Handheld, electronic gadgets are the thing at the moment, and that's not likely to change. It's not only cell phones that are spreading like wildfire, either -- digital organizers, GPS receivers and digital cameras have gone from high-price luxuries to standard equipment for the lay person. Check out the latest in gadgets and the good-old high-tech standbys.

Consumer Electronics Show 2007
Each year, the electronics wave kicks off with the International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, and HowStuffWorks was there. Check out annual sampler of cool gadgets and toys that caught our eye.


CES 2006 Video Tour
While at CES 2006, Marshall Brain visited the booths of companies like LG, Texas Instruments and Dish Network to learn about their latest and greatest gadgets. Watch his video tour of the coolest booths on the CES floor.


Work and Play

How a BlackBerry Works
Some people credit the BlackBerry with letting them get out of the office and spend time with friends and family, while others accuse them of allowing work to infiltrate every moment of free time. Learn about the "push" technology at the center of the device's popularity and RIM's dispute with patent holder NTP Incorporated.
 How Smartphones Work
Think of a daily task, any daily task, and it's likely there's a specialized, pocket-sized device designed to help you accomplish it. Unfortunately, you only have so many pockets. A smartphone addresses this issue by handling pretty much everything on its own. Learn what makes a cell phone a smartphone, how the idea came about and what you can do with it.
 How Portable Media Centers Work
You can use it to watch TV shows and movies, listen to music and flip through digital photos -- all while sitting on an airplane. With a portable media center, you can access nearly all of your digital files on a unit about the size of a paperback novel. Learn all about the latest addition to the mobile-entertainment market.
How WiFi Phones Work
With Voice over Internet Protocol, you can make calls, even long-distance and international ones, for free. But until recently, VoIP had one pretty big limitation -- to make a call, you had to be at a computer. New phones make it possible for people to place VoIP calls without being leashed to a computer, using the same technology that computers use. Explore WiFi phones and their abilities.
The New Mobile Phones
It's impossible for anyone but the most extreme technophiles and the idle rich to keep up with all of the new cell-phone features and models on an ongoing basis. Let us help. Check out the latest designs and applications including video, VoIP and Flash graphics.
How Cell Phones Work
Cell phones are a worldwide phenomenon that has completely changed the way we communicate with one another. These tiny, high-tech gadgets gain more features every day -- many now even have a graphical user interface, downloadable ringtones and wireless Web browsing. Learn all about cell phones!
How iPods Work
In 2001, Apple introduced the iPod, an MP3 player with the unheard-of storage capacity of 20 gigabytes. Five iPod generations later, the device plays songs, movies and photo slideshows, and you can store up to 60 GB of any type of file you want. Find out why so many people buy iPod after iPod, see our dissection of an iPod video to find out how it works and check out what type of software is available to enhance its functionality.
How MP3 Players Work
With the rise of MP3 files as the digital audio format of choice –- at least in terms of cost and portability -- the MP3 player has become the portable audio device of choice. These players can now store weeks of nonstop music, and they’re being incorporated into DVD players, CD players and other home-theater components to take further advantage of the MP3 standard. Find out what's going on inside an MP3 player and what to look for when buying one.
How PDAs Work
PDAs (personal digital assistants) keep millions of people organized. They make scheduling and data management as easy as touching a stylus to a screen, and their features now extend far beyond the realm of personal organization. Learn how PDAs work and what to consider if you're thinking about buying one.
How Smart Watches Work
The trend in technology is to get more and more "connectivity" into smaller and smaller packages. The next step in this technological evolution is the Smart Watch. Find out how it's possible to access news, weather, sports, stocks, horoscopes, instant messaging and e-mail from a wristwatch.

Cameras

How Cameras Work
Digital may be taking over, but optical started it all. A camera is an incredible piece of technology that essentially records light. Take a look inside a single lens reflex camera.
How Autofocus Cameras Work
Ever wonder how your camera knows what you're looking at? Autofocus technology is a pretty neat optical development. Understand how autofocus cameras lock on to the object you're photographing.
How Camcorders Work
If you're looking to make your own cinematic masterpiece, there's no time like the present. Camcorders have gone digital, gotten small enough to fit in a pocket and are sporting more formats than ever before. Find out how they work and what to look for when buying one.
How Digital Cameras Work
Not too long ago, you had to wait for your film to be developed before you could see the results of your work. In the digital age, it's snap 'n view. If you want to e-mail pictures to friends, post them on a Web site or do your own editing, digital photography is the way to go. Learn what goes on inside a digital camera and what to look for when buying one.
How Instant Film Works
Before digital cameras, you needed instant film to get instant pictures. With instant-film photography, you can watch the image slowly come together in a matter of minutes. While it may seem like magic, the process relies on elements of science. Find out how Polaroid and other instant cameras give you the image in a snap.

Outdoors

How GPS Phones Work
With the right software or service package, a GPS phone can pinpoint your location, give directions to your destination and provide information about nearby businesses. Find out how a GPS phone works.
 How GPS Receivers Work
A GPS receiver uses signals from satellites to pinpoint its exact location on Earth, any time, anywhere. It's the biggest thing in navigation since the compass! A GPS receiver can tell you where you are, where you've been, where you're going and what time you'll get there. Find out how the Global Positioning System lets you find your way around the globe.
How Compasses Work
No matter where you stand on Earth, you can hold a compass in your hand and it will point toward the North Pole. Long before GPS satellites and other high-tech navigational aids, people used the Earth's natural magnetism to navigate the unknown. Learn how a compass works and how to create your own!
How Night Vision Works
Most of us instinctively think of darkness as a "cloak," a way to hide. Night vision has changed all that. So, how can you see someone standing over 200 yards away on a pitch-black night? It's pretty amazing... Learn how various night-vision technologies let you see in the dark.

Automotive

Sirius vs. XM
Sirius has Howard Stern; XM has Snoop Dogg. XM is the current market leader; but then, Sirius did get a late start. Both feature more than 100 channels of commercial-free music, news, sports and entertainment and are being factory installed in hundreds of new car models. See what each service has to offer.
How Remote Entry Works
Remote entry devices are the utmost in convenience. You can use them to unlock your car doors, your trunk, and even your garage door when you get home. Climb inside your car's remote-entry system and find out how one of these devices lets you in and out of your vehicle securely.
How Radar Detectors Work
If you have a lead foot, you may have invested in a radar detector. Find out how these devices pick up police radar and lidar and learn what a jamming signal does.