Domestic Diversions

1. There is a new battery technology coming to market this summer. Panasonic’s Oxyride batteries will be available in standard sizes. They should last 50 to 100 percent longer at only 10 percent more in cost. A 4 pack of AA or AAA batteries will be about $3.99. These are ideal for all of the electronic gadgets we carry around with us.
2. Hitachi is coming out with the world’s smallest hard drive. It is just over 1 inch in diameter and will be up to 8-10 GB in capacity by the end of 2005. It will be used in cell phones, digital cameras, and digital music players.
3. PalmOne has released a Palm PDA with a built-in 4GB hard drive. It is called the LifeDrive. It lists for $499. Beyond the hard drive, it has a huge (for a PDA) screen, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth. It is not as svelte as a Tungsten E2, but it will do more.
4. Nikon has a new super-slim digital camera that will be comfortable in your pocket everywhere (except maybe court). The Coolpix S1 is only .8 inches thick and weighs only 4.2 ounces. It has 5 megapixel resolution and a 2.5 inch LCD. All for a reasonable $379 list price.
5. For true “road warriors” only, the Hawking Technology HWC54D long-range PC Card Wi-Fi adapter will get your laptop connected to access points hundreds of feet away. Its range is about 200 feet longer than a standard Wi-Fi adapter. It lists for $99.
6. If you already have the terrific PalmOne Treo 650 smartphone, you should get the new matching Bluetooth headset from PalmOne. At a list price of $79.99, it has excellent battery life and sound quality.