Useful Gadgets

There are any number of tech gadgets on the market today, and honestly, I cannot understand why some of them were created and marketed. Well, okay...it's all about money. But beyond that, the utilitarian value of some devices is just not present, or, by the time the product reaches the market, it may already be obsolete or supplanted by something else.

Here are a few examples of devices that have little use, in my opinion:

• Camera phones - fun for teenagers and voyeurs; resolution so low that practical applications for commercial use are limited;
• Ringtones - switch to 'vibrate only', and let others enjoy the silence;
• iPods with 20-40GB drives - who needs to store 5-10,000 music downloads?
• TiVo - I never watched the TV shows that I recorded with my VCRs; why would I need 80GB of recorded TV?
• Satellite Radio - great for long distance truck drivers, but for the rest of us, just put a custom-mixed CD in the car player...no monthly fee.
• Subwoofers in cars and pickup trucks...enough said.

As for 'Useful Gadgets', there is a long list, so let me cite a few examples (click on the highlighted text for a direct link):

• Smartphones - 'PDA' phones with Palm OS or Windows; all-in-one devices with e-mail capability, and perhaps, WiFi and Bluetooth built in. WiFi for walking around the office or airport; Bluetooth for the wireless earpiece. BlackBerry 7100-series and the new Treo 650 are good examples. Some have MP3 capability, so that users can listen to music and look like they are working.
• Video-conferencing - Microsoft's Netmeeting is still one of the most useful tools for videoconferencing, and anyone with a high-speed connection, an inexpensive webcam, and a microphone can use it. Great for small companies with remote offices, and for traveling workers, but also useful for people that just want to stay in touch. Easy to set up...
• VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) - a few excellent programs have made it to the mass market. Skype is easy to use, and free. Again, high speed connection required, but calls to any other Skype users (PC-to-PC) anywhere in the world is free. Users will need a headset/microphone, available from retailers for about $15 (USD). Another provider is FreeWorldDialup (FWD). FWD utilizes a softphone (xTen software phone) that appears on screen, and users simply dial up other users for free. StanaPhone provides a similar service with a free USA telephone number, and free voicemail.
• Satellite TV - for the convenience of location. I also like cable networks like Charter Communications that combine cable TV and broadband Internet for a reasonable monthly subscription. Dump the landline and go VoIP, but beware of some limitations.
• Digital Cameras - not quite the quality of film, but the versatility and immediate gratification-factor more than make up for it. With a 3 megapixel or greater camera, good quality point-and-shoot photos are more than acceptable for most people...and easy to e-mail to others. I have several digicams, but my favorite is a 4 MP Nikon with a 3x optical zoom...While I would prefer a 10x optical zoom, the trade-off is in weight, and the camera can become too cumbersome to carry. The quality of the photographs is terrific, allowing photography buffs to digitally crop and enlarge without degradation, and the camera has automatic and manual adjustments to suit most users.
• Memory Cards / flash (non-volatile) memory - the 1 GB Secure Digital cards and readers can be used with cameras, PDAs, MP3 players, and as a spare PC drive.
• Rechargeable Batteries - Lithium Ion for phones; 2500 mAH or higher NiMH for digital cameras, audio players, handheld GPS, etc.
• Wireless keyboards and wireless optical mouses - just get a set; Microsoft's wireless optical mouse has good range and battery life.
• Recordable drives for PCs - CD-RW or DVD-RW; with recorders and blank media costs at an all-time low, you cannot afford to not have one. Get the DVD recorder and backup your high-capacity hard drive, and transfer your music and photos to DVDs.
• Notebook PCs with onboard WiFi - install a wireless network in your home or office (if you have broadband), and you will never look back. Sit by the pool, on the deck, at the airport or coffee shop, if you 'have to be' connected.
• Remote controls...period.
• GPS receivers - my Global Positioning Satellite receiver is a handheld, with accuracy to +/- 3m. It gives me accurate speed, odometer, heading, and mapping capability in the automobile, and is essential for hiking in the mountains and exploration. Good practical applications for engineering and surveying, marine and land use.

More to come...send in your suggestions, or forward a product if your company would like to have it reviewed.