Photos: Razr to Nano, when design matters

Samsung's A900, aka Blade, has almost all of the same design specs as Motorola's popular Razr. But it's certainly different on the inside.

Samsung Electronics

While Sony mainly touted its PlayStation Portable as a portable game machine, the company has positioned the device as something different and better--a multimedia player that can be used for lots more than games.

Sony

When Apple Computer unveiled the iPod Nano in September, the company hailed the product's small size: The music player weighs 1.5 ounces and is 0.27 inches thick.

Apple

PalmOne aimed to sharpen its image with the launch of the Treo 650 in October 2004. The smart-phone update has a higher-resolution screen and a faster processor than the previous top-of-the-line model, the Treo 600.

Palm

Digital light processor (DLP) technology from Texas Instruments has allowed manufacturers to build large but thin TVs with sharp images. Here, TCL-Thompson shows off its RCA Scenium, which measures only 7 inches deep.

RCA

Sony's Aibo robot dogs might not have been a commercial hit, but some would say they still rank among the cooler gadgets around. Users can program Aibo to play soccer or tunes, remind you of appointments, lie down and--with its camera--record video, essentially turning it into a guard dog while you're away from the home.

Sony

Monitors have come a long way. The image on the bottom monitor of Planar System's SD1710 goes through the glass, while the one on the top gets reflected. In the end, viewers see everything in 3D.

Planar Systems

In July, Oliso came out with a workaround for easily distracted iron wielders--the Touch&Glide, which automatically stands up on built-in legs as soon as it senses a user's hand releasing the handle. Grasp the arm again, and digital sensors feel the pressure and command a micromotor to pull the iron back down onto the ironing board.

Oliso