Hot gadgets 2008

Goodbye decks, hello... Pacemaker?

Will DJs around the world be throwing out their record decks with the launch of the Tonium Pacemaker in February 2008?

The Pacemaker's fun but unlikely to convert serious DJs

The handleld mixing device is like two iPods rolled together.

A touch-sentitive control pad allows mixing between tracks, speed control and special effects.

At £400 it's cheaper than a set of decent decks. However it's unlikely to replace high-end gear for professional DJs.

Check out Judge Jules using the Pacemaker

The ultimate designer phone?

Apple's iPhone is one of the best looking mobiles on the market. It's glossy black touchscreen gives it a real minimalist look.

Challenging that in 2008 will be Bang and Olufsen.

The Danish company is famous for its designer TVs and stereos. Now it's teamed-up with Samsung to create the Serenata.

Quality audio but awkward to use

The Serenata's unusual design will certainly get it noticed.

Unfortunately it also makes the phone incredibly difficult to use. Try writing a text message or dialling a number with only a spinning wheel.

The speaker is better than on your average phone, but at £1000 it would have to be.

Newsbeat's Iain Mackenzie tries out the Serenata

Sling-along

In two years the Slingbox has gone from nothing to become one of the technology world's favourite gadgets.

It even picked up a prestigious Emmy Award in 2007.

The original Slingbox allows users to watch their home TV from anywhere in the world over an internet connection.

The company is launching several new products in 2008 including the Sling Catcher.

The device does-away with the need for a computer.

Slingcatcher: Stream your home TV when on holiday

Users simply plug the box into any television and internet connection. Ideal for taking your home TV away on holiday.

With all Sling products, quality depends on the speed of your broadband connection.

That's especially true for high definition streaming.

Users who don't have unlimited internet packages also need to be careful as Slinging can eat-up your monthly allowance.

Watch the HD-enabled Slingcatcher in action