Los artilugios de Verge de la década

La historia de la tecnología en la década de 2010 es la historia de los dispositivos que van desde los rincones de nuestras vidas a todas partes todo el tiempo. Las herramientas para crear y consumir cultura son omnipresentes ahora, ofreciéndonos nuevas capacidades increíbles pero también demandando que nos preocupemos por ellas más que cualquier producto de consumo en la historia. Nos preocupamos por sus baterías temperamentales, giramos en el espacio para mejorar sus señales inalámbricas, les pedimos que nos escuchen, pero no demasiado.

Los artilugios en la década de 2010 se formaron primero por la carrera furiosa por ganar la guerra de los teléfonos inteligentes y luego por la carrera furiosa por crear nuevos tipos de hardware una vez que estaba claro que Apple, Google y Samsung dominarían los teléfonos. Y ese hardware estaba vinculado al software y los servicios como nunca antes: cada bombilla era el punto final de un servicio en la nube, cada altavoz imbuía la voz del alma del centro de datos.

USB-C fue infligido a un público desprevenido; Nos quitaron las tomas de auriculares.

Lo más destacado de los últimos diez años, desde AirPower hasta Google Wave

Lo que más me gusta de los gadgets es que son intensamente reveladores: cada uno es una encapsulación semipermanente de las compensaciones y prioridades de una empresa, y una vez que se envían, ya no hay más relaciones públicas o marketing de influencia para esconderse. Los procesadores son rápidos o lentos. Los teclados son confiables o se rompen. La batería dura mucho tiempo o se agota.

A veces, las baterías explotan.

Y cuando los dispositivos funcionan, cuando realmente funcionan, las personas hacen cosas fantásticas e inesperadas con ellos. Muchos de los dispositivos en nuestra lista son importantes no por lo que sus creadores querían lograr, sino por lo que la gente logró con ellos. Esa siempre ha sido la historia de la tecnología, y los años 2010 no fueron diferentes.

Los artilugios están de vuelta, ahora y para siempre.

—Nilay Patel, editora jefe

100. Google Glass (2013)

La computadora facial de Google se lanzó con un gran revuelo con los ejecutivos que literalmente saltaron en paracaídas a una arena para anunciarlo. Condujo a una reacción aún mayor y una nueva palabra: “Glasshole”. Aunque el producto en sí no tuvo un gran impacto en la categoría de realidad aumentada aún incipiente, fue un gran problema. Fue un soplo de alto perfil y una señal temprana de que Big Tech no solo era ambicioso; a veces también estaba lleno de arrogancia. Pero Glass condujo a una innovación importante: fue el primer intento serio de Google de fotografía computacional en un producto, que más tarde condujo a un gran cambio en las cámaras de los teléfonos inteligentes. —Dieter Bohn

99. Amazon Fire Phone (2014)

El teléfono Amazon Fire es probablemente la mayor falla de teléfonos inteligentes de la última década. Ha habido teléfonos defectuosos, ha habido teléfonos que no se han vendido bien, pero el Fire Phone es único en su falla porque vino de Amazon.

Amazon apostó demasiado en su loco sistema de cámara “Perspectiva dinámica”, que rastreaba su cabeza para permitirle ver alrededor de las esquinas de los iconos, y apostaba muy poco por los reemplazos de las aplicaciones de Google ausentes, que faltaban junto con toda la Play Store. El hardware era mediocre, el software era malo; lo único en lo que era realmente bueno era vender cosas de clientes en Amazon.

Es un fracaso que persigue a Amazon hasta el día de hoy: la compañía nunca ha fabricado otro teléfono inteligente a pesar de sus otros éxitos de hardware en tabletas, dispositivos de transmisión y lectores electrónicos. Sin embargo, hay un lado positivo: la falla del Fire Phone allanó el camino para que Amazon desechara todo y creara lo que terminaría siendo su mayor éxito tecnológico: Alexa y el altavoz inteligente Echo. Chaim Gartenberg

98. Juicero Press (2016)

Dada la propensión de Silicon Valley a gastar mucho dinero en bienestar, vender un exprimidor conectado a Wi-Fi por $ 699 no es realmente una idea tan extraña. Pero Juicero estaba condenado desde el principio. Su producto no era realmente jugo, por ejemplo. Se requieren paquetes de productos preenvasados. Luego está el precio. Juicero probó los límites de lo que las élites tecnológicas estaban dispuestas a gastar en sus físicos, y no fueron $ 699. La compañía redujo su precio a $ 399 dentro de un año después del lanzamiento. Pero el verdadero golpe llegó cuando Bloomberg descubierto en realidad no necesitabas el costoso exprimidor para exprimir los paquetes; Podrías hacerlo a mano. Con eso, Juicero se convirtió en el cartel de las innovaciones tecnológicas innecesariamente complejas y los productos de bienestar sobrevalorados y sobrevalorados. —Zoe Schiffer

97. HP TouchPad (2011)

Hola. Dieter Bohn aquí, escribiendo la entrada explicando por qué el HP TouchPad con tecnología webOS merece estar en una lista de los dispositivos de la década. No estoy 100% seguro de que pertenezca aquí, pero haré el caso: cuando webOS finalmente murió en HP como resultado de una mala gestión corporativa junto con una falla del mercado, hubo una gran venta de estas tabletas por $ 99. Android y el iPhone mataron muchas plataformas de teléfonos inteligentes, pero pocas de ellas cayeron en un incendio de gloria de fuego. Fue un final apropiado y un ejemplo icónico de cómo incluso una empresa tan grande como HP no era lo suficientemente grande como para competir en el mundo de los teléfonos inteligentes. —Dieter Bohn

96. Magic Leap One (2018)

Cuando Magic Leap apareció en las noticias por primera vez en 2014, después de una gran inversión en Google, sus grandes sueños en torno a la realidad aumentada eran obvios, pero pocas personas sabían lo que realmente estaba haciendo. La información real se filtró lentamente: sus auriculares supuestamente podrían proyectar hologramas notablemente realistas utilizando una tecnología fotónica innovadora, y su talento incluía potencias creativas como Neal Stephenson. Podría decirse que estas expectativas infladas no fueron buenas para el primer auricular de Magic Leap, el Magic Leap One, que fue un paso intrigante hacia el futuro de AR, pero enfrentó serias limitaciones técnicas. Sin embargo, durante años, las “gafas de salto mágico” semimíticas reforzaron la confianza de las personas en todo el medio de la realidad mixta. —Adi Robertson

95. Batería de pintalabios

Usamos nuestros dispositivos para mucho más ahora: trabajo y juego, recreación y procreación, y nuestros dispositivos siempre están encendidos y transmitiendo. Eso significa que están muriendo constantemente. Se necesita energía para mantener la transmisión bidireccional de datos a través de una conexión celular que permite cargar algo como este artículo.

Es por eso que las baterías portátiles, específicamente las esbeltas que se parece un poco a un tubo de lápiz labial – son algunos de los mejores productos en los que puede gastar dinero. Puedes tirarlos en una bolsa, una chaqueta, lo que sea. No soy el jefe tuyo.

Lo importante es que tener un cargo extra sobre usted significa que puede vivir (un poco) más peligrosamente. Quédate en el lugar de esa nueva persona, tal vez. O sea menos neurótico sobre sus hábitos de carga. ¡Eres libre ahora! Te has desenganchado, aunque sea brevemente, de la tiranía de The Grid … incluso mientras lo llevas contigo. —Bijan Stephen

94. RAM falsa con luces brillantes (2018)

Es fácil olvidar que los juegos para PC alguna vez se definieron por cajas beige indistinguibles diseñadas para las empresas estadounidenses porque durante la última década, los fabricantes de prácticamente todos los componentes y periféricos para juegos de PC han imbuido a sus partes con la capacidad de brillar en todos los colores del arcoíris. Puede comprar y programar su mouse, teclado, auriculares, ventiladores de caja, enfriador de CPU, enfriador de GPU, placa base, fuente de alimentación, cables e incluso módulos de memoria para que coincida con su estado de ánimo, gracias a los LED RGB integrados. Pero la realización final de la tendencia no llegó hasta mediados de 2018: la memoria RAM falsa se adhiere con toda esa bondad RGB, pero nada de la memoria molesta. Porque no sería bueno tener ranuras de placa base vacías cuando también puedes llenarlas con diodos brillantes. —Sean Hollister

93. Samsung Galaxy S II Epic 4G Touch (2011)

El nombre que lanzó mil memes, el Galaxy S II Epic 4G Touch fue la variante Sprint del Galaxy S II de Samsung. Marcó el apogeo de la marca de Android absurda de la era, que surgió como parte de la demanda de dispositivos exclusivos para operadores muy diferentes en los primeros días de los teléfonos inteligentes.

A pesar del nombre ridículo, el Galaxy S II Epic 4G Touch fue un dispositivo decisivo. Probó que el éxito de Samsung con el Galaxy S original no fue una casualidad, estableció a la compañía coreana como una fuerza a tener en cuenta en el mundo de los teléfonos inteligentes y allanó el camino para que la línea de teléfonos Galaxy S se convirtiera en el buque insignia de Android de facto avanzando. Afortunadamente, los nombres de teléfono son mucho más simples ahora. ¿Has oído hablar del Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Plus 5G? Chaim Gartenberg

92. Nokia Lumia 1020 (2013)

El Lumia 1020 de Nokia llegó en 2013 con su cámara de 41 megapíxeles en un momento crucial tanto para Nokia como para Microsoft. Nokia había adoptado Windows Phone como su sistema operativo principal para teléfonos inteligentes, y el Lumia 1020 tenía una cámara espectacular que se suponía que ayudaría a que Windows Phone brillara. Nokia hizo su trabajo en el lado del hardware, permitiendo a los propietarios de Lumia 1020 tomar fotos increíbles, pero no había aplicaciones de Instagram o Snapchat para compartirlas. Destacó el arriesgado error de Nokia de optar por Windows Phone sobre Android, y capturó perfectamente la falta de un ecosistema de software de Windows Phone. Meses después del Lumia 1020, Microsoft adquirió el negocio de teléfonos de Nokia, y el resto es historia. Tom Warren

91. Dyson Supersonic (2016)

Un secador de pelo nunca se sintió como un artilugio hasta que Dyson hizo uno que se parecía más a una pieza de maquinaria de ciencia ficción que a un electrodoméstico. Incluso con un alto precio de $ 400, el Supersónico se convirtió en uno de los secadores de cabello más queridos en el mercado. Las personas con todas las texturas y tipos de cabello quedaron entusiasmados con el dispositivo, que es conocido por secar el cabello en menos tiempo que un secador tradicional, gracias a su motor potente pero relativamente silencioso. También mantiene el cabello suave y sin daños, gracias a un sensor de calor incorporado.

La entrada de Dyson en el cuidado del cabello se convertiría en un favorito de culto de los fanáticos de la belleza y los blogueros en Internet y un símbolo de estado entre los salones. Más tarde, la compañía abofeteó oro de 23.75 quilates en el Supersonic. Luego siguió el secador de pelo con la herramienta de peinado Airwrap, un rizador de cabello de $ 500, que influiría en competidores como One Step Volumizer de Revlon. Puede que Dyson no haya sido el creador de estas ideas, pero las hizo extremadamente deseables en formas que los secadores de cabello nunca fueron antes. Además, es el único secador de cabello que causa un ciclo de noticias de una semana sobre el pollo asado a la perfección. —Natt Garun

90. Microsoft Kinect (2010)

Kinect de Microsoft marcó el comienzo de una ola de juegos como Solo baila y Baile central y, durante un minuto caliente, hizo que los juegos sin controlador parecieran el futuro. No lo fueron. La inclusión y el costo del Kinect jugaron un papel importante en la Xbox One, ocupando el segundo lugar después de la PlayStation 4 en esta década, y Microsoft pronto dejó todo atrás. En 2017, dejó de fabricar el Kinect para Xbox por completo, y la mira de Microsoft ahora está puesta en un lanzamiento de consola más tradicional para 2021. A pesar de su fracaso, el Kinect es una prueba de que los fabricantes de consolas todavía están dispuestos a arriesgarse con las nuevas tecnologías de juego. Sacar el controlador de las manos de los jugadores fue un gran salto. —Julia Alexander

89. Snap Spectacles (2016)

Vender cámaras de personas para sus caras trae consigo dos problemas inmediatos. Primero, crean importantes riesgos de privacidad. Dos, probablemente se ven terribles. Snap tuvo una respuesta fascinante para ambos cuando Spectacles se estrenó en 2016. Al hacerles gafas de sol, Snap alentó a las personas a usarlas principalmente en exteriores, donde las personas tienen menos expectativas de privacidad. Y al darles una forma inusual y marcos de plástico, Snap los hizo sentir como un juguete. Por supuesto, el zumbido inicial alrededor de Spectacles se desvaneció rápidamente, y Snap anotó millones en dispositivos no vendidos. Pero Spectacles todavía está en desarrollo, y señalaron el camino a seguir para la computación de realidad aumentada como casi nada más lo ha hecho desde entonces. —Casey Newton

88. Sphero BB-8 (2015)

El pequeño robot robot BB-8 de Sphero nos recordó que los dispositivos pueden ser caprichosos y alegrarnos. Controlada por una aplicación en su teléfono, la pequeña bola rodó a gran velocidad, ladeó la cabeza emotivamente, giró en círculos e inevitablemente se estrelló contra su pared, haciendo estallar su cabeza de inmediato. Zumbido, zumbido, thunk. Sus travesuras deleitaron a los adultos y gatos tanto como los niños Pero como la mayoría de las modas de juguete, la popularidad del BB-8 alcanzó su punto máximo y luego disminuyó; el mío ha estado en una caja debajo de mi cama desde 2017. Sphero suspendió la producción de juguetes de Disney el año pasado. —Helen Havlak

87. Fidget spinner (2017)

Cuando llegué a la graduación universitaria de mi hermana menor, ella estaba sentada en su habitación, rodeada de montones de cajas de cartón de aspecto inestable, y jugando con un spinner inquieto. yo tenía Escuchó de hilanderos inquietos, pero en realidad nunca he visto uno en la naturaleza.

Una ruleta intranquilidad generalmente se parece a una llave de triple radio modificada, pero con pequeños pesos circulares al final de cada lóbulo en lugar de algo útil. Pueden estar hechos de casi cualquier cosa que sea lo suficientemente rígida: plástico, latón, acero inoxidable, un iPhone 7. Los usuarios se aferran al centro, que tiene un componente de rodamiento de bolas, luego giran los lóbulos. Esto es extrañamente satisfactorio de una manera táctil que es realmente difícil de explicar. Tal vez por eso todos se asustaron.

En 2017, muchos escritores decidieron entrar brevemente en pánico sobre si los hilanderos intranquilos estaban corrompiendo a los jóvenes. (Al menos en el caso de mi hermana, ella jugaba con uno en lugar de empacar. Sin embargo, en su defensa, empacar apesta). Los hiladores Fidget eran “la metáfora material perfecta para la vida cotidiana a principios de 2017, para bien y para mal”. El Atlántico declarado sin aliento. “¿Los hilanderos intranquilos son útiles o perjudiciales?” Ciencia viva preguntó. Incluso la Iglesia Católica se metió en la controversia: podría un spinner inquieto servir como una representación de Dios?

Finalmente, todos siguieron adelante. Mi hermana dejó su fidget spinner y empacó el resto de su habitación. El escándalo de la agitación de la Iglesia Católica fue olvidado a medida que se informaron más casos de abuso infantil. Así que tal vez El Atlántico estaba casi en lo cierto: el fidget spinner era muy 2017, y después de 2017, pocos de nosotros pensamos en eso nuevamente. —Elizabeth Lopatto

86. Coolest Cooler (2014)

El Coolest Cooler tomó los sueños de crowdfunding de todos y los aplastó. La campaña recaudó más de $ 13 millones en Kickstarter, vendió unidades al público para recaudar dinero adicional antes de que se cumplieran los pedidos de crowdfunding y finalmente cerró la tienda cinco años después sin enviar a decenas de miles de patrocinadores. En un momento, los creadores del proyecto fueron castigados y amenazados. Es una historia desagradable, y una que marcó un cambio en el crowdfunding: sí, los creadores podrían recaudar millones y hacer que una idea despegue, pero el modelo también pone en riesgo a los patrocinadores. Muchos otros proyectos de Kickstarter e Indiegogo han salido mal, pero el Coolest Cooler representa uno de los mayores percances. Sigue siendo el segundo proyecto más financiado en Kickstarter. —Ashley Carman

85. Beats Pill (2012)

Hasta el día de hoy, Beats es sinónimo de grandes audífonos. ¿Pero los altavoces Bluetooth? No tanto, a pesar de sus mejores esfuerzos. En 2012, el altavoz Bluetooth más popular fue el Jambobone Jawbone (RIP), y el intento inicial de Beats de salpicar fue con el descomunal Beatbox Portable que funcionaba con seis baterías D-cell. Más tarde ese año, Beats lanzó la Píldora, un orador más pequeño y refinado que realmente tuvo la oportunidad de ejercer un nivel similar de influencia sobre la industria. La píldora no iluminó exactamente el mundo, pero el poder de Beats ayudó a establecer el entonces incipiente mercado de altavoces Bluetooth portátiles, uno que compañías como Ultimate Ears terminarían dominando. —Cameron Faulkner

84. Fujifilm X100 (2011)

En 2009, la Olympus E-P1 de estilo años 60 marcó una nueva era en el diseño de la cámara, donde los sensores grandes podían agruparse en cuerpos pequeños que se veían bien colgando de su cuello. Sin embargo, esa cámara se perdió el punto de corte para esta década, así que aquí estoy enumerando la X100 de Fujifilm, un clásico de diseño genuino que se centró en el funcionamiento y la estética retro.

Con una marcación rápida del obturador y un anillo de apertura, junto con un exclusivo visor digital / óptico híbrido, el X100 impulsó a Fujifilm a la relevancia en el mundo de la fotografía digital y preparó el escenario para sus exitosas cámaras sin espejo de la serie X. No importa que el original tuviera el pequeño defecto de un enfoque automático inusualmente malo: la idea era lo suficientemente buena como para que los modelos más recientes y funcionales todavía tengan un diseño casi idéntico. —Sam Byford

83. Nintendo 3DS (2011)

Nintendo siempre ha sido la compañía número uno en dispositivos portátiles. La Nintendo DS original fue la consola portátil más vendida de todos los tiempos, y en 2011, la compañía decidió aprovechar el éxito del dispositivo y crear una computadora de mano más potente con un truco apenas utilizable. A menos que estuvieras jugando algo como Zelda: un enlace entre mundos donde el efecto te ayudó a navegar en las mazmorras, la opción 3D era inútil y, en algunos casos, nauseabunda, mientras jugabas. Pero todavía condujo a títulos memorables como Animal Crossing: New Leaf y un puñado de novedades Pokémon juegos que puedes jugar en el tren o en un viaje por carretera, que es realmente la razón número uno por la que comprarías un 3DS en primer lugar. —Makena Kelly

82. Citi Bike (2013)

Incluso si nunca ha usado un sistema de bicicletas compartidas, probablemente las haya visto en cada ciudad que haya visitado. Citi Bike de Nueva York, Indego de Filadelfia, Metro Bike Share de Los Ángeles y muchas otras plataformas de bicicletas compartidas provocaron un gran cambio en el transporte en esta década, convirtiendo el ciclismo en una opción de transporte conveniente para aún más personas. La idea fue algo revolucionaria: no es necesario cuidar o poseer su propia bicicleta, y mucho menos preocuparse por encadenarla a una valla y preguntarse si se la robarán, solo monte donde quiera ir, luego asegúrese de acoplarlo antes de que se agote el tiempo. —Aliya Chaudhry

81. Starkey Livio AI (2018)

A finales de 2019, caminar con dongles sobresaliendo de sus oídos es la norma, y ​​manipular el sonido a su alrededor, con funciones de cancelación de ruido o ecualización, es una rutina. A medida que los dispositivos de consumo y la tecnología de audífonos tradicionales se cruzan cada vez más, el audífono Livio AI de Starkey es el único dispositivo que señala claramente el camino a seguir.

Además de ser un audífono, el Livio AI es un dispositivo de consumo totalmente moderno: rastrea tus pasos, detecta caídas, transmite música y tiene un asistente incorporado. “El tipo Livio representa una combinación de audífonos y tecnología utilizable y cómo se verá eso en el futuro”, dice Geoff Cooling, un dispensador calificado de audífonos que también escribe sobre audífonos en Audífono Saber.

Las opiniones difieren sobre si la visión de Starkey es el verdadero futuro para la tecnología auditiva. David Owen, quien escribe sobre la evolución de los audífonos en el libro. Control de volumen: audición en un mundo ensordecedor, ve que la costosa tecnología de audífonos se está abriendo camino en dispositivos de consumo más baratos. “Lo que viene, creo, es una especie de interrupción en el control que el pequeño número de grandes fabricantes tradicionales de audífonos tienen para mejorar la audición”, dice Owen. De cualquier manera, la tecnología en el oído es un problema cada vez más importante, y el futuro se parece a lo que Starkey ha esbozado. —Jacob Kastrenakes

80. Cámara de respaldo (2018)

Las cámaras retrovisoras, o cámaras de respaldo, han sido una característica opcional en algunos automóviles durante más de una década. (Mi Subaru Outback 2010 tiene uno.) Pero una ley federal de 2018 requiere que todos los vehículos de pasajeros, camiones y furgonetas nuevos tengan tecnología de monitoreo retrovisor, lo que significa que las cámaras de respaldo están aquí para quedarse. Si bien los espejos retrovisores han existido durante más de un siglo, no le ayudan a ver lo que está directamente detrás de su automóvil debajo del nivel de la ventana trasera, y no proporcionan una vista de gran angular. Este punto ciego puede ser peligroso, incluso mortal: hay 210 muertes y 15,000 lesiones cada año como resultado de colisiones de retroceso con vehículos livianos, un tercio de ellas involucrando a niños menores de cinco años. Las cámaras de respaldo no solo ayudan con su estacionamiento paralelo, sino que en realidad pueden salvar vidas. Andrew J. Hawkins.

79. Fujifilm Instax Mini 9 (2017)

La nostalgia reinó en esta década, lo que significa que la tecnología de nuestro pasado regresó a lo grande, especialmente en forma de cámaras instantáneas. A medida que los usuarios de teléfonos inteligentes agonizaban sobre qué filtro de Instagram antiguo y similar a una película para agregar a sus fotos, las personas también optaron por comprar cámaras de mano que podían imprimir instantáneamente, al igual que las Polaroides de antaño. Fujifilm, sin duda, capitalizó más esta tendencia, con el Instax Mini 9 como el soberano Esta colorida cámara cuadrada dominaba todas las fiestas en el hogar, bodas en almacenes y amigos ocasionales en el parque. —Loren Grush

78. Google Nexus 5 (2013)

 

 

Aunque Google no lanzó su primer teléfono Pixel hasta 2016, el Nexus 5 fue donde la verdadera promesa de un teléfono Android con stock de Google comenzó a hacerse realidad. Diseñado en asociación con LG, fue el primer dispositivo Nexus no basado en el diseño anterior o existente de un socio de fabricación. El Nexus 5 también era mucho más barato que la competencia, a un precio inicial de $ 349, cuando se lanzó en el otoño de 2013. Sentaría las bases para los esfuerzos de hardware en expansión de Google y, en última instancia, su mejor cámara en su clase , a pesar de los primeros problemas de fotografía del Nexus 5. —Nick Statt

77. RED DSMC2 (2016)

Nos guste o no, esta fue la cámara que inició un montón de tendencias de captura digital. A principios de la década, la familia de cámaras DSMC2 de RED se centró en la captura de imágenes RAW de alta resolución con un rango sólido de relaciones de compresión. Esta cámara estaba en todas partes, utilizada por Michael Bay y Steven Soderbergh, en sets de videos musicales con Kendrick Lamar, y en manos de YouTubers que llegaron a adorar su aspecto. Y esa última parte es clave porque hizo que un grupo de creadores hiciera una pregunta que cambiaría el mercado de las cámaras: “¿Dispara 4K?” —Brennan King

76. Square Reader (2010)

 

 

En esta década, el mundo se volvió más sin efectivo que nunca con el debut de billeteras móviles, aplicaciones bancarias y redes de pago entre pares. La encarnación física de este cambio cultural es quizás mejor definida por Square Reader, que se abrió camino en casi todas las pequeñas empresas, desde mercados de artesanía emergentes hasta restaurantes de comida rápida. Square facilitó la compra a los compradores sin llevar dinero en efectivo y para que los dueños de negocios aceptaran pagos con tarjeta de crédito sin grandes configuraciones de terminal y procesadores de tarjetas en bloque al emparejarse directamente con un teléfono inteligente. El pequeño lector de tarjetas eventualmente cambiaría todo el sistema de punto de servicio, y las compañías ahora optan por el diseño más elegante y ergonómico que se encuentra en el mostrador de casi todas las cafeterías de los EE. UU. —Natt Garun

75. Boston Dynamics Spot (2019)

 

 

Ningún robot tuvo tanto impacto cultural en esta década o mejor encapsuló las esperanzas y temores de nuestra sociedad sobre el avance de las máquinas que Spot. El robot de cuatro patas es la primera máquina disponible comercialmente de los YouTubers virales (y a veces de la empresa de ingeniería) Boston Dynamics. Como la culminación de décadas de investigación, Spot es móvil, robusto, fácil de usar y modular. También es el mejor ejemplo de una nueva generación de robots cuadrúpedos que se están implementando actualmente en industrias como la construcción, la energía y la aplicación de la ley (con este último caso de uso atrayendo un poco de escepticismo y escrutinio bien merecidos). James Vincent

74. Instant Pot (2010)

 

 

 

The Instant Pot es realmente una historia de éxito para nuestros tiempos modernos. La olla a presión multifunción fue creada por el científico informático Robert Wang con $ 350,000 de sus propios ahorros, y se hizo viral con la ayuda de Amazon, blogueros de alimentos y publicidad de boca en boca. En Facebook, la página de la comunidad Instant Pot tiene más de 2 millones de miembros, y los propietarios entusiastas elogian fervientemente su capacidad de hacer de todo, desde pollo con mantequilla de la India y huevos duros hasta pasteles de queso y yogur. Por encima de todo, lo mejor de la Olla instantánea es conveniente: puede volcar todos los ingredientes en una olla, configurar el temporizador, alejarse para hacer otras cosas y volver a una comida completamente cocinada. El fabricante de Instant Pot se fusionó con Corelle este año, una señal de que el dispositivo amigable con los milenarios está en camino de convertirse en una marca heredada. —Dami Lee

73. MakerBot Replicator (2012)

 

 

 

Cuántos Star Trek ¿Qué referencias hizo el replicador sobre las impresoras 3D? El nombre del icónico MakerBot Replicator debería darle una pista. El Replicator nació durante un auge en la impresión 3D de consumo barato, luego de la expiración de las patentes de impresión clave en 2009. Era una caja aparentemente engañosamente abierta con una boquilla para extrudir hilos finos de plástico, en el transcurso de minutos o horas, esos hilos se colocarían cuidadosamente en capas para formar un objeto. Desafortunadamente, la tecnología no era terriblemente práctica para el uso en el hogar, y la impresión 3D ha perdido gran parte del entusiasmo que había detrás en los primeros días de esta década. Pero el Replicador sobrevivió lo suficiente como para encontrar un nicho en educación y creación rápida de prototipos industriales. —Adi Robertson

72. Swagtron hoverboard (2016)

 

 

 

El nombre puede haber sido tonto, obviamente no había “revoloteando”, y sí, técnicamente un grupo de ellos se incendió y quemó algunas casas, pero no hay duda de que las tablas flotantes fueron un dispositivo fenomenalmente exitoso. La gente se entusiasmó mucho con ellos a partir de 2015. Wiz Khalifa fue arrestado por viajar en uno en el aeropuerto. J.R. Smith comenzó a usarlos después de los juegos. Jamie Foxx trajo uno El show de esta noche. El hoverboard con tecnología Bluetooth de Swagtron fue el regalo de vacaciones de 2016. Pero, por desgracia, no duró. Todas las advertencias y retiros del gobierno alcanzaron a la industria. Desde entonces, el espíritu cultural ha pasado a los scooters eléctricos (¿o quizás a los patines eléctricos?), Pero los hoverboards siempre serán una nota peculiar en la década. Lo siento, scooter autoequilibrante. Andrew J. Hawkins.

71. Motorola Moto G (2013)

 

 

 

Si quisieras un teléfono atractivo con especificaciones decentes en 2013, tendrías que pagar mucho por él y aún podrías obtener algo cargado con bloatware. El Moto G de Motorola fue contra la corriente con algo que no se había visto antes en la industria: priorizaba ser asequible, al tiempo que mantenía un diseño impresionante, un rendimiento confiable y un software limpio y discreto. Es seguro decir que este dispositivo inició la popularidad de los teléfonos de gama media, un mercado en el que Motorola y el Moto G siguen siendo un jugador dominante. —Cameron Faulkner

70. cubierta de la cámara web

 

 

 

Así es: uno de los dispositivos más grandes de los ‘10 existe para cancelar uno de los más grandes de los‘ 00. Las cámaras web que se volvieron omnipresentes en las computadoras portátiles fueron un gran problema para la transmisión en vivo y el chat en servicios de video como Skype. Pero abrió muchas posibilidades espeluznantes, incluidos los piratas informáticos que activan remotamente sus cámaras para tomar fotos de usted de forma astuta. Y la solución más confiable fue la más de baja tecnología: agregue una cubierta de lente.

Las cubiertas de cámara web más simples son pegatinas o tiras de cinta cuidadosamente colocadas, según lo favorecido por el CEO de Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg. Si no desea una capa adhesiva en su cámara y está harto de comprar pegatinas temporales, puede obtener una cubierta adhesiva más compleja con un panel deslizante. Y si tiene suerte, puede encontrar una computadora portátil u otro dispositivo con una cubierta incorporada, como la tristemente desaparecida Asus Eee PC 1018P o el videoteléfono del Portal de Facebook, mucho más nuevo. Dado lo simples y útiles que son las cubiertas de la cámara web, es decepcionante que más dispositivos electrónicos no los incorporen, especialmente a medida que las empresas colocan cada vez más dispositivos con cámara cerca de su persona. —Adi Robertson

69. Bombilla LED Ikea (2012)

 

 

 

En 2012, Ikea anunció que se trasladaría por completo a las bombillas LED para 2016. “Partiendo de nuestra creencia de que todos deberían poder permitirse el lujo de vivir de manera más sostenible en el hogar, nos aseguraremos de que nuestros precios LED sean los más bajos del mercado”. dijo Steve Howard de Ikea en ese momento. El movimiento agresivo fue ridiculizado por los competidores y los ambientalistas aplaudieron. Los LED consumen hasta un 85 por ciento menos de energía que las bombillas incandescentes que estaban reemplazando y duran más de 20 años. En 2012, las bombillas LED más baratas costaron entre $ 10 y $ 15, mientras que las incandescentes eran menos de $ 1. Ikea alcanzó su objetivo en 2015 y redujo el precio de un paquete de dos LED a $ 4.50. Hoy, la escala de Ikea ha ayudado a reducir el precio a $ 1 por bombilla LED o $ 8.99 para los LED inteligentes de la compañía, que costaron $ 12 en el lanzamiento hace dos años. —Thomas Ricker

68. Junta impulsada (2014)

 

 

 

A los YouTubers les encanta, y también a los expertos en tecnología. El primer Boosted Board demostró que los riders serían un gran problema, con un longboard eléctrico que era fácil y divertido de manejar. Desde su lanzamiento a través de Kickstarter, Boosted ha introducido múltiples tableros y su propio scooter. Es probable que la próxima década marque el comienzo de una ola de vehículos manejables, desde nuevas tablas hasta bicicletas eléctricas (y con suerte, también más carriles para bicicletas). Impulsado no es el único nombre, pero es una fuerza considerable y uno de los pioneros de la industria. —Ashley Carman

67. MacBook Pro con Touch Bar (2016)

 

 

 

La MacBook Pro de cuarta generación, lanzada en 2016 después de una era dorada de cuatro años para la venerada computadora portátil de gama alta de Apple, marcó un cambio brusco de dirección. Incluía el teclado de mariposa ampliamente despreciado, en sí mismo una parodia de diseño que condujo a innumerables reparaciones, una escasez de puertos y el reemplazo de la fila de funciones con la barra táctil OLED. Podría decirse que no ha tenido éxito, y Apple ha pasado los años desde entonces en una corrección del curso en respuesta a las crecientes quejas de los profesionales. El mes pasado, Apple finalmente presentó una MacBook Pro con un nuevo teclado. Aunque Apple todavía tiene esperanzas para la Touch Bar, esta al menos tiene una tecla de escape física. —Nick Statt

66. Blue Yeti Nano (2018)

 

 

 

Blue presentó su popular micrófono Yeti conectado por USB en 2009, justo antes de que comenzara la década. Gorrón. Pero en 2018, redujo el Yeti a un factor de forma más pequeño llamado Yeti Nano, que llegó justo cuando el negocio de podcasts se disparó. Este año, Spotify ingresó agresivamente al espacio de podcasting con adquisiciones y nuevos programas, mientras que las redes ya establecidas continuaron construyendo sus listas con grandes nombres. Incluso se rumorea que Apple está buscando espectáculos originales. El Blue Yeti y el Blue Snowball se han convertido en los micrófonos de podcast preferidos, y a medida que la industria se expande, también lo hará el dominio de Blue en el espacio. —Ashley Carman

65. Samsung Galaxy Note 7 (2016)

 

 

 

El Galaxy Note ayudó a hacer estallar el mercado de teléfonos grandes, pero esa no es la única razón por la cual su legado es explosivo. El Galaxy Note 7 volátil de Samsung tuvo uno de los lanzamientos de gadgets más desastrosos de todos los tiempos. Los modelos defectuosos de Note 7 fumaron, se encendieron o incluso explotaron, lo que provocó un pánico global sin precedentes por los teléfonos inteligentes. El dispositivo fue prohibido en las aerolíneas, y los informes de noticias mostraron videos de visión nocturna de teléfonos inteligentes incendiándose en los hogares de las personas. Cuando las unidades de reemplazo de Samsung también comenzaron a quemar los bolsillos de sus propietarios, llegó el momento de renunciar. Samsung canceló el teléfono, emitió un retiro global y se disculpó. —T.C. Sottek

64. Motorola Moto X (2013)

 

 

 

The original Moto X was a breath of fresh air in a mobile world of sameness. Under Google’s ownership, Motorola allowed customers to personalize their phones in ways that were unheard of at the time. You could choose from seemingly endless color options for the back casing, buttons, and other parts of the Moto X, all assembled in the United States. With the second-gen model, you could even pick from different materials like leather or wood. The phone ran a clean, near-stock version of Android and quickly received software updates. But despite a swell of early buzz, the Moto X never became a hit. Google ultimately off-loaded Motorola to Lenovo, and Moto found a new specialty: midrange Android smartphones. —Chris Welch

63. Qi wireless chargers

 

 

 

We used to dream of a day we wouldn’t need to plug in our gadgets to charge. This is the decade it became a reality; a coil in the back of your phone lets it wirelessly receive power from a charging pad, stand, or even a car cradle. Technically, it began with the Palm Pre and its proprietary Touchstone back in 2009, but it took until 2017 for Qi wireless charging to become universal for flagship phones — when Apple followed Samsung’s lead by adopting it for the iPhone 8 and iPhone X. Now, you can even buy wireless earbuds with Qi-compatible charging cases. —Sean Hollister

62. OnePlus One (2014)

 

 

 

Most Western readers will remember the OnePlus One as the first in a line of Android phones with great performance, stripped-down software, and low prices from a small company with rebellious marketing. At the time, it was an easy sell for under $300 — if you got an invite to buy one, that is.

But it was also an early PR flex for BBK Electronics, the Chinese supply chain behemoth that’s also behind companies like Oppo, Vivo, and Realme, which now has a huge combined share of the global smartphone market. These days, innovative features like pop-up selfie cameras and in-display fingerprint sensors often appear first on BBK brands in China and India before showing up on more expensive OnePlus phones in the West. Whether you’re getting a deal from OnePlus or Realme, though, BBK’s influence on the smartphone industry can’t be understated. —Sam Byford

61. Microsoft Xbox One (2013)

 

 

 

The Xbox One had a rough start. It was overpriced and underpowered, and Microsoft overestimated interest in the motion-sensing Kinect, before killing it outright. But the console has slowly found its footing as Microsoft released new iterations, invested in game studios, and introduced features like the Xbox Game Pass — Microsoft’s play at Netflix, but with video games. Since 2017, subscribers have gotten access to a catalog of games for a monthly fee. Combined with backwards compatibility, Xbox’s offerings (especially its exclusives) have never been easier to play. —Megan Farokhmanesh

60. Mophie Juice Pack

 

 

 

Mophie’s Juice Pack was, and still is, an extraordinarily good idea: a phone case that charges your phone, too. While the Juice Pack has existed since the first iPhone, it became a constant in this decade, easing the eternal anxiety about our phones’ dwindling batteries that has only increased as we’ve become more and more reliant on them. Mophie pioneered this case, but many other companies followed, and even Apple decided to give it a go. Mophie went on to make multiple versions of this case for different kinds of phones, including models that can be charged wirelessly — an even better idea. —Aliya Chaudhry

59. VanMoof Electrified S (2016)

 

 

 

In 2016, Amsterdam-based VanMoof launched its first electric bike, the Electrified S. The $2,298 pedal-assisted e-bike with anti-theft tracking and recovery measures felt like riding the future. Founded by brothers Ties and Taco Carlier in 2009, VanMoof’s goal was to create the best city bike in the world by focusing on the experience of buying, repairing, and recovering a stolen bicycle. At the end of the decade, e-bikes are now commonplace in European cities, outselling even regular bikes in bike-friendly countries like the Netherlands. E-bikes are practically a commodity now, with good electrics costing less than $1,000. But the VanMoof Electrified series continues to be the gold standard. —Thomas Ricker

58. Selfie stick (2014)

 

 

 

“Selfie” was Oxford Dictionaries’ 2013 Word of the Year, and shortly after came the boom of the selfie stick. Useful for taking wide-angle shots without having to give your phone to someone else, the selfie stick became popular with vloggers and tourists alike. In New York City, the most visited city in America, you couldn’t walk through Times Square without having to dodge oblivious tourists’ floating phones. The selfie stick was even featured in Seducir’s tips on how to take better nudes. But by 2015, careless injuries y even deaths while using selfie sticks caused their ban at some museums, music festivals, and Disney World. The selfie stick trend has waned since then, and with increasingly wide-angle smartphone cameras, it’s probably a gadget that’s best left in the past. —Adia Watts

57. 3.5mm headphone adapter (2016)

 

 

 

For better or worse, the 3.5mm headphone adapter has increasingly become a necessity with headphone jacks disappearing from phones. “Hand me the aux cord” is now “hand me the aux cord and dongle” as many of us now need some tiny, easily lost intermediary to plug into our daily devices. The headphone jack is far from being outmoded on headphones, but that didn’t stop Apple from no longer including headphone dongles with new iPhones in 2018, requiring a separate purchase. The adapter is here to stay: there’s a reason it’s called #donglelife. —Dani Deahl

56. Sonos Play:1 (2013)

 

 

 

At the time Sonos debuted the Play:1, traditional stereo sales were falling, but wireless speakers were on the rise. The problem was that many of those wireless speakers were expensive, large, and more than what many needed in their homes. los Play:1’s compact footprint and affordable $199 price tag made it incredibly appealing. It also offered high-quality sound, integration with other Sonos products (like a sub), and supported a large number of streaming apps upon debut. Simply put, Sonos pivoted the wireless speaker market with a good product that had good sound at a good price point. —Dani Deahl

55. Generic USB-C hub (2015)

 

 

 

Ideally, gadgets give you the power to do something new, but this one’s more about keeping pace with what you used to be able to do. Since 2015, Apple has been committed to the idea that your laptop should only have USB-C ports. It’s a beautiful dream, but as soon as you start to actually use the computer, you see the problem. Only half of the peripherals you actually need have USB-C ports, so if you want to plug in an Ethernet cable, SD card, monitor, or just about anything you didn’t buy at an Apple Store, you’re going to need one of these. They’ve become essential gear for anyone with a modern MacBook — and the inherent kludginess says a lot about the state of personal computing. This is backward compatibility incarnate and a reminder of how ugly Jobsian perfectionism can get when it runs into the real world. —Russell Brandom

54. GoPro Hero 8 Black (2019)

 

 

 

GoPro’s Hero cameras have always been great at filming without getting in the way of the action. But they’ve lacked an easy way to attach them to all the things you might want to attach them to, which is why my personal favorite gadget of the decade is the Hero 8 Black — or, more specifically, the two stowable prongs that are attached to the bottom of the Hero 8. Those metal bunny ears of perfection free the previously captive GoPro Hero from the plastic housing hell it has been locked in for 15 years. Gone are the days of duct taping my GoPro to helmets, chests, and cars because I forgot the housing at home. Fly free, GoPro Hero 8. —Becca Farsace

53. Anker PowerPort 4 (2015)

 

 

 

As the number of gadgets we use daily has grown, so has our need for outlets to charge said gadgets. If there was ever a scenario in which you needed to simultaneously charge multiple laptops, phones, tablets, wireless headphones, and anything with a USB port, Anker’s four-port charging brick had you covered. It’s compact and efficient enough to replace unsightly power strips, and perfectly portable for travel. —Dami Lee

52. Toyota Camry

 

 

 

The Toyota Camry is your parents’ car: boring and reliable, durable and mundane. It is the Miller High Life of cars. You see various Toyota models everywhere because of Toyota’s totally understated achievement: making a car that’s actually worth keeping.

To people who drive a lot, a Camry is a friend you can rely on to get jobs done. That’s why a lot of ride-share drivers have them. If your job is to drive people around, you want to be able to remove all of the distractions that come with cars that are, technically speaking, more exciting. Fragility is not a virtue here.

The Camry is a hit with Uber and Lyft drivers, de acuerdo a The Wall Street Journal, representing nearly 4 out of 10 non-luxury ride-hail vehicles in New York, with similarly high numbers in Chicago. (Although that may be because Toyota has a long-standing partnership with Uber.) It makes sense: if you want to get people where they’re going, you need to choose the right tool for the job. —Bijan Stephen

51. Oculus Rift (2016)

 

 

 

In 2012, home virtual reality was a novelty or a sci-fi dream. But a startup called Oculus was about to change that. Oculus built a cheap, but sophisticated headset out of sensors and screens designed for smartphones and raised more than $2 million on Kickstarter. The prototype wowed pretty much anybody who tried it, using a combination of head tracking and stereoscopic 3D to let people immerse themselves in a spaceship’s interior or a sunny day in Tuscany. Facebook acquired Oculus in 2014, and CEO Mark Zuckerberg described the Rift as one of the next big social platforms — although that hasn’t exactly panned out so far.

The Oculus Rift’s boxy first development kit proved that VR experiences could be awesome, creating space for Valve, HTC, Sony, and other companies to introduce their own headsets. And the first-generation consumer Rift headset was a visually striking and thoughtfully designed foray into nearly unexplored territory: a black, textured pair of goggles with gleaming lenses and tracking cameras that made VR feel truly immersive. The Oculus Touch remotes, bundled with it later, helped establish a default layout for motion controllers. Even today, the original Rift is one of the best-looking and most comfortable VR systems ever created. —Adi Robertson

50. Google Pixel (2016)

 

 

 

Google’s original Pixel phone was a cohesive, impressive device that served as a sign that Android’s creator was taking hardware much more seriously than it ever had before — both in terms of creating and supporting it post-launch. Google was no stranger to making powerful, unique Nexus phones. But the Pixel had something that its previous products lacked: staying power and focus. Google’s Pixel didn’t do everything, but what it did, it did very well. And more than three years later, the original Pixel is a showcase for Google’s commitment to hardware. It runs the latest Android software without a fuss, and it still takes beautiful pictures. —Cameron Faulkner

49. Apple iPad (2010)

 

 

 

“Is there room for a third category of device in the middle, something that’s between a laptop and a smartphone?” Apple co-founder Steve Jobs asked when he unveiled the iPad in 2010.

There certainly was. Apple’s tablet computer successfully launched a new category of devices that sit between laptops and smartphones, and Android tablet makers have tried and failed to make a true competitor ever since. The first model was chunky, simple, and derided as a blown-up iPhone, but in the end, users loved the large touchscreen experience, pointing the way toward the tablet becoming more capable and laptop-like in the future. We still don’t know exactly where the iPad will head in the next decade, nor perhaps who its ideal customer is, but Apple has laid claim to the tablet throne with the iPad alone. —Tom Warren

48. Eero (2016)

 

 

 

Home routers looked and worked pretty much the same since their inception — then Eero came along. Eero’s mesh Wi-Fi system uses multiple access points throughout a home in order to make sure that you’re never without a signal. It’s a pricier solution, but it resolves the problem with dead spots that’s unavoidable on traditional routers, especially if you’re trying to get a Wi-Fi signal in the basement or have thick shielding between floors. While the market is now full of similar products, Eero led the way, and it’s still offering efficient home mesh systems. The company was purchased by Amazon earlier this year for $97 million. —Barbara Krasnoff

47. Dexcom G5 (2015)

 

 

 

Medical devices are undoubtedly scary. But in 2015, continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) began blurring the lines between medical device and consumer tech. Although CGMs have been around since the early 2000s, they took off in 2015 with the introduction of the Dexcom G5, which paired with a user-friendly mobile app. Today, users can track their blood sugar readings on their watches and even use Dexcom’s API to develop creative ways to use their personal health data. Want a Twitter bot to alert your friends if your blood sugar drops dangerously low? Go for it. Not only have CGMs saved diabetics’ fingertips from thousands of pricks, but they’ve also given everyone (ahem, Apple) a look into the future of what wearables could truly become. Move over, step trackers and heart-rate monitors. —Cory Zapatka

46. Fitbit Flex (2013)

 

 

 

Fitbit’s first wrist-worn product, the Fitbit Flex, didn’t look like much: the rubbery band didn’t have a screen, just an LED light display, and it didn’t do much other than count steps. But the inconspicuous design meant people actually wore it. Its accompanying app also signaled a new standard for wearables, making step-tracking social and a competition. The rise of smartwatches saw Fitbits slip in popularity, but the company made us eager and willing to strap new pieces of tech to our wrists. Now, those products are ubiquitous and central to the health care ambitions of major tech companies. —Nicole Wetsman

45. Peloton Bike (2014)

 

 

 

When a product becomes the X for Y (see: the Uber / Netflix / Warby Parker of mundane product / activity), you know it’s got the business model and brand recognition to be a household name. Peloton did that for the boutique workout experience, slapping live stream classes onto an indoor cycling bike so users didn’t have to travel outside their home to get the studio experience. The Peloton Bike soon developed a “cult-ish” following of fans who were dedicated to Peloton merch, instructor catchphrases, leaderboard names, and well, getting their exercise on. The next decade will test how boutique home exercise might finally find its way into more homes — at hopefully a more accessible price point. —Natt Garun

44. Xiaomi M365 scooter (2016)

 

 

 

You’ve probably heard of Bird and Lime, the two companies that helped kick off the global electric scooter movement in 2017. Less mentioned in the scooter discourse is Xiaomi, the Chinese company that mass produces the two-wheelers that helped fuel the phenomenon. While Xiaomi is known more for smartphones and fitness gear, the company’s M365 e-scooter arguably made the bigger impact this decade — without it, there would be no e-scooter boom, no debate over insufficient infrastructure in the US, no buzzwords like “micromobility.” And while most of the ride-sharing companies have abandoned M365 to make scooters that are more rugged and less prone to breakdowns, Xiaomi is using the momentum to attack the next challenge: autonomous, three-wheeled scooters. —Andrew J. Hawkins

43. TCL 6-Series Roku TV (2018)

 

 

 

TCL’s Roku TVs have completely blown up old assumptions about the kind of TV you can get for under $1,000. They offer top-notch 4K HDR picture quality and come loaded with Roku’s easy-to-use software. Are your viewing habits being tracked? Probablemente. But when you can spend $600 or $700 on a living room centerpiece that can stand toe-to-toe with much pricier sets from Sony or Samsung, some people are willing to accept that trade-off. —Chris Welch

42. Nvidia GeForce GTX 1070 (2016)

 

 

 

Most decades, it would be hard to pick a single graphics card. But most decades don’t have the GeForce GTX 1070, a GPU that hit the sweet spot of price, performance, and power consumption so completely it didn’t just wow gamers — cryptocurrency miners started snapping them up by the truckload, too. The crypto gold rush also affected the more powerful GTX 1080 and several competing AMD cards, but it’s the GTX 1070 that’s consistently rated the best all-around GPU. And based on Steam’s hardware survey, PC gamers tend to agree: only the weaker GTX 1060, 1050 Ti, and 1050 have more market share. —Sean Hollister

41. MacBook Pro (2015)

 

 

 

The Joni Mitchell lyric “You don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone” feels very apt when looking back on the 2015 MacBook Pro. At the time, it seemed like a fairly humdrum update to Apple’s flagship laptop. If you revisit our review, you’ll see that we were mainly excited by its new trackpad, while referring to the rest of its design as “unapologetically unchanged.” But in retrospect, we took its many comforts for granted: the reliable scissor-switch keyboard, as well as its expansive array of ports (including USB 3.0, an SD card reader, and HDMI), all of which would disappear the following year. There’s a reason this model has remained a go-to for pros despite being, in theory, five years out of date. —Jon Porter

40. Lenovo Yoga (2012)

 

 

 

Lenovo’s Yoga laptop was given a very apt name when it first appeared in 2012: its hinges were developed to let the display flip all the way back so it was flush with the back of the keyboard, allowing you to use the touchscreen as a tablet. While this first model had its issues — it was heavier than most tablets and there was some criticism of the keyboard — its innovative design led the way for many similar models, and on today’s Windows laptops, flipping designs and touchscreens are more the norm than the exception. —Barbara Krasnoff

39. Google Chromecast (2013)

 

 

 

Once upon a time, you needed a complex and often expensive setup in order to get video from your computer or phone to run on your TV. When the Chromecast came along in 2013, all that changed. The little hockey puck-shaped gadget was simple to set up and cost only $35. It plugged into the HDMI port of a TV set and helped make streaming video a normal part of many households. And while many TVs now come equipped with streaming services, the Chromecast is still an inexpensive and useful gadget for putting your videos on the big screen. —Barbara Krasnoff

38. Sony NEX-3 (2010)

 

 

 

While Sony bought out Minolta in 2006 to bolster its enthusiast camera business, it never mounted a serious challenge to Canon and Nikon’s duopoly in the DSLR arena. The 2010 release of the NEX-3 and NEX-5, however, was a serious statement of intent. These were sleek, futuristic mirrorless devices with a new lens mount and large APS-C sensors that delivered unprecedented image quality for cameras of their size. They were clearly aimed at people who wanted to upgrade from the declining point-and-shoot market, with oversimplified controls that could be maddening for experienced photographers. In many ways, they felt more like gadgets than traditional cameras, but there was no arguing with the results they produced. Sony is now an established player in pro photography with its full-frame A7 and A9 lines, and these NEX cameras laid the groundwork. —Sam Byford

37. UE Boom (2013)

 

 

 

This portable speaker was ubiquitous for a moment. The UE Boom became the go-to choice for streaming music at a party, a picnic, or just around the house — and for good reason. The speaker was easy to use, versatile, and had pretty good sound quality and volume. This cultural artifact also represents a simpler time: the pre-Alexa era. Before smart speakers, we feared our speakers less and demanded less from them. All we asked was that they were loud and easy to move around — and the Boom is still perfect for that. —Aliya Chaudhry

36. Kindle Paperwhite (2015)

 

 

 

Amazon’s Kindle was the first popular e-reader, but it was with the Paperwhite that Amazon truly nailed the Kindle formula. The Paperwhite came with a few key additions: an integrated light, and starting in 2015, a high-resolution display that made text look almost as crisp as paper and ink. With the upgrades, the Paperwhite finally achieved the promise that Amazon had been making with the Kindle for years: an e-reader that wasn’t just as good as a real book — in some ways, it was better. —Chaim Gartenberg

35. Apple iPhone X (2017)

 

 

 

The last time Apple deployed Steve Jobs’ famous “one more thing” line in a keynote was to introduce the iPhone X — and in retrospect, it was one of Apple’s most deserving products to get such a hallowed introduction. The iPhone X ushered in a new wave of smartphones with notches. Its swipe-based gestures were so good that Google basically copied them in Android 10. And Face ID remains the gold standard of face authentication, nearly two years after it was first introduced. Right before Apple CEO Tim Cook announced the iPhone X, he said it would set the “path for technology for the next decade,” and he might actually have been right. —Jay Peters

34. Pebble smartwatch (2013)

 

 

 

No device captured the post-smartphone boom of the early 2010s quite like the Pebble smartwatch. A Kickstarter gadget wholly dependent on a world increasingly filling up with Bluetooth-equipped iPhone owners, the Pebble promised to deliver the wrist computer we so often saw in science fiction. And for a while, it did. The device was beloved by early adopters, even while the company’s operations were marred by production delays and the other harsh realities of manufacturing hardware. Pebble eventually fell victim to a more consolidated and powerful tech industry intent on owning the smartwatch space. By the time the Apple Watch arrived in 2015, Pebble was on its last legs. A year later, Fitbit acquired the company and, in 2018, it discontinued all support for the platform. Pour one out for the original. —Nick Statt

33. Philips Hue (2012)

 

 

 

The one smart home gadget that reliably worked this decade and actually made you feel a bit like you were living in the future was the Philips Hue smart light system. Purchase a hub and a couple of bulbs, and suddenly, you could set your lights to automatically turn on at sundown, flip off when you left the house, or change tones to match the sunlight as the day went on. The system has only gotten easier to use with time, with more and more lighting and control options that can hook into it. As the home gets smarter, this is what we want it to feel like. —Jacob Kastrenakes

32. Raspberry Pi (2012)

 

 

 

The Raspberry Pi is the little computer that could: a credit card-sized machine originally designed to get students interested in computing that accidentally spawned an empire.

At the beginning of the decade, creator Eben Upton was a director of studies at the UK’s University of Cambridge and disappointed at the falling number of computer science students. He devised the Pi as a way to encourage students’ curiosity: an accessible computer that was easy to play with in the classroom. With its small form factor and low price tag (around $35), the Pi also proved perfect for tinkerers. Upton initially pensamiento he would sell between 1,000 and 10,000 units. Fast forward eight years, and more than 25 million have flown off the shelves, making the Pi the third bestselling home computer platform of all time after the Mac and PC.

Although these computers are best known for their DIY appeal, their simplicity and flexibility has seen them embraced by the commercial world, with roughly half of all units sold to industrial customers. So as well as powering retro game consoles and home automation hubs, Raspberry Pis around the world are also monitoring production lines and overseeing automation. In a decade of accessible computing, the Raspberry Pi has proved indispensable. —James Vincent

31. Amazon Fire TV Stick (2014)

 

 

 

If the 1960s ushered in color TV, and the early aughts brought the ability to skip through commercials, then the 2010s were defined by online streaming. Amazon’s Fire TV Stick helped make household streaming the norm when the first generation launched in 2014. People were able to stream YouTube, ESPN, Hulu, and a plethora of other video services from the internet directly onto their TV for just $39. As the decade comes to an end, with almost every major company pivoting to a streaming-first strategy, Amazon’s Fire TV Sticks have remained a constant for viewers looking for a cheap and easy way to stream their favorites. —Julia Alexander

30. LG 55-inch OLED TV (2012)

 

 

 

Home theater enthusiasts had been searching for a successor to Panasonic’s beloved plasma HDTVs. LG delivered and then some. There’s no better way to get deeper blacks, superior contrast, and an overall greater picture than with the company’s OLED lineup, which has grown more affordable in recent years. It all started in 2012 when LG sought to familiarize consumers with the benefits of OLED technology in its 55-inch set. Every pixel emits its own light, eliminating any need for a backlight. OLED TVs can be impossibly thin (even rollable), but their picture quality is exemplary, making them the pinnacle of living room entertainment. —Chris Welch

29. Tesla Model 3 (2017)

 

 

 

Tesla’s Roadster and its slightly more affordable Model S were just the opening moves for Elon Musk’s electric car company. The holy grail was a mass-market electric car that could go head-to-head with the most popular midrange sedans — and the Model 3 was supposed to be that car. Announced in 2016, it didn’t start rolling up to most buyers’ homes until early 2019, after years of what Musk would describe as “production hell.” The original promise of a $35,000 electric car had to be abandoned for models that are slightly more expensive in base form and much more so after add-ons like additional range and Autopilot. But it remains Tesla’s most affordable option and has continued to elevate demand and interest for electric cars across the board. —Nick Statt

28. Sony RX100 (2012)

 

 

 

The writing was on the wall for compact cameras at the turn of this decade. Phone cameras were improving rapidly, as were smaller mirrorless cameras. But Sony helped keep the category alive with the revolutionary RX100, a remarkable piece of engineering that crammed a one-inch sensor and a fast zoom lens into a truly pocketable body.

It offered far better image quality than any of its competitors, and was the first compact camera many serious photographers considered using since the film era. Sony has released new versions almost every year since, and the line has grown increasingly popular as a high-quality, nearly all-in-one package for vloggers, too. But the original 2012 model has yet to be discontinued — because it’s still great. —Sam Byford

27. Apple iPhone 6 Plus (2014)

 

 

 

The iPhone 6 Plus was Apple’s response to years of Android phones getting bigger and bigger — finally, iPhone users could have a big screen, too. The 6 Plus came with longer battery life and was practically made for watching YouTube videos. But its bigger size came with some unexpected downsides: the phone was comically oversized for some pockets, which would lead to the infamous #bendgate. The 6 Plus also elevated our collective cultural fear of dropping your phone onto your face while texting in bed. The screen was bigger, but so were the stakes. —Dami Lee

26. Frayed Lightning cable (2012)

 

 

 

The Lightning cable is probably the first singular cable to be widely and repeatedly used, every single day, often rolled up and hastily stuffed in our bags. That wear and tear has led to the ubiquitous and annoying problem of carting around a cable you rely on that perpetually looks like it’s on the brink of falling apart. Is it dangerous? Who knows? At least it’s still charging for now. —Dani Deahl

25. USB-C (2015)

 

 

 

The white whale of cable standards finally became a reality over the last decade: a single universal port that can handle power, internet, data, and display all in one. The actual adoption has been a little rocky, though, with competing specifications and shoddy hardware. But things have slowly and steadily gotten better: nowadays, you can just plug in a USB-C cable, and it’ll generally do all the things you expect it to do. There’s still plenty more that needs to happen before USB-C will reach its full potential, but it gets closer every day. And when the ecosystem does work, it’s a truly magical experience. —Chaim Gartenberg

24. PopSockets (2014)

 

 

 

We can’t stop accessorizing our smartphones. The 2000s brought us bejeweled cases for our Sidekicks and phone charms for our RAZRs, but the 2010s expanded on that trend, with a great deal of help from the PopSockets company. PopsSockets first hit the market in 2014 to solve a problem that we all suddenly had: our phones got too big to hold. The sparkly and colorful pop-up accessories stick to the back of your phone and offer a way to personalize your most-handled device while also making it a bit more usable. They’ve grown so popular that the company has started selling PopSocket wallets, lip glosses, and this incredibly cursed AirPods holder. —Makena Kelly

23. DJI Phantom (2013)

 

 

 

Despite DJI launching a palm-sized drone just last month and drones at large getting smaller by the hour, the drone that’s remained ingrained in my mind is the original DJI Phantom. It’s the drone that pushed lawmakers into shaping UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) laws, and the silhouette you see on “No Drones” signs. Heck, if you look for clip art online, most of it is that exact shape. It took a few iterations for DJI to nail the formula, however — the first two didn’t include a camera, and the first one didn’t even have a gimbal. But since the Phantom 3, there’s been little competition for the iconic drone maker. —Vjeran Pavic

22. Ring Video Doorbell (2014)

 

 

 

The Ring Doorbell started life inauspiciously as a failed Shark Tank product before becoming the default name in video doorbells, which let you see who is at your door from anywhere in the world. Now owned by Amazon, Ring has also ushered in an uncomfortable suburban surveillance state, powered by a private company’s products that are purchased by homeowners. Ring’s partnerships with police departments across the country allow it to provide them with easy access to video feeds from installed devices under the guise of reducing crime. But many critics say the crime-fighting effects of the Ring Doorbell are dubious at best. —Dan Seifert

21. Bose QuietComfort 35 (2016)

 

 

 

The Bose QuietComfort 35 quickly became the de facto choice for noise-canceling headphones. At $350, they were pricey, and they weren’t the most fashionable. But they won everyone over with incredible comfort that allowed for hours of wear, crisp audio quality, and superb noise cancellation that was, according to El borde’s Chris Welch, like “you hit the mute button on everything.” It’s no wonder the QC 35 became a favorite among frequent flyers, something we noticed firsthand when they popped up in almost every artist shoot we did for El borde’s What’s In Your Bag? series. —Dani Deahl

20. Juul (2015)

 

 

 

Juul’s sharp, slender form burst onto the e-cigarette scene in 2015. In a sea of bulkier, more complicated products, the USB-shaped device with easily replaceable pods was a nearly instant hit. Its flavors hit the right note: mint and fruit-flavored liquid still packed a high nicotine kick that rivaled combustible cigarettes.

It soared to the top of the market, valued at nearly $15 billion in 2018. But with its popularity came problems. Juul was most popular with teens and young adults, and in 2018, the US surgeon general called youth vaping an epidemic, specifically mentioning Juul’s surge in his remarks.

In recent years, the company has said that teens were never its focus, claiming instead that its mission is “to provide the world’s one billion adult smokers with a true alternative to combustible cigarettes.”

But in a 2015 Verge article about the new product, Ari Atkins, an R&D engineer working on Juul, said, “We don’t think a lot about addiction here because we’re not trying to design a cessation product at all,” adding that “anything about health is not on our mind.” Reporter Nitasha Tiku noted that as he was talking, Atkins’ colleagues “collectively winced.”

Currently, the company is the target of multiple lawsuits by state governments and is under investigation by regulators from the Food and Drug Administration among others. —Mary Beth Griggs

19. Panasonic Lumix GH4 (2014)

 

 

 

For years, YouTubers looking for an affordable 4K camera have turned to the GH4. Panasonic’s Micro Four Thirds camera was never cheap, but it was one of the most affordable ways to shoot in the high-res format, it worked with an expansive lens lineup, and it shot some really nice-looking video, too. Even as Sony cameras have increased in popularity, the GH4 (and its successor, the GH5) remain hard to beat. —Jacob Kastrenakes

18. Dell XPS 13 (2015)

 

 

 

Dell’s XPS 13 began as an unabashed MacBook Air clone — albeit one in black, with luxurious expanses of soft-touch rubber and carbon fiber for a silky-smooth chassis. But in 2015, it left the MacBook Air in the dust and evolved to become one of the best Windows laptops ever made, with a striking edge-to-edge screen, Precision Touchpad, and seven to eight hours of real-world battery life back when those things were rare. Dell hasn’t changed the winning formula too much since then, except to finally put the awkwardly angled webcam back where it belongs in the top bezel and slowly migrate from full-size USB-A and HDMI ports to USB-C. In 2019, it’s still the Windows laptop to beat. —Sean Hollister

17. Nest Thermostat (2011)

 

 

 

The arrival of the Nest Learning Thermostat in 2011 was a revolution for the smart home. It proved that there was an appetite for beautiful industrial design and intuitive user experiences applied to lowly tasks like temperature control, even at a price of $250. Before co-founding Nest Labs with Matt Rogers, Tony Fadell had created the iPod and led the development of the first few iPhones. “Most thermostats are built by plumbing companies,” Fadell told El borde at launch, “but you really need to understand how to build a phone to make them better.” Nest sparked a broader interest in home automation and, for better or worse, set the expectation for how smart home devices should look, function, and cost moving forward. Google would purchase Nest less than three years after its debut for $3.2 billion. —Thomas Ricker

16. Anker PowerCore 10,000 (2016)

 

 

 

As we’ve become more connected to our devices and the services running on them, keeping a portable battery pack in your bag has almost become a necessity to make it through the day. Anker led the charge in the mid-2010s with its portable batteries, and it was among the first to make good-looking battery packs that you wouldn’t blush being seen with. Since its introduction, the PowerCore 10,000 has been a staple: small, affordable, and with enough power for an extra few charges. Newer, faster options are out there, but the PowerCore 10,000 remains hard to beat. —Cameron Faulkner

15. Nintendo Switch (2017)

 

 

 

Nintendo consoles are always different. Usually, that means sacrificing power — so often the guiding principle for new video game hardware — in favor of a new gimmick. Sometimes that becomes a massive success, like the quirky dual-screened Nintendo DS. Other times you get a flop, like the Wii U and its clunky tablet controller. When it was first announced, it was hard to know which extreme fit the Switch. It seemed like a gimmick. Here was an underpowered tablet, with weird little controllers that snapped onto it, that could connect to your TV via a giant plastic dock. It didn’t have 4K graphics; it couldn’t even run Netflix.

But none of that mattered. The Switch proved that convenience and flexibility are just as important as flashy visuals. The idea of taking a game with you wherever you went — on a plane, in bed, or in your living room — proved transformative. It helped that the tablet launched with the ideal showcase in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Being able to take a massive, open world like Hyrule anywhere sold millions on the Switch concept, and since then, Nintendo has followed that up with a string of hits, including Pokémon Sword y Shield, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, and Super Mario Odyssey. It still can’t play Netflix, but the Switch has proven itself to be much more than another Nintendo gimmick. —Andrew Webster

14. Shitbox Dell Chromebook

 

 

 

You know this Chromebook. It’s the old, cheapo, beat-up one that you throw off your bed at night or see on the desks at countless schools. Who makes it? What model is it? Who knows. But it’s everywhere, and this decade, it was one of the key ways people — especially students — got online and got work done. The hardware was never very good, but it did the basics. And that was all we needed. —Jacob Kastrenakes

13. Samsung Galaxy Note (2011)

 

 

 

Now that we live in an era where Apple’s smallest iPhone comes with a 5.8-inch screen, it’s hard to imagine that the Galaxy Note’s 5.3-inch screen was big enough to kick off the controversy around “phablets.” Yet, that’s exactly the term it ended up popularizing. Putting such a massive screen on a phone was a much bolder move back in 2011 when the iPhone still had a 3.5-inch screen and when massive bezels made large phones even bulkier. But Samsung was right to see a need for more screen real estate on our smartphones, and now, eight years later, it’s hard to imagine a time before that was the case. —Jon Porter

12. TV remote with Netflix button (2011)

 

 

 

Between 2010 and today, Netflix went from being a more convenient Blockbuster to one of the most popular streaming services in the world, producing some of the most talked-about movies and television shows. Netflix and TV makers wanted to ensure that their customers had easy access, and they came up with a simple but revolutionary decision: put a Netflix button on remotes. Netflix buttons are everywhere, and it’s helped make Netflix a centerpiece for family room TV sets instead of something people only pull up on their phones, iPads, and computers. Now, Netflix is available at the click of a button. —Julia Alexander

11. Apple iPad Air (2013)

 

 

 

The iPad Air was the one that got it right: with a thinner and lighter design, significantly slimmed-down bezels, and a fast and power-efficient processor, the Air struck an ideal balance of size, weight, and speed. It had an app ecosystem that was unparalleled in 2013, and software like Pages, Numbers, GarageBand, and iMovie came bundled with the Air to demonstrate its potential. The tablet had its limitations, but it marked the real start of the question that we’re still debating today: can the iPad replace your laptop? —Dami Lee

10. Google Pixel 2 (2017)

 

 

 

The Pixel may have opened a new era for Google phones after the Nexus line sputtered out, but the Pixel 2 was the one that defined where Google’s phones would go next — and it actually managed to push the industry along with it. The Pixel 2 premiered with AI-based “computational photography” that offered features like portrait mode and augmented reality support from a single lens.

But it was one key trick — taking a series of underexposed photos and using the data to create a far more detailed picture than a smartphone’s tiny camera would otherwise be capable of — that handed Google the undisputed title of smartphone camera champion for a while and gave other companies, including Apple, a road map for where to go next. Google pushed the boundaries of what smartphone cameras could do and paved the way for features like Night Sight and Super Res Zoom that, frankly, feel impossible to be without today. —Natt Garun

9. Sony PlayStation 4 (2013)

 

 

 

The PlayStation 4 easily beat out its competition in terms of power, price, and game offerings to become this decade’s leading console. Exclusive titles like El último de nosotros, God of War, Uncharted 4, Persona 5, and Muerte varada made the console a must-own this generation, and Sony has continued to refine the hardware in the years since launch, with upgrades like the PS4 Pro to give the system even more staying power. Even as this console cycle winds down, the PlayStation 4 has managed to break records, with the PS4 becoming the second bestselling home console ever, coming in under the PS2. Heading into the new decade and next console generation, the PlayStation 4 has proven that Sony can deliver a stellar, affordable product without sacrificing quality. —Megan Farokhmanesh

8. Microsoft Surface Pro 3 (2014)

 

 

 

Microsoft’s tablets got off to a bumpy start with the Surface RT, but just a couple of years later, the Surface Pro 3 really got things right. “This is the tablet that can replace your laptop,” Microsoft’s Surface chief declared during the Pro 3 launch. Microsoft perfected the Surface Pro hardware here, thanks to the combination of a kickstand that freely adjusts, a larger 3:2 aspect ratio display, an incredibly thin form factor, and a reliable Type Cover keyboard. Microsoft has tweaked this formula ever since and inspired everyone to copy the Surface Pro. —Tom Warren

7. Apple Watch Series 3 (2017)

 

 

 

In 2015, Apple CEO Tim Cook still had a lot to prove. He had brought the company to stratospheric profits, but he hadn’t personally overseen the launch of a new hit product — not since Steve Jobs died. The Apple Watch was meant to launch an entirely new category of gadgets, and Apple spared no expense for the launch: Bono, claims that the Digital Crown was as important as the mouse, and a custom-built building on a college campus.

It took three generations to make the Apple Watch that hit product. The Apple Watch Series 3, released in 2017, was the first to come close to living up to Apple’s original vision. A relentless focus on what actually worked (health tracking and elegant watchface information) and a deemphasis on what didn’t (third-party apps and sending weird thirsty rando emoji) turned into a winner. It may not have reached the heights Cook originally envisioned, but it’s better than everything else you could strap to your wrist. —Dieter Bohn

6. Apple AirPods (2016)

 

 

 

Apple introduced AirPods on the very same day that it killed the headphone jack with the iPhone 7. And in the years since, they’ve become an indispensable accessory for millions of people. Other companies like Bragi had already paved the way to truly wireless earbuds, but as it’s done so many times in the past, Apple took its time entering a new product category — and then nailed it.

Once people got over their very recognizable look and started using them, AirPods quickly became a sensation and were hard to buy for months. They came in an easily pocketable case that always kept them charged up. The process of pairing AirPods with an iPhone — just hold the flipped-open case near the phone — eliminated the traditional frustrations of Bluetooth. And they sounded perfectly fine, with balanced and clean sound reproduction.

Since the originals, Apple has followed up with models that add wireless charging and, most recently, noise cancellation (and an improved in-ear fit). Companies like Jabra, Sony, and others have produced worthy AirPods rivals over the last couple years, but for anyone with an iPhone, they’re still the default, must-have earbuds. —Chris Welch

5. Tesla Model S (2012)

 

 

 

Tesla’s Model S sedan certainly wasn’t the first electric car, but it seems like it was the first to really matter. The Model S helped transform Tesla from a struggling, niche automaker with only one car in its lineup to a global phenomenon that, while still struggling to turn a profit, has made an indelible mark on the auto industry and pop culture as a whole. For better or worse, it made Elon Musk a household name. And more importantly, the Model S made electric cars look cool — a bit of lightning in a bottle that Tesla’s competitors are themselves hoping to catch.

You can make the argument that the Model S has since been eclipsed by the more minimalist and affordable Model 3 in the category of “most important electric vehicle.” But the Model 3 wouldn’t exist without the Model S. According to Musk’s master plan, the luxury vehicle — the Model S starts at $75,000 — needed to be released first to fund the production of the more mass-market one. If indeed the Model 3 leads us to a future of more affordable, zero-emission vehicles, then it will be because the Model S made it possible. —Andrew J. Hawkins

4. Samsung Galaxy S6 (2015)

 

 

 

By 2015, Samsung had already established the fact that it could sell a lot of smartphones. But while the Galaxy line had grown to be very popular, Samsung’s success was often criticized as just being the result of aggressive marketing.

The Galaxy S6 changed that: it was the first Galaxy phone people actually wanted to buy, not just because it was the only phone that wasn’t an iPhone at the carrier store. With a sleek glass-and-metal finish, vibrant OLED screen, and two designs — one with a curved screen — the Galaxy S6 said goodbye to Samsung’s cheap plastic finishes and ugly aesthetics and showed that the company could make phones that are just as desirable as Apple’s.

The S6 design was so successful it carried through Samsung’s product line for the rest of the decade. You can even see its DNA in 2019’s Galaxy S10 and Note 10. While the Galaxy S8 became Samsung’s most popular phone of the decade, it was the Galaxy S6 that really changed the perception of the company and showed Samsung was a design force to reckon with. —Dan Seifert

3. Apple MacBook Air (2013)

 

 

 

This wasn’t the first MacBook Air or even a design refresh, but the 2013 MacBook Air represented the ideal thin laptop: perfection of the form.

Apple unveiled the MacBook Air redesign that would define the modern laptop in 2010. The 13.3-inch model included two USB ports, a MagSafe connector, an SD card slot, and, of course, no CD drive, an omission that would soon become standard across the industry.

But it was three years later that Apple finally had all the right pieces: namely, a processor that could properly balance performance and battery life. The 2013 model lasted around 13 hours on a single charge, more than enough to keep you working all day in a coffee shop.

We didn’t realize how good we had it in 2013: this was before Apple’s terrible butterfly keyboards and the questionable disappearance of just about every single port. And as high-res displays became the norm, battery life this good wouldn’t be coming back.

The MacBook Air was iconic, and the 2013 version was the epitome of the product. —Ashley Carman

2. Amazon Echo (2014)

 

 

 

Science fiction movies have had computers that answered back for decades — think the voice of Star Trek’s Enterprise — but it wasn’t until Amazon came out with the Echo smart speaker that digital assistants came into our homes. Amazon’s Alexa assistant informed you of the weather, answered questions, told stories to your kids, and became the punchline for hundreds of jokes. And eventually, as its abilities increased, it was able to turn on your lights, start your car, arm your alarm system, and help you sleep.

Five years later, Alexa is now ubiquitous. The puck-shaped Echo Dot, which went on sale in 2016 for half the price of the original Echo, helped bring the assistant into more corners of the home, and more than 100 million Alexa-enabled devices have now been sold. Alexa and the Echo are not without their rivals, including Google’s Assistant and Apple’s Siri, and there have been some controversies along the way, many dealing with privacy issues. But despite these road bumps, Alexa is quickly becoming as much a part of our lives as the TV set and telephone. —Barbara Krasnoff

1. Apple iPhone 4 (2010)

 

 

 

We spent hours arguing about every product on this list and where they ranked, but the top spot was never really in dispute: the iPhone 4 is the most beautiful smartphone ever made, it arrived in a swirl of controversies that shaped the entire tech and media landscape, and it remains the basic template for phones to this day.

The iPhone 4 was the first phone to be built as an ultra-precise glass-and-metal sandwich, a design legacy still visible in every flagship phone today. The iPhone 4 had the first Retina Display. It had the first selfie camera on an iPhone, and the 5-megapixel camera on the back set a photo quality standard that took years for the competition to match. The operating system gained the ability to run background tasks and was officially named “iOS” for the first time. The A4 chip inside was the first Apple-designed processor in a phone, which kicked off the company’s decade-long run of processor dominance.

It was the first iPhone on Verizon, which was news so big at the time that Apple held an entirely separate event to announce it.

But it wasn’t perfect: the external antenna system could be made to drop a signal by gripping the phone tightly, leading Steve Jobs to first tell people to “just avoid holding it in that way” and then convene the “Antennagate” press conference to demonstrate that other phones had the same problem, offer everyone a case, and basically charm his way out of the issue. It worked, creating a new template for crisis management.

And of course, a prototype iPhone 4 was left behind in a bar and sold to Gizmodo, which leaked everything about it, causing Steve Jobs to send the cops to raid editor Jason Chen’s house and ultimately sue the site for extortion. This did not work, and now everything leaks anyway.

It’s been a wild decade of gadgets and technology, but mostly, it’s been the decade of the smartphone. And there has never been a phone that changed both technology and culture around it like the iPhone 4. Someone ought to make another one. —Nilay Patel

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