David Pogue’s Gadget List of 2008

"Life is short, travel is hard. And at its best, technology makes the most of both."

Here are David Pogue's favoirte picks:

• Camera. When the picture counts, I grab our Nikon D80 and its Amazing 11X Image-Stabilized Lens (Nikon’s 18-200mm zoomer, which cost almost as much as the camera). But the Nikon is big and bulky, so my wife carries a Canon SD700 IS shirt-pocket camera; it’s also a rockin’ machine. It has image stabilization, it’s fast (processing and focusing), it takes really great movies and the pictures are superb for a little cam. Unfortunately, its autofocus just died this week. So I’m pretty sure I’m going to replace it with the Canon SD890 (5X optical zoom–unheard-of in pocket cams) or the SD950 (which has a 0.6-inch sensor, much larger and therefore better than the usual 0.3-inch or 0.4-inch sensor in pocket cams).
• Camcorder. Canon HV30.
• Cellphone. LG8300.
• Computer. MacBook Air.
• Mobile Internet. Sierra Compass 597 cellular modem from Sprint.
• Movies. The Vudu Box. Its hard drive contains the first 30 seconds of 5,000 movies. When you pick one to watch, it starts playing immediately.
• Car. Toyota Prius.
• TiVo. Tivo Series 3.

Follow the link for more details on why he picked what he picked.