Gadgets Galore

Even as the tech industry grappled with difficult times, 2002 has had its share of breakthroughs in consumer electronics and personal devices. While companies struggled with downturns in the economy, many of them managed to push technology up a few notches by offering smaller, more useful and more powerful devices.

A number of new technology and connectivity standards have also emerged this year, exploring new ways for us to stay connected.

Here’s 2002’s most impressive gadgets, devices and emerging technologies.

• Wi-Fi or IEEE 802.11 Wireless Networks. Wi-Fi allows users to connect to each other and to the Internet wirelessly through relatively inexpensive antennas and base stations (some of which can be homemade from Pringle’s potato chip canisters). Wi-Fi "hot spots" in coffee shops as well as in more adventurous Internet cafés have started springing up in the country, making it possible for handheld and portable PC users to check their e-mail and surf the Web without wires. Some manufacturers are thinking of integrating Wi-Fi directly out of the box with new laptops – a good idea since it enables a connectivity standard that’s certain to catch on in a big way.

• Tablet PCs. Recently released Tablet PCs are expected to give users yet another computing platform aside from desktops, notebooks and handheld devices. Powerful but still immature, Tablet PCs rely on handwriting recognition, run scaled-down versions of Windows XP and can last for about three hours per charge. Some models can be integrated into keyboards and peripherals, while others come in laptop form but their screens can be detached from the keyboard. A lot of work still needs to be done in refining this platform, but at least, it’s there as an option.

• New World Operating Systems. Apple’s Mac OSX, codenamed Jaguar, and Microsoft’s XP Professional are just two of the advanced operating systems that run PCs better and more efficiently. These new operating systems have the power to maximize the latest processors and more importantly, crunch not just data but also multimedia. Win XP and OS X are more stable, crash-proof and intuitive than their predecessors. These systems are also the most elegant users have seen in a long time. Their plug-and-play capabilities with MP3 players, digital cameras, videocams and organizers truly enable the digital hub concept.

• Next-Generation Gaming Consoles. Sony’s Playstation 2, Nintendo’s GameCube and Microsoft’s Xbox have redefined the console gaming front with monster machines that take video, audio and gameplay to previously unknown levels. The Xbox is at the top of the food chain in this contest because its hardware is powerful and so brutally fast, although it does seem to lack in titles next to the venerable PlayStation 2. The GameCube is a fantastic gaming machine, no DVD or excess frills and also no piracy due to Nintendo’s proprietary disc format and size, which are unorthodox. GameCube’s problem is the perception that its games are mainly for children. Next year should see these devices having online gaming capabilities which, coupled with broadband connections, could open up new avenues in global Internet-based gaming. Their biggest hurdles: piracy and hacked games sold at a tenth of their original prices, especially for PS2 and XBox.

• All-in-One PCs. Apple did the world a favor by introducing the new flat panel G4 iMac and the G4 eMac personal computers, which set a standard on what computer designers should be aiming for – an all-in-one design, powerful processors, built-in software and CDRW drive plus an element of design chic that brings personality to the whole package. So far, other PC makers are trying to follow suit. Makers are hoping that prices for LCD flat screens stabilize so that the gargantuan CRTs can be retired; this would also eliminate the need for a separate monitor.

• Hybrid Devices. 2002 has been a good year for hybrids aiming to serve the purpose of two or more devices. Handspring’s Treo line of cellphone, pager and full-featured PDAs proved to be quite popular although clumsy to use as did Smart phones running the PocketXP operating system from Microsoft. Phone makers, on the other hand, launched models that organized and surfed the Net out of the box. Other contenders include SideKick from Danger Inc. and Sony Ericsson’s P800. The dilemma right now is that these devices run on multiple standards and have a hard time communicating with each other. The good news is we can expect more hybrids in 2003. Hopefully this time around, they will be easier to handle and will actually work like integrated devices, as promised.

• Powerful Portable Computers. 2002 has seen its share of the slickest, thinnest, fastest and most connected notebooks and sub-portables ever imagined. Standouts are the Apple G4 PowerBook 1Ghz with a built-in combo DVD-CDROM burner, Sony’s impressive VAIO range of sub- and slim portables, and IBM’s Pentium IV charged monster A Series workhorses. Most PCs being bought by new users are portables – a good indication of things to come. Prices for laptops are, thankfully, also falling. Buying a portable makes sense these days as performance is near desktop level and there’s just nothing better than taking your work with you wherever you go.

• Digital Cameras. Digital cameras have been gaining unprecedented popularity. There’s just so much variety to choose from. 2002’s models ranged from super-slim models to bulky but multi-featured cameras. Sony, Canon, Minolta, Fuji and Nikon are just a few of the makers turning out notable 2.0 to 5.0 megapixel models that can take hundreds of stills and even short videos on a full charge. Online e-photo posting services have boomed and traditional photo-development shops have embraced this revolution by extending digital camera printing services at prices comparable to those offered to owners of manual cameras.

• PDAs and Handheld PCs. From Palm’s no-frills Zire personal digital assistant and organizer to its sexy Tungsten flagship, from second-generation HP iPaqs to Asus’ 400Mhz Pocket Monster called MyPal, handheld computers have developed sleeker styling and refined application sets and can now seen almost everywhere. 2002’s models have seen more high-definition colored screens, powerful ARM processors, extended battery life, expansion via third-party Compact Flash cards or SmartMedia cards, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi capabilities and a growing library of useful programs and applications.

Sony’s newest Clie’ Palm computers even integrate video capture right out of the box and boast increased speed, storage capabilities and multimedia options such as MP3 playback. The downside of these pocket wonders is their price tag that sometimes can surpass that of a cloned desktop PC with acceptable specs.

• Cellular Phones. Cellular phones are still the gadgets to beat. Now with improved features and brighter color screens, the latest cellphones have evolved beyond being simple communication devices to being do-it-all tools. Nokia, Sony-Ericsson, Siemens, Sendo, Motorola, Philips and other makers have come up with models capable of surfing the Web through WAP (Wireless Application Protocol) 2.0 via GPRS (General Packet Radio Service) networks. High-end models can shoot digital images that can be shared via the fledgling MMS (Multimedia Messaging Service), work as world phones through built-in tri-band technologies, and integrate PDA-like calendaring functions and scheduling capabilities.

Moreover, increased battery life, larger memory capacities and exciting new industrial designs have pushed the cellphone beyond the time when it was just a boxy and uninspiring object. Look at the latest handsets and you will see innovative materials and ergonomic features such as joysticks for navigation and flip-keyboards for faster data input.

Designs range from the stylish to the outrageous but there is just so much variety that there are cellphone models for every conceivable type of character and personality. 3G, with its high-speed access and multimedia capabilities, is still some time away, but handsets are on the right track. Key features to look forward to in 2003 are larger, clearer screens, the proliferation of polyphonic tones, downloadable content such as games and programs plus the surge of MMS messaging as cheaper color models with built-in cameras hit the market.