With its open-source, modular approach to personal electronics, New York's Bug Labs could be on to something big. Its beautifully designed flagship device, the Bug, is a central base about the size of an iPhone that can be programmed to serve as a custom-designed gadget with the help of snap-in modules. To maximize its flexi­bility, a user needs to be able to program in Java, so initially, the Bug may be of interest only to hobbyists. But the company is building up a library of programs and designs that will be easy for the average person to use. The Bug, and the first modules made for it, began shipping at the end of 2007.

Linux Computer
Most electronic devices, because of their limited memory and processing power, must be programmed using languages and techniques that are difficult to master. But the Linux computer at the heart of Bug Labs' modular device provides tools that let users program applications more easily. The technically inclined can program in Java, a widely known language, and make their programs available to other users. The device has enough memory to store multiple programs, so it can perform many different functions when the proper modules are connected.