T3 Gadget Awards 2012: Award Winners

On 8th October the Old Billingsgate Market in London threw open its doors to welcome 600 guests to the T3 Gadget Awards 2012. The red carpet was walked, the champagne was opened and the biggest names in tech settled into their seats waiting to see which gadgets would walk away with those all-important T3 gongs.

This year's awards saw more than half a million readers cast votes for their favourite technology products, personalities and services. Those votes, along with the star-studded event in London mean that the T3 Gadget Awards 2012 is the biggest technology awards ceremony anywhere on the face of the Earth.

Of course, each of our twenty categories could only have one winner and despite some of the fiercest voting action we've ever seen, we can now reveal the full list of winners.

T3 Award for Innovation Winner: Raspberry Pi

As small as a credit card, this is the smallest and cheapest PC in the world – boasting a single core 700Mhz processor and 256MB of RAM. Where the Raspberry Pi will really make a difference is in the developing world. Bringing affordable and accessible computing to the masses is what made Raspberry Pi the Innovation Award winner.

The runners up: OnLive, Nike Fuelband, ASUS Padfone, Microsoft Windows 8, LG 55EM960V

T3 Design Award Winner: Asus Eee Pad Transformer Prime

The Transformer series has been a star turn from Asus. Combining tablet portability with laptop productivity, the Transformer series proved that you can use a tablet as much for content creation as content consumption. The gorgeous screen and lightweight chassis aren't to be sniffed at, and the Android OS makes this a versatile device for either work or play. A worthy winner.

Runners up: Loewe Air Speaker, Nokia Lumia 900, Fujifilm X-Pro1, Parrot Zik headphones, Sonos SUB Wireless Subwoofer

What Asus said: "It's absolutely brilliant to win an award, its a great product and thanks to everyone who voted - fingers crossed for next year."

T3 Award for Gaming Gadget of the Year Winner: Sony PS Vita

Bringing PS3 style visuals to your (large) pockets, Sony's little black box of tricks scooped the award for top gaming gadget. It's quad-core processor is astonishingly powerful and with a 5-inch OLED touchscreen, two cameras and a line up of AAA games, the PS Vita is our runaway winner.

The runners up: Sennheiser PC 360 G4ME, Nvidia 3D Vision 2, Alienware X51, OnLive, Nintendo 3DS XL

What Sony said: "We're delighted to get this award. [PS Vita] is a great device and it's great to get the recognition for it."

T3 Award for Phone of the Year Winner: Samsung Galaxy S3

The Galaxy S3 has dominated the headlines this year and for all the right reasons. It's got a range of amazing features that push the envelope of phone technology. Check out our full story on the T3 Gadget Award 2012 Phone of the Year.

The runners up: Apple iPhone 4S, HTC One X, Sony Xperia S, Nokia Lumia 900, Samsung Galaxy Nexus

T3 Award for Tablet of the Year Winner: Google Nexus 7 by Asus

Offering affordable Android on the go, the Google Nexus 7 from Asus beat out a tough crowd to take the crown for Tablet of the Year. Even at a wallet-friendly price of £159 this 7-inch tablet offers you a Tegra 3 Processor, Android Jelly Bean and a glossy HD screen. Truly, a tablet of the people.

Runners up: Asus Eee Pad Transformer Prime, Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1, Apple new iPad 3, Sony Tablet S, Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9

Win: A Google Nexus 7 with Tesco Tech Support

T3 Award for Work Gadget of the Year: Apple iPhone 4S

Despite being superseded by the iPhone 5, Apple's iPhone 4S has been one of 2012s standout gadgets and, as a testament to its versatility it picked up the T3 Award for Work Gadget of the Year. The Retina Display might trounce the displays of other smartphones but what makes this the best business accessory is the sheer amount of apps, accessories and extras available for Apple's smartphone.

Runners up: Epson PX830FWD, Logitech Performance MX Mouse, ASUS Eee Pad Transformer Prime, BlackBerry Bold 9900, Samsung Galaxy Note

T3 Award for Commuter Gadget of the Year: Amazon Kindle 4

A single journey into any big city in the UK will reaffirm why the Amazon Kindle 4 took our T3 Award for Commuter Gadget of the Year – everyone's got one. The Kindle 4 is a lighter, thinner version of everyone's favourite eReader. It lets you to disappear into a fictional world of mystery and intrigue on the 357 in from Welwyn Garden City every morning.

Runners up: Sony PS Vita, TomTom Via LIVE 120 Europe, Samsung Galaxy Note, Apple New iPad 3, Sennheiser IE 80

T3 Award for Tech Brand of the Year Winner: Asus

Asus has transformed itself from an obscure Taiwanese laptop manufacturer to one of 2012's tech pioneers thanks to products like the Transofrmer Pad Infinity, the Zenbook Prime and collaborating with Google for the Nexus 7 tablet. The future looks bright for Asus too, with new Ultrabooks and tablets in the works. But as for right now, those hardworking folks over at Asus HQ can relax for a moment, safe in the knowledge they are the T3 Tech Brand of the Year.

Runners up: Sky, Google, Apple, Amazon, Samsung.

T3 Award for Digital Media Service of the Year Winner: Sky Go

Live content and on-demand favourites are all available over Sky's online service which is available on your smartphone, Xbox 360 or PC/Mac. You can watch two devices simultaneously and has a decent selection of sports and movies to watch. So you don't have to miss El Classico because the missus wants to watch Sex and the City again.

Runners up: Netflix, Spotify Premium, Pinterest, OnLive, Xbox Live

What Sky said: "We've had a full on year and we're looking forward to adding loads more content to Sky Go. It's a fantastic team we have, and its great to win an award."

T3 Award for App of the Year Winner: Zeebox

Joining the two noble traditions of watching the TV and then talking about it, Zeebox lets you talk to your mates about what's on the box and then charts the popularity of the nation's favourite programming. It's been endorsed by the Gadget Godfather Stephen Fry and means you'll never be left out of the water cooler talk at the office the next day.

Runners up: Draw Something, The Guardian for iPad, Spotify, Sky Sports with F1 for iPad, iPhoto for iPad.

What Zeebox said: "We weren't expecting it, we've worked hard and it's great to come and celebrate. In the UK we don't have many competitors but in the US we did and we're riding on the wave of the US launch."

T3 Award for Gadget Retailer of the Year Winner: Amazon

The last 12 months have probably been a bit of a blur for the folks over at Amazon. The company launched an app store, a Cloud storage solution and expanded its catalogue as the biggest ebook retailer going. And it also found time to launch a tablet that could pose a serious challenge to the likes of Apple and Google. Admittedly though, all that does pale in comparison to the achievement of winning the T3 Award for Retailer of the Year.

Runners up: Orange Store, John Lewis, Harrods, Apple Store, eBay

What Amazon said: "It's fantastic to win, we're delighted. We've got the Kindle Fire coming out in a week and we're really excited about that."

T3 Award for Home Gadget of the Year Winner: Nest Smart Thermostat

Thermostats - the one gadget that can be truly cool. Or hot. Or whatever temperature-based accolade you care to apply. The Nest Thermostat however picks up the T3 Award for Home Gadget of the Year for several excellent features. It lets you program your home heating from your Android device or iPad as well as check through the previous week's heating usage. This lets you save valuable cash on heating and feel better for saving the planet. Result.

Runners up: Dyson DC39, Philips Sonicare DiamondClean, Plumen Eco Bulb, Magimix Le Mini Plus, Tetra Shed

T3 Award for Accessory of the Year Winner: Nike Fuelband

The Nike Fuelband lets you set out movement goals each day and then wear a cool-looking wristband that tracks your progress. It's all part of a tech-based movement from the sportswear giant that will get us all a lot fitter whilst remaining stylish. The Fuelband lets you know if you've hit your target with 20 LED lights that fill the display from red to green. Matching style and tech isn't always easy but Nike has managed it here and picked up the T3 Award for Accessory of the Year to boot.

Runners up: Joby GorillaPod SLR Zoom, SolarFocus Kindle 4 Case, Synology DS212j (NAS drive), Ion Audio All Star Guitar, Asus Transformer Prime Keyboard

What Nike said: "Being an athelete it's great how it records progress. I knew the days I was working better and the days I wasn't."

T3 Award for Music Gadget of the Year Winner: B&W P3

On-ear headphones are a dime a dozen these days, but when something like the P3 from Brit audio masters Bowers & Wilkins crosses your path, you sit up and take notice. These 'cans feature memory foam earpieces and a folding design for extra portability. On top of that, they also sound freaking awesome. The drive units deliver quality and beautifully balanced audio.

Runners up: Pure Avanti Flow, Urbanears Plattan, Philips Fidelio L1, Jawbone Big Jambox, Sonos

T3 Award for Computer of the Year Winner: Asus Zenbook UX31

When Intel introduced the Ultrabook format, Asus took the concept and ran with it. The end result was the slim, light yet incredibly powerful Zenbook Ultrabook. Great audio courtesy of Bang & Olufsen and a crystal clear HD screen take this to the top of the pile in 2012. The SSD and fast-boot up mean you can be using it in under 2 seconds from sleep mode and the battery will stay strong for four and a half hours of heavy use.

Runners up: Samsung Series 9, Alienware M14x, Dell XPS 13, Apple MacBook Air 2012, Apple MacBook Pro with Retina Display.

T3 Award for TV of the Year Winner: Sony Bravia KDL-55HX853

Any front room would do well to feature the Sony Bravia KDL-55HX853. The edge-to-edge Corning Gorilla Glass looks mightily impressive while the amount of tech on offer is enough for even the most die-hard TV junkie. Great quality 2D and 3D picture quality is delivered courtesty of the X-Reality Pro processing engine and a plethora of smart TV functions rounds off this visual masterpiece and worthy winner of the T3 Award for TV of the Year.

Runners up: Panasonic TX-P50VT50, LG 55LM960V, Toshiba 55WL863, Samsung UE55ES8000, Philips 42PFL7666

What Sony said: "This is a massive one for us. We were in with a good chance and glad it was verified."

T3 Award for Digital Camera of the Year Winner: Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX1

One of the smallest and lightest models in its class, the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX1 is an amazingly compact camera with a Pancake lens attached meaning you can fit it into a jacket pocket. Sturdy, with a full set of manual controls and an accurate autofocus - its no surprise our snap-happy readers voted the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX1 the T3 Digital Camera of the Year.

Runners up: Sony NEX-7, Fujifilm X10, Nikon J1, Canon G1X, Canon EOS 650D

What Panasonic said: "We're so excited, it's been a great evening and so excited for our product and everything we've got going on at Panasonic."

T3 Award for Gadget Personality of the Year Winner: Rory Cellan-Jones

As the Technology Corresponded for the BBC, there isn't a tech story going that Rory hasn't covered. His tech blog on the BBC regularly pulls in those eager to hear his pearls of wisdom and as runner up last year, its good news for Rory Cellan-Jones as he wins the T3 Gadget Personality of the Year Award. Head over to the full story on the T3 Award for Gadget Personality of the Year to find out more about Rory and his win.

Runners up: Pollyanna Woodward, Jason Bradbury, Kim Dotcom, Edgar Wright, Hermione Way

What Rory said: I'm very excited and humbled. I thought Kim Dotcom was going to get it. This is great as its voted for by readers, and thanks to everyone that chose me."

T3 Award for Outstanding Contribution to Technology Winner: Lord Sugar

From early beginnings with Amstrad back in 1967, Alan Sugar has become one of the most prominent businessmen in the UK. A lifelong interest with all things tech-related has seen Lord Sugar become involved with home computing, producing satellite dishes and an appointment to the House of Lords as Enterprise Czar. Recently he has been appointed Chairman of YouView.

What Lord Sugar said: "I've worked in the industry for 45 years, there was always talk of things like mobile phones, and now who knows what's coming next."

T3 Award for Gadget of the Year Winner: Google Nexus 7 by Asus

The biggest award of the night goes to Google's affordable yet luxurious Android tablet. Quite simply, this is the most important gadget of 2012. For all the detail on Google's historic win visit our full story on the T3 Award for Gadget of the Year to find out what makes the Google Nexus 7 the rightful winner of Tech's biggest prize.

Runners up: OnLive, ASUS Eee Pad Transformer Prime, Philips Fidelio L1, Apple iPhone 4S, Sony PS Vita, Samsung Galaxy S3, Sony NEX-7, LG55LM960V, Asus Zenbook UX31.

What Asus said: "What an absolutely amazing achievement. It's a combination of power, portability and price, that's the key."

That draws to a close the T3 Gadget Awards 2012, what did you think of our winners? Agree or disagree? Let us know in the comments box below and it might be time to start thinking about which gadgets you want to see in next year's line-up.