The year’s best and worst tech
Blayne Slabbert looks back on what worked and what tanked.
Each year, a slew of new gadgets, apps and trends develop that either tempt consumers or have an impact on their digital lives.
Some match the hype surrounding them, while others fail miserably with only a few hardcore fans making a purchase.
Here is the best and worst of consumer tech from 2016.
Pokemon Go
Although the buzz has now long faded, Pokemon Go dominated tech talk for several weeks after it launched in July.
New Zealand was one of the first countries to get the free game and hundreds of once couchdwelling fans were seen scouring the streets holding their phones.
The augmented reality game was the most successful of its kind and sent other companies scrambling to come up with their own use of the emerging tech.
Samsung Note 7
The flaming smartphone saga made 2016 a year to forget for Samsung. Dozens of its highly rated device caught fire because of faulty batteries and the company had to recall the device permanently.
However, a recent survey showed Samsung fans are undeterred and the company’s Galaxy range is still selling well.
iPhone 7
The latest Apple phone was largely well received but it will be most remembered for removing the traditional 3.5mm headphone port.
Fans and critics were not happy, but Apple insisted it was being ‘‘courageous’’. Users now have to use a dongle to connect their headphones or, as Apple prefers, embrace the wireless world and get Bluetooth headphones.
The disappointment over Apple’s attitude to ports continued when it removed several from its latest MacBook Pro laptops.
GoPro
It’s been a mixed year for GoPro. The new versions of its cameras received great reviews, especially for its use of voice-activated controls.
Its drone also impressed fans for a few weeks. Then some Karma drones started failing and falling out of the sky and the company had to recall 2500 units. That was followed by the recent news the company was cutting 15 per cent of its staff.
The once darling of the tech industry is struggling to stay relevant and meet the demands of being a public company.
Google gadgets
Google released several new products this year as it moved to take on Apple and other companies in the hardware game.
Its most popular product was its Pixel smartphones. They come in two sizes with prices starting at $1250, and they currently have the best camera on the market, according to independent tester DxOMark.
Google is also challenging Amazon with the release of Home, a voice-activated assistant that does tasks such as answer questions and play music.
360 cameras
This could well end up being the camera version of 3D television. It’s a cool concept but the result is not worth the trouble and cost of buying a 360 camera.
If you’re thinking about buying one, wait a while to see if the trend catches on.
Fibre internet
More and more Kiwis are getting faster internet speeds as increasing numbers sign up to ultrafast broadband (also known as fibre). More than 300,000 Kiwis have now connected to fibre with the sign-up rate the fastest it has been.
All the major internet providers (Spark has just launched packages) now offer deals, some of which are a similar price to normal broadband plans.
Facebook fail
Facebook has become a wild west of social media. Sure, it’s great for seeing what your family and friends are up to, but it’s becoming ever more pervasive in our lives without acting responsibly.
It has been at the forefront of disseminating false news without providing the appropriate checks and balances.
Recent figures show several false news sites get over 70 per cent of their desktop traffic from Facebook referrals.
Privacy eroded
It was not a good year for digital privacy as it continues to erode. The most concerning move was in Britain where the government now has the right to track what people do online, from what websites they visit, to who they call on Skype.
Apple also fought a battle against the FBI for access to one of its phones that was used in a crime. The case went to court but fizzled after the FBI found a company to crack the iPhone.
The news got worse as the Freedom on the Net report showed that internet freedom declined for the sixth year in a row, as government authorities clamped down on online rights.
Virtual reality
The tech world this year was full of news about virtual reality with new headsets and games released to high praise.
However, that excitement has not trickled down to consumers just yet. Most major VR headsets have had good reviews but they’re also expensive.
Virtual reality is also missing its killer app, the must-have game that will spark a buying spree from the average user. That, mixed in with a price drop, could see it make its way into more living rooms next year.
Endless games
The much-anticipated game No Man’s Sky largely lived up to the hype, but it mainly stood out because its powerful rendering engine can generate 18 quintillion planets. The science-fiction fantasy exploration game, which took three years to make, opened up lots of possibilities for the future of gaming.