The two themes in tech gadgets, combination and convenience, are converging now like never before. Couple these with declining prices on tech gadgets that used to be priced beyond most people's pocketbooks and you've suddenly got a reason to see how these tech gadgets can make your work more productive. From combo phones through DVD Burners, there's something for everyone who wants to work faster and smarter on this list of top tech gadgets.
1. HP iPAQ H6315 Pocket PC Mobile Phone & Camera
Combo devices are a huge trend in tech gadgets - and camera phones are particularly trendy. With Hewlett-Packard's iPAQ H6315 you can take pictures, view them and share them instantly, of course. But you also get a Pocket PC with 64 MB RAM and integrated 3-way wireless capabilities (GSM/GPRS, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth wireless technology) for high-speed wireless voice and data connectivity. And there's a removable, snap-on thumb keyboard to make communicating even easier.
2. BlackBerry 7100r Wireless Handset
Sure, it's a wireless phone, complete with speakerphone, Bluetooth, polyphonic ring tunes and an advanced call log - but this tech gadget is so much more. Its e-mail, organizer and Internet browser applications make it more of a cross between a phone and a PDA. One super-cool feature; the SureType keyboard technology "learns" the user's typing patterns, making data entry even easier over time.3. LaCie 250GB External Hard Drive
An external hard drive lets you back up your important data or even your entire system quickly and easily. No more messing around with CDs or tape drives. This 250 GB external hard drive from LaCie has a Hi-Speed USB interface with data transfer rates of up to 480 Mbits per second, is easy to transport and set up, and can even be stacked, thanks to its rubber feet.4. Lexar 1GB JumpDrive Sport USB Flash Drive
Remember what I said about tech gadgets and convenience? When it comes to transferring and/or backing up data, there's nothing more convenient than a USB flash drive. Plug it into a USB port. Upload. Detach. Put it in your pocket and you're off to the next gig and the next machine. I like these so much, I carry one in each pocket. The Lexar JumpDrive Sport USB Flash Drive linked here is small, lightweight, and durable but can store up to 1 GB of data.5. Acer AL1912B Black 19" LCD Monitor
Flatscreen LCD monitors are another example of tech gadgets that have really dropped in price - and another tech gadget that can really improve your productivity. The higher the resolution and the bigger the display screen, the easier it will be for you to see and work. The Acer AL1912B LCS Monitor's 1280 x 1024 (SXGA) resolution, 0.294 mm pitch and 500:1 contrast ratio give a sharp, clear image and the 19 inch screen makes it easy to see what you're working on.6. Pioneer DVR-108 Dual Layer DVD±RW Writer
If you thought putting your product, report or pitch on a CD was cool, think of the presentation you could create with a DVD burner. What makes this Panasonic DVD writer a top pick is its combination of price and features; it supports 16x write speeds on both DVD-R/+R along with the option to write at 4x speed on Double Layer media and can write 4.7 GB of data to write-once media in approximately seven minutes, or store up to 8.5 GB on Double Layer media.7. Olympus Camedia C-50 Zoom Digital Camera
Digital cameras, too, are tech gadgets that have really come down in price. I've chosen the Olympus Camedia C-50 Zoom Digital Camera (5.0 megapixel CCD with 3x optical zoom) for its photo quality, ease of use, and ease of photo transfer. Whie there are lots of settings, you can just point and shoot and get a good quality picture - something you'll appreciate if taking lots of photos is part of your job or business.8. Acer TravelMate C302XCi Tablet PC
Tablet PCs are tech gadgets that really put your workspace in one place, letting you turn your screen into a writing surface. The Acer TravelMate C302XCi is a convertible Tablet PC; you rotate the screen, fold it back over the keyboard, and write away. Features such as screen size (14.1 inch), a full-size keyboard, wireless connectivity, and battery run-time make this Tablet PC a winner for the price even if you're using it just as you would any other laptop.9. Garmin eTrex Legend GPS Navigation Unit
If you need to know where you are or how to get somewhere, a tech gadget such as this handheld GPS Navigation Unit could be incredibly useful. The Trex Legend, while small, contains a full basemap of North and South America, and is designed to provide precise GPS positioning to less than three meters using correction data obtained from the Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS). It includes a find feature, trip computer and 8 MB internal memory for downloading additional map data.