Apple iPhone from $499 (About £252) 0800 0391010, www.apple.com/uk

Combining an iPod, mobile phone and web browser may sound like an exercise in complexity, but Apple’s latest must-have gadget is saved by a groundbreaking touchscreen. The iPhone uses astonishingly instinctual finger gestures and sensors. Want some music? Leaf through album covers by stroking the screen. Can’t see a map clearly? Place two fingers on the screen and draw them apart to zoom in. A must-have when it is launched in the US this month and the UK at the end of the year.

Sony Reader $349 (About £176) 020-7365 2947, www.sonystyle.co.uk

Try as they might, scientists haven’t managed to better one of mankind’s most enduring technologies – paper. But the pain of carrying a library to the beach may soon be over, thanks to Sony’s new electronic book. The Reader’s revolutionary feature is its 6in screen, which uses E Ink technology that is as easy on the eye as newsprint and requires power only to change what it’s displaying – which extends battery life. The built-in memory will store 80 novels, which you can download from the internet. And when you grow weary of reading, you can use the reader to play MP3 music or audiobooks. The UK launch is expected later in the year.

iSound Music Showcase speakers £70 020-8408 1259, www.iworld.co.uk

A sunny beach or poolside spot may seem like paradise to you, but to a gadget it’s hell: water and electricity are natural enemies, and that’s without the plastic-warping heat, scratchy sand and corrosive salt. Fortunately, iSound has created a watertight case to protect your iPod from the elements – and thoughtfully built in waterproof speakers, too. This floating sound system will keep on rocking for 20 hours on one set of AA batteries, and the 3.5mm jack means it will work with more than just iPods.

Archos 704 £400 www.archos.co.uk

Portable DVD player? So last millennium, darling; these days travellers pack portable media players. With a high-resolution 7in display and an 80GB hard drive, the 704 can store a week’s worth of nonstop video, plus a few thousand songs and your photo library. Unlike other media players, you don’t have to scour the web to find films and TV shows – invest in the optional £70 DVR station and you can record direct from your TV or DVD player. But its talents don’t stop at video: with a wi-fi web connection and touch-sensitive screen, you can browse the web or check for e-mails.

Sandisk Sansa Shaker $40 (About £20) www.sandisk.co.uk

Aimed at tweenagers, the Sandisk Shaker is the first kid-friendly MP3 player to inspire envy in gadget-loving adults. It’s not the colourful design or built-in speaker that will attract covetous glances – what makes the Shaker a must-have is its motion-sensitive control system: the next track is just a shake away.

Music is stored on memory cards (512MB is enough for 150 songs) and a single AAA battery will keep the kids entertained for 20 hours. Just launched in the US, the cheap-and-cheerful Shaker should arrive in the UK before the end of summer.

Into the future

Worth waiting for ...

Foldable screens Electronic books such as the Sony Reader will have flexible screens – roll them away when not in use.

WiMax Vast wi-fi clouds that cover entire cities or remote rural districts in broadband internet. Just don’t mention the radiation.

Not worth the wait ...

DVB-H Digital TV means a new type of signal can be broadcast for mobile TVs. But we can already get TV on our phones, so who cares?

Galileo Europe’s alternative to the American global positioning system (GPS) might be good, but because it’s civilian rather than military technology, you’ll have to pay to use it.

iTunes Movie Store Apple already sells movie downloads in the US – soon we’ll be able to buy films to watch on iPods and iPhones.