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Tech Guide’s product picks for 2012

tg20122012 has been a huge year in technology and here at Tech Guide we’ve seen and reviewed hundreds of products of all shapes and sizes.

We’ve decided to end the year by looking back and choosing the products that we thought were the best in their respective categories.

We’d also like to thank all of our loyal readers for their wonderful support in 2012.

It’s been a year that’s seen tremendous readership growth at Tech Guide and we look forward to that continuing 2013.

We have some exciting plans for the New Year and we look forward to you joining us for what promises to be an exciting ride.

Here are Tech Guide’s product picks of 2012.

tg2012smartphoneSMARTPHONES

Samsung Galaxy S III

It was a breakthrough year for Samsung in the smartphone market and the Galaxy S III was a real game changer for the company. The Galaxy III has a smart design, a sharp 4.8-inch screen, 4G compatibility, a number of handy new features, an excellent camera and a battery that lasts a day and a half.

Tech Guide’s review of the Samsung Galaxy S III

 

The Samsung Galaxy S III

Runner-up

iPhone 5

Honourable mentions

Nokia Lumia 920

Motorola RAZR HD

Samsung Galaxy Note

Telstra Urbane

HTC One XL 4G

tg2012tabletTABLETS

iPad Mini

It was Apple’s year on the tablet front with a strong lead thanks to the iPad but it was the smaller iPad Mini which stole the show in 2012. The iPad Mini is every bit an iPad but in a smaller package that’s easy to hold in one hand and attractive to users who considered the 10-inch iPad too big to carry around.

Tech Guide’s review of the iPad Mini

 

Apple's iPad Mini

Runner-up

Google Nexus 7

Honourable Mentions

iPad fourth generation

Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1

Asus Transformer Pad Infinity TF700T

Kogan Agora 10.1 tablet

Motorola XOOM 2

tg2012televisionTELEVISIONS

Samsung 55-inch Series 8 ES8000

Samsung’s impressive Series 8 LED Smart TV set a new benchmark in terms of design, features, smart interaction, connectivity and content. And, of course, the picture quality was second to none.

Tech Guide’s review of the Samsung 55-inch Series 8 ES8000

The Samsung 55-inch Series 8 ES8000 LED smart TV

Runner-up

LG 55LM7600

Honourable mentions

TCL 55-inch V7300

Panasonic Viera TH-L47ET50A

Samsung Series 9 ES9000

Bose VideoWave II

Sony Bravia HX850

Sony 4K Projector

tg2012computerCOMPUTER

MacBook Pro 15-inch with Retina Display

Apple’s re-invention of its 15-inch MacBook Pro was breathtaking. Not only was the computer thinner and lighter but it included a Retina Display which was so sharp it should have come with Band Aids.

Tech Guide’s review of the MacBook Pro 15-inch with Retina Display

 

 

The 15-inch MacBook Pro with Retina Display

Runner-up

Samsung 15-inch Series 9 ultrabook

Honourable mentions

iMac (Late 2012)

13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina Display

ASUS Windows 8 desktop PCs

Acer Aspire Z3 and Z5 all-in-one PCs

HP Envy Spectre ultrabook

tg2012digitalcameraDIGITAL CAMERA

Canon EOS 650D Digital SLR

Canon’s EOS 650D is an affordable camera that can take superb shots which makes it appealing to users who might be new to digital SLRs. It has a hinged touchscreen and also shoots quality full high definition video.

Tech Guide’s review of the Canon EOS 650D DSLR

 

 

The Canon EOS 650D DSLR

Runner-up

Canon 5D MkIII DSLR

Honourable mentions

Panasonic GX1

Lytro Light Field camera

Samsung Galaxy Camera

Nikon Coolpix P7700

tg2012audioAUDIO

Sonos Wireless Sub

The Sonos wireless music speakers are a favourite in the Tech Guide offices but the Sonos Wireless Subwoofer made us love them even more by adding amazing bass and a whole dimension to the listening experience.

Tech Guide’s review of the Sonos Wireless Sub

 

 

The Sonos Wireless Subwoofer

Runner-up

Bose Wave Music System III

Honourable mentions

Sennheiser RS220 wireless headphones

Bose SIE2 sports in-ear headphones

Sony XBA-41P in-ear headphones

Cygnett PurePhonic Bluetooth Headphones

Logitech UE9000 wireless noise cancelling headphones

Ferrari headphones

tg2012incarIN-CAR

TomTom Via 620 GPS

TomTom is a market leader when it comes to producing GPS devices but in a market that’s being overtaken by apps the company decided to up the ante and offer something smartphones can’t – a 6-inch touchscreen for an even clearer view and easy to navigate menu system.

Tech Guide’s review of the TomTom Via 620

 

 

The TomTom Via 620

Runner-up

Navman MiVue

Honourable mentions

Plantronics K100 in-car speakerphone

Wallee M Magnetic case and in-car mount

Magellan RoadMate

Laser Navig8r Crash Cam

Navman MY and EZY range

tg2012gadgetGADGET

Livescribe Sky wi-fi smartpen

Livescribe smart pens allow users to link whatever they write to whatever they hear along with the ability to link all of that together on their notepads. But the latest Sky smartpen from Livescribe has added wi-fi to the mix to allow integration with Evernote to make it possible to access their notes and anywhere and on any device.

Tech Guide’s review of the Livescribe Sky wi-fi smartpen

 

The Livescribe Sky wi-fi smartpen

Runner-up

Belkin WeMo Home Automation Switch

Honourable mentions

Uniden Guardian G2720 wireless surveillance system

GolfBuddy Platinum GPS

Netgear mobile wi-fi booster

iFlashdrive

Laser WiFi shAIR hub

Nike+Sportswatch GPS

tg2012appAPP

Foxtel Go

Now Foxtel customers can enjoy their pay TV service anywhere on their iPad with the Foxtel Go app over wi-fi or 3G/4G. Users can access their favourite channels and watch live or catch-up later using the on-demand feature.

Tech Guide’s review of Foxtel Go

 

 

The Foxtel Go iPad app

Runner-up

Google Maps for iPhone

Honourable mentions

BlueStacks app player for Mac and PC

Wunderlist app

Adobe Photoshop Touch

Silent Film Director

tg2012accessoryACCESSORY

iDTV

The iDTV accessory is actually a mini digital set-top box that turns your iPhone or iPad into a digital TV which can be enjoyed anywhere.

Tech Guide’s review of the iDTV

 

 

The iDTV turns your iPhone or iPad into a digital television anywhere

Runner-up

Logitech Ultrathin Keyboard Cover

Honourable mentions

iBGStar to help manage diabetes

Logitech K760 Solar Bluetooth keyboard

GolfSense 3D swing sensor

tg2012gamingGAMING

Call of Duty: Black Ops II

The record-breaking Call of Duty franchise continues the exciting first person shooter’s tradition with a game that’s set in the near future and provides a rollercoaster ride campaign and one of best online multiplayer experiences in gaming.

Tech Guide’s review of Call of Duty Black Ops II

 

 

Call of Duty Black Ops II

Runner-up

Angry Birds Star Wars

Honourable mentions

Nintendo Wii U

New slimline PS3

PlayStation Vita

Nintendo 3DS XL

tg2012blurayBLU-RAY

Bond 50

What better way to celebrate 50 years of James Bond films than with a box set of every film digitally remastered in full high definition Blu-ray with special extra features.

Tech Guide’s review of the Bond 50 Blu-ray Disc Box set

 

 

The Bond 50 Blu-ray Disc box set

Runner-up

Prometheus

Honourable mentions

Jaws Blu-ray Disc

Titanic 2D and 3D

The Godfather 40th Anniversary Box Set

Avatar 3D