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With the start of the new year, it has become a sort of habit to look back on the past twelve months and look forward with excitement to the coming days and weeks.  The last few days have been that of making assessments and predictions of what the year 2008 holds for us.

The advent of the new year has made me think of the things I hope to achieve as well as a lot of the things I wish for.  A chat with friends a few days ago has brought me to asking them about their wish lists for the year.  It did not come as a surprise, though, when they gave me a handful of devices for their wish list, instead of, say,a new president of their choice or “world peace”.

Their responses have brought me to think of my own wish list.  On my search for that as well as with a few of my friend’s response, here are a list of gadgets that we hope will be available by this year.  These gadgets have been the subject of the hottest rumors last year.

After finding out that no Google phone is yet on the wait list, here are a few of the things that might be available by this year.

Apple Macbook Nano/ Tablet

Since mid last year, Apple fans have given rise to a rumor of a smaller more mobile version of its Macbooks.  With the company’s great strides in touch and multi touch technologies, it is not surprising it they will indeed come up with something as cool as a Macbook Nano.

  Hundreds of prototypes have been conceptualized but this tablet like UMPC concept from Stuff totally kicks ass.  We can only drool and dream what Apple will cram into such a small device, but with the recent cut-down versions of the Mac OSX or Leopard’s “Spaces” this is not very far from reality.

Update: At the writing of this article, Apple has given some facts against this rumor.  The result was no Macbook Nano (That would have been unimaginative), but an ultra thin notebook called Macbook Air.  Nothing special really except for the super thin design and the wide multi-touch tap pad.

IPhone 2.0

After a successful 2007 launch for the iPhone, fans and haters alike have asked for some improvements on what has been dubbed as 2007’s most controversial phone.  IPhone version 2.0 is an answer to these requests.  To start with, Apple is seen to soon ride the 3G or the HDSPA (3.5G) wave making that elusive hotspot unnecessary.  Apple gave statements of major software and hardware that are to be announced in this year’s Macworld Expo too.  Expected changes include GPS, expanded WiFi capability and email syncing.  Personally, I wouldn’t mind a megapixel camera, expandable storage, video recording capability as well as a one size fits all head set jack. 16 Gigabytes anyone?

MultiTouch Mouse

Apple takes multi touch to another level by improving on the computer peripheral that takes the most touching, aside from the keyboard.  Enter the new Apple mouse.  Mid last year the company applied for a patent already for the device.  Apple described it as a mouse that has an optical sensing surface.  This eliminates the need for  buttons and can interpret a variety of positional or gestural controls.  It uses an internal light source and an optically transmissive surface to track the user’s fingers.

Sony Play TV/ PSP PVR

After an announcement last year of including a PVR for Pal based territories in Europe for the PS3, Sony is expected to again make gamers smile this year.  After a firmware update in Japan that allows those with tuners to record their TV shows on the PSP,the mobile console will also be getting a personal video recorder as an add on to their console.  Yes, you heard it right, the PVR also comes to the PSP.  After failed attempts to put TivoToGo on the PSP,it looks like this year, the PSP will make portable TV widely available.

Casio High Speed (EXF1)

Casio gets out of the megapixel war and takes another course by introducing what could possibly be the fastest camera in the market.  Casio’s High Speed camera can shoot 60 frames per second perfect for capturing those elusive moments.  60 fps is already used in capturing ultra smooth video footages, but this is not what this camera is all about.  It shoots actual full resolution 6 magapixel pictures in a second.  Expected to come into reality this year, this will be the wildlife photographer or sports photographer’s favorite ally.

Mobile Music

This year, a new solution to provide multi room music may just make it big.  Forget wireless solutions nor multiple wired speakers which are just so 19th century.  This year music takes a new turn by employing the help of robotic droids.  Sony came up with their Rolly, a robotic drone that follows you around and plays music from its 1 gigabyte memory.  ZMP’s Miuro on the other hand follows the same concept as the Rolly when it comes to having a pet like droid play your music and follow you around.  On the other hand, this music player houses an iPod dock and can also stream music thru wifi.

PSPhone

Manufacturers have learned from Nokia’s attempt on a gaming phone with their Ngage, and has long decided to draw a thin line between gaming and communication.  Nokia solved the problem by introducing the Ngage as a software on their N series phones.  This year, however, every one is excited on rumors that Sony is planning to make their PSP into a phone under its Sony Ericsson license.  Past attempts have either come up with a cool gaming device with mediocre phone options or a cool phone with half baked gaming.  Imagine cramming up all the capabilities of the PSP into a small device like Wifi, PS3 compatibility, PVR and support for existing PSP titles.  A concept involved a dual slider mechanism like that of the N95 with keypads on one side and a joypad on the other.  If the rumor is true, this could perhaps be the best phone from Sony following their walkman and cybershot series.

Asus Ecobook

Greenpeace will truly love this new notebook from Asus that uses compressed bamboo for its chassis.  No two ecobooks are alike in terms of design and for further personalization one can opt to have the paneling laser etched.  This gadget does not compromise in terms of function as well, with a touchpad that recognizes handwriting, a slot in optical drive and buried LEDs for reduced wastage and for that simple minimalist look.  It has also proven its durability when it was used on a Mount Everest expedition last year.  Running on Vista, the device is also solvent and plastic free.

Game Consoles

It is expected that the console wars will only get hotter this year.  Here are the rumors on the three major gaming consoles and the path that each my take as they attempt to earn loyal users worldwide.

PS3

This year sony gave us a slimmed down version of its expensive predecessor at $600 with a 40GB hard drive.  This lower price made a lot of people consider buying their own PS3 especially considering that the fact that it is also a Blue Ray player.  The lack of backward compatibility is still an issue though, but ignoring this, Sony is hoping to have more converts to the PS3 by introducing PlayTV which turns the play station into a PVR.  One of the issues that the PS3 has to address is the lack of cool games.  With the coming of Gran Turismo5 and the rumored Bioshock for PS3, who knows when Sony will snag the crown of being the king of consoles again.

Xbox Ultimate

Forget the Premium or the Elite. This year, Xbox Ultimate will make the other two a thing of the past.  Last year, the Xbox have gone through its ups and downs with some software malfunctions as well as a lot of complaints from users.  With Three years of development experience, however, Microsoft is ready for a big update to their popular console.  The specs just kept us drooling with 1080p HDMI output, built in Wifi, High definition Audio output, a 65 nm architecture, a near silent fan for optimal cooling, 320 GB hard disk  and a built in HD DVD player.  The Xbox Ultimate also features an IPTV service.

Wii

The Wii is all about accessories and last year a whole armada of controllers has hit the market from swords and shields to guns and guitars.  This year looks no different with the new Wii Fit coming out this month.  I think that the Wii will become a niche gaming console with the innovative controllers that are coming out.  Wether we admit it or not, a Zapper beats a boomerang- like controller hands down.

Halo Wars

 

This real time strategy game will be a great treat for Halo fans everywhere as it introduces yet another facet for them to test the controls of the Xbox for a strategy game.  The premise is set even before the three previous games where you control the UNSC crew and their vehicles as they experience their first contact with the covenant on and around the planet Harvest.    No news wether an option to pay as the covenant is available.  This game is an Xbox exclusive

Rock Band

 

With a website already getting fans raving, Rock Band is set to become next year’s best game.  Available on all of today’s hottest game platforms the game is like a mashup of popular games like Guitar Hero, and Singstar.  Enthusiasts are expecting it to revolutionise social gaming for the year.  The game is played by a group composed of a guitar player, bass player, a drummer and a vocalist, allowing them to go head to head against other groups around the world.

Sony Aibo PS

Early 2006, Sony decided to bury its AIBO robot dog.  This year, however, rumors have it that Sony’s PSP division is planning to resurrect the popular pet.  The new incarnation will be called Aibo PS and will exists as an avatar at Sony’s interactive environment while reacting on the real world as it does on the site.  The site will also feature downloadable personalities and will be fully controllable by using a PSP via Wifi.  The dog will become a cool security device as well for the user will be able to access its camera on his PSP wherever a hotspot is available.

NEC Dew, Flask and Axes

When it comes to innovative design, nothing beats the geniuses at NEC.  Slated to be out this year these three devices may not earn the commercial status, but will surely have gadget lovers everywhere drooling to get their hands on it.

The Dew is an ultra portable text and picture viewer that also allows one to view, say, Youtube videos from a network.  this is all about style and when one looks at it is definitely is all about bling.  NEC flask is a state of the art music player that is inside  a flask filled with liquid fuel cell.  this drains away as the energy is consumed.  It also has a microphone and a speaker that is hidden from sight resulting in a minimalist beautiful accessory.  Details are still scarce, but we know that AXES is a micro PC that allows one to navigate around applications, media and the web.  it has a tuner like a watch that allows one to access icons and keywords on its round display panel.

This year will truly prove to be a great year for the geek in all of us.  For the meantime, all we can do is wait and see which ones of these rumors do make it to our store shelves.  One thing is sure though, the future is coming to us faster that we ever imagined.  Gadgets have become a necessity and a major part of our lives, be it in communicating at work or to make us smile.

* Aibo PS and PSPhone pictures courtesy of stuffmag.ae

* Axes and Flask are courtesy of NEC Corporation.