Best of 2005 The hottest gadgets and gear of the year

If you're reading this issue of HUB: Digital Living, chances are you'll agree that technology is a wonderful thing. But with so many products flooding the marketplace, choosing one over another can be an overwhelmingly difficult task. After all, many of these tech toys can cost a pretty penny, plus there's no worse feeling than investing in something that becomes quickly outdated. So, now that 2005 has come to a close, we thought it the perfect time to highlight some of our favourite gadgets and gear of the year.

Best cell phone

It seems each week there's a new cell phone on the market, but the one that caught our attention earlier this year, and is now available in a sleek black finish, is the Motorola Razr V3. At just 1.39 cm thick, 5.3 cm wide and 9.8 cm long [when flipped open), it's one of the thinnest handsets on the market, yet the GSM world phone is packed with a VGA digital camera, Bluetooth connectivity for wireless headsets, and the ability to download and play MPEG-4 video clips on its large screen. Love text messaging and Web surfing? Users will dig the smooth metallic finish and etched keypad created from a single sheet of nickelplated copper alloy. Motorola.ca; $250 with 3-year Rogers Wireless plan [or $410 without).

Best digital camera

While digital SLRs [single lens reflex) cameras aren't as popular, or as affordable, as point-and-shoot digicams, it was the Canon EOS Rebel XT that took our best shots this year. This high-performance "prosumer" camera features what the company calls its "digital trinity:" an 8-megapixel CMOS sensor, Canon's proprietary DIGIC II image processor and compatibility with over 50 EF lenses. While serious shutterbugs may turn their nose up at this camera for its lightweight plastic body, the proof is in the performance. Canon.ca; $1,199.

Best MP3 player

Thirty million iPod owners can't be wrong. Our favourite is the 4GB iPod nano, a tiny music player [thinner than a no. 2 pencil and weighing just 1.5 ounces), that can store up to 1,000 songs or display up to 25,000 photos on its colour screen. And because it uses Flash memory instead of a hard drive (as with the iPod mini), there are no moving parts so it's ideal for working out with. The nano works seamlessly with the free iTunes software so you can create custom playlists or download podcasts and audio books — all with a couple of mouse clicks. The nano ships in either ultra-shiny black or white. Keeping it so shiny might prove a little difficult however. Apple.ca; $299 for 4GB version.

Best game system

This is a tough one. The Sony PlayStation Portable (PSP) is a killer machine that never fails to impress, but the best gaming hardware of the year must go to the Xbox 360 — not just for what it can do today but where it'll take console gaming in the near future. This sleek white unit has some serious horsepower under the hood so it can deliver high-resolution games (720p) and 5.1 surround sound audio. It also has wireless controllers, a removable and upgradeable hard drive and a WiFi card slot to join an existing network, which will be perfect to take advantage of all the Xbox Live features. Xbox.com/ca; 5399 for core system, $499 for premium bundle.

Best PC monitor

PC garners and movie lovers, rejoice! The stunning ViewSonic VX924 Xtreme monitor is a 19-inch flat-panel LCD display with an industryleading 3-millisecond response time, which means your computer games and DVD flicks won't suffer from the common "ghost" trails caused by fast motion (by comparison, many PC monitors sport between 12 and 16 millisecond response times). The display (with 1280 x 1024 native resolution) also boasts a slew of analog and digital connection options and a sleek "floating" body design. Viewsonic.com; $499.99.

By Marc Saltzman