Trendy tops and flops
TECHNOLOGY
GENUINELY game-changing technology was launched this year, revolutionising the way we keep in touch with others, entertain ourselves, and even the way we get around. But, on the other side of the ledger, some technology let us down badly, failing unexpectedly or squandering our investment in it. Below are 10 awards we’d like to bestow on the finest gadgets, services, and trends of the year, and five for technology flaws we’d rather forget. its friends (companies who make hybrid PCs with its software), but this Surface is one for we little guys. Best gadget in a supporting role: Microsoft Universal Foldable Keyboard This accessory is the antidote to Autocorrect. Microsoft’s sixline keyboard features generously sized keys that fold into a form smaller than a sandwich, and works with an impressive array of devices. Users can connect two gadgets to this Bluetooth keyboard, swapping between the two, just as long as they use Google Android, wrist, track your runs and rides by GPS, wake you with a vibrating alarm, and deliver textmessage and call alerts from your smartphone. Most likely to take over the world: Rose gold It’s the trend that took over tech this year: rose gold everything. There were rose gold phones and docks from Apple, rose gold lenses from Olloclip, a rose gold fitness watch from Garmin, and rose gold accents one port. Yes, just one. And yes, it’s used to charge the laptop too. It means users must choose to connect an accessory or charge the computer as you cannot do both at once, and they must carry an adaptor to connect standard USB devices. It’s a vision of the future that arrived too soon. Least time on sale: LG Watch Urbane 2nd Edition Six days. LG’s latest smartwatch was on sale for just six days before it was recalled due to a “hardware issue” the company later admitted was a fault in a display component. LG has no plans to re-release the wearable technology at this stage, though it attracted plenty of attention while on the market for its ability to use the 4G phone network to work independently of a smartphone. It didn’t even reach Australia.