For gadget aficionados, this hasundoubtedly been the year of the hard drive-based music player. Chief among these products has been the iPod, with its signature white headphones that scream "Mug me". Manufacturers of digital music players sold 10.7m units in 2003; Informa Media, an industry consultancy, says the number will reach 21m this year.

But although these little music players are already pretty smart, they are set to become a lot smarter. The iPod, produced by Apple and currently the leader with about 50 per cent of the market, offers clues to the HD's future. For example, users who buy a memory card reader can store digital photos; and those who download special software can use it as an address book.