CNET, the world's #1 consumer technology news and reviews brand, has released its Top 10 best and most influential tech products in 2012. The Top 10 is comprised of two lists that rank the Top 5 in each of two categories – best and most influential. Smartphones and tablets dominated both lists.
"This is the year that mobile arrived – every single one of the five best devices of 2012 can be held in one hand. Samsung Galaxy S3 beat out Apple's iPhone 5 in our ranking, thanks largely to Google's sophisticated and dominant mobile operating system," said Lindsey Turrentine, Editor-in-Chief of CNET Reviews. "We also saw a lot of shakeup in the tech landscape this year, with products like Windows 8 and personal 3D printers setting the stage for massive change, so we created a list of the most influential products. Our list of influencers recognizes efforts to push boundaries and take risks, despite mixed industry reviews."
The products were selected by the CNET reviews team, who put the products through rigorous lab tests. The two lists were derived from the CNET 100 rankings of the year's biggest technologies, news stories, trends and people that changed the tech landscape in 2012.
The lists as ranked in order:
CNET's Top 5 Best Products of 2012
These five devices garnered a spot on the list for best design, best features and overall most impressive value among the hundreds of consumer electronics released this year.
Samsung Galaxy S3 - The Android Hero Apple iPhone 5 - The Most Anticipated Google Nexus 7 - The Superior Small Tablet Apple iPad Mini - The Luxury Latecomer Droid Razr Maxx - The New Battery Benchmark
Insights:
The list demonstrates that it's a battle between Android and iOS. Ultimately, the Samsung Galaxy S3 won out, but Apple did snare two spots on the list with the iPhone 5 and the iPad Mini. The Samsung Galaxy S3 is the first "real" competitor to the popular iPhone on a global scale, where it is available on nearly every carrier and nearly everywhere. It represents the rise and dominance of Android OS. Nearly six years since the launch of the original iPhone, the iPhone 5 is the one that consumers have been waiting for. Consumers want smaller and lighter tablets to take on the go, so there was no doubt the 7-inch tablets, the Google Nexus 7 and the Apple iPad Mini, made the list. Droid Razr Maxx set a completely new benchmark on battery life, beating its closest competitor by nearly 30 percent.
CNET's Top 5 Most Influential Products of 2012
These five products received mixed reviews, while some won over consumers. Overall, they were game-changers that made everyone in the industry notice and change the future landscape within their industries.
Microsoft Windows 8 - The Industry Shaker Samsung Galaxy S3 - Leading the Android Charge Microsoft Surface - The Metro Vanguard Google Nexus 7 - The Price Warrior Makerbot 3D Replicator - The Invention Engine
Insights:
Microsoft Windows 8 may not have been immediately met with the best reviews, but its integration of a mobile- and PC-based OS in one product will usher in an era of new touch-enabled products. Samsung Galaxy S3 is the first ubiquitous non-iPhone since the Blackberry. The Microsoft Surface is the first tablet to be considered a viable replacement to desktops and also marked Microsoft's foray into portions of the hardware market that were once the domain of the likes of HP, Dell, Asus and others. Once the Google Nexus 7 Tablet came on the market with a price of $199, it forced other competitors to lower their price points. The Makerbot 3D Replicator is the first real consumer 3D printer, giving consumers endless possibilities on the products they can produce right from their home.
