Gadgets and Gizmos

At Ebiz247, we think of gadgets and gizmos as the latest and greatest technology that is just hitting the market and will be very useful in our everyday lives.... or not. Mostly, gadgets and gizmos are just plain fun and part of the fun is knowing what is being developed before the general public knows about it!

Several years ago, keeping gadget information secret was relatively easy. Companies just had to keep the information about new products from the press. Today, such secrets remain nearly impossible to keep. So why can't these guys keep a secret? A Computerworld article lists three relatively new reasons: globalization, digital cameras and blogs.

Globalization - Business has gone global.  Companies routinely do buisness with other companies and often leaks about new gadgets come from the partner companies. The Internet has also globalized information. Google and other search engines make information available worldwide and and even translates news, blogs and reports. If new gadget information is posted anywhere, in any language, it will quickly spread globally in dozens of languages.

Digital Cameras - Small, inexpensive digital cameras are everywhere, even in cell phones. With the availability of these cameras and the ability to download images to the Internet, photos of new gadgets are often available for the world to see.

Blogs - In recent years, blogs have increased the proliferation of information about new gadgets. If interesting information or photo is posted about a new product anywhere on the Internet, some gadget blogger will find it and link to it. A hot product leak that emerges on an obscure blog can spread like a virus, showing up on thousands of sites within a week, aided and abetted by social bookmarking services like Slashdot and Digg as well as message boards of every description.

Some of the more popular gadget Web sites that keep up on the latest blogs and information about the newest gadgets are:

Apple Insider - Everything you wanted to know about Apple products. They provide daily headlines, featured products, forums and solicit news.

CrunchGear - Crunchgear is a blog covering gadgets, gear and computer hardware.

Engadget - Engadget features breaking news, stories, blogs and even asks visitors to submit any news tips.

Firebox - Firebox scours the world, looking for the very latest gadgets, toys, games and other cool stuff. They search high and low for things with a twist. Products that are inspirational, quirky, bizarre and downright fun. You have to check out Firebox!

Gizmodo - Gizmodo is a technology weblog dedicated to everything related to gadgets, gizmos, and cutting-edge consumer electronics. Their audience stops by frequently to check out the latest news, reviews and recommendations for products including laptops, cell phones, PDAs, digital cameras, home entertainment and more.

PhoneArena - The purpose of phonearena is to help anyone who seeks information about the latest developments in the wireless world. Their website should be invaluable information source for people who feel lost among the myriad of mobile phone available today.

The Gadgeteer - This site has been around for several years. Julie Strietelmeier is the editor and they conduct in-depth product reviews on the latest gadgets and gizmos. The people at The Gadgeteer are truly gadget freaks and you can tell they truly enjoy reviewing and presenting the newest products to their visitors.

The Gadget Guru - Andy Pargh, also known as The Gadget Guru has been involved in the new products and technology industry for more than a quarter of a century.

Technology News
Several companies feature new technology online. Some of the top Web sites that we find very useful for researching new gadgets include:

CNET - They provide product reviews, news, tips and tricks, price comparison on the latest technology available to the consumer. This is a Web site that we highly recommend and the reviews are in-depth and useful.

Popular Science (PopSci) - Anyone interested in gadgets and new technology should be familiar with Popular Science.  We believe they set the standard that other companies try to emulate. You have to check out the latest at PopSci!

Sharper Image - The Sharper Image started years ago featuring those hard-to-find products that everyone wanted.  They continue the tradition of featuring quality products that can be difficult to locate.