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Geeks and nerds had an unbelievable year. Apple unveiled at least three revolutionary gadgets.

Samsung finished its evolution from “one more Asian manufacturer” to a global player.

Google turned the phones’ market upside down with its Android platform.

And to round it off, 3D TV became available after decades of hype.

To look back at this ground-breaking year for informational technologies, Kyiv Post offers its own choice of the best gadgets that hit the market in 2010.


1. Apple iPad


It wasn’t the first Tablet PC in history.

But one can hardly remember any of its predecessors by now.

Apple’s CEO Steve Jobs was right, when he predicted that the iPad would change computer industry.

With the iPad, Apple simplified a personal computer to an unprecedented extent.

People with very small computer knowledge can easily install software, browse the web and use social networks.

From now on, you don’t need to know anything about how a computer works to use it.

Some limitations (no camera, files sync exclusively through specialized software, etc.) will hardly turn off ordinary users from buying the iPad.


2. Samsung Galaxy Tab

Samsung’s device is the only serious rival yet for the iPad. By using Google’s Android platform, it escalates the Apple-Google warfare from the smart phones market to Tablets.

Galaxy Tab is smaller than the iPad: It can be carried in a pocket. It has two cameras (the iPad has no camera at all) and supports Flash technology (Apple doesn’t support it on portable devices).

The Android platform gives users more freedom in software installations and downloading content.

Only its unbelievably high price can stop Galaxy Tab from becoming a true bestseller.

Costing as much as the iPad, it loses in hype and stylishness associated with the Apple’s device.


3. Apple MacBook Air

Air was born in 2008. The ultra-thin and lightweight 13-inch notebook with a backlit keyboard was a revolution.

Even though it was pricey, not too powerful, and its aluminum case was overheating while watching videos, it set new standards for the industry when first introduced.

In 2010, Air became a much-hyped device once again.

The new Air is equipped with SSD (flash memory) instead of traditional hard drives. The notebook now works faster, lasts longer and is much lighter.

Moreover, it is now available in two versions: with 11 and 13 inch displays. The 11-inch model is by far the best lightweight notebook in the world, yet starting at $1,000, it’s pricey.


4. Microsoft Kinect

Xbox video game console is the best Microsoft project in years.

But Kinect, a video controller that allows you to rule the game with your body movements, is simply revolutionary.

Kinect is like a window into the future.

It gives a sneak preview of the type of interaction with computers when keyboards and mouse devices become obsolete.

Technologies of this kind will eventually help create a virtual reality.



5. Samsung 3D TV


The prospect of 3D pictures seemed exotic for decades.

But James Cameron’s blockbuster movie “Avatar” demonstrated once and for all how much people want to see action in three dimensions.

Since movie theaters went 3D, it was quite logical to assume that people might want to enjoy this technology at home.

Samsung was the first to bring 3D TV sets to the market.

They are expensive for now, and there’s not enough content to watch yet.

But if you are eager to taste the technology that will take over the market in the next few years, it’s a good sample to start with.



6. Apple iPhone 4


Apple has been releasing a new iPhone each year as of late.

And every reincarnation of the world’s best smartphone proved to be a knockdown punch for its rivals.

This year Apple shocked its opponents with high resolution Retina display, which makes an otherwise simple menu look like it’s been painted on canvas.

The new iPhone also has high productivity and a good camera.

What’s more, it has a slim and beautiful design.

With so many new features, news over its poor signal quality wasn’t enough to prevent it from becoming another bestseller.


7. Amazon Kindle

In 2007, Kindle made a breakthrough launching a new era of e-reading. Since then, many companies have started to produce e-readers, but Amazon tries to be in the lead.

Hitting the market in 2010, Kindle 3 has a 3G modem allowing users to download e-books directly from the Web.

Kindle might not be the best e-reader in the world (Sony and some others have better displays and controls), but still it’s the flagship of e-reading.



8. Sony NEX-3/5


Mirrorless, interchangeable lens cameras are the new trend in digital photography.

They are cheaper, smaller and simpler to use than usual SLR cameras, while providing better photo quality.

In this respect, Sony’s NEX 3 and NEX 5 are stunning.

They are small, easy to use and the picture quality is awesome.

NEX 5 can even record video in HD quality.

These gadgets are pricey.

But if you are a fan of making your own high quality photos and videos and don’t want to spend big money on a professional camera, they might be a perfect choice for you.





9. Apple TV


Apple has its own vision of the future.

You no longer need to buy a movie or download it from the Web.

Connected to your TV set, Apple TV can show videos you buy or rent from iTunes, an online Apple store.

All you have to do is browse iTunes and click on a video you want to watch.

It might seem useless in Ukraine, where most people don’t want to pay for movies simply because of the wide choice of pirate websites.

But in the civilized world Apple TV is marketable.

It seems that sooner than later Steve Jobs will come on stage in his black sweater and blue jeans to teach everyone how to watch TV.



10. Google Nexus One


Google’s first smartphone turned out to be an epic failure moneywise.

Nexus One, a really cool smartphone produced for Google by a Taiwanese company called HTC, didn’t have huge sales.

Nevertheless, Nexus One was the first smartphone to show the power of Android, a young platform developed by Google to compete with Apple’s iPhone.

Android gained a huge share of the market in 2010. No doubt, it will become the most popular mobile platform in coming years.

And despite its miserable sales, Nexus One is to be remembered for this accomplishment.


Kyiv Post news editor Alexey Bondarev can be reached at bondarev@kyivpost.com.