Top 10 bright ideas in technology

Dan Kaufman
March 2, 2009
The Age

From widgets to Wi-Fi, some technologies are more than just gadgets or pose pieces. Dan Kaufman presents our Top 10 list.

It's easy to become cynical when you see as many fads and products come and go as Icon does. However, there are some technologies, from specific gadgets to trends that have proven themselves, that impress even our hardened souls - and here they are:

Griffin PowerMate

It might just look like an aluminium knob with a blue light underneath but the PowerMate (pictured, right) can make your PC or Mac (it works on both platforms) much more natural to use. The reason is that neither mice nor keyboards are ideal for scrolling, whereas this is.

It can act as a volume control and can be easily programmed to function differently depending on what application you're using. It also acts as a button if you press down on it, so that you can program it to open a file, go back in your web browser, perform a word count in Word - almost anything. See www.griffintechnology.com.

Widgets

These are small programs designed to do a specific task, such as displaying updates on eBay bids or accessing the latest weather reports, and their appeal lies in allowing you to customise the technology you use, whether it's a PC, hand-held or web page.

Widgets are available on Mac OS X, Windows Vista (which calls them gadgets), the iPhone as well as websites such as Yahoo and MySpace. A portable Wi-Fi device called the Chumby (chumby.com, pictured above), which is popular in the US and is now available in Australia, has even been designed purely to display widgets - for example, some allow it to become an internet radio, alarm clock or a Gmail client.

Netbooks

You're about to go travelling and need to work on office documents and access the web but don't want to lug around a large notebook.

Well, you no longer need to, thanks to netbooks. Most are roughly the same size and weight as an average hardcover book and offer full-size keyboards, relatively large screens (often nine and 10 inches), run Windows XP and range in price from $400 to $1000. They're not powerful enough for intensive applications such as playing the latest 3D games but you can run applications such as StarOffice. The first netbook was the Asus Eee PC but these days many companies, including Dell, Acer and HP, make them.

Cloud computing

The idea behind this is that we should run applications and store files on the internet rather than our PCs, which makes sense for several reasons.

First, it means we can access what we need regardless of where we are without having to transfer files or programs and secondly, we're not tied down to our desktop PC. One example of cloud computing is Google Docs, which allows you to create documents, spreadsheets and presentations that are stored online through your browser, meaning you don't have to install any applications on your PC. Apple's MobileMe and iWork.com (which was released in January) are two other examples.

SanDisk Ultra II SD Plus card

Transferring photos from your camera to a PC should be easier than having to connect the two by a cable - and now it is.

The SanDisk looks like an ordinary SD flash card, until you flip its lid (it has a hinge in the middle) to reveal a USB connector. This means that as soon as you take the card out of your camera, you can insert it into a PC's USB port without having to carry or search for that USB cable. See www.sandisk.com.au.

USB broadband modems

These days getting broadband access can be as easy as inserting a USB stick into your PC, thanks to companies such as 3, Vodafone and Telstra.

The chances are you won't get speeds as high as on ADSL or cable and how well they work depends on the mobile reception in your area but these are so easy to use they may make life easier for road warriors.

There is also a wireless router available from 3 that works with its USB modem, so several people can share your connection. See www.three.com.au.

Wi-Fi

As more devices around the home require internet access, a Wi-Fi (wireless) broadband connection is rapidly becoming more important.

TiVo is a good example, as it requires a constant broadband connection and unless you want to string cable across your home, it makes sense to move to Wi-Fi.

Other devices that use Wi-Fi include the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 (via optional adaptor), iPhone, Chumby, internet radios and digital photo frames in addition to any extra desktop PCs and notebook computers you have. Now let's just hope the World Health Organisation is right in saying Wi-Fi is safe as far as radiation is concerned.

Smartphones

Once seen as gimmicky geek toys, smartphones are increasingly becoming practical. Our favourite all-rounder is the BlackBerry Bold, which is great for checking email and has an easy-to-use keyboard.

The smartphone with the best keyboard is the HTC Touch Pro, although its touch screen can be fiddly, and the iPhone 3G is good for music lovers. Palm has just announced its new smartphone, the Pre, which is due for release later this year and looks like it might be a winner.

Noise-cancelling headphones

It's easy to say these eliminate a large amount of background noise but until you put a pair on and flick the switch, it's hard to comprehend just how good noise-cancelling headphones can be. In fact, some people wear them without even listening to music just because they're so calming. The headphones don't come cheaply, however: for example, the Sony MDR-NC500D, which Icon positively reviewed in the past, costs $699.

Bluetooth

Unlike Wi-Fi, which works with broadband connections, Bluetooth is for exchanging smaller amounts of information wirelessly over short distances - but like Wi-Fi, the applications for it are growing and it's becoming indispensable.

In addition to hands-free mobile phone headsets, wireless keyboards, mice, printers and the controllers for Nintendo Wii and PlayStation 3, it's also being used in more ambitious projects such as the Sony Ericsson MBW-150 Bluetooth watch.

This watch not only alerts you when your mobile receives a message but also allows you to control what music (which is stored on your mobile) to play.