Games Gadgets n Technology

Gadget freaks have never had it so good. Cut throat competition between manufacturers of phones, consoles and other sundry devices only mean good tidings for consumers: Better toys, competitive prices and myriad choices.
Here’s a look at some of the devices that are really hot in the gadget world


MOBILE PHONES

No gadget list would be complete without mention of the new generation of mobile phones. In fact, experts believe that the mobile phone will eventually replace stand-alone music players as the portable device of choice. The more notable devices:
LG has positioned its Chocolate phone as the flagship handset for music. The reason for calling it “Chocolate”, however, escapes us completely.
Not positioned as a phone, but as a “portable computer” instead, the Nokia N80 includes an FM radio receiver and a miniSD memory card slot. It also boasts a Wi-Fi wireless connection that among other things will let users stream music and video directly off their home PCs via special software from Orb Networks.
With Blackberry Pearl, RIM seems to have entered the mainstream mobile phone fray with its new size and shape. Of course, the Quadband GSM/GPRS/ EDGE device is still primarily suited for business executives, but seriously, the device packs quite a punch and comes with e-mail and browser capability, voice dialling, a 1.3 megapixel camera, a media player, expandable micro SD slot, etc.
In fact, the BlackBerry Pearl is expected to be available in India from Airtel later this month at Rs 24,999

ZUNE

Microsoft’s media gadget, the 30GB Zune, most notably features a wireless connection which lets users immediately share songs with one another. Shared songs can be played three times and stored for up to three days before users are prompted to either buy the track or subscribe to the Zune service for unlimited listening.
The debate rages over how big a draw this functionality will be, but already Microsoft has succeeded in capturing a great deal of awareness over the product, something the Apple iPod is accustomed to having all to itself.


SANSA

From nowhere, SanDisk has emerged to become the second-biggest seller (after Apple) of MP3 players with its Sansa, boasting a market share of slightly less than 20 per cent. A budget alternative to the iPod, Sansa is a great combination of looks and functionality. The device features a user-replaceable, rechargeable lithium ion battery, a microSD expansion slot for additional memory, digital FM tuner, on-the-fly FM and voice recording – all housed in a pretty durable package.



SONY PLAYSTATION 3

After many delays, the much anticipated PlayStation 3 is finally on the market. The videogame console features not only the most advanced graphics display and processing power yet, it also has Internet connectivity, a 20GB or 60GB hard drive, and doubles as a Blu-ray DVD player.
But it doesn’t come cheap at $500 (Rs 22,200 approx) for the basic version and $600 (Rs 26,700 approx) for the more advanced unit. Additionally, available games for the system could run as high as $75 (Rs 3,300 approx). Almost everyone expects a major distribution shortage in the first few months after the console’s launch. The company expects to ship about 2 million devices by the end of the year.


NINTENDO WII

The dark horse of the next-generation consoles is Nintendo’s Wii.
Its demo wowed users at this year’s Electronics Entertainment Expo, generating the longest lines at the show to try out the innovative system. The greatest buzz is over the Wii’s controller, which essentially is a wand that players can wave around to control the action on the screen.
At $250 (Rs 11,100 approx), half as much as the cheapest PlayStation 3, there’s certainly a good chance that Nintendo might challenge Sony’s dominance.
The company plans to ship 4 million of the devices by the end of the year. Unlike the PS3, the Wii is not aimed at hard-core gamers, but rather at videogame newcomers, with both the lower price and easier-to-play games.



BLUE-RAY/HD-DVD PLAYERS

The first round of high-definition DVD players will hit retail shelves this year, although with steep price points.
Cooling the market a bit is the ongoing standards war, with Sony leading the charge for the Blu-ray format, while Microsoft and Toshiba rally the flag for the HD-DVD format. Also stunting immediate mass adoption are the prices, expected to average around $800 (Rs 35,600 approx).
The benefits of these next-generation DVD systems are fairly straightforward: better storage, clearer pictures and better digital rights management. But with the entertainment market moving increasingly toward digital delivery, the future of even the most sophisticated physical distribution format seems a bit limited.


IPODS

Whether it’s the new line of Nanos, the new-andimproved video iPod or the new Shuffle, Apple’s digital entertainment product break new ground each year.
Apple’s Nano line has undergone a makeover, featuring a thinner design, better display and battery life, and a range of five colours available in 2GB (Rs 9,800), 4GB (Rs 13,200) and 8GB (Rs 16,400).
Additionally, the revamped video iPod holds a whopping 80GB of capacity, good for 20,000 songs, 25,000 photos or 100 hours of video, and features a brighter screen.
Ah yes, the iPod Shuffle has been downsized.