First Decade of 21st Century. What More Gadgets It Will Bring?

How do you expect this first decade of the 21st century to end? What other hot gadget will it bring? And we have got less than 3 years to find out the answer.

By 2010, people will become consumers of gizmos at an early age (3-4 years). Early versions of these gadgets are being developed inside labs.

Also, are we to face an iPod Photo? Motorola RAZR V3 cell phone? What about a translating digital camera? The latter is actually a prototype of Hewlett-Packard invention. It will make possible to shoot an inscription and get a translation for it. Would that be handy? Many say yes, as it will keep the most curious people from being carefulness.

The vision for 2010 is mainly predicted by Microsoft Research, H-P Labs, Motorola's labs and the FedEx Institute of Technology. According to them the end of the decade will bring the following:

1. Personal Smart Stuff Technology (PSST). This means that you'd benefit from multi-functional gadgets. Tiny radio frequency identification (RFID) chips would be built in any gadget you frequently use. They will be embedded to store a few bits of data and transmit it wireless. Respectively, several RFID readers will be elaborated to place them around the house or office to create your wireless network.

Stickers containing this chip will be placed on different objects: key chain, jacket, music player, laptop, etc. This will help you get certain information concerning your keys whereabouts. You have to turn on your home PC and just input some information that corresponds to the sticker on each item. The information can contain the name of the item and some additional guidelines.

Those from H-P Labs made it possible to set a 'predefined' group of objects that can't be taken separately. For example, you can attach one sensor to your keys, one to your cell phone and one to your portfolio. If you leave for your job without one of these things, a little red light will remind you that you forgot something.

2. Cell Phone Home Theater. A cell phone that can be a music player is a cool piece for 2007. 2008 will bring us another smart device - a cell phone that can download and play movies. By 2010 we will dream about a cell phone that can deliver a complete surround-sound, in other words a fully functioning home theater!

Motorola is currently working on phones that could download a full high-definition movie. The interesting thing about it is that you would not need to watch the movie on the phone's tiny screen, instead it provides a micro-projector to show the movie on any flat surface.

3. 3D video player. According to Microsoft Research home theater is to be improved and, apparently, turn into a 3D theater. The secret lays in the software, which will be able to put the images together making a 3D effect.

4. The Nano-materials Gadgets. These will be based on nano technology, which can give materials brand new properties. Starting with the next year a few nano items will appear on the market. Nano-Tex pants that feel like cotton but don't wrinkle can be a glare example!

The closest future promises a diamond coated razor. The nano-materials used will save it from getting dull or corrode. One blade for the whole man's shaving life! Don't even ask about the price, it would worth a fortune.

Nano-socks is another invention to overwhelm us in the next three years. They feel like cotton but are infused with anti-microbial silver particles. We are not sure about washing them but it is obvious that a dirty pair won't smell even after six months in your locker.

5. Subscription robots. Jim Phillips from the CEO of the FedEx Institute is working on some kind of bots, let's say toy-bots, that can be used in your house and freely connect to Internet. Thus you can download and deliver content and services. A toy-bot will be able to read books to your child, assist your aging relatives, teach your kids languages, etc. Some of the advanced versions can recognize speech. All these features will be available for a certain monthly fee.

We already know what to expect from the nearest feature. But we still don't know how it will change our lives. Wouldn't we get lost in our wired creations?