2012

Nokia returned for a second -- and even more critical -- round to put its Lumia brand on the map. Its larger, thicker Nokia Lumia 920 marquee device was the first to bring wireless charging and a highly sensitive screen that can accommodate navigation with both a fingernail and a gloved hand. Although heavier and bulkier than its chief rival, the HTC Windows Phone 8X, Nokia's AT&T exclusive is also more powerful and comes in at half the price.

Nokia will need its flagship 920, and its slightly less premium 820, 810, and 822 models to also … Read more

Why do you need a browser-based laptop that won't run a full OS? Chrome OS-powered ultraportables didn't make sense at $500, but at $199 they suddenly seem a lot more interesting. Google's parallel computing environment to Android has been a bit of an experimental black sheep, but that status could be changing very soon based on price drops and significant improvements to the function and stability of Chrome.

The recent availability of low-cost Chromebooks from Samsung and Acer means that a Chromebook can finally be a low-cost viable alternative to a Netbook, provided you keep your expectations … Read more

Both OLED (a new display technology) and 4K (twice the standard HD resolution) TVs made appearances at the 2012 Consumer Electronics Show, but it was 4K that won the race to store shelves. Two 4K TVs are available now, the LG 84LM9600 and the Sony XBR-84X900, while OLED remains a no-show. The catch? Both of the 84-inch LED TVs cost around $20,000 -- not exactly an impulse purchase.

But make no mistake: 4K, aka "Ultra HD," will begin edging down in price, even as more screen size options appear. Billed as the successor to 1080p, the technology … Read more

The Nintendo Wii is undoubtedly a tough act to follow. Its unprecedented success was something no one could have predicted, so for its follow up Nintendo certainly had its hands full. The company chose to go in the direction of dual screen gaming in the home by introducing the Wii U console that uses a unique tablet-esque GamePad controller to interact with games.

However, the Wii U's initial reception is almost nothing like its predecessor's. The Wii U's initial launch software offering was lackluster and a series of major updates have dampened that vital first impression. Even … Read more

If it seems like you're seeing more mobile payment options around town, you're not imagining things. Mobile devices from Square and Intuit are more prevalent than ever -- popping up in farmers markets, small salons, taco trucks, and all manner of independent businesses.

And it isn't just small businesses that are offering their customers the mobile-payment option. Square recently brought its service into 7,000 Starbucks stores. Square said in November it is now processing $10 billion in payments each year.

But the field is still relatively new and unsettled. Google Wallet, which relies on near-field communication … Read more

3D printing has a way to go before it becomes a mainstream consumer activity. If it ever does cross over from its hobbyist and commercial roots, MakerBot and its CEO Bre Pettis can claim a decent share of the credit.

The MakerBot Replicator and newer Replicator 2 3D printers are fine products, but the company's marketing know-how is also a significant factor in its success. MakerBot's Thingiverse Web site hosts plans for more than 26,000 printable objects, all free for anyone to download and print. Pettis' media-friendly demeanor has landed his company's name on the digital … Read more

Hot on the heels of Windows 8 came Windows Phone 8, the first major upgrade to Microsoft's smartphone operating system. By bringing a heavy load of much-needed features like support for HD screens, multicore processors, and NFC, Microsoft did a lot to close the gap separating it from Google and Apple. The ability to customize tile size gave users more control over the OS's unique look and feel, and it didn't hurt that it debuted on strong devices such as the Nokia Lumia 920 and the HTC Windows Phone 8X.

But there were some problems. Existing Windows … Read more

In the online world you are the sum of the digital trail you leave, and that data is the high-value commodity that services like Facebook, Google, Twitter, Amazon, Apple, Netflix, LinkedIn, Foursquare, and a multitude of others use to build their businesses.

In 2012, we saw social components woven deeper into the fabric of the Internet and a dramatic increase in mobile usage, with data about everything from location and friends to photos and site visits flowing into datacenters, where algorithms perform the invisible work of finding more targeted information and advertising to put in front of you. Going forward, … Read more

From the debut of the Retina Display on the iPad in March to the 10-inch Nexus 10's screen, sporting a resolution so high it was previously only seen on 30-inch monitors, 2012 marked the year that tablets got serious about their screen quality.

Amazon, Asus, and Barnes & Noble also brought impressive tablet screens to the mainstream and enthusiast alike, giving everyone a chance to experience high pixel density; now there's no going back. Any tablet manufacturer worth its weight in pixels will be forced to heavily consider a high-resolution screen if it hopes to succeed in 2013 … Read more