The Best Cool Tech Gadgets of the Year

2010 happened to be a particularly exciting year for two kinds of cool tech gadgets - mobile gadgets and 3-D ones. In the mobile gadgets category of course, Apple had two entries - the maddeningly desirable iPad touchscreen tablet computer, and the smaller-than-ever new MacBook Air. In the 3-D department, every major television manufacturer had a new 3-D TV (or six).

But Panasonic certainly wins in the 3-D category by producing the positively huge 65 inch TX-P65VT20B Viera 3-D TV. You get the full in-your-face effect of 3-D with a screen that huge, and Panasonic even includes two pairs of 3-D glasses in the box. No other TV offers the clarity, the color response, the sheer 3-D magic of this monster set. This one set alone would seal Panasonic's reputation in the 3-D department. But they had to go out and make the world's first full production 3-D camcorder for the masses. Use a binocular-design 3-D camera ( that by the way costs $20,000) in public, and you should simply have all on eyes on you. Certainly, you do need a real steady hand for the right effect to hit you; but of course every new technology needs new skills, and just the fact that you can shoot 3-D on a handheld camcorder is an exciting prospect.

And then we have our Apple iPad, that you need no introduction to - large solid-state hard drive, spectacular multi-touch screen, it's only been out for less than a year, and already 15 million people own one. The only problem with an iPad is that it is clearly not a laptop replacement. For the most part, it isn't powerful enough, and there is a lot to complain in the fact that it lacks a proper keyboard. Choose the new MacBook Air with a 11.6 inch high res screen, a great graphics processor, a multi-touch trackpad and all kinds of other tricks, and you begin to wonder if you really need an iPad after all.

It's difficult to really pick a winner out of all the cool tech gadgets that came online in 2010. Certainly, 3-D camera and a very attractive little tablet computer are cool tech gadgets; but there's something about the Microsoft Kinect that just is too new to pass over for the prize. When the Nintendo Wii first came on the market, the makers of the PlayStation and the Xbox couldn't stop laughing at the way the graphics on the Wii were quite primitive. It was when it began to overtake the PlayStation in sales that they sat up and took notice. The Microsoft Kinect takes the Wii motion capture concept a step further. You don't even need to wear a controller on your hand anymore. The Kinect maps the entire room you are in, and maps your whole body, and it knows exactly where you are and how you are. You no longer need a joystick, a keyboard or anything to play Xbox. It's game over for video game innovation.

Android Market Downloads and Counting

One billion is a pretty big number by any measurement. However, when it’s describing the speed at which something is growing, it’s simply amazing. This past weekend, thanks to Android users around the world, Android Market exceeded 10 billion app downloads—with a growth rate of one billion app downloads per month. We can’t wait to see where this accelerating growth takes us in 2012.

To celebrate this milestone, we partnered with some of the Android developers who contributed to this milestone to make a bunch of great Android apps available at an amazing price. Starting today for the next 10 days, we’ll have a new set of awesome apps available each day for only 10 cents each. Today, we are starting with Asphalt 6 HD, Color & Draw for Kids, Endomondo Sports Tracker Pro, Fieldrunners HD, Great Little War Game, Minecraft, Paper Camera, Sketchbook Mobile, Soundhound Infinity and Swiftkey X.

Of course, none of these apps would have existed if it weren’t for the developers who created them. Every day, these developers continue to push the limits on what’s possible and delight us in the process. For that, we thank them.

Please join us in this 10-day celebration and check in every day to see what new apps our developer partners are making available on Android Market—for only a dime.

Apps for Your iPad

Book apps on your iPad are a great way to share special moments with your child.
While surfing the net I found a great app that is called Silly app, it has sophisticated and bright artwork, amusing characters, sound effects, animation, voice-over narration and music. This combination is what every child needs to have a good laugh and learn at the same time.

I would like to warn some parents before they go out and buy tons of educational apps to please understand, many of the most popular iPad educational apps are best suited for children in the elementary to high school age span. This is not my baby can read!

Natalie from Iphoneandkids.com has some of the best math apps that make studying math a lot of fun on your iPad. Here is a small list of those apps which can be found on iTunes.

Motion Math: $0.99

Kids math fun $1.99

Mathemagics: $0.99

I found Math Magic to be a great educational iPad app that helps your child improve their math skills in a fun and exciting way. One more math app that I almost left off the list is the Pop Math, although this game is dubbed as a fun game for kids of all ages, it has its limitations, younger children will need some basic concept of math and older children may not find it very challenging.

I know what you're thinking, "Will my child like these apps," well studies have shown
Kids love these apps because they seem more like playing than learning.

Another great place to look for educational apps for your iPad is the App Store. They have this cool app that helps young children learn the alphabet and phonics in a fun and educational way. For those little Isaac Newtons, they have the Star Walk which opens up the heavens like a telescope, taking kids or adults on a tour through astrological bodies and various constellations.

The amazing thing about iPad apps are they help your child review basic skills, improve critical thinking and decision-making skills, and even learn to read. In fact, there are educational apps designed to teach people of any age or skill level.

One of the best apps out there is the Edupath LSAT iPad app, which tests your child on nearly every LSAT question in print. This is an invaluable app which can prepare your child like no other.

Educational apps for your iPad are quickly gaining recognition as a premier piece of educational equipment. I can't over stress it, the educational apps for your iPad are meant for kids to use the iPad to play games while learning new skills. Not only will kids have fun playing with these apps but they will gain information and maybe learn something new.