case that's just over half an inch tall and weighs just 655 grams
8. iPod Shuffle
Apple's first iPod Shuffle was, unusually for the company, slightly ugly. The second generation was far prettier, but this latest edition is remarkable. With all buttons now removed in favour of voice control the Shuffle is now so tiny you could probably swallow it, and its metal body with a handy clip feels very sturdy. The only downside is its headphones: with all controls on the headphone cable, replacement options are limited.
9. Nikon Coolpix S1000PJ
At first glance the S1000PJ might look like just another pocket camera: it shoots 12.1-megapixel photos, has a 5x optical zoom lens and optical image stabilisation. Push the slider control on the top, though, and the extra lens on the front suddenly makes sense as the camera projects your photos up to 2m onto a wall or screen. You won't find any other camera in the world that can do this, and it works surprisingly well.
10. Nvidia 3D Vision Kit
2009 has been a breakthrough year for 3D, with most manufacturers showing off plans for new 3D TV sets, but most won't arrive on the high street until next year at the earliest. If you have a PC, though, you can get a 3D gaming experience today. This kit includes the necessary glasses, transmitter and software, works with most recent Nvidia graphics cards and is far cheaper than a new 3D display.
love my htc hero 
