10 Coolest Tech Gadgets to Seal the Deal
5. 3M MP180 projector ($449)
The trick with sales is having your message ready when -- and where -- your customer is ready. I have no idea how the perfect tiny presentation tool to meet these mobile needs wound up being made by big ol' Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Co. But it did. 3M(MMM) makes a simply tremendous line of palm-sized projectors, and the best of the bunch right now is the MP180.
Understand that the MP180 will not rival even modest business projectors for average corporate use. It's too dim and low-functioning for that. But this unit has other virtues: It fits in your pocket and runs on batteries, so when you need to pitch al fresco -- that is, right where you are -- the MP180 produces a surprisingly clear, roughly 10-inch image.
The MP180 comes loaded with surprisingly handy features, including 4 GB of storage. That means you can take even a monstrous presentation with you no matter where you go. There is support for many Microsoft(MSFT) software options, and I actually found the menus to be idiot-proof, so even the non tech-savvy among us should have no problem dialing up on-the-go presentations.
Instead of sketching your idea on a napkin over that next business lunch, you can actually show your idea on that napkin over lunch. How slick is that?
6. AT&T/Samsung Galaxy Note via Best Buy ($300 with two-year contract)
You can't sell unless you get your client's attention, and out in the wild, with all its mobile distractions, attention is the scarcest resource. While you should not confuse the Samsung Galaxy Note for a smartphone -- this thing is far too big for that -- it makes a surprisingly effective presentation tool.
Whip this baby out and people will notice.