The latest hand-held devices are thinner, lighter, and more powerful than those of even a year or two ago, according to Consumer ­Reports. Despite those advances, prices continue to drop, with more $100 smartphones and $250 tablets on the market, to mention just two examples.

Gadgets are also becoming more versatile, but chances are you will still be toting around more than one these days. The smartphone is the closest thing to an all-in-one mobile device, but it still doesn’t offer all the capabilities of a standalone camera for capturing images, a tablet for Web surfing and gaming, or an e-book reader for reading type, especially when you’re outdoors.