T3 Gadget Awards 2011: A look back at the winners

Innovation of the Year: Razer Switchblade

The killer tech in this incredible, ultra-portable, gaming “concept PC” – you can't actually buy it yet – is an infinitely customisable keyboard, where each key can change its purpose and even appearance to suit the game being played. The tech has made its way into the just-unleashed Razer Blade laptop, and if Razer decides to licence its technology further afield, who knows where we'll see it appearing next. Smartphones? Tablets? Spaceships? A mouth-watering prospect.

The runners-up

Motorola Atrix I Nintendo 3DS I LG ST600 Smart TV Upgrader I Nvidia Tegra 2 I Google Android Honeycomb

What the judges said...

“This high-concept mini gaming PC could be perfect for MMO fans on the move – if it ever actually hits the shops, that is”

Patrick Goss, Editor, TechRadar.com

Commuter Gadget of the Year: Amazon Kindle

Public transport is hell. To help you pull through, you need a gadget that transports you to your happy place: the Kindle. Amazon, like Apple, knows that giving you access to what you already own is not enough. So, while the Kindle makes a brilliant job of rendering books on its ultra-crisp, six-inch, e-ink screen, it also lets you buy any new tome you can think of, immediately, thanks to integrated Wi-Fi and/or 3G and its superb virtual book store, replete with smart recommendations and only-occasionally insane user reviews. No wonder Amazon now sells more ebooks than paperbacks…

The runners-up

Apple iPad 2 I Nintendo 3DS I Apple iPhone 4 I Samsung Galaxy Tab 7 I Ebco Eagle LSR-50

What the judges said…

“The Kindle provides a beautiful reading experience that feels like the product it was designed to replace. The paperback is toast”

Nik Taylor, Tech and Gadgets Editor, MSN.co.uk

Digital Camera of the Year: Canon Powershot G12

Is it a compact? Is it what wise men know as “a bridge camera”? Whatever it is, bald statistics don't do justice to the G12. It's got a ten-meg sensor, 5x optical zoom and shoots 720p video – all very 2009. However, as its size, pro look and price tag attest, the lens, image processor and creative versatility of this camera are all a cut above the compact(-ish) norm. Producing stunning images for such a small thing, even in low light, this is a serious and superb piece of kit.

The runners-up

Fujifilm Finepix X100 I Olympus Pen E-PL2 I Nikon D3100 I Canon EOS 600D I Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF2

What the judges said…

“Canon has done wonders to incorporate so much tech into the G12. Matching quality against a good price, it's a winner”

Luke Peters, T3 Editor

Gadget Accessory of the Year: Eye-Fi X2

Like Batman with Robin or Noel Fielding with the other one out of The Mighty Boosh, gadgets can get by fine on their own, but can be greatly enhanced by the right sidekick. The Eye-Fi X2 memory card deserves to win this category because it's got not one but two tricks up its sleeve, combining core functionality – saving data, as an SDHC card – with built-in N Wi-Fi that allows near-instant, wireless transfer of your camera's pics, including RAW images. Given the price of many Wi-Fi enabled cameras, it's also a nifty money saver. An essential accessory.

The runners-up

iDapt Universal Charger i4 I Apple iPad 2 Smart Cover I Joby Gorillapod Video I Griffin Adidas miCoach Armband I Miniot Cover for iPad 2

What the judges said…

“Someone has clearly thought about how to make life simpler with tech, and this is the result”

Kieran Alger, Editor, T3.com

Gaming Gadget of the Year: Microsoft Xbox Kinect

A no-brainer, really. Kinect has sold by the bucket load, appeals to casual and hardcore gamers alike, and boasts an array of tech – how do an infrared laser sensor, depth sensor and multi-array mics with voice recognition abilities grab you? – to make any gadget-fancier drool like a fat man during an especially delicious cake dream. Kinect took the Wii's basic motion-gaming concept and pumped it up to monstrous proportions, but gaming is not the limit of its talents. This is not the last you shall hear of Kinect in these Awards…

The runners-up

Sony PlayStation 3 I Alienware M17X I Nintendo 3DS I PlayStation Move I Apple iPad 2

What the judges said…

“Kinect: it's the first time I've ever played something where I felt that I was as involved as I could be”

Emma Barnett, Digital Media Editor, The Telegraph

T3 Design Award: Apple MacBook Air 11-inch

The little laptop that can is a near-perfect mix of functionality, portability and physical beauty, like Tom Cruise with a longer fuse. Everything about it feels next-level, from the backlit keyboard, which is incredibly smooth to use for its size, to the use of a solid state drive rather than a hard disk, to the way it tapers from very thin to barely there, yet feels as rigid as a Dalek. Function and form; style and substance; the MacBook Air is the laptop you lust for. Because it's worth it.

The runners-up

Apple iPad 2 I Leica M9 Titanium I Samsung Notebook Series 9 I Fujifilm Finepix X100 I RIM BlackBerry Playbook

What the judges said…

“I use the Air all the time. It's thin, light, gets plenty of envious stares and is powerful enough to perform pretty much any task”

Luke Peters, T3 Editor

Tech Brand of the Year: Google

The Big G's success this year has been built on the twin pillars of Android and not being Apple. It kept on updating and honing the world's favourite mobile OS, summoning more and more manufacturers to its banner, seeing off webOS and Symbian, passing iOS and BlackBerry and barely noticing Windows Phone 7 (though that may change). Elsewhere, its search engine remains the best and most popular there is, and Google+ at least seems like its trying to take on Facebook, unlike Buzz.

The runners-up

HTC I Apple I Samsung I Twitter I Facebook

What the judges said…

“The Galaxy S II is really easy to use. I love the Social Hub and it's pushed on so much more than any other finalist here”

Kieran Alger, Editor, T3.com

Phone of the Year: Samsung Galaxy S2

Arguably second in importance only to Gadget of the Year, the nation's handset of choice is, for the first time in three years, from neither Apple nor HTC. Little wonder, Samsung smashed it into the roof of the net with its top-of-the-range Android blower. A gorgeous looking phone with slick operation, the S II also features the best camera on any smartphone to date, great integration with Samsung's TVs and other kit and a screen that matches the iPhone 4's, without aping it, thanks to the unfathomable power of Super AMOLED.

The runners-up

HTC Sensation I Motorola Atrix Apple iPhone 4 I Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc I HTC Incredible S

What the judges said…

“Not content with pretty much owning internet search, Google has turned Android into a real threat to Apple's dominance on both mobiles and tablets”

Patrick Goss, Editor, Techradar.com

Tablet of the Year: Apple iPad 2

Um, yes. Not a massive surprise, is it? Other tabs queued up to take it on, but as when a massively drunk man throws himself enthusiastically into a fight with an angry gorilla, all that was left after each assault on Apple's flagship device was an embarrassed silence and a mound of mangled parts. Apple dutifully added the front and rear cameras that everyone had clamoured for in the wake of the first iPad, then sat back and watched as the iPad 2 marched to a million sales in its first weekend. With iOS 5 set to remove the need for a computer to sync the 'Pad with, things can only get better for it…

The runners-up

RIM BlackBerry PlayBook I Motorola Xoom I Samsung Galaxy Tab 7 I Asus Eee Pad Transformer I LG Optimus Pad

What the judges said…

“I was sceptical at first but it works; the UI is amazing, the social integration is slick and it makes boring content shine”

Luke Peters, T3 Editor

App of the Year: Flipboard

Apps are the most significant thing to happen to the tech landscape since microchips. Many are made, most are mediocre, but some transform your life. Flipboard is one of the latter, taking multiple news sources and feeds from your social networks and presenting them as one, seamless “magazine”. Video and audio are incorporated, and the presentation puts the original sources of many of the articles scooped up to shame. Whether you consider Flipboard the future of magazines or RSS with knobs on, its hard to argue with the quality of its user experience.

The runners-up

Garageband I Sky News I Tiny Wings I Instapaper I Skype

Work Gadget of the Year: RIM BlackBerry Bold 9780

Interestingly, while this walked it in the Work category, BlackBerrys are now arguably seen not so much as the tool of choice for fastidious businesspersons as the rabble-rousing organ of rioting underclass folk. That doesn't diminish the excellence of the Bold, which remains THE gadget for communicating securely, accurately and, like, bare nang innit blud? Sorry, where were we? Ah yes: lushly tactile QWERTY, large-enough screen, easy pocketability despite its comfortable proportions, long battery life, tungstenlike security and a luxe feel. Yours for 20 notes. It's not nicked mate, honest.

The runners-up

Apple iPhone 4 I Asus Eee Pad Transformer I Logitech Performance Mouse MX I Apple iPad 2 I Motorola Atrix and Lapdock

Digital Media Service of the Year: Twitter

…And speaking of riots, meet the other media villain of the piece. Twitter has had an incredible year, taken a lot of flak and facilitated a lot of great things – and some terrible ones, granted. At its heart lies, as ever, the purity of truncated expression. Composing a great Tweet is like writing a haiku or sonnet; economy and attention to language and nuance are everything. For keeping you up to date with the lives of others, nothing beats it, but as the Arab Spring proved, it's also a communications tool that dictators genuinely fear.

The runners-up

Spotify I Virgin Media I Tivo I Facebook I Dropbox I Sky Anytime+

What the judges said…

“During the English riots and the super injunctions people who didn't use Twitter were asking, 'How do I get on to it?' It's a phenomenon”

Emma Barnett, Digital Media Editor, The Telegraph

Music Gadget of the Year: Monster Beats by dre Dre Pro Studio

As Eminem counselled on Forgot About Dre, it is unwise to disrespect the erstwhile NWA producer and wordsmith. Certainly, he's been doing all this dope producing, but now he's expressing himself to the audio world via his premium range of headphones. Dre brings all his audio expertise and ear for detail to testing the headphones his company produces, including these range-toppers. His ineffable cool and the eye-catching, purchase-encouraging, iconic shape of the Beats 'phones do the rest. Result: you now see more of them on the high street than traffic wardens or tramps.

The runners-up

Denon Ceol I Philips Fidelio DS9000 I Pure Avanti Flow I B&W Zeppelin Air I Cambridge Audio Minx

What the judges said...

“They're as iconic today as the original white iPod earbuds were in the noughties. But crucially, they sound a lot better”

Luke Peters, T3 Editor

Home Gadget of the Year: Philips Airfryer

We all like to eat deep-fried things, especially if we're Scottish. But scientists warn that eating things that have been soaked at length in hot fat may not be good for us. That's where the Airfryer comes in. By rapidly moving hot air and using a grill element, it produces chips and other traditionally high-calorie treats with up to 80 per cent less fat content. As a result, you get all the great taste of frites, but with less of the heart disease and obesity. All thanks to technology.

The runners-up

Dyson Digital Slim DC35 I Krups Nespresso Citiz I Pure Twilight I Tefal Vitacuisine Comp Act I Cuisinart Soup Maker

What the judges said...

“A classic example of technology being used to improve our lives. Cynics might sneer, but it does exactly what it claims”

Luke Peters, T3 Editor

Retailer of the Year: Amazon

By far the world's biggest e-tailer (the next biggest is Staples, curiously), Amazon continues to climb to ever greater heights. Over the past year, Amazon has proved it can 'do' digital delivery. The Kindle ebook store is wide-ranging, cheap and simple to use, all of which will transfer to music and movies once the new Amazon tablets arrive. In addition, physical products are delivered reliably, with a rock-solid refunds policy. The layout and intelligence of its website is also exemplary. In short, nobody else comes close. Not even Staples.

The runners-up

John Lewis I Apple Store I The Carphone Warehouse I Currys and PC World I Orange I Three I Jessops I Tesco I Argos

What the judges said…

“Amazon is a real hub for consumers to use, it just pulls everything together so nicely”

Nik Taylor, Editor, MSN Tech and Gadgets

Computer of the Year: Apple MacBook Air 11-inch

While discussing the Air's success in the Design Award earlier, we pointed out that it had substance as well as style. Here's the proof: it's also stolen this more “serious” prize. That's because, where earlier incarnations of this sub-laptop were like supermodels in their blend of jaw-dropping looks and innate stupidity, this one is like a supermodel who has been abducted by aliens and fitted with “the brain tripler of Thunng”. Its dual-core processor and Intel HD graphics mean it can handle hi-def video and cutting-edge gaming, at least with the resolution turned down a tad, while it breezes insouciantly through everyday tasks.

The runners-up

Samsung Notebook Series 9 I Apple MacBook Pro 15-iNch I Sony Vaio S Series I Alienware M17X I HP Envy 14

What the judges said…

“A hands-down winner. It's better than a tablet. I'm a grown up, I can cope without my apps”

Emma Barnett, Digital Media Editor, The Telegraph

Gadget Personality of the Year: Mark Zuckerberg

An ironic choice as nobody voting for Facebook's enigmatic CEO can have the faintest idea what his personality is like. Sure, we've all seen The Social Network, but that paints him as a ruthless, spoiled misanthrope with no taste in clothes, so what could the appeal be? Obviously, it's the single-minded determination that has made him a billionaire at the age of 28 and the fact that he's the greatest facilitator of human interaction since Alexander Graham Bell. Where other social networks have floundered, Facebook continues to carry all before it, and Zuckerberg remains firmly seated at its helm.

The runners-up

Suzi Perry I Pollyanna Woodward I Jason Bradbury I Rory Cellan-Jones I Richard Branson I Stephen Fry I Spencer Kelly I Dr Dre I Lady Gaga

What the judges said…

“The main reason Facebook has succeeded is because the founder stays with it, it's him, on the floor with developers. His personality is evident throughout Facebook”

Emma Barnett, Digital Media Editor, The Telegraph

TV of the Year: Samsung 8000 Series (UE55D8000)

Samsung introduced web-connected, widget-laden smart TVs to a grateful world and they continue to lead the way. The 8000 Series packs more high-end tech than is strictly decent into an enviably skinny frame. There's LED backlighting, active 3D, wireless content sharing with your Samsung mobile devices, and internet@TV, which gives you instant access to BBC iPlayer, Lovefilm, YouTube and all the other top-drawer online video flingers. All that would be for nought if image quality wasn't jaw-dropping, but as serendipity would have it, it is. Score.

The runners-up

Philips 46PFL9705H I Sony Bravia KDL-40NX 713 I Toshiba Regza 55Wl 768 I LG P50PZ 950T I Panasonic Viera TX-P42GT30

Outstanding Contribution to Technology: Sir David Attenborough

(Husky voice) “Here we see the… awesome sight of the genus Televisionus Marvellosus. David Attenborough, untamed and in the wild is… a magnificent vision.” Now of a similar age to the great sea turtles of the Galapagos Islands, Attenborough remains at the cutting edge, having already overseen the birth of more cerebral TV with BBC 2, then the introduction of colour, and then the dawn of, er, televised snooker. Now, he can be found in 3D, hosting Sky's excellent Flying Monsters. His command of the televisual medium and thirst for new knowledge remain unparallelled.

Gadget of the Year: Microsoft Xbox Kinect

This is it. The big one. Big like a supernova, a nuclear war, or Digby the Biggest Dog in the World. The Kinect is the fastest-selling consumer durable (not just gadget) of all time. It's taken motion-controlled gaming and turbocharged it, putting you in the game like never before. With full-body tracking, facial and voice recognition, it'll soon allow you to control everything in your digital world by waving, talking or gurning. In short, it's not only an amazing piece of technology but could quite conceivably pave the way for new developments in human/computer interaction.

The runners-up

Apple iPad 2 I Amazon Kindle I Nintendo 3DS I Motorola Atrix I Samsung Galaxy S II I Apple iPhone 4 I Virgin Media Tivo I HTC Incredible S I Sony PlayStation Move

What the judges said…

“The Kinect is not only an amazing gadget for today, it's a mouth-watering technological prospect for tomorrow, too”

Luke Peters, T3 Editor