The Hottest Newest Gadgets in Town

At halfway through 2008, consumers have witnessed world events and economic trends that are both appalling and daunting. The calamities in China and Myanmar, the skyrocketing prices of oil, the downhill slide of the housing market, and the sudden announcement of bankruptcies of big companies have not only engaged our attention but also influenced our vacation plans, buying decisions, and many other aspects of our lifestyle. For example, cars with higher fuel efficiency are being bought at an unprecedented fast rate. Families are taking vacations close to home. And, of course, the consumers’ growing awareness of environmental and energy issues affect the selection of the hottest new gadgets. The favorite five of the hottest newest gadgets in town include a television, a cellular phone, a streaming device, an electronic toy, and a laptop computer.

Philips Eco TV

Last January 2008, the Eco TV from Philips won the Best in Show Award during the Consumer Electronics Show (CES). Such award has serious weight because the CES is the world’s largest tradeshow strictly for consumer electronics. For four decades now, the CES features the latest in gadget technology as well as trailblazing innovations. And for 2008, the most impressive one is the Philips Eco TV. But why should this electronics marvel automatically become the favorite of consumers? There are two major reasons.

First of all, the phase out of analog TV is expected to be complete in February 2009. There are converters that consumers can buy so that they can continue using their old TVs. But digital televisions are here to stay. It does not matter whether consumers want the SDTV (Standard Definition TV), the EDTV (Enhanced Definition TV), or the HDTV (High Definition TV), the decision to buy a digital TV will come sooner or later. The images on the flat-panel 42-inch LCD, with the 1080 resolution, will certainly convince even the most ornery analog-TV-loyalist.

Second, there is an ever-increasing pressure to conserve energy and lower the consumption of oil. The Philips Eco TV certainly fits the bill of an advanced-technology device that supports the stewardship of the environment. The ingenuity behind this television’s power-saving technology lies in its backlight dimming ability. With darker scenes, the backlight dims to improve the so-called “black-level performance” as well as save power. The backlight is also dimmed when, through a room lighting sensor, the TV’s computer perceive a darker room. The standby power of the Eco TV is estimated to be lower than 0.15 watt and, interestingly, the box is manufactured from recycled materials.

Moto Rokr E8

The evolution of cellular phones has not yet lost its steam. Newer models are coming out every season, toting new features and more advanced technologies. There is the Pantech Duo C810 that has a dual-sliding design, QWERTY keyboard, and access to AT&T broadband services but body feels flimsy to the touch and the material appears inferior. There is the Nokia N95 with Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, 3G support, and integrated GPS but the speakerphone is not the best quality and it is prohibitively expensive. And there is the RIM Blackberry Curve 8320, with its high performance and impressive design but this 2-megapixel camera is incapable of recording videos.

Although the economic slump has forced people to cut back on expenses, the need for cellular phones is tangible. But consumers want the phones to have the best combination of features. Thus, the cream of the crop of new cellular phones is the Moto Rokr E8. Instead of a regular keyboard, it has the Haptics keypad that provides easy touch-pad controls.

The Moto Rokr E8 has the “ModeShift technology” that makes the phone digitally “morphs” into a music player. The quality of sound from the speakers can compete with the MP3 player. It is also easy to load songs into the E8 using a USB 2.0 connection. It has Bluetooth, a 2GB internal memory, an external memory card slot, a 2-megapixel camera, and Moto’s Razr2 series signature feature: the CrystalTalk technology. The CrystalTalk technology allows the user to talk while reading text messages. At 3.5 ounces and with dimensions of 4.52 by 2.09 by 0.42 inches, the phone’s body feels tough. It is solid but not massive. And yes, the camera can record videos.

Slingbox SOLO

Many consumers may have cut back on their travel plans but many Americans travel more for business than for pleasure. When they travel, they pack clothes, personal items, as well as the streaming device called the Slingbox SOLO.  The major function of this device is to allow the traveler to watch the shows on his television from any part of the world. When the SOLO is connected either to the cable box or to the satellite system, the American businessman in Japan can watch news from his home state using his laptop. The other way is also possible. That is, a businessman can watch a show in Brazil while taking his coffee break.

The software is user-friendly, easy to setup, and easy to navigate. The user can watch the television show being streamed by the Slingbox SOLO while using any program in the Microsoft Office and typing the finishing touches to a report. The SOLO is also compatible with the Mac, the Palm Treo and any broadband-connected host computer. The images are of good quality and the best part is that there are no monthly fees. Of course, when the Slingbox SOLO is used with the cellular phone or PDA, there will be extra charges.

Sababa Toys’ iNo

Summer means get-together with friends. There will be cookouts and lighthearted ball games. These get-togethers with friends can become more exciting with the newest electronic toy from Sababa. The toy is called the iNo. The iNo is simply an iPod game module that challenges you and your friends to compete in buzzing in the name of the artist or the title of the song or the name of the album of the music being played. Obviously, the one who gets the highest number of points is declared the winner, unless you changed some rules.

The iNo is licensed by the Apple to provide a fun interactive music game as well as other trivia games. It turns tame ordinary hangouts into thrilling and frenzied music contests. After all, everybody loves music. Each iNo is composed of one base unit, four remote controls, 50 action cards, instructions, and the Sababa Toys’ quality guarantee.

Asus Netbook

September is still several months away but incoming freshmen college students are putting together their plans and are scouting for the gadgets that they will need. One essential gadget is the personal computer. But an ordinary desktop is too bulky for the needs of a college student who needs to be always on the go. Thus, a laptop is a better idea. There are literally millions of laptops available but one that will be a hit among college students is the new Asus Netbook. It is a mini-laptop.

The Netbook is portable and lightweight, only about 2 pounds. The nine-inch screen is great for those all-night study sessions. There are USB connections to make up for the relatively lesser storage space. And it is fast for everyday use, including email, internet research, and various Microsoft Office applications. For those who worry about budgets, they will be glad to know that the prices of all new models of Asus mini-laptops are affordable.