The top 10 must-have upcoming gadgets for 2010:
iPhone 4.0
Since 2007, Apple has released a new iPhone each June at its World Wide Developer’s Conference, and according to analysts next year will be no exception. Although no serious leaks or rumours have emerged, most industry experts are satisfied the tech giant is currently working on the fourth-generation of its groundbreaking handset.
And not only will the company announce a new gadget, the fourth generation of its iPhone OS will likely be released, giving owners of the iPhone 3G and 3GS models enough reason to keep their handsets for another year.
But what features will the new iPhone provide?
No serious leaks have emerged, but the next model is tipped to include a new casing design, an OLED screen, a camera on the phone’s front to include video-conferencing, a model with 64GB of memory and, as some have even suggested, a removable battery.
But perhaps the biggest demand is for the iPhone 4.0 software to include true multitasking, allowing users to operate more than one app at a time. But until Apple announces its regular mid-year press event, tech-heads can only dream.
Xbox Natal
Microsoft caused a stir at the E3 conference when it announced its innovative new gaming peripheral, Xbox Natal. The device, a thin strip encasing infa-red sensors and a camera, is designed to fit above a television screen similar to the Nintendo Wii, but captures full body movement in order to control on-screen action.
Analysts were blown away by the device’s accuracy, which uses technology developed by Microsoft to pinpoint 48 different locations on a user’s body to mimic their movements including slight figure waves to facial expressions – no controllers necessary.
The best thing about this upcoming gadget is that it isn’t just a concept. Microsoft displayed a number of users playing games with the device, along with a number of gaming journalists, and has said the device will completely change the way its Xbox console is marketed.
The downside is that no release date has been set, but if industry rumours are to be believed the Natal device will hit shelves late 2010.
Optimus Tactus Keyboard
Smartphones are the hottest touch-activated gadgets around at the moment, but analysts suggest the next wave of innovation will see other objects include touch-activation – including keyboards.
The Optimus Tactus is a keyboard without keys. Instead, the whole device is a touchscreen which can take the shape of whatever the user needs, based on software installed on their computer.
The device can take the shape of a natural keyboard, but can also contain individual “keys” for use with programs, complete with the software’s logo on each key. Essentially, the Optimus Tactus can be whatever you want it to be – even a video screen.
So far, the Art Lebedev Studio has only released concept art for the device, but some analysts have suggested a release date could be pinned for late 2010.
4G-capable smartphones
The rise of 3G networks changed the face of the mobile industry, allowing smartphones to connect to faster speed internet networks paving the way for the rise of mobile social media and connectivity. Now, 4G networks are the next frontier.
Testing has already begun in the US, with telco Verizon now deploying a network based on technology known as “long-term evolution”, a precursor to 4G networks.
The network is essentially the same, users are not required to change the ways they use and interact with handsets – it’s just much, much faster. Analysts say peak speeds on the new networks could be up to 300Mbps, opening the way for mobile video conferencing and high-definition viewing.
Microsoft Office 2010
It seems just yesterday that Microsoft surprised its user base with Office 2007, completely changing the way users interacted with its popular software for the first time in over a decade. But the Office 2010 suite is expected to shake things up once again.
The 2010 suite will feature a built-in screen capture tool, background removal features, a protected document mode, new templates and permissions and a newly designed “Office” button. The “ribbon” template, new to 2007, will also be refined, with a universal interface to appear in all the suite’s programs.
The release of the suite will also coincide with the introduction of Office Web Apps, online versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint and One Note, designed to compete with Google’s free offerings. While they won’t include the full features of the suite itself, 2010 could be the year Microsoft finally learns to trust the cloud.
Patrick Stafford is a freelance journalist and a former deputy editor of SmartCompany.
