Novation Launchpad – $200
With Ableton Lite bundled free of charge, this bizarre USB-powered light box is easy to set up and fun to use. An 8×8 grid of glowing pads surrounded by context-setting controls, it’s a clever way to control playback of readied tracks–but not so fluid as a compositional tool. Though a gorgeous stage prop, it’s not a toy, either: don’t get it for folks who don’t know a DAW from a doorstop.
HTC Imagio $200 w/2-year contract
You’ve seen HTC’s Imagio–it’s the one in those cheeky Verizon ads that mock AT&T’s dismal 3G network. Consider your needs. It’sthe best WinMo iClone yet, but being the second best phone of 2007 still isn’t good enough if you’re a contract-free agent. HTC’s concealment of Windows’ obsolete clunker OS is an amazing feat–it swipes, it scrolls, it looks good–but at every turn there’s another reminder, a performance or UI irritation that takes the shine off. Droid is better, and so is an iPhone–but don’t count it out without a fiddle at the mall kiosk.
CardScan for Windows Mobile – $15, out soon.
Dymos’s CardScan scans business cards with a WinMo 6.5 cellphone’s camera, performs character recognition, then syncs up the data with your address books. It’s as simple as that, but requires at least a 2-megapixel camera. The weirder the card’s typography, the more cleanup work you’ll have to do. That said, it’s as good as dedicated business card scanners–Dymo’s putting its own hardware on the critically endagered gadget list!
Motorola Debut i856 – $100 with a 2-year Sprint contract, $150 contract-free with Boost.
This chunky slider-phone has push-to-talk, GPS and a 1.3MP camera. Perfectly serviceable, its old-school low res display and short feature list limit its appeal, but the real killer is price: even for $100, you can get something better.
Moshi Voice Control Travel Alarm Clock – $25
There are two things you need to know about this. Firstly, it is incredibly small, small enough to fit in your pocket. Secondly, the voice recognition works perfectly. Okay, so there’s a third thing: you have to press a button to get it to accept voice commands. The size makes it good for travelers or the cramped, but the voice thing is only really for those who hate figuring controls out.