1 Husky Fex 21 £1,100
If you want to combine swimming in the sea with rustling up the opening sections of a PowerPoint presentation, look no further than the Husky Fex 21. The makers might have taken their design cues from Fisher-Price, but this Psion style handheld PC is so tough it's more than a match for any sand, sea or lager that comes its way. The downside is that it runs Microsoft's clunky Windows CE and its slightly rickety versions of Word and Excel.
2 Ericsson R310 mobile phone £120
So Ericsson's allegedly indestructible R250 PRO mobile phone wasn't tough enough for you. The company now has a new model, the R310, which is also water, shock and dust resistant, yet is significantly smaller and boasts extra facilities like voice control and data/fax capabilities. Outdoor types should also note that it comes with a free adventure kit that includes a thermometer, magnifying glass and a compass.
3 Samsung Vivace £TBA
Samsung is billing the Vivace as the first splashproof MP3 player. Whether this pendant style model will deliver Handel's Water Music during a dip in the hotel swimming pool is a moot point, but it will be fun to try.
4 Aquapac PP10 £17
Palm owners who have been separated from their favourite personal organiser often describe the experience in terms of losing a limb. So they probably already own the Aquapac PP10 waterproof Palm casing, which should ensure that not even the beach and the swimming pool can come between them and their beloved PDA. And yes they can still use the infrared facility.
5 Music Store £400
This is the gadget that those of us who have spent years perfecting the art of cramming most of their CD collection into their case have been waiting for. The PlayStation sized box teams up a CD player with a 7GBhard disk storage system. The upshot is that it allows you to store up to 150 of your favourite albums in CD-ish quality. For an extra £80 you can also secure the Soul Mate - a small MP3 player that slots into the Music Store for almost instant downloads.
6 Canon Ixus X-1 £130
There's no point in swimming with sharks off some idyllic island in the Indian Ocean if you can't prove to the folks back home that you've been hanging out with relatives of Jaws. So don't forget to pack the Canon Ixus X-1, one of the smallest and cheapest waterproof cameras on sale. It should guarantee some great shots of those fearsome-looking fangs. The X-1 uses the APS system, so you can even exaggerate the size of the molars by plumping for panoramic style prints.
7 Personal Mosquito Control Force Field £12
If those pesky mosquitoes are threatening to ruin your exotic holiday then you need to imitate their arch-enemy the dragonfly. This entails either frantically waving your arms and emitting strange humming noises or, much better, investing in this little wearable gadget. It uses ultrasonic and sonic technologies to recreate the sound of a dragonfly's wings, sending the mozzies diving for cover. Playing Boyzone CDs may have a similar effect.
8 Wharfedale LoudMan £30
It might be a dead ringer for a CD jewel case, but the Wharfedale LoudMan is actually a really neat little speaker system. You connect it to your personal stereo, flip it open and there you go - an instant stereo hi-fi system.
9 Teksta £50
Don't worry if you haven't yet sorted out a pet's passport for Rover. You can assuage the guilt caused by consigning your canine chum to the kennels for a week by taking robot dog Teksta with you on your hols. The hi-tech hound can perform almost all the tricks your real-life mutt can - it sings, dances and even breaks wind. However, Teksta doesn't require any Pedigree Chum and is sure to raise a smile on the face of even the grumpiest customs officer.
10 Sony SRF-M75 £50
The toughest radio in town, this bright yellow Sony tranny is splash proof, dust proof and could quite possibly last more than 40 seconds with Mike Tyson. In addition to an FM/MW tuner it boasts 15 presets, a clock and a stopwatch. Stressed execs will also love its pulse meter which gauges just how relaxed they are when chilling by the poolside.
