And a gadget to look forward to in 2014.
By Deepak Chitnis
WASHINGTON, DC: As the year comes to a close, we find ourselves at that intersection of both looking ahead with anticipation and reflecting back on the year that’s passed.
As we bring 2013 to a close here at The American Bazaar, I thought I’d use my Tech Talk blog to take a look at the five best consumer technology innovations of 2013, along with one to look forward to as we bring in 2014 next week.
The Top Five Consumer Electronics of 2013 (in no particular order):
iPad Air
Although Apple launched its iPad line of tablets in 2010, the design and functionality remained fairly stagnant throughout the subsequent three and a half years. When Apple announced a new iteration back in September, jettisoning the standard numerical nomenclature and calling it the “Air,” we all knew we were in for a treat, and Apple did not disappoint.
Taking a cue from its successful line of MacBooks, which also got their own Air version a few years ago, the iPad Air retains the excellent functionality of its older cousins and actually improves upon them, while delivering an irresistible razor-thin design that comes in at just a hair over one pound for a Wi-Fi only model (the 3G-enabled versions have some added weight but are still only about 1.5 pounds).
For those, like me, who thought the iPad was a bit of a gimmick and nothing more than a glorified iPod Touch, rest assured that the iPad Air is the real deal. With a 64-bit Apple A7 processor, it can run Apple’s new iO7 at incredibly fast speeds, but is small and light enough to fit in a medium-sized purse or taken in a backpack on-the-go.
It also features Apple’s proprietary Retina Display, which allows for incredibly sharp images and brilliant colors, all right in your hand.
For those who may not like the full-size iPad Air, there’s also the smaller (and cheaper) iPad Mini. But I honestly don’t see the point of it. As I always say, “Go big or go home,” and if you’re going to spend the cash, might as well put down an extra hundred bucks and get the iPad Air. You won’t regret it; I know I don’t.
Google Glass
Arguably the most controversial item on this list, Google Glass still isn’t technically available for widespread purchase by consumers around the world, but it has made its way into the hands (and onto the heads) of a select few.
Designed to look like glasses, Google Glass is actually a wearable mini-computer that, as those who have worn it say, essentially gives you the capabilities of a smartphone right in front of you. You can click a button on the side of the glasses to answer a call, you can record HD video just by looking around you, and so on.
Google Glass has caused a bit of a stir in some parts, with some public places like restaurants disallowing it because it poses a potential privacy concern – anyone can videotape you while they’re wearing the glasses, and you’d never know – but the futuristic, “RoboCop”-esque design and capabilities of the display that comes with it are just too cool to ignore. It’s probably not a very practical, or essential, gadget, but it will undoubtedly make a huge splash when it debuts on store shelves, perhaps even next year. Beware, though; it will likely cost upwards of $1,500.
Sony PlayStation 4
I’ve already dissected the Playstation 4 and Microsoft’s XBOX One ad nauseam in my first Tech Talk blog, so I won’t go into specifics here again. But suffice it to say that any lover of video games or home entertainment would be well-served to pick up one of these $400 systems – if they can find one, that is. Selling like hotcakes, the PS4 and XBOX One have remained fairly close in sales figures since debuting last month, but for my money, PS4 still takes the cake. Sleeker design, more reliable hardware, and it costs $100 less. If you’ve got a son, boyfriend, or husband who’s been good this year, the PS4 would be a great reward.
Sony X90 4K TV
As soon as we all got acclimated to HDTVs and Blu-rays, Sony hit us with 4K televisions, which offer an even brighter and clearer display. They even put out 4K-optimized Blu-ray discs, featuring some popular Sony movie titles like Moneyball and the Spider-Man films. The X90 is just the best model on the market. It comes in sizes as big as 84” diagonally, and offers unsurpassed picture quality. Investing in one of these and a good sound system might make you never want to go the movie theater ever again.
They’re pricey – the aforementioned 84” model goes for just under $25,000 – but those with a passion for movies and television and the budget to afford it won’t do any better than the X90 for at least the next few years. Just beware that several 4K models don’t support 3D playback.
The Cloud
Ok, so this isn’t necessarily a 2013 invention, but there’s no denying that cloud computing really took off in 2013. This was due, in no small part, to the whistle-blowing work of Edward Snowden, who shined a light on the US government’s spying on both their own citizens and even the governments of foreign nations, several of which the US is friendly with. But the security and safety of cloud computing – where data and information is stored in a non-physical “cloud” from which it can be accessed anywhere in the world – will never be 100% trustworthy. Cloud computing, because of its low costs, is here to stay for the foreseeable future, so we’ll just have to go along for the ride and keep a close eye on our own personal information. After all, look at what happened to Target last week.
And one innovation coming up in 2014 is:
SmartWatches
Remember all those old sci-fi movies where the astronauts talk into a communicator on their wrist, like Buzz Lightyear in Toy Story? That’s not really fiction anymore. SmartWatches are now on the market, with Samsung releasing their Galaxy Gear model in September to a lukewarm reception.
The hardware and software may still have a ways to go, but SmartWatches pose exciting possibilities for the future. Why lug a phone around when you can just strap it to your wrist? Why carry around an MP3 player when you can just plug headphones into your watch and listen to your music from there?
SmartWatches are here to stay, and we will definitely see more than a few pop up in 2014. Samsung has already launched an ad campaign in anticipation of its next SmartWatch iteration, so if you see people walking down the street talking into their forearms, rest assured – they’re not mental patients, they’re just tech-savvy.
To contact the author, email to deepakchitnis@americanbazaaronline.com