By Frank Yu
A cheap writing convention employed by almost every hack columnist is to write an end of year wish list of goodies that they want to own for the New Year. Given the great amount of tech gear out there, I could not resist creating my own list. However, since I own many of the things that I actually lust for (in tech gear at least) I will rehash some of last year's goodies for 2005 now that prices, in some cases have come down a bit. Most important, I'll try to make it relevant for foreigners living in China since we are both flooded with cheap electronics but starved for high quality goodies that old school foreigners living in Hong Kong and Tokyo have such easy access to.

1) Apple iPod 40 gigabyte

2) Nikon D70

3) Garmin GPSMAP60CS

4) 02 XDA II mini

5) MicroKorg

6) Arcteryx Shirts

7) Dell D600 Laptop

8) Canon Digital IXUS v3

9) Hiteker DVD player

10) Nintendo Gameboy Advance SP

First of all, all of these items were not purchased in China. The reason being is that branded western electronics sell for a premium in China (Apple iPod). Although, one can get a far cheaper Chinese brand of unknown quality, its just not worth the risk or hassle to buy it in China and try to get it working right. Also, items purchased in China have been localized for this market. This means interfaces and manuals are in Chinese and your warranty and service agreements are in Chinese as well (Nikon). Of course it means that if something goes wrong I will be out of luck unless I go to the US, Singapore or Hong Kong to return with my damaged goods.

Another reason is that for some of these products (Arcteryx and O2), there are no dealers that distribute in China that I know of so if I really want it I need to buy it overseas. Also if I were to buy it in China, I would always be unsure if it was gray market or a really good counterfeit job. However, for local consumers with knowledge of Chinese and some feedback from friends, buying in China could be just as easy and efficient as buying anywhere in Asia.

After many years of experience, tears and gadgets, I have more or less developed a philosophy of purchasing electronic gadgets that works for me. As many other gadget buyers know, most of this stuff is really junk and we of course really do not need these trinkets to make our lives complete, however for the sake of argument let us assume that they make us happy and more productive individuals.

As a rule, I am wary of buying new outright technology innovations. I usually wait a year or a few months after release to buy a product so that bugs and other early errors can be corrected. I will purchase 2nd generation items as well that have improved on initial technology and have in some way increased battery life, functionality or lowered costs. If possible, I will also buy it used since electronic items have such a fast half life that used products afford a good value if one is willing to wait and can judge the quality of pre-owned gear. Years ago, one can own an old film SLR camera for years like a true workhorse. These days, digital cameras are only good for a few months until a better model with lower costs comes out. In essence, electronics are all disposable given enough time.

I also feel that items should have useful life of not months but years so my electronics are not just fashion novelties but need to serve a real purpose in my life. In electronics, paying for quality means that downtime and malfunctions should also be reduced which is the difference between a tool and a useless piece of plastic.

So here goes:

Apple iPod. I love this thing. Most owners will say the same thing. I own 3 of them. 1st generation, 2nd generation and now the 4th generation. Its not just a music player but also one of the best portable self-powered storage drives that you can own. I've changed the battery on my two older ones and they continue to work well. Sure there are other MP3 players out there but the interface, the design and the coolness of it is one simple package.

Nikon D70. China is changing fast. Beijing is a photographic wonderland on every corner. How can you live in China and not want to capture and show your friends the amazing sights and people of China which are both similar and strangely alien to us at the same time. In a way, this moment in Chinese history is transitory, capture it while you can. The D70 is a consumer camera with professional power and can make gallery-museum quality images. Most of all, it takes images quickly which in the hustle and bustle of China is a big plus.

Garmin GPSmap 60CS. There are many great wild, historical and beautiful places to visit in China. Maps are not only rare but they're in Chinese so you need that extra info source. With a GPS you can make your own routes and find your own way. The Asia version has a China map built in which is quite useful for travelers. Built like a tank, looks like a cell phone and is a great conversation piece. Check out www.confluence.org for some GPS ideas in China.

02 XDA II mini. This is the smaller iPod sized version of the XDA pocketpc/pda device. It can be an internet browser, mobile phone, organizer, digital still and video camera, MP3/WMA player, audio recorder and eBook/PDF/Text document reader. I love and still have my XDA I but the smaller form factor and increased data connectivity of the XDA II mini was just too irresistible to pass up. Although its not as a good as a dedicated camera, m3 player, PDA, mobile phone or audio recorder, the fact that its both small and with me at all times is the greatest benefit when I actually need these functions. Most important, I can carry images of Beijing Maps as well a complete Chinese dictionary which I can point to with characters to non-English speakers. If I do not understand a sign, I take a picture of it and ask people what it is.

Warning: People who have used these devices find it very hard to switch back to normal phones later. PocketPC also burns any other mobile OS out there (I know, I've tried them all) The XDA mini is like a swiss pocket knife for modern living.

Microkorg. This is probably the most frivolous device on my list but its also the most unique. What was once a USD 2000 synthesizer years ago, has been shrunk into a cool dual battery and AC operated music device. This synth and vocoder has provided me with hours of mindless fun and is pretty fun with a group of people. Definitely not for everyone but a fun toy nevertheless.

Arcteryx. A friend of mine who works for Gartner who has a sister at Nike's design lab says that all the other designers are in awe with the craftsmanship and attention to detail of this company. Although clothing is not exactly electronic technology, the manufacturing and the materials used are. Laser seam manufacturing, great design and the latest synthetic fabrics are utilized to create clothing that wears well for both urban and extreme sports users. In the chilly or hot climate of China, having a great base layer of easy to clean fabrics with a light weight and an ability to keep you both dry and warm is a lifesaver. These high quality jackets and shirts, although pricey will be with you for life. This stuff makes North Face and Columbia apparel look like cheap fashion threads.

Dell Latitude D600. Not exactly a purchase that I made but it is a laptop that I use. In fact, it's the laptop that many people in Microsoft seem to use. Centrino processors are fast and have great power usage. They are also fast enough to run all the applications that Pentium 4's run. The D600 has good wireless features as well as a relatively capable ATI 9000 mobile graphics card. I use mine to run Office and other applications but also to run prototypes of Longhorn and other experimental applications. It can also play most of the best games in the market today. Not the cheapest, lightest, fastest nor longest lasting but a great combination of features that makes this my primary PC of choice. It also makes for a good DVD and MP3 server too.

Canon Ixus v3. What? Two cameras on the list? Although the D70 is a great camera which actually blurs the line between professional and consumer cameras, its really too big to carry around every day. The Canon Ixus series are small, have good battery life, take compact flash, and can be carried in your bag, your pocket, or even around your neck if like a hunk of metal dangling on you. Picture quality is good enough but these little babies are tough enough to take the daily drops and jostles of everyday life since they are mostly made of lightweight metal. Yes, I actually carry 3 cameras, 2 mobile phones most of the time but it's the Ixus that gets the workout at parties, events, and gatherings unless you want to look like the company photographer with an SLR.

Hiteker DVD. Anyone living in China knows, DVDs are our life here. Cheap, diverse, illegal and everywhere, the DVD is the entertainment of choice for many foreigners. Try to buy a legal English language DVD in China and you too will fall to the dark side eventually. Although there are many good brands in Chinese DVD players, try to choose one that is an OEM for western brands. Hiteker makes DVD players for Apex and it has some great features. Many Chinese DVD players have chips that will stabilize images to allow playback even if some errors are found. This means that even pirated or defective DVDs will play on these players since they are programmed to just push through and not lock up like laptop or regular DVD players. When the salesperson demoed the hiteker for me, they placed a DVD or rather 65% of a damaged DVD in the player and it still continued to play from the shards that remained. If it can spin, it can play.

Nintendo Gameboy Advance SP. Sure there is a new dual screen Nintendo, the Nokia Ngage and the new Sony PSP in the market now. They all have some glaring shortcomings in battery life, usability or even software. The Game Advance SP represents the best value for a gaming device in the world today. There are also more Gameboys in the world than PS2s, Xboxes and Sega dreamcasts combined. Although 3D and complex graphics remain elusive for the engine of the Gameboy Advance SP, the number of good titles for this platform either new or used is amazing. Light, long battery life, and under 100 USD makes this a great purchase now. All Gameboy Advances are global, you can buy GB Advance software from any region of the world, legal or not and it will play on the SP. It is light, has good battery life with the addition of a backlit screen makes it a joy to use. Great for trips or just when waiting for people, the Gameboy Advance SP is a traveler or foreigner must have. You can also get accessories and games for it almost anywhere in the world.

So that's my list. Not exactly the cutting edge of what's new for 2005 but they represent what I would term the "classics" of the new millennium. Many of them actually launched in 2001 in an earlier less refined form. Their current version this year or last year represent landmark achievements of product evolution and usability. Lets face it, I like gadgets but most of it is junk. My budget means that I would rather let other people buy and try it first before I make that leap.

About the author:
Frank Yu is a Program Manager at Microsoft Research Asia's Advanced Technology Center. A Harvard graduate, Frank has worked in Hong Kong, Singapore and now Beijing for 8 years in the field of technology and banking. Views expressed in this article are those of the writer and not those of Microsoft Corporation. Frank can be contacted at [email protected]