If 2000 was the year of the Internet, and 2001 the year most people would best like forget, next year could be the one for gadget envy.
It is no longer about choosing a cellphone, an MP3 player or a handheld computer. Next year will bring personal technology gadgets that fit with your lifestyle, your commute or your friends.
A revealing trend is that after years of shrinking cellphone sizes, they are growing bigger again. Manufacturers are starting to cram lots more features into these devices.
Take the new Nokia 5510, a bulky cellphone that looks like a glasses case with a full keyboard on top for easy texting. It also stores a few hours of music, has a radio and can act as a miniature gaming device.
The year 2002 will herald the blurring of boundaries between computers, cellphones, cameras, music players, games consoles and TV sets.
Dozens of new devices are flooding the market, all sporting new looks as electronics makers push every button in an attempt to jolt stagnating markets into growth mode again.
The new gadgets combine well-known favorites such as music and communications, and will bring in completely new features such as sending pictures and viewing video.
News source: Yahoo! - Reuters