2014, like any year, saw many awesome gadgets and technological devices released. The rate at which technology advances is so fast, that your device is “old” only a few months after you buy it, however they are only considered old by industry standards. With the holidays upon us, many people are running out to get their last minute tech gifts for their loved ones. This year we have seen many advances in mobile phones, wearable tech, and other technological devices. With so many options out there, it can be difficult to choose the right gadget for you. So we compiled this list for our top picks of the best gadgets of 2014, and ranked them in no particular order.
6. The HERO4 Black GoPro
The first gadget that we are going to look at is the HERO4 Black camera from GoPro. GoPro has been an extremely successful company since its launch, and is pretty much the only company in its field. GoPro produces small, portable, and heavy-duty cameras that can be used for a variety of purposes. We have seen them strapped onto skydivers helmets or attached to a supercar. Out of all of their cameras the HERO4 Black is their nicest model. The camera has an improved processor, camera lens, and battery over its predecessors and offers a nice 12MP camera. That camera can record 4K videos at 30 fps, 2.7K video at 50 fps, and 1080p video at 120 fps second. It has built in wi-fi and bluetooth, in addition to being waterproof up to 131 feet. All of that is packed into this tiny camera weighing only 3.1 ounces. The HERO4 Black retails at $499.
5. The Moto 360
Smartwatches are all the rage today, and it seems that they are not just a fad but something that will stick around. Many companies have taken a stab at their version of the smartwatch, and even Apple is getting into the game. However, we think that the Moto 360 from Motorola is the best one out right now. The are pretty much two reasons most people purchase a watch: the first being the ability to tell time, and the second being they like the look of it. A watch is not only a timepiece, but a piece of fashion. In our opinion, the Moto 360 is the most elegant looking smartwatch currently on the market. It runs Android Wear and is compatible with most Android cell phones. It looks good, is waterproof, has a good battery life, and has all of the smartwatch features one would expect. The best thing about Android powered smartwatches is that you can change the watch face to pretty much anything because it is a screen. The watch starts at $249 for the one with the leather band, or $299 for the watch with the all-metal band.
4. The Microsoft Surface Pro 3
The next device that we are going to look at is Mircosoft’s Surface Pro 3. This is the third version of this device, and is easily the best one yet. Despite okay sales, this devices is downright awesome and I’m not sure why it is not selling more. People think that this is a Microsoft tablet, which it is, however it offers a lot more. The device has a few different functions. At first its a tablet that meets all of your tablet needs, and then with the flick of a button, its a fully functioning desktop. This is both a tablet and a full working computer running Windows 8.1. You can easily move from one mode to the other, and the snap-on keyboard makes it truly one of the best all-in-one devices ever. Being a fully working computer, you’ll find Intel i3, i5, and i7 processors in here, 4-8 GB of ram, flash memory, and a 2160 x 1440 HD resolution display (depending on the model). The device starts at $799 and can get as expensive as $1,849 for the best version.
3. The Apple iMac with Retina 5K Display
This year Apple came out with its all-new iMac and figured that they would skip 4K resolution and go right to a display with 5k resolution. Apple is known for a lot of things, and they consistently make some of the best displays on the market. Boasting an insane 5120 x 2880 resolution, this is easily their nicest display. You really have to see one in person, as it is absolutely amazing. Outside of the screen, iMac users will find everything that they are used to. The device runs OS X Yosemite, has a 3.5Ghz quad-core Intel i5 processor (for $250 more you can upgrade to the 4.0Ghz i7), either 8GB, 16Gb, or 32GB of ram, and one terabyte of storage that can also be upgraded. Units start at $2,499 and can cost as much as $4,399 if you upgrade everything.
2. The iPhone 6 Plus
We wanted to include cellphones on our list too, and we actually came up with two, with the first one being the iPhone 6 Plus. The iPhone 6 Plus is the largest model that Apple has ever released with a 5.5 inch screen. This device is meant to directly compete with devices like the Galaxy Note 4, and the Nexus 6. iPhone users will feel at home with this device once they get used to the size. It has a Retina HD screen, an A8 processor, an 8MP rear camera, and their Touch ID among other features. The reason we picked the 6 plus over the 6 is due to this phone having a larger screen, a better camera (it has OIS, while the regular 6 does not), and a larger battery. While Android phones have better specs, the iPhone 6 plus performs really just as fast, arguably takes the best pictures of any mobile phone, and has a battery that can last you two days. The phone costs $299 to $499 (depending on the model) with a two year phone contract.
1. The Droid Turbo
Finally we have the Droid Turbo. The Droid Turbo probably won’t win any awards for the best looking cell phone, however this phone is an absolute tank of a device. Essentially Motorola and Verizon (the Droid line is exclusive to Verizon unfortunately) came together and said “let’s make the best spec’d phone you can buy”. The device has a 5.2 inch Quad HD screen, 3 GB of ram, a 21 megapixel camera, the newest Snapdragon 805 quad-core processor that clocks 2.7Ghz, and an insane 3,900 mAh battery. The battery is one of the largest a phone currently has on the market and you can get two days of use from it. It also runs virtually stock Android which is a plus for many. The phone itself is made from either glass fiber thats reinforced with Kevlar, or ballistic nylon so it will hold up over time. Again unfortunately you can only get this phone on Verizon, but it is easily the best Android phone out right now.
Photos from Sean Gallup/Getty Images, GoPro, Motorolla, Microsoft, Apple
