And now, pocket PCs

GIZMO GALLERY

HCL has just launched the iPaq Pocket PC range in India at prices starting from about Rs 13,000. These handhelds all have a set of standard features such as colour displays, Microsoft Office applications like Word and Excel, Wireless 802.11B and Bluetooth connectivity, as well as inbuilt digital cameras and mikes.

The operating systems are all based on the Microsoft Mobile platform so Windows users will switch smoothly. The handhelds smoothly synchronise data from any standard laptop/ desktop/ Lan. So these are perfect devices for the official traveller.

Portable video

If you're nuts about portable video and you want something really small, Samsung's YH-999 might be the favourite pick in this overcrowded market segment.

At about 4x4x1 inches, it'll certainly fit in your pocket although, at prices of around Rs 28,000, it might not suit it. The 125 gram handheld has a 3.5 inch screen and so you won't suffer eye strain.

Its hard drive holds up to 20 Gb of digital data and it's run on Microsoft's Portable Media software so as to sync with any Windows platform. Not yet officially released in India.

Try this horror story

If you liked the horror stories of H.P.Lovecraft with his fantastic demons, creatures and weird landscapes, you'll love the award-winning "Call of Cthulhu: Dark Corners of the Earth."

The game is available for PC and Xbox. The story features a private eye investigating a murder in a quiet fishing village in the 1920s. He stumbles on a cult which has made a pact with demons from the deep.

The game offers horror, adventure, puzzle solving, exploring and combat against "intelligent" demons using an AI function. The "dynamic Insanity" feature which tries to push the hero into lunacy through baffling changes of perspective (sometimes he's even looking out of his enemies' eyes!) is very nice!