Best Gadgets of the Last Decade

What are the best Gadgets you have had in the last decade?

My favourite 2 are the:

iPod Touch 4G
and the
Amazon Kindle 3

The iPod Touch is a super little gadget that fits in my pocket and does many of the functions of a laptop without the hassle. The retina display is excellent.

Similarly the Kindle lets me have loads of books in an easy to carry device with the bonus of many of the books are free.
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Comments

  • psionicpsionic Posts: 20,188
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    It's all very subjective and anecdotal in many cases. I personally would opt for the iPad - but I'm well aware that many consider it the worse.

    Not wishing to get into another Apple vs. everybody else war today though, so I'll leave it there :D
  • fmradiotuner1fmradiotuner1 Posts: 20,476
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    My Top Ten Would Be

    PS2
    PS3
    Xbox 360
    Nokia N900
    LG PK350 Plasma TV
    Sky HD
    Sky+ HD 1TB
    Freeview + Sony RDR-HXD870
    Pioneer VSX 817 AMP
    Canon SX130 12MP 720P HD video Camera
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 10,888
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    The iPhone.. I've had many smartphones over the last 10 years and the iPhone is by far the most usable.
  • user123456789user123456789 Posts: 16,589
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    Sky+HD 1TB with working OS & EPG (SYSF26.65 & 40.0.14.3)
  • GetFrodoGetFrodo Posts: 1,805
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    Here's my list (in no particular order, some are interrelated, some are generic):

    - Decent, user-friendly PVR (e.g. Sky+ when they implemented dual record)
    - Smartphones with well thought out UIs coupled with sensible data packages
    - Nice-to-use multitouch touchscreens
    - iPlayer
    - iPad
    - Affordable handheld GPS
    - In-car navi (worth its weight in gold, in my case)
    - Mainstream digital photography
    - Wind up radio

    And for the next decade I'm looking forward to:

    - True plug and play home networking that really works
    - Affordable, large OLED screens
    - Available data storage continuing to expand at least as fast as my requirements :)
    - HD video editing/rendering becoming a quick and easy task for entry-level PCs
    - A cheap add-on for my car to turn it into a fully immersive driving simulator (all windows become screens; steering wheel, gear stick and pedals get isolated from the car's mechanics and just control the game)

    And for the decade after that:

    - Super/hypersonic flight so I can travel anywhere on the planet within 2-3 hours
    - Affordable space tourism, inc. visiting Mars
    - A space colony
  • DotNetWillDotNetWill Posts: 4,564
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    My top would be:

    --Kindle, only had it since September and already couldn't be without it

    --Camera phone, it's funny how parenthood changes you, 18months I would have said pointless pos but now the ability to take snapshots of the baby and send them to grandparents etc is fantastic

    --Digital Media Player/Streamers, totally transformed how I watch and consume TV.
    psionic wrote: »
    It's all very subjective and anecdotal in many cases. I personally would opt for the iPad - but I'm well aware that many consider it the worse.

    Not wishing to get into another Apple vs. everybody else war today though, so I'll leave it there :D

    I didn't say the worst, just the most pointless :P

    But very good point, all this is very subjective and that's a good thing :) It'd be a very boring world otherwise
  • VallhundVallhund Posts: 5,374
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    DotNetWill wrote: »
    My top would be:

    --Kindle, only had it since September and already couldn't be without it

    --Camera phone, it's funny how parenthood changes you, 18months I would have said pointless pos but now the ability to take snapshots of the baby and send them to grandparents etc is fantastic

    --Digital Media Player/Streamers, totally transformed how I watch and consume TV.



    I didn't say the worst, just the most pointless :P

    But very good point, all this subjective.

    Good list, but I think future developments of the iPad will impress. The current one isn't for me though.

    As you say all this is subjective and highly personal.

    I've only had the Kindle for 2 days and I wouldn't be without it.
  • fmradiotuner1fmradiotuner1 Posts: 20,476
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    Some more I did not list

    Blu Ray how could I forget that
    HD Downloads better than TV quality
    Recordable DVDs
    Media Streaming
    Interent Radio
    DAB
    On Demand TV
    Broadband
  • DotNetWillDotNetWill Posts: 4,564
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    Some more I did not list

    Blu Ray how could I forget that
    HD Downloads better than TV quality
    DVDs
    Media Streaming
    Interent Radio
    DAB
    On Demand TV
    Broadband

    Interesting you have DAB radios in there, for me they were a massive let down. The don't work well if you're moving around and instead of hissing you get complete break up. Also, not always the radios fault granted, but poorer service quality and area.
  • psionicpsionic Posts: 20,188
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    DotNetWill wrote: »
    Interesting you have DAB radios in there, for me they were a massive let down. The don't work well if you're moving around and instead of hissing you get complete break up. Also, not always the radios fault granted, but poorer service quality and area.

    I have to agree. The convenience of selecting (and even recording) the channels is great, but the sound quality of the implementation we have in UK is not so impressive. I have an outside aerial too, so not had any issues with signal strength, just over-compression IMHO.
  • jjesso123jjesso123 Posts: 5,944
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    Ps3
    3dtv
    Htc desire hd
    babyliss for men
    SSD drives
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 36,630
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    Cheap WIFI routers - We pretty much all have WIFI networks now.
    PS3 - Great games machine but also an excellent BluRay player and decent media streamer too.
    Camera phones - Wouldn't be without one now for that occasional quick snap you'd have missed before.
    MP3 players - pretty much killed off portable CD players and minidisc.
    High Definition TV - Once experienced on a high quality TV most people wouldn't go back to SD.
    PVRs - changed the way I watch and record TV completely.
  • VallhundVallhund Posts: 5,374
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    DotNetWill wrote: »
    Interesting you have DAB radios in there, for me they were a massive let down. The don't work well if you're moving around and instead of hissing you get complete break up. Also, not always the radios fault granted, but poorer service quality and area.

    Depends on where you live. We struggled to get a decent FM signal in the Bristol area (I needed to put up a rooftop FM aerial so I could get stereo). But DAB reception was fantastic.
    The DAB sound quality is down to the bitrate which has been pretty poor in the UK. If an FM signal is good, the quality is better on FM.

    But it is still nice to get the World Service on DAB.
  • max99max99 Posts: 9,002
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    A decade is an awfully long time for gadgets, but here are some of mine, in no particular order:

    Sky+ (superseded by Sky HD box) - a true lifestyle changer.

    USB stick - I'd be lost without having one in my pocket loaded up with various essential apps.

    HD TV - the equivalent of removing a blur filter from your TV screen.

    Kindle - unlike most devices, it's designed to do just one job and does it superbly.

    PS3 - I never had any interest in a console and in particular never wanted a PS3. But I bought one for the Blu-ray and media streamer and love it. Brilliant bit of kit.

    Smartphone - can't imagine not carrying one around with me.
  • ShaunIOWShaunIOW Posts: 11,303
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    MP3 players
    USB flash drives
    PVR's
    DVD recorders
    LCD TV's
    Xbox 360
    Touch screen mobiles with GPS
    Thin/light laptops with decent battery life and in-built 3G
    Mobile broadband
    Compact digital cameras with high MP and optical zoom
  • OrbitalzoneOrbitalzone Posts: 12,627
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    It's been a remarkable decade for new and ever useful gadgets.

    ADSL (a massive change for us all)
    Powerful computers that no longer became obsolete after 6 months, well relatively speaking)
    GPS enabled smart phones for £100!
    Mobile contracts for £10/month that give data and 500 mins of voice!
    LCD and Plasma for absolutely peanuts!
    Spotify!

    I mean, remember the crap that was the norm back in the 1990's?

    0.3mb digital cameras that ate batteries and took awful pictures? (I had a Kodak one)
    black and white hand held scanners! ugh (yes I had one of those too)
    Kazaa!
  • ironjadeironjade Posts: 10,001
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    Sky+

    Kindle

    Roberts Solar-powered Digital Radio.
  • LION8TIGERLION8TIGER Posts: 8,484
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    For me : 42'' Panasonic Plasma + Panasonic Blu-Ray
    Iphone
    PS3
    Wind up torch.

    That's all I can think of at the moment.
  • irishguyirishguy Posts: 22,172
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    LION8TIGER wrote: »
    For me : 42'' Panasonic Plasma + Panasonic Blu-Ray
    Iphone
    PS3
    Wind up torch.

    That's all I can think of at the moment.

    Yeah, my 42" panasonic plasma was an excellent buy. Very pleased with it.

    After that, the iPhone.

    But the best has to be the iPod, my most cherished and frequently used item of the last 10 years.
  • max99max99 Posts: 9,002
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    irishguy wrote: »
    Yeah, my 42" panasonic plasma was an excellent buy. Very pleased with it.

    I'll add my Panasonic plasma too. But not so pleased when I see how much the price has dropped in the last year or so.
  • LION8TIGERLION8TIGER Posts: 8,484
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    max99 wrote: »
    I'll add my Panasonic plasma too. But not so pleased when I see how much the price has dropped in the last year or so.

    Yes max me too but they always seem to, new models and all that.
  • irishguyirishguy Posts: 22,172
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    max99 wrote: »
    I'll add my Panasonic plasma too. But not so pleased when I see how much the price has dropped in the last year or so.

    the perennial problem with being an early adopter... still it was worth it in my opinion
  • max99max99 Posts: 9,002
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    LION8TIGER wrote: »
    Yes max me too but they always seem to, new models and all that.
    irishguy wrote: »
    the perennial problem with being an early adopter... still it was worth it in my opinion

    I can accept a price drop, but what I don't like is the way bigger, better, newer TVs mock you with their £200-less-that-what-I-paid price tag.
  • Pugwash69Pugwash69 Posts: 3,787
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    Loved my TiVo (RIP). Best gadget I ever had right up to the end.
    The PS3 has been excellent since the day I bought it and just keeps getting better.
    Currently love my HD projector, but it's early days still.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 10,888
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    max99 wrote: »
    I can accept a price drop, but what I don't like is the way bigger, better, newer TVs mock you with their £200-less-that-what-I-paid price tag.
    Paid over a grand for my plasma 4 years ago, can get the same spec for under £300 now..
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