Motorola’s ROKR E8 is a head-turning phone with many built-in advances that give it a smarter interface than basic cellphones. Its standout feature is its keyboard, which dynamically changes to accommodate whatever you’re doing.
The Flip Video Mino changes the way people capture and share videos, and that’s a great thing. And if you really want a sleek, hip-looking gadget, you’ll learn to overlook and adjust to the touch-sensitive buttons that aren’t as functional as they needed to be.
The SPOT Satellite Messenger gives outdoor thrill seekers a little extra insurance: It lets the folks back home track their progress, and learn when they’re OK or when they’re in trouble. However, the device isn’t perfect.
Two no-frills cellphones called the Jitterbug and the Coupe do a good job of handling calls, but some of the Jitterbug’s nonconformist features can be confusing for people familiar with cellphones.
Edited by Walt and written by Katie Boehret, this is a guide to gadgets, web services and other consumer technologies.
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