NINTENDO WIIS, iPhone 3Gs and high-def video cameras made headlines in 2008. So what will consumers resolve to buy in the upcoming new year?

Certain gadgets that were only on the wish lists of tech-savvy early adopters last year, will find their way into the mainstream in 2009. Among them, e-readers that allow users to upload books and newspapers, such as Amazon's Kindle, and the low-cost mini-laptops known as netbooks. And, of course, we can't forget the smartphone wars that will continue to result in a parade of cutting-edge handsets that offer better service and even more features than predecessors.

While many of these gadgets may seem extravagant now, consumers will eventually consider them necessities, predicts Michael Gartenberg, vice president of mobile strategy at Jupitermedia, a Darien, Conn.-based technology information firm.

(Want to unload old gadgets? Read our story to learn how. And to help you nab some great gadget deals, click here).