PRELUDE: GADGETS

 

1. COOLPIX S1 $379.95
www.NIKONUSA.COM

Sleek, smart and very small, the S1 is easy on the eye and easy to master. Perfect for beginners and camera connoisseurs alike, it boasts 5.1 megapixels and a 3.0x optical zoom lens in a credit-card sized case. The up-to-the-minute technology means substance is definitely not sold out for style.

2. RADARGOLF SYSTEM $349.95
www.RADARGOLF.COM

Improve your score and decrease your stress by pointing this hand-held golf ball locator toward your missing ball, to hear the comforting beeps that mean never having to concede a lost ball penalty again. An end to frustrated outbursts and excursions into the undergrowth.

3. NUVO $6,000
www.ZMP.CO.JP

Finally, another futuristic dream comes true with Nuvo, your very own robot slave. Wherever you are, Nuvo can send pictures to your cell phone, reassuring you that your house is safe and your kids are behaving. At just 15 inches tall, Nuvo is remarkably smart for such a cute humanoid.

4. POCKET PROJECTOR $799
www.MITSUBISHIELECTRIC.COM

The world is your movie screen when you plug this tiny, light-weight projector into any computer, DVD player or digital camera. A memory card slot means photos and presentations can be taken on the move, so any space can be turned into a meeting room and any wall a gallery.