It's a Darwinian world out there. The technology marketplace is quicker and arguably crueler than Mother Nature herself. And even before a new product makes it to market, it must survive a process of natural selection in which venture capitalists, investors, and corporate committees decide what lives and what dies.

A server for the small office
Ever need remote access to files stored at home or the office? Sure, you can network, share, and remotely access PCs using a standard PC OS. But there comes a point when it's time to graduate to a real file server. I know: You quake at the thought of setting up and maintaining a server. I certainly do. That's where Mirra comes in. It's a SOHO server from a company called Ispiri that's supposed to be drop-dead easy to set up and use. CEO Richard Mandeberg describes it as a "personal file genie" that makes the setup and maintenance chores easy enough for networking neophytes. Watch the video.

Instant wireless networking
Wireless networks aren't entirely wireless. You still have to run cable to connect access points. That's both labor intensive and costly. But a Hawaiian company called Firetide claims to have a solution. Using 802.11b and mesh networking technology, which allows access points to wirelessly connect with each other as need be, the company set up a network covering 150,000 square feet of the hotel where DEMOmobile was held--in just six minutes. Firetide's young CEO, Tareq Hoque, explained to me how it works. Watch the video.

An MS smartphone for Americans
The Microsoft mini-OS developed especially for phones debuted in Europe last year. Sometime in this year's fourth quarter, it will make its U.S. debut, in the MPx200 handset made by Motorola and sold through AT&T Wireless. This should be welcome news for those who'd like to see the familiar Windows interface migrate from PCs and PDAs to phones. Microsoft product manager Jason Gordon gave me a quick tour of the MPx200--and answered some tough questions about Microsoft's prospects in the cell phone market. Watch the video.

The 'universal' headset
I like to use a headset to handle phone calls. Make that headsets--one at my desk, another for my cell, and a third for the cordless phone at home. Trouble is, they all have wires--and tangles and knots. A company called Aura Communications has designed a new headset that's not only wireless but--the company claims--will work with most any headset-capable wireless device. The Aura hardware will be available this fall from foneGEAR for between $59 and $79. I don't know yet how well it works, but I ordered two on the spot. Aura sales VP Dan Cui showed me how they work. Watch the video.

A better portable printer?
Need hard copy from your laptop or PDA? Brother International has a new Bluetooth-enabled MPrint Micro Printer. It's small and sleek and doesn't even really look like a printer. But it puts out high-quality images on paper fed out of a cassette. Pair it with a Bluetooth handheld, and it could be all you need for your mobile office. Watch the video.

XP PC that's truck-tough
Construction workers, warehouse workers, and infantry soldiers use PCs, too. But they need portable PCs that will withstand the worst. (So do certain laptop users who inadvertently leave their systems on top of cabs.) A company named Xybernaut makes computers that can be dropped, banged, or otherwise manhandled and was at the show to debut its ruggedized Atigo T "Webpad," its first system with embedded Windows XP inside. Along with being tough (I had fun dropping one on the floor), it provides a familiar interface for users and a platform upon which businesses can port existing apps. The company's chief strategy officer, Dewayne Adams, showed me how tough the Atigo T is, and why. Watch the video.

Faster typing on a tiny device
The QWERTY keyboard was made for use with 10 fingers, not one digit or a single stylus. That's why hunting and pecking on those tiny little keys on a Palm or Pocket PC is one big pain. A possible solution: A company called ExIdeas has reconceived the keyboard into a configuration of nine large pads. It looks odd. It feels strange. But, within minutes, ExIdeas CEO Saied Nesbat had me knocking out full sentences far faster than I could ever hope to with a phone keypad, a thumb board, or one of those itsy-bitsy, teeny-weeny QWERTY keyboards that are attached to PDAs today. Watch the video.