Belkin Universal Media Reader

The great thing about standards is there are just so many of them. Belkin is hoping to help cut memory card confusing with its new reader that supports a massive 56 formats.

No matter what card your camera, MP3 player, phone or camcorder takes, chances are the Universal Media Reader has an appropriately shaped slot to stick it in.

It connects via USB and even features an upgradeable firmware so it can be updated if future high capacity formats are introduced.

The Universal Media Reader is available now for £17.99, see Belkin for more information.

Mio A501

The Mio A501 is no doubt hoping to be all things to all people, bundling a phone, a PDA and a satnav into a single pocketable device. It includes a GPS receiver so you'll always be able to find out where you are and it comes bundled with Mio's navigation software which includes maps for 22 European countries.

It's a quad-band phone, so you'll be able to use it pretty much anywhere in the world, and it supports EDGE for faster mobile downloads. It runs Microsoft's Windows Mobile 5 portable operating system, so you get fully PDA functionality to boot.

It can even turn its hand to photos, thanks to the built in 2 megapixel camera and there's an SD card slot, so upgrading the storage won't be a problem.

The A501 will be available later in the year, price will depend on contract. See Mio for further information.

Asus MyPal A696

Combining satellite navigation with a PDA normally means either juggling with separate add-on units or dealing with bulky external antennas. The Asus MyPal A696, however, manages to squeeze in GPS without piling on the pounds.

Measuring a mere 71x117x16mm and weighing just 165g it includes an integrated GPS receiver with an antenna built into the body of the unit. Route planning software from Destinator is included so you can find your way around. Wireless connectivity is well catered for, with both WiFi and Bluetooth 2.0 included. The bundled Remote Presenter application also allows you to control a PowerPoint presentation via Bluetooth.

It's powered by a 416MHz Intel XScale processor and comes with 256MB of Flash ROM and 64MB of SDRAM. The 3.5in touch sensitive screen has a resolution of 240x320.

The MyPal A696 will be available mid July for £199, see the Asus website for more information.

Vista-enabled mobile PC

If you find PDAs too fiddly but laptops too heavy, HTC has created the perfect solution for your mobile computing needs.

The Shift is a portable PC no bigger than a couple of DVD cases, yet equipped with a QWERTY keyboard, 7in screen and 30GB hard drive. It runs Windows Vista Business and WMP11, so you can work and play on the move, and offers a choice of connectivity options, including HSDPA, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, for speedy internet access and file transfer.

Pricing and availability have yet to be confirmed but you can get the lowdown at HTC.

Nokia unleashes the N95

Originally announced last September, Nokia's hotly-anticipated N95 smartphone will soon be available to buy.

Intended to take the weight off your pockets by replacing virtually every other gadget you own, this 'multimedia computer' combines PDA functions, a built-in sat-nav system with maps of Europe, music and video players, 3D-graphic games, and a five-megapixel camera for capturing high resolution images and DVD-quality movies.

Its wealth of features is complemented by a 2.6in colour screen that rotates 90-degrees to match the mode, as well as a two-way slider design that conceals the numeric keypad when not in use. Internet access on the move is made simple and speedy thanks to Nokia's own web browser (based on Mozilla) and the wide range of connectivity options, including Wi-Fi and '3G on steroids' HSDPA.

For more information about the N95, including a guided tour of its many features, see Nokia UK.

Sony's mega-memory card

Not be outdone by Toshiba's new 16GB memory cards, as we reported here, Sony is collaborating with SanDisk on a larger capacity version of its Memory Stick Pro format. Dubbed the Memory Stick Pro-HG, the new card will offer a whopping 32GB of storage - more than most hard disk-based MP3 players.

Data transfer is three times faster than the current standard, at 480Mbps or 60MB per second, so you'll be able to copy full movies, albums and hi-res photos to and from your compatible mobile phone, digital camera or portable media device in no time at all.

No price details have been confirmed yet but the first Memory Stick Pro-HG card should hit the shops early next year. Keep an eye on Sony for updates.

Palm-sized photo printer

Portable photo printers are getting smaller all the time but few are quite as pocket-friendly as the Fujifilm Pivi MP-300.

Measuring just 146 x 102 x 29mm, and weighing only 225g, this compact device connects to your digital camera, PDA or mobile phone via USB or infra-red. It takes around 38 seconds to print a 5-megapixel image at business card size (61×46mm).

Recently launched in Japan for the equivalent of £70, keep an eye on Fujifilm for details of UK availability.

Fabric Bluetooth keyboard

Composing a lengthy message on your phone or PDA can be a real struggle in cold weather. The Mobis Roky2 provides a handy solution by letting you type into a full-size QWERTY keyboard made of comfortable fabric, which can be rolled up after use. It's water-resistant and connects to your mobile device wirelessly via Bluetooth, with a stand to mount it on so you can view the screen while typing.

The Roky2 requires two AAA batteries, which will last for ten hours of continuous use. It should be available soon for a price yet to be confirmed. See Mobis for details.

Palm's entry-level smartphone

If you're tempted to buy a smartphone, either for yourself or someone else, but are deterred by the high price or worried that the abundance of features will make it difficult to use, Palm has created the perfect solution. Its new Treo 680 handset is billed as an entry-level 'professional consumer' model that's both affordable and straightforward to operate.

The quad-band phone combines work and play functionality, meaning that as well as snapping pictures, surfing the web and listening to music, you can send and receive email, view and edit Microsoft Word and Excel documents on the move, and synchronise the device with your PC via Bluetooth or USB. There are also numerous organisation tools, enhanced SMS messaging and much more, all accessible from a single, simple interface.

Equipped with a 320 x 320 pixel colour screen, 64MB of storage and a full QWERTY keyboard, the Treo 680 is available in four different colours - red, orange, white and silver - for £299, contract-free. Order one now from the Palm online store.

HP's handheld Travel Companion

HP's latest handheld device is an attractive and extremely useful combination of Pocket PC, portable media player and GPS navigation system.

Equipped with Windows Mobile 5.0, plus integrated Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, the iPAQ rx5900 Travel Companion offers a host of features for ensuring that you never get lost. These include pre-installed maps of Western Europe (courtesy of TomTom), text and voice guided driving directions, 30 different language options, and real-time traffic and weather information. The orientation of the 3.5in colour screen can be rotated as needed, while its large size makes the device ideal for surfing the web, viewing videos and photos and playing games.

The HP iPAQ rx5900 goes on sale at the end of this month for around £349. More details are available at the HP website here.