2008 has almost drawn to a close and its time for the world as a collective whole to draw breath gather its thoughts and throw out those lists of changes in the year that made people sit up and take notice.

While the first half of the year could have been called a Mac(intosh) attack (first there was the Macbook Air, then the 3G iPhone) and the second half of the year was the approaching ecopocalypse there was still other news and gadgets out there that caught people’s attention.

Here’s what we thought were the memorable gadgets to come out of Asia for 2008…

Asus Eee Netbooks

It could be their size, their price or the fact that, for a while, the makers of Eee laptop line put the Linux operating system on their laptops above windows and OSX but you didn’t have far to come accross a release about this Taiwanese company this year.

The latest entry onto the market were two models which made everything thinner and added a 3G modem in the November release of the Eee PC S101, Eee PC 1002H captured almost as much attention as the start of the year.

HTC G1

Much of the buzz around the HTC G1 surrounded the Google Android operating software (which was actually being worked on by a US company called Android before Google bought the company in 2005 and worked them into the team) announced in November 2007.

However, Taiwanese company HTC, (better known beforehand for touch phones like the HTC touch and computers like the HTC Shift) was the first off the line when it came to making the hardware to go along with the software.

Many of the reviews of the HTC G1 have been mixed so far but signs are improving.

Chinavasion Projector Phone

2008 was very much the year for phones and the Chinavasion projector phone was another that grabbed the attention from a lot of people. This could have come from two places…

Pico projectors were just as much hot property as cell phones with companies vying to be the first to release a commercial pico projector and gadget blogs trying to guess when that would happen.

3M looked like it was going to be first in line to get the mass produced projector onto the market when Chinavasion did more than beat them to the post. It did a little web 2.0 mash up to create a cell phone/projector.

Mind you, given the current Chinavasion track record, perhaps it is not such a surprise.

Softbank 823SH Tiffany

Japan, famous for their love of cell phones, gadgets and anything strange.

So it should come as no surprise when a Japanese phone provider, Softbank Mobile went “ecopocalypse what ecopocalypse?” and put out a smart phone with a case made completely of silver and diamonds from New York jewelers ‘Tiffanies”

The Softbank 823SH Tiffany has 537 diamonds, weighing 18.34 carats, encrusted in the case and cost around the 13 million yen mark (that’s 130,265 dollars to US dwellers). If you want one better get your skates on because according tothe company only 10 will be made initially.

Pyocotan’s Noriko San Goggles

While we’re on the topic of ‘aint Japan strange’ this piece of technology hit the interwebs around October. The length of time people spend commuting in Japan isn’t exactly anything new, neither is the fact that people go to sleep on commutes and miss their stop.

Japanese hacker, Pyocotan, came up with a new spin on the old-fashioned sign around the neck and the smell of cheap booze, Noriko-san googles which showed off the destination you were heading to… would people wake you up though?

Cassette MP3 Player

While launched by the company Chinavasion in late 2007 the Cassette MP3 player didn’t really capture the blogger’s attention until the start of the next year. Once people grabbed the idea they held onto it and for at least 12 months it was on somebody’s lips somewhere.

Perhaps the success of this MP3 player was that it was cheap, cute and let people use equipment that might have been destined to be sold out of the boots of cars at flea markets and underneath motorway overamps.

Styson i Knock

Another cheap and cheerful gadget from the greater China area (OK Taiwan) is the i-Knock. This gadget would be handy for the ’social networking set’ hooked to their Facebook pages and instant messaging services it knocks itself out (and plays a tune if you program it nicely) every time you get an instant message. The perfect place for any unused photos of the ex-girlfriend/ex-boyfriend

Hopefully the end of 2008 will herald the end of the i- movement. This vowel movement makes me want to punch babies.

Samsung Touch Sight

While still in concept stage this would definitely have to be one of the coolest things to come out this year. The Touch Sight is a camera for the blind that takes a picture using braile and sound which owners can store and share with friends.

Chinavasion Super Cool Mobile Phone Wrist Watch

The cell phone watch idea has been for a long time, ever since a 1946 Dick Tracy strip at the very least, but it really didn’t hit the market until half-way through this year.

This cool cell phone watch was the start of a torrent of wrist phones and the wonderful realisation of the childhood dreams of many middle-aged men.

Tokyo Flash Watch

There hasn’t been too many months go by that one of these watches didn’t turn up in the gadget blogs.

They require special knowledge to work out, they use digital time if they don’t and they’re silver… it’s a wonder they weren’t first thought up in the 80’s

See the blog in all its glory at http://gadgetfreaks.wordpress.com or see what wholesale electronic gadgets are available online from China at companies like Chinavasion.

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If you are looking for some great Prague Travel Tips then you are on the right site. From my point of view, Prague is one of the world’s most romantic places. Prague is not too big so I would recommend to spend 3 – 4 days here.

What is the best time to visit Prague?

Prague can be an ideal vacation destination almost anytime of year. The most popular time to visit is in the summer, when the weather is warm, albeit a little damp, and many musical events take place. The least popular time to go is during the much colder winter, except for the Christmas season when many couples and holiday-goers enjoy the snow-covered city and festive events. Spring and fall are pleasant times to visit as there are fewer crowds and the weather is decent.

Prague travel tips

I would recommend are Lesser Town, Prague Castle, Charles Bridge, Old Town and certainly Kampa Island. However there are still so many other places to see…

1. Lesser Town

Lesser Town Square – Started as a market place it has always been the centre of life in the Lesser Town. Today, there are official buildings and restaurants. The important buildings include the St Nicholas Church, the Town Hall, the Sternberg Palace, the Smi?ický Palace. On the facade of the Baroque Kaiserstain Palace there is a bust of the great Czech soprano Emma Destinn who lived there between 1908 and 1914.

2. Prague Castle

Prague Castle is the most stunning castle complex in the Czech Republic. It is situated in the very heart of the capital city of Prague. Prague Castle is a textbook of architectural styles, the burial site of Bohemian princes and kings and, last but not least, the residence of the President’s Office. Founded by Prince Bo?ivoj around 880, it has been a seat of princes and kings for more than 11 centuries – and of presidents since 1918. The oldest part preserved is the Romanesque Basilica of St. George from 921. Nonetheless, it was the Gothic style that shaped the castle in the main. When visiting the place, you must not forget to see the monumental St. Vitus Cathedral, the Old Royal Palace including the Vladislav Hall and the northern three-towered bulwark. Furthermore, remember to visit the Golden Lane and take a walk in the Royal Gardens.

3. Charles Bridge

Named after the Emperor Charles IV in 19th century the Charles Bridge is Prague’s most familiar monument. Designed by Petr Parler, it was completed in 1400 and it connects the Lesser Town with the Old Town. Although it is now pedestrianised, it withstood wheeled traffic for 600 years. There are thirty statues on the bridge, many of them have been replaced with copies. Originals are kept in the Lapidarium of the National Museum and at Vyšehrad. The magnificent Gothic Old Town Bridge Tower was designed by Petr Parler and built at the end of the 14th century. It is considered the finest Gothic tower in central Europe, mainly for its decoration. There are marvellous views of the Vltava river Valley, the Žofín, St?elecký Island, the Old Town and the Lesser Town.

4. Kampa Island

Known as the Venice of Prague, Kampa Island has been formed by a branch of the Vltava called the Devil’s Stream (?ertovka). Originally there were only gardens on the island but it was also used for washing clothes and bleaching linen. In the 17th century the island became well known for its pottery markets. Today it is an elegant part of Prague with a village-like character.

5. Old Town

Mentioned in 1091, it is the oldest of the towns of Prague gained the privileges of a town in the 13th century. However, its name dates back to the 14th century when the New Town was founded. The centre of the Old Town has always been the Old Town Square dominated by the Church of Our Lady of Týn and the Town Hall.

Find more Prague Travel Tips here: Prague Travel Tips.

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You could use a travel agent. If you\’re planning a trip to an exotic location, this might be your best bet. Travel agents know the hotels and lodging in the areas of their expertise, and they can give you good guidance and advice for budget travel.

You could use one of the big Internet booking agencies. Those can help you get pretty good deals. It\’s worthwhile to check two or three of them to see how they rate different hotels, so you\’ll get what you want. Whenever you\’re looking at hotels and bed-and-breakfasts on the Internet, remember, any place can look good with some creative photography.

We recommend avoiding the companies that don\’t tell you the name of the hotel until after you make your reservation. Also remember that when hotels are tied to booking agencies, they lose a cut to that agency. You might be just as well off booking directly with the hotel.

It pays to find a good budget travel guide. If you like their philosophy, you will probably like the hotels they recommend. You can call the hotel directly. Chances are you will be able to talk to someone who speaks English. You can contact almost all of them over the Internet these days, either by e-mail or by contacting them through their own web site.

Although budget travel tips are on top of the agenda, you need to take so many other points into consideration to avoid a disappointing vacation, so make a note of the following guidelines…

If you e-mail the hotel directly, tell them the number of rooms you want and how many people per room. They will need to know the date of your arrival and the date of your departure… so the number of nights you will be staying.

Remember that in most places in the world, dates are written with the day/month/year, not with the month/day/year as it is in the U.S. To avoid confusion on any continent, we write the month out rather than using numbers.

Once you hear back from them, if they have a room at the price you want, accept the reservation. You may have to send your credit card number. We\’re reluctant to send our credit card number in e-mail. You can call and give them your credit card number.

If you have used the hotel\’s own site to contact them, make sure it is a secure site before you send your credit card number to them that way.

Be sure to read the hotel cancellation policies carefully before you make a reservation.

If you make hotel reservations with one of the big travel booking sites or with the hotel itself, beware of non-refundable reservations.

When you make your hotel reservations, you will receive a confirmation by e-mail. Print it, and take it with you. Don\’t delete the original e-mail until you have completed your trip, and you know you have been billed correctly.

If your travel dates are firm, you\’ll find that to get into the most popular and best value hotels, it\’s worthwhile to make those hotel reservations ahead.

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The kitchen is the center of the home. Whether you have a large family, are a couple, or are single, you probably find that entertaining at your home revolves around the kitchen. With this in mind, it is important to make the time that you spend in the kitchen as stress-free and enjoyable as possible. One way to do this is by investing in tools and gadgets that make food preparation and storage easier.

With the wide variety of kitchen gadgets available, it is easy to become overwhelmed when choosing items for your kitchen. Some kitchen gadgets make life easier for nearly everyone, while others depend on the type of cooking that you do.

Some things that nearly any cook would find helpful in their kitchen include spice grinders, electric kettles, slicing implements such as dicers, and salad spinners. Spice grinders are an excellent addition to the home kitchen. Freshly ground spices are more vibrant and the taste is unlike that of spices purchased already ground. If you have not tasted freshly ground spices, be prepared to add another dimension to your cooking.

An electric kettle is an excellent addition to the kitchen. Electric kettles heat water quickly and safely without using the microwave or stove. While an electric kettle is particularly nice when entertaining, as it allows you to serve tea without clearing off burners that may be holding other food, once you make the decision to add an electric kettle to your kitchen, you will find that you use it quite frequently. A similar appliance that is great for singles or small meals is the electric skillet that uses less energy than your standard stove.

Whether you are a stir fry master or only occasionally make a tossed salad, a dicer or other slicing implement is an excellent investment. Not only does a dicer allow you to quickly slice a variety of vegetables in uniform sizes, but it also protects your hands from cuts as you work.

A salad spinner is one of those gadgets that have only one use, but it does come in handy when you need to wash and dry lettuce, spinach or other greens. To clean greens without a salad spinner you probably rinse them thoroughly under running water and then gently dry them with paper towels. Even then, some greens, such as spinach, seem to hang onto every drop of grit and sand. With a salad spinner you simply rinse, spin and, in less than one minute, you have clean greens.

Some kitchen gadgets than may not be of interest to everyone, but are well designed, are microwave popcorn poppers, funnel pitchers, tiered oven racks and cookie presses. If you have kids in the house, you probably know the expense of providing snack food. With a microwave popcorn popper, you can save money by using regular popcorn kernels to make a snack. In addition to the cost savings, popcorn that you make yourself can be made healthier and tastier than what is available at the grocery store. You can control the amount of butter and salt, and add flavorful combinations such as parmesan cheese and chili powder to add variety to your snack. Microwave popcorn poppers are also simple to use, and after an initial lesson, most children that are comfortable in the kitchen can prepare their own snack.

Funnel pitchers are a great way to keep your kitchen neat and clean when preparing pancakes, waffles, muffins or cupcakes. Simply prepare your mix in the pitcher, and then use the pouring spout to add your batter to the griddle or muffin tin that you are using. This kitchen gadget is worth every penny if you frequently make these types of foods, or if you have frequent help from younger members of your family.

Tiered oven racks are a great gadget for the cook who frequently entertains. These racks go into your oven and allow you to stack casserole dishes or cookie sheets two or three high in your oven, effectively doubling or even tripling your oven space. While you may need to adjust the cooking time for some foods to make up for the crowded oven, tiered oven racks are still a great time saver.

Cookie presses are a lot of fun for families with children. Pressed cookies look very fancy and can be decorated with icing, sprinkles or other ornamentation. Using the cookie press is simple, and, with the variety of cookie plates available, you can make pressing cookies a tradition for every holiday.

As you can see, there are many kitchen gadgets available, with choices for every type of chef. Whether you routinely plan family meals and entertain on a regular basis, or only cook for special occasions, there are undoubtedly several kitchen gadgets available that will make your life easier.

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