The 10 best high-tech gadgets of 2008

I’ve played with dozens of cool gadgets this year, as well as with a bunch of duds.

So as I crafted a list of the year’s best tech goodies, I had two criteria:

UDid the product deliver what was promised?

UDid the product make life easier, work simpler and home life better?

These items are fun, family-friendly and have few wires.

Here are my Top 10 gadgets of 2008, in random order:

Slacker G2

Available at Slacker.com and Best Buy, $199

This portable gadget plays the songs, artists and genre-based music you select from Internet radio station Slacker.com.

It’s a sleek alternative for those who are tired of their own iPod playlists. You may create up to 40 different stations that can be refreshed with new music as often as you like.

The best part: You don’t pay a dime for all that music.

T-Mobile G1

T-Mobile, $179

The Google phone is a key addition to the mobile market. With a touch screen like the iPhone, this device sings thanks to the Google-led Android operating system. The software is better than what’s offered on most phones, and it will improve over time. The G1 is on the heavy side because it includes a physical keyboard and track ball in addition to the touch controls.

Flip Mino

Target and Amazon, standard about $150, HD at $229

This portable camcorder now comes in standard and HD. The video quality on the HD is very good, making it my choice. You don’t need an HDTV to see the improvement, since the videos you upload to YouTube or Facebook look very sharp. But at $229, it is pricey. The standard Mino is about $150 and remains a fine choice.

Impact7 Wi-Fi Digital Frame

EStarling.com or Amazon, $100

I keep hearing from friends who are buying this beauty. This 7-inch frame connects to your home network via Wi-Fi and you can upload images wirelessly from a computer or mobile phone. If you capture a great shot on your phone, it can appear on your mom’s frame moments after it happened. An 8-inch model was recently introduced.

MacBook Air

Apple stores, $1,799

At first, I had a hard time recommending this paper-thin, 3-pound laptop. It’s expensive, has a single USB port and lacks a disc drive. Also, the first version has an 80 gig-abyte hard drive, a tight squeeze for all the digital content that can overwhelm one’s life. But its lightness makes the Air a delight for the road. The new version has a 120 gb hard drive. If you can afford the luxury, you won’t be sorry.

Chumby

Chumby.com, $179

The charming Chumby is a squishy, cube-shaped device that sits on your nightstand and connects to the Web via Wi-Fi. It’s an alarm clock and so much more. You can wake up to a weather report, news headlines, an Internet radio station, Web-cam photos from the San Diego Zoo’s Panda habitat, among hundreds of other choices.

Pentax Optio waterproof camera

Various retailers; OptioW60, about $250

If you like going to the beach or a water park, or just taking moody pictures in the rain, the Optio line of waterproof cameras is for you. These point-and-shoot gems don’t require a special casing, so if you want a good laugh, watch the jaw-dropping expressions on the people in the pool when you take it swimming. The 10-megapixel Optio W60 model is good at depths of 13 feet and temperatures below freezing. An older model, the W30, can be had for less.

Polk Audio I-Sonic Entertainment System 2

Audio retailers, about $400

This table-top radio and iPod dock offers rich, room-filling sound. It’s one of several new products with HD Radio, a largely overlooked (and misunderstood) technology worth seeking if you’re buying a radio. This Polk model offers iTunes tagging: If you hear a song on the radio you like, “tag” it so the next time you sync your iPod, you’ll have the option to buy that song.

Polaroid Pogo

Various retailers, $100

The Pogo brings back the magic of Polaroid by creating pictures from a portable printer that connects to a camera or a mobile phone via Bluetooth. The Pogo develops 2-by-3-inch prints (about the size of a business card) that double as stickers. If you remember how much fun you had with Polaroid’s instant prints, this is the gadget for a new generation. Kids (and parents) love these prints. Photo paper costs extra.

iPod Touch and iPhone

Apple stores, Touch starting at $229; iPhone starting at $199

Neither is new for 2008, yet hardware tweaks combined with a software upgrade have kept each at the forefront. The iPod Touch is an iPhone minus the phone, with Wi-Fi for Web surfing and e-mailing. Both products connect to Apple’s App store, putting thousands of useful programs and games a download away.

XEric Benderoff writes about technology for the Chicago Tribune. Contact him at ebenderofftribune.com.

2008 Chicago Tribune