Converged devices have been on the rise for many years now, but this could be the year they really hit their straps.
We want to watch video on our cellphones, listen to our playlists in our cars, send an instant message on the road and use GPS so we never get lost while doing so, and in the office we want to print, scan, copy and fax all from the same machine.
We also want easy internet connection regardless of the device.
Until now though, the majority of all-in-one gadgets have had at least one weak point, whether it's a sub-par camera, inadequate sound, clunky navigation, poor graphics, average headphones or a design that can't accommodate multiple uses.
However, several recent success stories show that manufacturers are getting it right more often.
They include the iPhone and iPod Touch, Telecom's Okta Touch (a re-branded HTC phone), Nokia's N95 phone, Palm's Foleo, GPS devices with extras, a host of ultra-mobile PCs, Windows Mobile 6 devices and many more.
Support for HSDPA (high-speed downlink packet access) means we can get emails and browse the internet faster, screen size and clarity are often vastly improved, and touch screen interfaces can enable us to control more functions without crowding a product with too many buttons. Design is also improving aesthetically.
Best of breed products will always have their place, but convergence makes increasing sense for mobile workforces and consumers.
The question in 2008 and beyond could be where the limits of these products lie, and how much we're prepared to pay for them.
