They're getting smaller, aren't they?
We mean the latest gadgets. With vast improvements in technology, these gadgets seem to be shrinking, and small is now apparently the new big.
People are getting more excited at the mere
aspect of shrinking gadgets. In the past, when cellphones the size of walkie-talkies
came into existence, people carried them in baskets (or so they say) so
that they could catch the attention of others when they used their Big Brother
mobiles.
Now, unless you're security, or in the middle of a warzone, it is utterly embarrassing to be seen with a "walkie-talkie"
look-alike. People want 'em small and slim, baby, and that's what they're getting.
Not only are mini mobile phones more favorable among the
public, small computers and keyboards are on the rise as well. Those big, bulky
PCs that people used to own are neglected and relegated to part of the store
room as consumers eye the latest laptop models and marvel at how slim, small
and compact their computer set can turn out to be.
Light and portable, you can type an email while waiting for the bus, or tuck your laptop snugly away into your shoulder bag. Far more impressive than what those big clunky PCs, yes? But then again, even PCs seem to be shrinking nowadays. Come on, have you even seen the latest Apple PCs?
 With our constant obsession with size, people decided it would be more appealing to
reduce the mass of personal computers even further. Their solution? Palmtops or PDAs, highly sought after by working adults.
And does anyone even remember cassette tapes? From cassettes to CDs (which, unfortunately, failed to keep
up with the shrinking era) to the now infamous MP3 players, we've seen just how far the gadget industry has come.
Ever seen a
person in our MRTs without a set of ear phones? The mp3 players are becoming
smaller - and multifunctional too! They've got everything from an inbuilt thumb drive to FM radios to video players to audio recorders, all packed into 300g of mass. Phew!
And come on, could we really write an article like this without mentioning the iPod? Besides, what's not to like? They're gorgeous, they've got clarity like no other, and did we mention gorgeous? Here's what the 1st generation iPod looked like:
 Weighing in at 6.5 ounces, with the capacity to store 1000 songs, it was THE music player that kickstarted the iPod revolution. The iPod Mini, iPod Touch, and the iPod Nano soon followed, and spawned an entire generation of sleek, classy mp3/mp4 players.
If you try to dig through those hazy childhood memories (traumatic or otherwise), you might remember your parents trying to make you stand still for a picture, so as not to waste their limited
rolls of film.
Now obsolete, these photographic mammoths have made way for palm-sized, idiot-proof digicams that are tailormade for the active individual. Camcorders have also packed more into a smaller frame, competing ferociously for a niche in the gadget market.
So is big necessarily better? Not quite, especially in this industry - and in the immortal words of Pete Becker in FRIENDS:
"Make it fit in the head of a pin! I love it when you make things fit in
the head of a pin!" HOOKED
Images courtesy of:
http://www.palmland.com
http://www.portablegadgets.net
http://www.apple.com
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