Gear Live Best Tech of 2004 Results

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Features

Last week, we asked you to let us know what you felt were the best tech items in a few key categories. You responded, letting us know what you felt outshined the rest as far as audio, home entertainment, video games, and cell phones. One person even walked away with a free Logitech MX1000 Laser Cordless Mouse courtesy of PrizeCube (congrats b_culbert!). You even gave us what you felt was the best item of the year. Full results after the jump.

Gear Live readers certainly love their Apple iPod’s, and with good reason. A large number of them received them completely free through sites like Tech4Free.com. The 4th Generation Click Wheel iPod was a hit as soon as it was released. It’s simple-yet-elegant user interface is chich and convenient, and helped the iPod brand cement it’s spot as the best audio gear of 2004.

2004 was the year that HDTV started its foray into mainstream America. Prices dropped sharply compared to just last year, with technology improving constantly. DLP, LCoS, Plasma, LCD, LED, and SED are no longer terms only known by videophiles. If you don’t have one yet, you will soon. Expect even more from HDTV in 2005 as new technologies are set to be introduced this year.

Two words defined gaming in 2004, and they weren’t “Halo 2”. The Nintendo DS launched amid both tons of fanfare, and much apprehensiveness. Being the handheld console guru’s that Nintendo are, they blew people away with the new game experiences found using the dual screened wonder. With an unbelievably high number of quality games and hardware this year, the Nintendo DS should be proud of the stellar job it has done in just a couple of months.

The days of James Bond being the only one on earth with the uber cool cell phones are gone. Motorola broke the mold with the RAZR V3, bringing the thinnest cell phone ever to the market. While it is only compatible with GSM networks, it has caught the eye of everyone who owns or is in the market for a cellular phone.

And here it is again. The device that invigorated Apple’s popularity, market share, and bank account was truly the main tech focus of 2004. So much so, that “iPod” is now a household name with many believing that any MP3 player is an iPod. You have done a good job when people confuse other people’s products for your own. This year Apple brought us the 4th Generation Click Wheel iPod, the iPod mini, the U2 Special Edition, and the iPod Photo...and it doesn’t seem like they are ready to slow down just yet.