6. Pebble Watch
This has definitely been the year of Kickstarter, and the Pebble Watch has been one of the best examples of what can happen when crowdfunding gets it right. A group of developers from Canada raised over $10 million – despite only having a $100,000 goal – for a watch that interacts with your iPhone. It shows messages, incoming calls, and can control music as well.
7. Samsung Series 9
Netbooks are well and truly dead – long live the Ultrabook. Samsung has continued its dominance in the market this year, with the Series 9 dominating the market as one of the best ultrabooks around. As long as it plays its cards right, Samsung ultrabooks will continue to be a viable option alongside Apple’s MacBook range.
8. Kindle Paperwhite
Apple may own the dedicated tablet space, but Amazon owns the eReader market and continued its reign this year with the Paperwhite. By far the highest quality eReader on the market, the Paperwhite is by far the biggest bang for your buck when it comes to digital reading.
9. Wii U
Nintendo made a name for itself back in 2006 when it debuted the first gaming console to feature wireless controllers that could actually detect motion. While using a tablet alongside a console isn’t such a big leap, it’s definitely noteworthy. The fact users can switch from playing a game on a television to the tablet controller itself is a huge disruptive element in the living room environment.
10. Google Nexus 7
Before the iPad Mini, the Nexus 7 had the small form factor market covered. And not only does it remain a viable option, but several critics believe it to be the superior one. An Android tablet that actually features a solid build, and a smooth version of Android? For under $300, it’s a steal.
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Patrick Stafford is a freelance journalist and a former deputy editor of SmartCompany.
