I have been reading a lot of posts lately called "top ten gadgets", "top ten tech", etc. and decided to put together my own list. Some of these products came out before 2011, but the fact that they are still some of my favorites says a lot about how great tech doesn't have to be constantly updated all the time.
1. iPhone 4S - While this was initially a disappointment because the rumor mill made it sound like we would all be using the "iPhone 5" to teleport ourselves to other dimensions and solving questions like "the meaning of life" (although Siri does try to provide us some answers to that question), the iPhone 4S is my favorite tech of the year. With its camera, Siri, speed, etc.. it is a huge update from the iPhone 3GS.
1. iPhone 4S - While this was initially a disappointment because the rumor mill made it sound like we would all be using the "iPhone 5" to teleport ourselves to other dimensions and solving questions like "the meaning of life" (although Siri does try to provide us some answers to that question), the iPhone 4S is my favorite tech of the year. With its camera, Siri, speed, etc.. it is a huge update from the iPhone 3GS.
2. Wacom Intuos 4 medium/Lightroom package - This is probably the best $399 (retail) bargain I have seen. While $399 isn't exactly cheap, the version I have came with Lightroom 3 ($299 retail), Adobe Photoshop Elements (59.99 retail), and a couple other programs, so they are practically giving you the tablet for free. While there is a learning curve with using a tablet, it is just easier to draw and to use pinpoint accuracy with a pen rather than a mouse. It is really an amazing device and with all the included goodies, it will provide hours of fun while you are learning how to use everything.
3.Kinetic by Kurt Road Machine Indoor Bicycle Trainer - I have had this for a few years, but it is still great tech. You take your bike, pop it in, and you can ride without leaving the house. I have had mine in a sunroom without heat or air conditioning and it works like the day I bought it. Also, it is stable under my 6'5, 245+ pound frame.
4. 2011 15 inch MacBook Pro (antiglare hi rez) with thunderbolt - I know the hype machine is pushing the MacBook Airs and their fantastic SSD drives. However, when I was looking for a new laptop this year, I decided on the heavier old school MBP. Why? The ability to add more RAM, the ability to get an antiglare higher resolution screen, and the much larger hard drive space. For me, 750GB of space outweighed some of the benefits of SSD. The good thing is when SSD is available for less money and with more space, the MBP can easily be updated. However, the main reason is that the 13 inch MBA screen looked small side by side with the 15 inch MBP. I want to edit photos on my laptop and the extra 2 inches (+antiglare) makes it a much better laptop for that purpose. Also, I still like having a disc drive. When I installed Win7 on the MBP, the disc drive made it easy to buy Win7 off the shelf and rip a CD from bootcamp with the correct drivers. I guess you can do this via download and USB, but it just isn't as easy. Also, since I keep it plugged in most of the time, I just put it in sleep mode when I am not using it and the SSD faster restart times become irrelevant for my usual usage.
5. iPad - this is my most used computing device at home. For me, it is the perfect size for consuming media and apps just get better and better. I know the new Kindle Fire is supposed to be a good substitute for less money, but the size is just too small when compared to the iPad. The smaller screen is not as good for video, photos, web surfing, magazine reading, etc.
6. Amazon Kindle (e-ink version) - Unlike the Kindle Fire, the e-ink Kindles are lightweight, glare resistant, and are perfect for reading books. The Fire is heavier, backlit, and harder to read in the sun. For reading, I just don't think the Fire is as good. This makes the Fire pretty much second best in every category. (I know some people will wonder why the Fire is not on my list, so I wanted emphasize the reasons)
7. Shure SRH 940 Headphones - I just got these for Christmas, but they have jumped right onto my favorite tech list. These headphone are extremely accurate sounding and sound great without an amp. However, the most important thing is that they are also closed, so less sound leaks in and out. They don't over emphasize bass, which may be an issue for certain types of music and users, but I prefer a more accurate sound. I should mention that some people don't like accurate sound, but I still think those type of people should have an accurate pair of headphones to know what their recordings really sounds like.
8. Cuisinart CHW-12 Coffee Plus 12-Cup Programmable Coffeemaker with Hot Water System - I recently updated to this coffee maker after I switched to eating oatmeal in the morning. It has a water warming section on one side and it makes coffee on the other. While we don't leave heating on all the time, it heats up the water in a few minutes. So if you plan ahead, you can just heat up when you need to. It also makes a great cup of coffee. :)
9. Audyssey MultiEQ XT32 - I bought a Denon 4311CI receiver in 2010 but since Audyssey is available in a lot of other receivers now, I am mentioning it as a tech outside of my receiver. I have used an outboard DAC for a long time to get better sound quality for my digital music files. However, I tested Audyssey's processing against my PS Audio DLIII DAC, and in my room and setup, the receiver sounded better with its own processing. The fact that it trumped the PS Audio DLIII was a bit surprising, but it does show how the room plays a part in sound quality. The bonus is that I was able to pull the DAC out of the setup and use it with a headphone setup where the room plays much less importance in sound quality.
10. I had a hard time narrowing this down to one choice. However, MOG is the winner - While this isn't a gadget, it is tech that brings music to wherever I go. The main distinguishing feature is that it uses 320 kbps compression for wifi streaming regardless of whether you are using an iPhone, Android, or computer. It also interfaces with my car, so that also pushed it ahead of others. They just started a free version for those that want to try it.
Other stuff that barely missed the list:
Thunderbolt iMac, VMWare Fusion4, Roku, Apple TV, Hot Springs Hottub, Denon 4311CI, Bluetooth, & Airplay.
The tech I am looking forward to the most for 2012 is the iPad 3 or whatever they decide to call it.
Thunderbolt iMac, VMWare Fusion4, Roku, Apple TV, Hot Springs Hottub, Denon 4311CI, Bluetooth, & Airplay.
The tech I am looking forward to the most for 2012 is the iPad 3 or whatever they decide to call it.
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