Times have changed indeed!  This post was originally written in 2008 – eons ago in tech terms.  Enjoy the archeological look-see into the past, along with my current editorial comments…

In a departure from my usual analysis and perspective, I thought that I would comment on some of the most useful gadgets that I regularly use. Each of them share one thing in common: they save time, reduce frustration, and are generally very clever.

Not in any particular order:

The Flip: This is a cell-phone sized video camera that has one-button simplicity, as well as a built-in USB plug that “flips” out of the side. Time from filming to YouTube upload is measured in minutes. The Flip records one hour of YouTube quality video.  TODAY:  Guess what – the Flip is no more, but the iPhone does an incredible job of this.

Olympus Digital Voice Recorder WS-210S: Like The Flip, this has a built in USB plug. It records up to 138 hours of audio.  It’s great for quickly recording ideas and practicing speeches.  TODAY:  Guess what – the WS-210S is no more, but the iPhone does an incredible job of this.  Better yet, the RecUp app can both record, and then auto-upload into your Dropbox account.

Logitech remote pointer for PowerPoint, model R-R85: This small remote has all of the required functions, but doesn’t overwhelm with buttons. Bonus: a count-down timer causes the unit to vibrant at present intervals, to give a sense of timing. TODAY:  Logitech’s model R-880 is even better.

CardScan Executive: This handy device scans business cards, and then synchronizes them with Outlook. While the character recognition isn’t perfect on cards with bizarre fonts, it is a truly clever timesaver.  TODAY:  Does anyone really still use business cards?  But if you do, there is are no shortage of iPhone Apps that do this very well.  CardStar, Snap, and many others are available.

Dymo LabelWriter 400: This printer only does one thing – print labels very well.  TODAY:  Still working strong, although slightly faster versions of this model are still available.

Tablet PC: In my case, I use a glacially slow ThinkPad X41T, but to be able to use a stylus to annotate, draw pictures, and highlight existing documents is huge – and cool. TODAY:  a super-fast Macbook Pro (and a super-fast iPad using the excellent Notability software)

iPod and iTunes: Any model will do; these clever devices allow a relaxing escape while travelling, or greater accessibility to professional development. And the iTunes store, while not a gadget in its own right, has opened up a world of music.  TODAY:  iTunes is still around, but I get to it via my iPhone. Today:  Digital transformation has hit entire industries – even gadgets…

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