In a world where innovations in technology are almost a daily thing, only a few gadgets and devices are able to leave their marks in the lives of people and in the everyday operations of organizations and businesses. To be influential, innovations must be able to get past the bar that sets when a technology is able effect a paradigm shift, a considerable change in the perspective of consumers, and overall acclaim of tech experts and powers-that-be.
For example, back in the days when business organizations were using the traditional telephone, there are many setbacks in terms of productivity and maximization since this device is limited when it comes to features and functions. With the advent of the VoIP and related technologies such as those offered by RingCentral and other service providers, businesses can now take advantages of such features as call forwarding, virtual assistants, voice mail messages, and the like. This represents an unprecedented spike in the productivity of companies, especially the cash-strapped small and mid-sized businesses.
Keeping in mind the abovementioned statements, we revisited the year that was and selected what to our opinion are the most influential gadgets of 2012. The list below is not ranked, but overall they helped in ushering in a new, game-changing atmosphere in the lives of the common people and the newsmakers.
• 3D printing is now made available with the release of the MakerBot. The best thing about this 3D printer, aside of course from allowing users to create and design anything from toys to jewelries, is its price. At $2000 plus the cost of materials, the MakerBot is the first truly commercial home 3D printer in the market. With the affordability it provides consumers, prototyping and craft embellishment will be more accessible to the more modest businesses or even households.
• When it comes to price, the Google Nexus 7 is also a hero. Costing only $199, this 7” tablet gives the median earner access to the Google ecosystem and Android tablet operating system. Comparable tablets are either too costly, such as the iPad Mini, or are limited by a closed ecosystem, such as the same-priced Kindle Fire HD.
• Defying expectations along the lines of operating system development, Microsoft Inc.’s Windows 8 has shaken the industry with its minimalist design interface and multiple iterations. Windows 8, as expected, got mixed reviews, perhaps because it contravened the prevailing principles in OS development. In any case, this new operating system aims at providing a touch-based experience to users and raised the standards of Windows device to a whole new level.
• The underlying design principle of Microsoft Surface is the Metro, which is also used by the Windows 8. As Microsoft’s first attempt at creating its own hardware since Zune, this steeped price tablet (it fetches at $499) may not put up a good fight when it comes to sales, but it has the potential to make a mark in the tablet hardware department, possibly displacing the laptop as a prime consumer choice.
• Edging out the iPhone 5 in wowing consumers and experts alike, the Samsung Galaxy SIII has gone on to become the bestselling smartphone of 2012. This smartphone, manufactured by the Korean company Samsung Electronics, is considered a cheaper alternative to the Apple device. It also sports the more flexible ecosystem of the Android operating system.
