Future

Finally ! It seemed like 2010 was never going to end with the ridiculously high number of pathbreaking innovations that literally made everything from 2009 obsolete.Netbooks,LED TVs,iPhones,were rendered old-school before they even got a chance to become mainstream by tablets,3DTVs and well,iPhone 4.Even for tech standards thats crazy fast. At the risk of sounding clichd,the iPad has totally changed the way we used computers.While power users were fighting over faster processors and higher RAM,this little device with its average specs and limited connectivity options gave you ways to consume media that were more convenient and effective than any power-rig youve ever owned before.

Dont get me wrong,Im no Apple fanboy.Show me a sleek and shiny iMac and Ill show you the most worthless wireless keyboard (without even a decent delete button ) ever created.But there are a few things they did right,and more importantly did it before anyone else was even remotely prepared.
Which brings me to the first thing Im really looking forward to in 2011 iPad Gen 2.As good as a current iPad is,Id be stupid to pick one up at this point considering that the next device has no choice but have dual cameras (one front facing) which would take it beyond Web browsing and media,to the greatest device for communication.Facetime would be a no-brainer addition,but I hear that Skype too has a camera using update coming soon.My phone would be useless.

But not if the phone is a love-child of two of the biggest drivers of the Android platform.Yep,Im talking about the Samsung Google Nexus S with the purest form of the Android 2.3 OS at the time of release,and definitely the first candidate to receive an Android 3.0 (Honeycomb) update.Due to the vast number of models you can find the Android OS on,its no wonder that it became the most popular mobile OS in 2010,leaving the iPhone and even Blackberry behind.2011 is looking even sweeter for it,thanks to the Nexus S and a Hyderabad-based project thats long overdue.

The Notion Ink Adam has been keeping the tech world jittery for the whole of last year.Initially slated to release around July,it wasnt until December that pre-orders finally started.Powered by Nvidias Tegra 2 processor and Android 2.2,the Adam is capable of outputting Full HD video content via HDMI,and even support High Definition gaming.If nothing else,the Eden UI looks absolutely amazing on it.If the final product turns out anywhere as good as the hype surrounding it,then Steve Jobs has a lot to worry about.
Well,these are the gadgets that will make me even less social,but a lot happier this year.Of course,my list may grow a lot bigger or even radically change considering that CES 2011 is just around the corner.


GAGAN GUPTA



ONLINE EDITOR BBC TOP GEAR INDIA