Looking forward to a year of gadgets

My personal assistant always says to me that she loves seeing my eyes light up and the huge smile I get on my face each time she hands over a new gadget for me to play with. Having said that, any gizmo-obsessed person worth their salt will tell you, a gadget stops becoming infinitely covetable soon after ownership, and very soon their dreams will be filled with the next lust-worthy toy. So while most people are recapping the hits and misses of the year gone by, I penned my wish list to Santa on what I can't wait to get my hands on in 2012. Please note, this list is by no means definitive of all the cool gadgets being launched in the coming year, these just happen to be in my ‘must-buy' list. Sony NEX-7: Any photography blog will tell you, this little camera is the most awaited of 2012. With a 24 megapixel sensor, OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diode) electronic viewfinder, built-in pop up flash and if the preview images on said blogs are anything to go by, the ability to take stunning images and video, it is no wonder this dream device is so hotly anticipated. The fact that all these features come packed in a form factor approximately half the size of traditional SLRs (single-lens reflex) is just icing on one very sweet cake. Sony PlayStation Vita: In the days when everyone is quite happy playing Angry Birds on their smartphones, a portable gaming device would have to be exceptional in terms of specs and performance for people to want to carry around yet another device. Having seen a tonne of pictures and videos previewing the device I've come to the conclusion that ‘exceptional' seems the right word to describe it and Sony seems to have nothing to worry about. With a 5-inch OLED touchscreen coupled with a unique rear touch-panel, the Vita is joy to use and play with and boasts graphics almost as good as those on the PS3. The launch date will be at the end of February… Where do I sign up? Leica M10: Before I get written up for being a biased Sony fan, readers of my blog will know I'm also a Leica addict. Having shelled out big bucks for an M8.2 only a few months earlier, I held off from buying the M9 when it was unveiled in 2009 and instead added the more compact X1 to my collection when that was launched. If the rumour mills are to be believed, I can finally get over my buyer's remorse and get my hands on a full-framed M10 in 2012. Article continues below Wacom Inkling: Although already launched in mid-November, this product has been sold out on Amazon.com, Wacom's selected reseller of this nifty little tool. The idea of the device is this — attach the receiver on any book or paper and draw on it with the included pen et Voila! Watch in amazement as your drawing, complete with differences in pressure, is transported onto your computer as if by magic. Digital drawing no more requires a clunky tablet and its relatively inexpensive price tag makes it a great option for serial doodlers like myself. Apple iPad3/iPhone 5: So let's face it, anything Apple makes, I'm buying. Having used the Samsung Galaxy Note for a few weeks now, I'm really hoping for a larger screen on the iPhone and honestly, I'm not even quite sure what I wish to see on an upcoming iPad. Having said that, Apple seems to have predicted exactly what I've needed in each upgrade without me knowing it myself so I'm not too worried. I mean who knew that with the advent of Siri all I'd have to do to procrastinate waking up in the morning is push a button and say, "Wake me up in ten minutes"? Apple even made lazing in bed easy. While these are all fantastic products I can't wait to own, I'm sure the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in a few weeks will at least double my list. In the meantime, do have a fabulous night tonight and for those staying in, check out some fun New Year's Eve Apps on your smartphones, including the official Times Square one from New York City. And if you're planning to step out, do so safely. Happy New Year to you all.