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Zwhaler

macrumors 604
Original poster
Jun 10, 2006
7,257
1,954
http://gizmodo.com/5967822/the-10-most-important-gadgets-of-2012/gallery/1

I know Gizmodo isn't the end all be all of anything, but since they published their list of most important gadgets I wanted to see what you guys/gals thought and if you had any disagreements or gadgets to add to the list.

1. 4K TV: I don't think 4K TV is that important right now simply because the content is lacking, making the hardware completely overkill for today. With a host of 4K content the TV would be much more important than I think it is right now. Example: 20K TV. Imagine they released a 20K TV today ... what good is it? The content isn't there so neither are the benefits.

2. Galaxy S3. I agree with this, but also wonder why the iPhone 5 isn't on there simply because while many including myself don't think it is the most spectacular device out there, it has indeed changed the playing field for competition with Android sets like the Note 2 which is driving many users away from the iPhone.

3. Nikon D800. I'm glad they put this one on there instead of the 5D Mark III, that is all.

4. Wii U: While not as popular as the original Wii, it is still impressive technology, but not one of the most important gadgets of 2012 I think. Certainly one of the top 10 most important gaming releases of 2012, to be sure.

5. Microsoft Surface: This one is highly debatable. It's release certainly is a landmark release of tech that has been promised for a long time now, but we have yet to see how useful it actually is and how much we can expect the ecosystem to evolve and provide benefits to users. I'm okay about it being on this list because of how big Microsoft is as company and leader in the tech industry.
 

smoledman

macrumors 68000
Oct 17, 2011
1,943
364
What did Apple do that was "new" this year?

Make the thinnest, lightest flagship superphone ever. Make the first Retina laptop. The Lightening connector is an innovation in itself. The textbook publishing service and authoring tool.
 

MacNut

macrumors Core
Jan 4, 2002
22,998
9,976
CT
Make the thinnest, lightest flagship superphone ever. Make the first Retina laptop. The Lightening connector is an innovation in itself. The textbook publishing service and authoring tool.
I will give the lightening conector, but until it's widespread adoption it won't be huge. Everything else is not really new tech just updates.
 

thejadedmonkey

macrumors G3
May 28, 2005
9,234
3,483
Pennsylvania
but also wonder why the iPhone 5 isn't on there simply because while many including myself don't think it is the most spectacular device out there, it has indeed changed the playing field for competition with Android sets like the Note 2 which is driving many users away from the iPhone.

I don't think it's on there because, except for a stretched out screen, there's nothing noteworthy about it. No new software, hardware that in some cases was playing catch up, and in other ways is still lagging.... in all honesty, it's really not all that good of an upgrade.

If anything it should be remembered for its medeocracy, which allowed Android to make bigger in-roads, or its lightning connector which destroyed the iPhone ecosystem in one fell swoop.
 
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smoledman

macrumors 68000
Oct 17, 2011
1,943
364
Well, not really brand new if it was introduced nearly a year ago. That aside, what is exactly revolutionary or brilliant about that? eBooks have been about for years, Apple were very late to the game with this one.

What's revolutionary is the authoring tool makes it easy for anyone to create interactive textbooks with lush graphics.
 

Tsuchiya

macrumors 68020
Jun 7, 2008
2,310
372
I think the 15" Retina MacBook Pro deserves an honourable mention.

But otherwise...yeah. Apple has been quite mediocre this year.
 

Rogifan

macrumors Penryn
Nov 14, 2011
24,724
32,184
I think the 15" Retina MacBook Pro deserves an honourable mention.

But otherwise...yeah. Apple has been quite mediocre this year.
And what has everyone else done that's so brilliant? Phones with 5" screens? Is just a bigger screen big deal. What's brilliant about the Nexus 7 or Kindle Fire HD other than they're cheap?
 

TSE

macrumors 601
Jun 25, 2007
4,025
3,531
St. Paul, Minnesota
Gizmodo is equivalent to that one socially awkward nerd at high school that is super adamant about Apple being the worst thing to happen about technology. That socially awkward nerd probably has some valid points, but he says so much bullcrap that the those valid points get drowned out and nobody really cares.
 

Tsuchiya

macrumors 68020
Jun 7, 2008
2,310
372
And what has everyone else done that's so brilliant? Phones with 5" screens? Is just a bigger screen big deal. What's brilliant about the Nexus 7 or Kindle Fire HD other than they're cheap?

I'm sorry, I just can't take a post like this seriously :p

Bar the rMBP, Apple had a mediocre year. The competition stepped up their game. Simple as.
 

MacNut

macrumors Core
Jan 4, 2002
22,998
9,976
CT
I think the 15" Retina MacBook Pro deserves an honourable mention.

But otherwise...yeah. Apple has been quite mediocre this year.
What is so big about the retina display. Apple was the first to use it but did they create it. The body itself is not revolutionary. It's been out for 3 years now.
 

GoCubsGo

macrumors Nehalem
Feb 19, 2005
35,742
155
No one was down on Gizmodo until the iPhone debacle. Now it is just hip to be down on them. Either way, I don't think Apple did anything remotely amazing gadget wise to be on top there.
 

Tsuchiya

macrumors 68020
Jun 7, 2008
2,310
372
What is so big about the retina display. Apple was the first to use it but did they create it. The body itself is not revolutionary. It's been out for 3 years now.

You're trivialising it. Show me a laptop available on the market with that can meet it spec for spec. There is always compromise between power/battery/ design.
 

A Hebrew

macrumors 6502a
Jan 7, 2012
846
2
Minnesota
Though I am a fan of the Surface, I think the rMBP 15" was more deserving of the #5 spot. The technology put into that small of a space is ridiculous.
 
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