|
|
Technology keeps moving along at an ever increasing speed, the latest cutting-edge gadgets would have seemed like science fiction impossibilities just a few years ago. Back in 1954 a gadget enthusiast would have had to have saved very hard to be able to afford the Regency TR1 the very latest in ‘transistor’ technology that actually allowed you to carry a radio around in your own pocket for just $50.
But things move on, and 25 years later, in 1979 Sony introduced the ‘ultimate in mobile music’ the Walkman. But this was a full two years after ordinary householders entered the world of NASA technology, with the Atari 2600 Video computer system. This gave us not only Space Invaders, but also the cutting edge graphics of Pac Man.
It has been twelve years since the introduction of the PalmPilot 1000, the must have gadget of 1996 that was the last word in ‘personal data assistants’.
Modern gadgets have an incredibly high reliance on small and efficient technology that now allows us to make the seemingly impossible become practical and affordable. We all have our favourite little device that we simply could not without.
The range of modern gadget technology is incredible, with a multitude of devices that can assist in every aspect of our day-to-day life. From the highest quality audio and visual entertainment, to incredibly useful personal and business tools.
Gadgets now provide us with all kinds of helpful and entertaining technology to enhance our lives. And the truth is that gadgets tend to be ‘boys toys’ with males leading the way in purchasing these items. So what are the top 10 must have gadgets?
One thing is sure, no matter what is included in this list; everyone will have a different idea of what are the coolest gizmos on the planet. We all have our favourites, for all kinds of reasons, and we all feel passionately about these wonderful modern life enhancers. But here is our opinion of the items that you just should not be without. This listing is not in any particular order we leave it to you to decide which is the coolest.
iPhone from Apple, possibly the hippest phone available combines a widescreen iPod, mobile phone, Internet communication with email and browsing. All in a lightweight, handheld unit, that utilizes the latest software and a multi-touch display. The iPhone will allow up to eight hours of talking, and features iPod audio/video player as well as Google Maps. Internet usage, can last up to six hours, via WiFi, Edge, Bluetooth v2.0+EDR, or you can use the built in 2.0 megapixels camera. A new 3G version of the iPhone will be released in June, with a host of new features including GPS, which is sure to boost this gadgets cool factor.
Another great gadget from those clever people at Apple, is the iPod, this is a natural progression from the 50s transistor radio, and the 70s, Walkman. The big difference with the iPod is the massive amount of storage space; the Walkman could hold a one Fleetwood Mac album. The iPod features a hard drive of up to 160 GB giving it a capacity of Fleetwood Mac’s entire back catalog and around 40,000 other tracks. Slightly more advanced than the Commodore64 introduced in 1982, is the Sony Vaio VGN-AR11S. The current ultimate in mobile computing which features a Blu-ray disc drive; and a high-definition screen. It runs on the 2GHz Intel T2500, with a pair of 100GB hard drives to give plenty of storage.
The Atari 2600 seems like something cavemen would have used when compared to the Xbox 360 Elite. This ultimate gamers’ dream has a detachable 120GB hard drive that allows game enthusiasts to save not only their games but also images, TV shows, movies and additional game levels. The games now available also make Pac Man look positively medieval, with production costs and qualities that were previously only found in Hollywood movies.
TV has also moved on the new heights with Plasma Screen and High Definition beauties such as the Pioneer PDP-434HDE now giving incredible lifelike qualities to the home Theatre experience, these large screen TV’s will probably never be improved on until we all to 3D TV.
The classic (huge) grey Motorola DynaTAC 8000X cell phone was introduced in 1983 and has now developed to become the BlackBerry 8830 World Edition. This is a smartphone in every sense of the word offering CDMA and the ability to use the gadget anywhere in the world using GSM/GPRS mobile networks. This enables regular cell phone use and data receiving and sending in just one device. There is also GPS service with BlackBerry Maps as well as mobile music and more, this is one gizmo you shouldn’t leave home without.
For anyone looking for professional camera quality, look no further than the Canon EOS 20D. This state of the art digital camera offers incredible professional photo quality at an amateur price. This camera is a world away from your family, Polaroid of 20 years ago, offering 8.2 million pixels and the highest photo quality available. Sonos is the only digital music system that will play music in any, or all of the rooms of your house, while controlling it with a little hand held remote. The Sonos can take thousands of tracks stored on your PC hard drive and play them in incredible quality all over your home. This is the latest development from the classic 70’s ‘stereo’ that gives the highest quality sound, without having to have it blasting out to hear it all over the house.
Seiko Arctura Kinetic watch is a must have device for personal time keeping, designed by Jorg Hysek, this is however one area where technology does not seem to have moved on very far from the first LED watches introduced by Pulsar a full two years after man walked on the moon.
There can be little doubt that the gadget that has at most that on people’s lives around the world over the last 20 years has to be the PC. The personal computer could never have become a huge success that it is without Microsoft and their software that allows anyone with a very small amount of knowledge to use complex features and to serve the Internet.
The PC has been a revolution that has changed the lives of hundreds of millions of people across the planet. New technologies will soon see an end to the mouse and keyboard when the PC becomes truly interactive and easily used by anyone.
“I think it’s fair to say that personal computers have become the most empowering tool we’ve ever created. They’re tools of communication, they’re tools of creativity, and they can be shaped by their user.” Bill Gates