Best and Worst of Tech in 2011

[Russian]

We put together a pretty comprehensive list of the best and worst things to happen to/in tech in 2011.

Let us know what you think

http://bit.ly/BestAndWorstOfTech2011

[STEvil]

I was with them until they took an apple to the brain..

Best Company: Apple
Apple HQ in Cupertino, CaliforniaOne company that is constantly in the news is Apple. The company exploded in 2011, with their product portfolio consisting out of as simplest product strategy winning hearts and minds of hundreds of million consumers, breaking the annual revenue in excess of $100 billion. Secondly, the acquisition of Bruce Sewell from Intel proved fruitful, since Apple is suing left'n'right on their mission "to destroy Android".

[Russian]

I was with them until they took an apple to the brain..

I was part of this decision process, we don't take Apple's to the head

The truth is that we picked Apple because they've driven the discussion in tech this year. Afterall, we did mention that they're trying to sue Android into oblivion and we don't necessarily agree with their methods. In the end, though, they're still turning in insane profits and getting the consumer electronics market to move to their tune. If they hadn't I would've fought for a different company more vigorously as I personally don't really like Apple and the way they are run as a company. But this doesn't detract from the fact that they're executing magnificently and dominating every single market they are in.

Also, I don't own any Apple products. never have, never will.

[eXa]

You lost me @ Apple. How can you promote a company that brings nothing, only steal from others and claim it as theire own and then sues theire victims. And screws theire customers. Something wrong with your product? NO, its AT&T that is the problem... oh and here is a rubber band for you inconvenience. Do you meassure everything in $$$? Where is your honor? Apple has none for shure...

Apple is a rotten rotten company!

[FU1G0R]

You lost me @ Apple. How can you promote a company that brings nothing, only steal from others and claim it as theire own and then sues theire victims. And screws theire customers. Something wrong with your product? NO, its AT&T that is the problem... oh and here is a rubber band for you inconvenience. Do you meassure everything in $$$? Where is your honor? Apple has none for shure...

Apple is a rotten rotten company!

thumbs up for that, here in central america Mac is even more expensive ... but the brainwash is extreme

[THX1138]

So best company was about money ? How about a company that provides a nice product with a pleasurable work environment, and treats its customers with respect ? (well that last part would kill most of the tech companies)

[Aberration]

So best company was about money ? How about a company that provides a nice product with a pleasurable work environment, and treats its customers with respect ? (well that last part would kill most of the tech companies)

Funny, I have had all that with Apple. The best service I have received, BY FAR, than any other customer service in any other industry.

People just hate on Apple mainly because they are Apple. All the excuses are just rationalizations to that point.

[Russian]

So best company was about money ? How about a company that provides a nice product with a pleasurable work environment, and treats its customers with respect ? (well that last part would kill most of the tech companies)

Partly, it had more to do with Money (sheer profitability) and the fact that they're dominant in the tablet and smartphone arena... This year has been HEAVILY marked by Apple driving the market where they want it to go.

I agree that they don't treat their employees that well, but they definitely do take care of their customers. Ask almost anyone that owns an Apple product, most of them are extremely satisfied with the service.

[Gautam]

Apple's products are extremely popular for good reason whether you guys like it or not. They're not for everyone (most people on XS) but they are the dominant driving force in the mobile electronics market.

[El Mano]

Partly, it had more to do with Money (sheer profitability) and the fact that they're dominant in the tablet and smartphone arena... This year has been HEAVILY marked by Apple driving the market where they want it to go.

I agree that they don't treat their employees that well, but they definitely do take care of their customers. Ask almost anyone that owns an Apple product, most of them are extremely satisfied with the service.

Aha, ok. So do they deserve a tech award for that? I'd understand it if it was a financial award, or a marketing award.
But Apple deserves no tech award.
In the end Apple is a marketing company that repacks components and then tries to patent them.

[EniGmA1987]

and the fact that they're dominant in the tablet and smartphone arena...

lol? Android owns a lot more market share than Apple in the smartphone market. Android owns almost 50% of the market.
http://www.comscore.com/Press_Events...r_Market_Share
In the tabel area Apple may have had a lead with their iPad at first, but it is closing fast with Android tablets soon to take the lead if they havent already.

[Russian]

Aha, ok. So do they deserve a tech award for that? I'd understand it if it was a financial award, or a marketing award.
But Apple deserves no tech award.
In the end Apple is a marketing company that repacks components and then tries to patent them.

I'm with you on the marketing company, but if you look at their latest tablets, smartphones, and laptops they're current gen on everything. They used to be the company that had inferior hardware and arguably superior software. Now, they've clearly positioned themselves in a spot where they arguably have both. If you look at the A5 processor, its a pretty powerful chip and its being used in both their tablets and smartphones which now make up a huge chunk of the company's future. If they hadn't done what they did with the iPhone and iPade we likely wouldn't have this tablet war to begin with. Apple drove the tablet market and arguably the smartphone market as well. Android has definitely been a very worthy competitor and they're both 'borrowing' from eachother.

My personal quips with Apple primarily lie with the fact that they are trying to sue everyone into oblivion and by extension are causing the prices of ALL competing products to be $5-$10 or more expensive because of the legal costs associated with defending against Apple. Not to mention the fact that Apples products are severely overpriced. None of these things seriously detract from the fact that Apple has put many Smartphone and Laptop manufacturers to shame.

lol? Android owns a lot more market share than Apple in the smartphone market. Android owns almost 50% of the market.
http://www.comscore.com/Press_Events...r_Market_Share
In the tabel area Apple may have had a lead with their iPad at first, but it is closing fast with Android tablets soon to take the lead if they havent already.

Yes, Android does have more market share this year. There's no doubt about it, but the ASP of Android devices is significantly lower than iOS devices, furthermore there is a much higher attachment rate to iOS devices and an entire derivative market which is purely designed to serve that market. When new peripherals come out for mobile, they still tend to come out on iOS first.

I'm a huge proponent of Android and I've been using it since the G1 came out, but that doesn't change the fact that iOS is dominant and has a much larger marketpower. There is going to be a shift, I believe, but there is still a battle that has yet to find a victor.

I'll reiterate this again, I have never and will never own an Apple product but there is no denying the company's influence and profitability in 2011.

[Budwise]

Yea, Apple is original alright.
http://phandroid.com/2011/12/29/appl...ully-familiar/

Seriously, they do nothing but sling around lawsuits and try to apply for ridiculous patents. Instead of actually trying to compete with the market they just take them to court and cry.

[Tomasis]

without steve jobs Apple will go DOWN. It may be luck that Apple can get good things in year 2012 and later. But with slump, misses Apple loses share and will eventually end up a troll company as Rambus. I will remember 2011 as last Apple year.

[shoota]

without steve jobs Apple will go DOWN. It may be luck that Apple can get good things in year 2012 and later. But with slump, misses Apple loses share and will eventually end up a troll company as Rambus. I will remember 2011 as last Apple year.

You're both crazy. Steve left a road map for several years down the road that all Cook has to do is sit back and learn how it's done before he really takes over. Apple will be just fine for years to come.

[kl0012]

Snapdragon is the best microprocessor? Seriously?

[defect9]

I think the article was more of a "most popular" or "largest gains" than "best". Still, good information.

[Generic user #2]

lol? Android owns a lot more market share than Apple in the smartphone market. Android owns almost 50% of the market.
http://www.comscore.com/Press_Events...r_Market_Share
In the tabel area Apple may have had a lead with their iPad at first, but it is closing fast with Android tablets soon to take the lead if they havent already.

you're kidding me right? android was about 36 million tablets behind apple a couple of month ago before the kindle fire was released. since then, they've unlikely sold 10 million tablets(be honest here - we know this number is total bull). that means that apple still has 26 million more tablets out in the wild(be honest here - we know this number is total bull - they have DEFINITELY sold more than 0 tablets in the last couple of months).

no, android tablets are NOWHERE near the sales number of the ipads. the gap is NOT closing anytime soon.

[Aberration]

Can't wait for the iPad3.

[Andrew LB]

Seriously, they do nothing but sling around lawsuits and try to apply for ridiculous patents. Instead of actually trying to compete with the market they just take them to court and cry.

The only crying that's been going on lately is this non-stop complaining about Apple. While I agree that Apple has gone a little overboard on the patent applications, I'm really surprised that everyone here continually blames apple for protecting their patents. Seriously... how hard is it to verify your product is not infringing on another companies patent?

It's funny how many of the same people who praised AMD for suing Intel a couple years ago are the ones complaining about Apple.

.. oh yea. I forgot that smaller companies can't do wrong in their eyes.

[Cold Fussion]

Not to mention that Microsoft gets off very easy here where they basically do the same thing, albeit in a different way. Let's not forget Microsoft makes a lot more money off of Andriod then it does from Windows phone. The patent laws may be quite insane with what you can patent, but that doesn't change the fact that Andriod is infringing on everyone else's patents, and yet Google can do no wrong in the eyes of everyone here.

[Jokester_wild]

Not to mention that Microsoft gets off very easy here where they basically do the same thing, albeit in a different way. Let's not forget Microsoft makes a lot more money off of Andriod then it does from Windows phone. The patent laws may be quite insane with what you can patent, but that doesn't change the fact that Andriod is infringing on everyone else's patents, and yet Google can do no wrong in the eyes of everyone here.

Most likely because unlike Apple, Microsoft goes and makes an agreement that both parties can agree on and thats the end of it. Apple never tries to do that.

[Cold Fussion]

Most likely because unlike Apple, Microsoft goes and makes an agreement that both parties can agree on and thats the end of it. Apple never tries to do that.

Microsoft see it as a purely profit making exercise, Apple have a different agenda, but the outcome is the same non the less.

[miahallen]

The only crying that's been going on lately is this non-stop complaining about Apple. While I agree that Apple has gone a little overboard on the patent applications, I'm really surprised that everyone here continually blames apple for protecting their patents. Seriously... how hard is it to verify your product is not infringing on another companies patent?

It's funny how many of the same people who praised AMD for suing Intel a couple years ago are the ones complaining about Apple.

.. oh yea. I forgot that smaller companies can't do wrong in their eyes.

[Waterlogged]

The only crying that's been going on lately is this non-stop complaining about Apple. While I agree that Apple has gone a little overboard on the patent applications, I'm really surprised that everyone here continually blames apple for protecting their fraudulent patents. Seriously... how hard is it to verify your product is not infringing on another companies patent?

It's funny how many of the same people who praised AMD for suing Intel a couple years ago are the ones complaining about Apple.

.. oh yea. I forgot that smaller companies can't do wrong in their eyes.

Fixed