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What is a Cool Gadget?

Every since I was a little boy I had a love and fascination of gadgets.  Most men and boys do.  Why?  Here is a true, life story.

When I was young, digital watches were new.  TV ads showcased many digital watches because they were so popular.  The week, day, month, and date were displayed on the watch.  If I had a watch like that, I no longer had to walk over to the calendar to know the date.  All I would have to do is look at my new digital wristwatch.  How easy was that?! 

The watch that really caught my eye had an alarm.  As a young boy, that was especially cool.  It could be set to go off whenever I wanted.  It was awesome to have an alarm with me since it was part of my wristwatch. 

This watch also had a stopwatch.  Now, my friends and I could time our races.  This was a feature used a lot since it was convenient and easy to use. 

All those features were great, but there was one feature that beat them all and no other regular analog watch at the time could do.  It had a light that allowed me to see the time at night. 

What makes a watch gadget so cool?

-         Convenience—attached to my wrist and always with me

-         Easier lifestyle—built in calendar and light

-         Fun Features—alarm and stopwatch unique to that era  

-         Cool—stylish like James Bond

As time went by, watches grew in features.  They came in smaller packages and added functionality such as a calculator.  I did use this feature but it was more of a cool thing just to know that any combination of numbers someone threw at me could be added quickly.  When they came out with the databanks, I definitely had to get one!  Now all my phone numbers and important dates could be stored.  They no longer had to be remembered on my own.

Going to stores to see the latest cool watch features was a must.   As an adult, it is still enjoyable to see what new features are being developed and how enticing it may be to buy a new and improved one.

Once a gadget is liked, interest in the next upgrade, functionality, and features usually occurs.

Some watch added additions are atomic timers, water resistance, multiple alarms, altimeters, compasses, barometers, remote controls, TV tuners, MP3 players, MP4 players, AVI players, cell phones, heart rate monitors, and solar power.

We have talked about watches as a cool gadget and have came up with a working definition.  Now let us try this definition with something else—pocketknives. 

Why do guys love pocketknives?   They are cool gadgets!  Pocketknives have:

-         Convenience—always with you

-         Makes life easier—handy blade to open bags, boxes, etc.

-         Fun Feature—mini scissors

-         Cool—compact

Some gadgets may have one or more of the above definitions; however if a gadget has all four, you can be assured that it is a cool gadget.