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Tuesday, December 11, 2012, 03:17 pm
Time Magazine names Apple's iPhone 5 its 'Gadget of the Year'
In its annual list of the best gadgets available, Time has named Apple's new iPhone 5 the top device of 2012, while the 15-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display also made the cut.The magazine's list, compiled by author Harry McCracken, praised the iPhone 5 as "one of the most artfully polished gadgets anyone's ever built." He said it outperforms other "nifty" smartphones, like Samsung's Galaxy S III.
"When it comes to melding hardware, software and services so tightly that the seams fade away, Apple still has no peer," he said.
In taking first place, Apple edged out Nintendo's newly released Wii U game console. The new platform includes a controller with a tablet-style touchscreen.
Though the Wii U GamePad is tablet-like, it's not a direct competitor to Apple's iPad, as the controller is actually driven wirelessly by the Wii U console. As such, Nintendo's new GamePad accessory cannot be used as a gaming or tablet-style device on the go.
Also on Time's list is Apple's 15-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display, taking sixth place. McCracken called Apple's top-of-the-line notebook a "joy to use."
The full list of Time's 'Top 10 Gadgets' of 2012 is included below:
- 1. Apple iPhone 5
- 2. Nintendo Wii U
- 3. Sony Cyber-shot RX100
- 4. Raspberry Pi Model B
- 5. Lytro
- 6. Apple 15-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display
- 7. Microsoft Surface with Windows RT
- 8. Samsung Galaxy Note II
- 9. Nest
- 10. Simple.TV
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Previous Comments View All
Apple needs to buy Lytro.
Reinvent an industry that no one thought needed reinventing. That's the Apple we know and love.
Of course it is. It's another quality Apple product. The fit and finish of the hardware, the polish of iOS, and the focus on User Experience. Apple has enough respect for their product to not not license it out to OEMs.
And so on and so on.
Where's the iPad mini? Finally got my hands on one yesterday. Amazing sleek little beast.
Was 'durability' considered as part of the judging criteria? The anodize aluminium on the iPhone 5 can't withstand even a tiny scratch.
<<scoffs>> fanbois /s
Was 'durability' considered as part of the judging criteria? The anodize aluminium on the iPhone 5 can't withstand even a tiny scratch.
I've had iPhone 5 since launch, no case, and after careful inspection anyone would conclude that it's brand new out of the box. I've even been less careful about setting it on hard surfaces than I was with my iPhone 4, so I'm not sure where all the talk of how fragile it is comes from.
Interesting that iPhone topped the list and iPad isn't even on it though.
Apple needs to buy Lytro.
Reinvent an industry that no one thought needed reinventing. That's the Apple we know and love.
I was under the impression that Lytro camera lenses required a fair bit of depth to get the directional light information, and couldn't go into any of Apple's thin devices?
Unfortunately, with the inclusion of #7, we understand that this list is a joke. Well, we didn't need Time magazine to tell us the iPhone 5 is the best smartphone, but, I'm not really sure how you compare a smartphone to a thermostat and say which is "better".
It's a list of gadgets, not phones. So... the author can put his favorite things of anything that exists in gadget form.
I'm sure the times is pissing off subscribers that are samsung fan. As of the surface in # 7 spot... I've tried a samsung android tablet and did not like it as much as iOS iPad, but it was way better than the surface. Seemed jerky.
I've had iPhone 5 since launch, no case, and after careful inspection anyone would conclude that it's brand new out of the box. I've even been less careful about setting it on hard surfaces than I was with my iPhone 4, so I'm not sure where all the talk of how fragile it is comes from.
Interesting that iPhone topped the list and iPad isn't even on it though.
My charcoal iPhone 5 looks brand new too. Maybe if the original poster didn't use his to smash open walnuts it would look brand new too...?
I imagine the iPad Mini would have made to cut, but to have THREE Apple products on the list would have look too fanboyish... Besides, they did include the Samsung product with Apple UI....
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| Model | White | Black | |
|---|---|---|---|
| iPad mini (WiFi only) | |||
| 16GB WiFi |  |
$329.99 | $329.99 |
| 32GB WiFi | |
$429.99 | $429.99 |
| 64GB WiFi | |
$529.99 | $529.99 |
| iPad mini (WiFi + 4G) | |||
 |
 |
 |
|
| 16GB 4G White | $459.99 | $459.99 | $459.99 |
| 32GB 4G White | $559.99 | $559.99 | $559.99 |
| 64GB 4G White | $659.99 | $659.99 | $659.99 |
| 16GB 4G Black | $459.99 | $459.99 | $459.99 |
| 32GB 4G Black | $559.99 | $559.99 | $559.99 |
| 64GB 4G Black | $659.99 | $659.99 | $659.99 |
Lowest Prices Anywhere!
| Model | Price | You Save |
|---|---|---|
| Core i5 MacBook Pros w/ Retina | ||
| 13" 2.5GHz/8GB/128GB | $1,406.48 | $292.52 |
| 13" 2.5GHz/8GB/256GB | $1,479.99 | $519.01 |
| 13" 2.5GHz/8GB/512GB | $1,699.99 | $799.01 |
| Core i7 MacBook Pros w/ Retina | ||
| 13" 2.9GHz/8GB/256GB | $1,599.99 | $599.01 |
| 13" 2.9GHz/8GB/512GB | $1,799.99 | $899.01 |
| 15" 2.3GHz/8GB/256GB | $1,899.99 | $299.01 |
| 15" 2.6GHz/8GB/512GB | $2,299.99 | $568.01 |
| 15" 2.7GHz/16GB/768GB | $2,699.99 | $499.01 |
The full list of Time's 'Top 10 Gadgets' of 2012 is included below:
1. Apple iPhone 5 2. Nintendo Wii U 3. Sony Cyber-shot RX100 4. Raspberry Pi Model B 5. Lytro 6. Apple 15-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display 7. Microsoft Surface with Windows RT 8. Samsung Galaxy Note II 9. Nest 10. Simple.TV
Unfortunately, with the inclusion of #7, we understand that this list is a joke. Well, we didn't need Time magazine to tell us the iPhone 5 is the best smartphone, but, I'm not really sure how you compare a smartphone to a thermostat and say which is "better".