Here at Fast Company, we take business seriously. We like to think big, work hard, and, on a good day at least, feel that we're creating value for our customers. But we like our toys too. We're gadget freaks -- and we're not afraid to admit it. Here are a bunch of our favorite things -- stuff we like so much that we wanted to share it with you. And if you like what you see here, be sure to visit Hot Stuff, an online gallery of products and services offered by our advertisers.

Staff Stuff

Trailblazer
Paul C. Judge, senior editor
(from the January 2001 issue)

If Bob Dylan had one, he would never have sung, "How does it feel / To be on your own / With no direction home ..." The eTrex Summit, a nifty handheld GPS device made by Garmin Corp., is perfect for outdoor adventurers. The size of a cell phone, it fixes your position on the surface of the earth to within 30 feet. Plus, it comes with a built-in altimeter and an electronic compass -- all packed into a sleek, waterproof case. I use it to explore the Vermont backcountry on skis. I plan my route ahead of time using a topographical-map program, download the information to my eTrex Summit, and then follow the way points to make sure I go where I planned to go. You can purchase the eTrex Summit on the Web for around $267, not including the topo-map software ($151) and connector cable ($38).

Just Shoot Me
Scott Kirsner, contributing editor
(from the February 2001 issue)

Taking snapshots with the eyemodule digital camera -- a plug-in that works with the Handspring Visor -- is a great way to lighten up interviews and playfully disrupt panel discussions. Everyone wants to try it out. The instant pix (the camera stores up to 500 small black-and-white images) have a whimsical, vacation-kitsch quality about them, even when your vistas are limited to the confines of a convention center or an office park.

Installing the eyemodule is every bit as easy as slipping a slice of bread into a toaster, and the software that controls the camera is fairly intuitive. You can also beam pictures to anyone else's compatible PalmOS device or download them in JPEG format to your desktop. The one missing feature I'd like to see added: a way to link photos to events in my calendar. The eyemodule can be purchased online for $149.95.

Out of Pocket
Alison Overholt, staff writer
(from the April 2001 issue)

I hate handbags, but I always used to carry one. Why? Because I don't wear suit jackets with breast pockets for my PDA, I don't wear baggy trousers with pockets big enough for my mobile phone -- and I refuse to clip pagers or phones to the waistband of my clothes. But my favorite new toy and tool, the Samsung SCH-8500, eliminates that problem. It's a PDA, mobile phone, and wireless Web browser, all in one. Its display is big enough to check stock quotes and email messages on Yahoo! comfortably. My dual-band phone also has a calendar, calculator, and to-do list, plus an address book with room for up to six phone numbers under each name entry. And much to my delight, the phone's sleek, space-age design elicits an "Ooh ... now, that's a cool phone!" from Silicon Valley compatriots whenever I use it. But best of all? When fitted with a slim battery, the SCH-8500 is skinny enough to carry in the front pocket of even my tightest jeans -- no jacket pockets or baggy trousers required. The Samsung SCH-8500 retails for $199.99, the slim battery for $59.99. Visit Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. on the Web.

TiVo for Two
Michelle L. Cain, copy editor, new media
(from the May 2001 issue)

As a newlywed, I've learned that the first months of marriage include a certain amount of compromise. Which is why my husband and I are proud to own a Sony Digital Network Recorder (SVR-2000). Harmony at last! This gadget offers the functionality of a VCR without the videotapes or the programming nightmares. Using the TiVo service, the SVR-2000 provides easy-to-navigate TV listings, enabling you to peruse schedules, read program descriptions, and select shows to record. You can also pause and rewind live television shows. With this contraption, my husband never misses an episode of Junkyard Wars, and I never miss a minute of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Now, if we could only agree on who takes out the garbage. The SVR-2000 retails for $399. The TiVo service is sold separately and is available for $10 a month, or a one-time fee of $200.