ReZoom

The overwhelming popularity of the iPod and the continued growth of cell phones have ushered in the golden age of gadgetry. But with all this convenience comes problems, like how do you carry around all this junk?

If you're toting a digital camera, cell phone and MP3 player in your pockets, there's no way you also have room for keys and your wallet … unless your closet's stocked with cargo pants (not that I'm judging). Smartphones tried to alleviate the problem, combining MP3, camera and computer features; but even if you get past the fact that they're about as bulky as an iPod strapped to a cell phone, the features tend to be unsatisfactory.

Apple, already known for hip, slick, streamlined products, stepped in to fill the void with the iPhone. A dedicated, touch-screen, phone-multimedia device, the iPhone can play music, movies and TV shows that you can watch while waiting for a call back from Aunt Margie. A three-and-half-inch display, it'll run most Macintosh applications, check e-mail and online stock portfolios or find out if your afternoon tee time will get rained out. Storage capacity ranges from four to eight gigabytes, putting it between the iPod and iPod Nano.

As for flaws, no one really knows how much talk time iPhones will have (Apple says five hours). But the battery can't be too substantial, considering the thing is less than half an inch wide. And some wonder how well a touch-screen QWERTY keyboard will work out.

Exclusive to Cingular, iPhone hits stores this summer. Price ranges $499-$599.