This one gadget that seems to do everything, and I’m wondering if it’s too much. I know convergence is the latest craze in consumer electronics, but this is ridiculous!

When you buy the Hanaro Plus, you get:

• A 1.3 mega pixel digital camera
• A web cam
• A wireless microphone and speaker
• A video camera with 30 frames a second video capability
• A USB hub
• A flash memory reader
• A DVR reader

The software suite bundled with the Hanaro Plus means that you can use the web cam for digital conferencing as well as a surveillance camera.

The only thing that’s missing is a digital clock and VoIP capability, but I’ve no doubt the manufacturers will add those now that we’ve given them the idea.

Convergence or the “one box solution” was hyped particularly strongly at CeBit, with the idea of having a multi-purpose box in the home that’s wirelessly linked throughout via a Bluetooth connection. For sure it could make life more convenient but it could be a touch of overkill for people who still can’t programme their video recorders. Some say that the problem with convergence is that it leads to a reduction of individual component specifications and another issue is reliability – if one part fails, you’ll probably lose all the functions.

I might give the Hanaro Plus a try though, though it’s not available until May. It would certainly reduce the clutter on my desk, and at £79, it’s pretty good value.

The Hanaro Plus. Found via softpedia.