Gone are the days when it was enough that a gadget worked well, regardless of how it looked. Now we want our tech toys to be chic and sleek as well as functional. Seduced by visions of fruit-flavored Apple iMacs and slender, chrome Nokia wireless phones, today's technophiles expect their electronic devices to deliver top-notch performance in a tidy package their peers will envy. Smarter, smaller, and more stylish is the mantra, and this year's gadget gallery offers plenty of choices.

Some of these items are stunning enough to stop you in your tracks. Apple's sleek Power Mac G4 Cube startles even more effectively than did the iMac. Harman Kardon's SoundSticks computer speakers–whose translucent casings and pale blue interior lights resemble an exotic jellyfish–prove that other companies have learned to keep pace with Apple's style.

Even more appealing, this newfound attention to appearance and design typically has not come at the expense of performance. While techies are falling in love with the cybersleek look of devices, engineers are finding ways to improve the inner workings of the gadgets. Henry Kloss, who has been designing top audio equipment since the 1950s, used new cellular telephone technology to build a better AM/FM radio, the Tivoli Audio Model One. Sony plugged a revolutionary chip into its PictureBook laptop to give it longer battery life.

Better yet, these technological advances are coming in more convenient sizes. It seems you can find nearly every type of gadget in a pocket-size format. Take watches. Once upon a time not so long ago, a watch that kept time digitally was considered an innovation. Today a watch can be a digital camera, a musical MP3 player, or a walkie-talkie. Looking good is only half the battle; these gadgets at least promise utility, too.

($700-$1,000) Remember the cool robot maid on The Jetsons cartoon? That kind of automatic household help may still be a few light-years away, but here is one gadget that can free you from a couple of menial chores.

When plugged into your personal computer, this two-wheeled wonder–which responds to sound commands–can haul dishes from the kitchen to the living room, vacuum the floor, or give a snoozing dog a good scare.

UPSIDE:
And you thought the Clapper was cool. Just like that gadget used to turn on lights, the Cye-sr is controlled with claps. (The sr stands for sound response.) Clap once, and the robot will beep from its docking station to let you know it's ready to heed your commands. Clap two or three times to send it preprogrammed destinations. Like this simple "remote control" system, the Cye-sr–available in orange, yellow, and black with green trim– is primitively elegant. The base unit ($700) consists of two spiky wheels and the axles that drive them at a speed of about 3 feet per second. Fancy sensors and computer chips are not necessary; your PC controls the device via a radio antenna.

The setup works surprisingly well. After installing the Map-N-Zap software that accompanies the robot, you drag an icon of the Cye-sr across a grid to map the layout of your home. The real robot moves along while you are charting the terrain, saving you the hassle of measuring distances. Because all of the Cye-sr's brainpower is in your computer, it can be upgraded just by installing new software.

A two-wheel, optional wagon attachment ($90) lets the robot haul about 10 pounds' worth of stuff from room to room. More enticingly, the vacuum attachment ($130) can be programmed to do your floors, leaving you more time to watch TV or nap.

Probotics recently announced a new model called the Spy-Cye; it will include a camera that via a Web connection can be used to remotely monitor a home.

DOWNSIDE:
The spiky wheels don't have the greatest traction on smooth floors, including hardwood and vinyl. And, of course, the Cye robot cannot move up or down stairs. The vacuum attachment, though it has powerful enough pickup, is a bit small to handle big rooms efficiently.

The Cye-sr's battery life seems a bit short. Charging the device for about five hours gives it between one and two hours of action. But this shortcoming isn't significant, because the robot is smart enough to return to its charger when its batteries are low.

BOTTOM LINE:
It may not be able to wash windows yet, but it is easy to see how the Cye-sr could someday become a useful household appliance.