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What Are the Different Types of Electronic Gadgets?

Dan Cavallari
Dan Cavallari

The availability of electronic gadgets has exploded over the years, and the technology of these devices has only improved. It seems electronic gadgets exist for every facet of life, from entertainment to education, from work to play, and that may be because they do exist for all facets of life. Entertainment gadgets include mp3 players, book e-readers, portable movie players, cell phones, and digital cameras. Gadgets for work include cell phones, portable computers and tablets, digital watches, and many more. Gadgets seem to be available to suit any need in the modern age.

The general purpose of most electronic gadgets is to make life easier, more fun, or more efficient. Computers are perhaps the most sought-after electronic gadgets that fall into just about any category. Tablets are thin, small computers that are touch-screen activated and navigated. They are useful as an e-reader, as a portable communications device, as a creative tool, and so on. The technology changes rapidly, and these tablets tend to get thinner, smaller, and more functional with each new iteration. A close cousin to such tablets is the smart phone, which is a combination of a computer, telephone, and camera. Smart phones often have Internet access, texting abilities, memory for photos and other information, and much more.

Handheld MP3 player with earbud headphones.
Handheld MP3 player with earbud headphones.

Other communication devices include satellite phones and two-way radios. These electronic gadgets are useful for people who spend a significant amount of time in the wilderness. Two-way radios are sometimes used by families at ski areas to stay in touch on the trails, or by hikers or bikers on long rides through the wilderness. Satellite phones allow a person to communicate with others around the world where phone access is not available by any traditional means, including land lines and cell phone communication.

A digital video camera.
A digital video camera.

Digital cameras are increasingly popular electronic gadgets because they have become much easier to use and produce better pictures than ever before. Digital single lens reflex cameras, or DSLRs, are larger, more advanced cameras that allow a user to attach a wide variety of lenses to the camera body. This lends versatility to the camera unit, and the user can produce photos that can be uploaded quickly to computers for display on websites or printing onto traditional photo paper. Smaller cameras can fit in one's pocket, and now even high definition video cameras are so small as to fit in a pocket, yet still high quality enough to produce sharp, attractive videos.

Discussion Comments

DylanB

I tried using one of those electronic drawing tablets with the stylus years ago. It seemed like a really great idea, but I had trouble drawing with it.

There was a short delay between the time I drew something and the time it appeared onscreen, and this threw me off. Also, my lines were a bit shaky. It was just easier for me to use the mouse, because I could get a solid grip on it and rest my hand on the desk for support.

I'm sure that drawing tablets have come a long way since I first tried one out, but I hear that they are very expensive. That's why I choose to stick with my mouse.

seag47

My husband has a digital watch, and I have digital clocks throughout the house. We prefer them to the kind that tick.

For him, it is harder to tell time with those watches that just have the 12, 3, 6, and 9 on the face. So, he got a digital watch to make things very easy.

I have trouble falling asleep if I can hear a clock ticking. I replaced all our ticking wall clocks with digital clocks, which are some of the most cheap electronic gadgets you can find these days. For me, they are worth far more than I have to pay for them.

We have one digital clock in the living room that tells the temperature outside and inside, as well as the time. This is handy for when I wake up in the morning and need to know what to wear.

cloudel

I love my digital camera. It is about ten years old, so I know that more advanced high tech gadgets have come along since then, but my camera is so perfect that I see no need to shop around for something newer.

It takes photos with such a high resolution that I can zoom way in and see amazing detail. They make such beautiful prints, too!

I have a couple of memory cards for this phone, and I hope that they last a very long time. I know that it is no longer possible to buy cards for this camera, because the manufacturer does not make them anymore. I will be very sad if I ever have to get a new one.

StarJo

@SarahSon – I also use my phone as my camera. When I first discovered that I could take awesome photos with it, I thought it was one of the most cool electronic gadgets!

I am a little slow technologically, so my friend had to show me what all my phone was capable of. Otherwise, I would still be using it just for calling and texting.

She showed me how the camera function worked, and I have been using it daily. I love not having to carry around an extra camera on trips. My cell phone is small enough to fit into my pocket, and since I always have it with me, I don't have to worry about carrying a bulky camera along.

honeybees

@julies-- I can understand why you don't feel like you need both a tablet and an e-reader. My problem is knowing how to choose which style or brand of gadget to buy.

Some people always stick with one brand, but I like to compare them, read reviews and talk to other people who are using them. Even then, it can be almost overwhelming trying to decide which one to buy.

I am currently in the market for a tablet and have not decided yet which one to buy. Ever since they came out I have been fascinated with thee cool gadgets, but still have not made a decision on one.

Does anybody have a recommendation or suggestion as to why they bought the one they did? After you bought your first tablet, have you upgraded or felt like the first one you bought was good enough?

julies

I love reading up on all the top electronic gadgets. My problem is it can be hard to decide which ones to spend my money on because there are so many of them.

Many of them combine a lot of the same features, so that is one way I can save a little bit. I had a Kindle for a few months, and then ended up buying a tablet. I could do everything on the tablet that I could with my Kindle, so I ended up selling my Kindle.

This was in good shape and less than a year old, so I didn't have any problems selling it. With the tablet, the screen is bigger and I can also do so much more with it than just read.

I know my tablet will probably be outdated before too long, but I use it every day, so don't feel like it was a waste of money at all.

SarahSon

I am the type of person who doesn't buy the latest electronic gadgets as soon as they come out. I like to wait until there are several reviews done on them and they come down in price.

I usually end up getting many of the popular gadgets, I am just a little slow at it. I finally made the switch to a smart phone, and now wonder what took me so long.

I have just about everything I need on this one gadget. In addition to functioning as a phone, I have the internet and I also use this as my camera. The pictures I take with my phone are as high quality as what I was getting with my digital camera.

golf07

@chivebasil-- For a long time I felt the way you do about holding a "real" book in my hand while I was reading. What finally convinced me to buy an e-reader was I could have so many books downloaded on one small device.

This is great when I am traveling and now I don't have to pack 2-3 books or choose which books I want to read before I leave. I have found that when flying on an airplane it can be somewhat frustrating because you have to turn it off and on quite a bit.

If I am just reading and holding a book or magazine, I don't have to worry about that. Other than that, I have been very pleased with my e-reader. When I am at home, I still find myself reading a book the old fashioned way, but I love that I can carry my e-book anywhere with me.

It fits in my purse, so I know I can always have a book with me when I need one.

profess
Where is the best place to buy electronics for cheap? My son loves gadgets and his birthday is coming up. I don't have a lot of money to spend for a gift but I want to get him something he will like. Where can I afford something cool?
vigilant

I am one of those people that follows up on new electronic gadgets. Even stuff that I know that I will not be able to afford I read up on. There are some incredible advances in home theater technology that I will never get to see with my own eyes but that I find fascinating to read about.

This is a great time for a guy like me because we are living in something of a gadget Renaissance. Between phones, tablets, readers, laptops and all the many many other gadgets that are widely used we are a more gadget orientated culture than ever before. Maybe we are closer to the Jetsons than we realized.

chivebasil

Does anyone have an e-reader? For the longest time I swore that I would never get one and that I would be reading books made from paper for the rest of my life. But I have done some research and tried a few out and I have to admit that I kind of like it. And it would be so convenient.

But I still have some reservations and I know I am not the only one. Was anyone ever in my shoes and then they just decided to go for it and buy a Kindle or a Nook or whatever? How did it turn out? Do you love it or did you get rid of it.

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    • Handheld MP3 player with earbud headphones.
      Handheld MP3 player with earbud headphones.
    • A digital video camera.
      A digital video camera.
    • A smartphone with a touch screen.
      By: N-Media-Images
      A smartphone with a touch screen.
    • Satellite phones are gadgets that rely on a satellite network.
      By: morane
      Satellite phones are gadgets that rely on a satellite network.
    • Tablets are thin, small computers that are touch-screen activated and navigated.
      By: vetkit
      Tablets are thin, small computers that are touch-screen activated and navigated.
    • E-reader devices allow individuals to download and read electronic books.
      By: Paolese
      E-reader devices allow individuals to download and read electronic books.