The top 15 best gadgets of the decade that made our tech-hearts melt
From revolutionary phones to wireless chargers and earbuds, here are some of the most ingenious achievements of the decade in tech.
Some of the selected products from the last decade exist in newer and fresher versions, others still have the same format — of course that, the more recent the launch of the product, most probably it is still the latest model in the market as of January 2020. Regardless, most of them — if not all of them — were fairly important to the future of tech ahead.
READ ALSO → The top 15 worst gadgets of the decade that we’d rather leave in the past
15. GoPro Hero 8 Black (2019)
The real reason that the GoPro Hero 8 Black — which has just been released, in October 2019 — made the list is the outstanding update on the design, which has completely changed the attaching system on the bottom of the camera. Now there are two ‘stowable’ prongs that are attached to the bottom of the Hero 8, instead of the plastic housing that can be found on all other earlier generations and has been there since the launch of the first GoPro, back in September 2004. This mentioned former item to attach the camera was relatively bigger and could be kind of annoying sometimes, depending on where you planned to attach your camera — or could also be easily forgotten at home when the camera was ‘naked’.
14. Amazon Kindle Paperwhite (2015)
Back in November 2007, when Amazon launched the first Kindle, it quickly became the most popular e-reader in the market. Eight years later, Amazon released the Kindle Paperwhite, bringing important updates, such as an integrated light — which had always been requested worldwide by the users — and a high-resolution display — that made the appearance of the screen look very close to paper and ink. One step away from a regular book.
13. TV Remote with Netflix Button (2011)
The thing about the TV remote with Netflix button is that it shows the dominance that Netflix has conquered through the years on the streaming service market when compared to its competitors, even the ones that have been around for a while like Hulu and HBO Go. Of course that, nowadays, we have the rise of Amazon Prime Video and, more recently, the launch of new streaming services, such as Apple’s TV+, The Walt Disney Company’s Disney+ and WarnerMedia’s HBO Max, and all that indicates that the war to take over the living room’s sofa has just begun.
12. Nintendo Switch (2017)
Adaptability. The main reason why Nintendo Switch made the list of the decade is the mutant console: 1) it can be played as a portable videogame console in a plane, a car, or in your bed — much like a slightly bigger and much better Game Boy Advanced from the 2000s — , 2) it can be played while connected to your TV — the console attaches on a charging dock and you simply remove one of the controllers while it charges — , and 3) you could also remove both controllers, left and right, to play it with a friend, also while charging the console on the deck. To sum up, you can easily take your game anywhere you go and then connect to a giant screen when you get home — flexible at its best. Neat.
11. Webcam Cover
As simple as you can imagine, and extremely important when it concerns to security issues. The webcam became one of the must-have items on laptops at the beginning of the 2000s, mostly because of live-streaming and video-chatting services like Skype. Nonetheless, with several serious cases of security camera hacking issues going on, and laptop cameras being spied on — and also after Mark Zuckerberg posted a random photo and everyone on the web started talking about the piece of duct tape that covers his webcam lens in June 2016 — , it just became a common sense of security to cover your laptop lens.
Given the importance that our data has nowadays — specially after #OwnYourData and the Facebook-Cambridge Analytica scandal — , this intriguingly non-technological solution of covering your webcam lens with a sticker just seems to be the right thing to do.
10. USB-C Port (2015)
The dream of the perfect standard port in all devices. It may not be a complete reality yet, but it surely is much closer after the USB-C adoption. The port was first seen in 2015 and represents a single universal standard, which can handle power, internet, display, and data, and all of that through this one ‘new’ entry.
Samsung, Motorola, and many other tech companies have been receptive to the innovation and have gradually adopted the new port on their devices. Although Apple did update the MacBook Pro to the new port in the following year, they have always refused to update their phones and tablets, arguing that it would cause the discontinuation of over 1 billion products — we can assume that they mean every single iPhone and iPad sold through the decade, as they all feature the Lightning connector port since Apple’s major update in 2010.
In spite of Apple’s stubbornness, since its release, the USB-C port has been considered the standard port to finally end the situation of having to carry around one adapter for each port of your notebook, phone, and/or tablet every single time you leave your home. A big step for the tech industry, but still a lot of ground to cover.
9. Apple iPhone 6 and 6+ (2014)
After lots of Android phones getting bigger and bigger throughout the years, Apple finally made a move and launched the desired big screen versions of the iPhone as well. The iPhone 6 was released in September 2014 with longer battery life and two size options. Compared to the previous generation, the iPhone 5S, both models were somewhat bigger — which did not make 100% of the users happy about it and later led to the launch of the iPhone SE in 2016. As shown below, the difference between the sizes was quite noticeable:
- iPhone 5S (2013): 4.87 inches (123.8 mm) of height and 2.31 inches (58.6 mm) of width;
- iPhone 6 (2014): 5.44 inches (138.2 mm) of height and 2.64 inches (67.1 mm) of width;
- iPhone 6+ (2014): 6.22 inches (158.1 mm) of height and 3.06 inches (77.8 mm) of width;
- iPhone SE (2016): same as iPhone 5S;
Nevertheless, there were some unexpected downsides, such as the fact that the Plus version was so comically oversized for some pockets that led to the embarrassing #bendgate situation — go ahead, google it — or, in some cases, did not even quite fit into our pocket. But hey, at least it got big, isn’t that what you all wanted?
8. Samsung Galaxy Note (2011)
Speaking of big phones, this is when things got started and the term “phablet” was first used. Samsung’s Galaxy Note, the first one, simply blow up the big phones market. A massive screen on a smartphone was a pretty ambitious idea back in 2011, considering that the iPhone still had a relatively small screen and it would only get bigger 3 years later, with the launch of the mentioned iPhone 6 and 6+. We could say though that they got inspired by the first Apple iPad launch in the year before that, as we’ll see next.
7. Apple iPad (2010)
Still on the big screen devices subject, in January 2010 we had the establishment of a new category of gadget when Steve Jobs himself announced the first Apple iPad in San Francisco by saying:
“Is there room for a third category of device in the middle, something that’s between a laptop and a smartphone?”
And there surely was. The third and new category of the ‘third screen’ had just been launched, with Apple’s iPad successfully creating room for this new category of device, that sits between laptops and smartphones. It is true that, over the decade, the users’ enthusiasm hasn’t remained the same as when it was first launched, but there is no doubt that it shaped the future of tech ahead. Kudos to Apple for doing so, considering that Android tablet makers have never accomplished to launch a true competitor to the pioneer Apple’s iPad, the one and only.
6. QI Wireless Chargers (2017)
The wireless age has definitely come. The Q.I. Wireless Chargers do similar to what Apple tried to do with the AirPower in 2018 — and then gave up and canceled the project in the following year, as they were a bit ambitious about it and things didn’t go as planned. Basically, you only need to rest your phone on the device — with the screen up, obviously — and it’ll wirelessly charge your phone. The most notable thing about it is that it works with any phone that has the technology — it doesn’t matter the brand — and the list, as per January 2020, is quite extended:
- Apple: iPhones 8, 8+, X, XR, XS, XS Max, 11, 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max; AirPods 2 and Pro;
- Samsung: Galaxy S6, S6 Edge, S6 Edge+, Note 5, S7, S7 Edge, S8, S8+, Note 8, S9, S9+, Note 9, S10, S10+, S10E, Note 10, Note 10+ and Fold;
- Google: Nexus 5, 6, and 7; Pixel 3 and 3XL;
- Motorola: Droid Mini, Maxx, Turbo, Turbo 2, and Moto X Force;
- LG: G3, G4, G6, G6+, V30, V35, G7, V40, G8, G8S, and V50;
- Sony: Xperia Z3V, XZ2, and XZ3;
- Nokia: Lumia 735, 830, 920, 928, 930, 950 and 1520; 8 Sirocco and 9 Pureview;
- Huawei: Porsche Design, Mate 20 Pro and P30 Pro;
- Xiaomi: Mi Mix 2S, Mi Mix 3, Mi 9 and Mi 9 Explorer;
Although it does have a few downsides — like you won’t be able to effectively use the smartphone while it rests on the gadget, otherwise it’ll obviously stop charging — , the technology has surely brought us a fresh idea and a new experience, so who knows what might come next for the wireless technology in the future ahead of us.
5. Apple MacBook Pro with Touch Bar (2016)
When Apple released the 4th generation of the MacBook Pro in 2016, they also introduced the revolutionary Touch Bar. And it was amazing. The versatility was incredible, it could become anything. Basically, the Touch Bar replaces the function keys that usually go on the first line of a regular keyboard and displays features that are much more useful and practical to your active app at that exact moment. Emojis if you’re using a messaging app, a timeline if you’re editing a video on iMovie, editing tools or filters to apply on if you’re uploading a new photo album — and system controls, like volume and screen brightness.
The Touch Bar changes automatically based on what you’re doing to display suggestions of relevant tools, and the change is precisely immediate to the moment that you switch apps. And the icing of the cake: it has the Touch ID feature as well — yes, the same one used from iPhone 5S until 8 and 8+ — , to unlock your MacBook Pro, make secure online purchases, and much more — all of that, just one finger away.
4. Samsung Galaxy S6 (2015)
Oh yes, the curved screen phone. Samsung Galaxy’s prior generations had already been a complete hit of sales worldwide in the previous years, but when Galaxy S6 was first introduced, that’s when people actually wanted to have and buy a Galaxy for what it in fact was, and not because it was the only good option for a powerful smartphone besides the iPhone back then.
The Galaxy S6 was released in two versions — one of them with an innovative curved screen — , it had a beautifully vibrant OLED screen and was glass-and-metal made — instead of plastic like the earlier models were — , but, most importantly, it was the game-changer to make Samsung finally take the smartphone market competition seriously, and show the world that they could produce desirable phones just like Apple could. Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy S8 may have been Samsung’s most popular phone in the whole decade, but the S6 was decisively crucial to Samsung’s future ahead.
3. Apple iPhone 4 (2010)
This is when everything about smartphones changed and effectively traced the entire future of the decade ahead. Apple’s iPhone 4 was groundbreaking for plenty of reasons, such as 1) it was the first smartphone to be 100% glass-and-metal made, no more plastic back — Samsung would only reach this point five years later, as we have just seen on Galaxy S6’s review — , 2) the iOS system was first introduced as it’s called along with the iPhone 4 launch, 3) it was the first iPhone with Apple’s gorgeous Retina display, a selfie camera, plus the new Lightning connector port, 4) the introduction of the Apple A4 chip, the first processor actually designed by Apple for a smartphone — the previous iPhone 3GS comically had a processor designed by Samsung — , and 5) last, but not least, the 5-megapixel camera on the back managed to set a photo-quality standard for every upcoming smartphone. The iPhone 4 was innovating and pioneering for Apple, sure, but in the big picture, it was disruptively revolutionary for the whole smartphone industry.
2. Google Chromecast (2013)
The launch of Google Chromecast in July 2013 was a great breakthrough for everyone that struggled to watch something from the computer on the TV through VGA or HDMI cables — we have to emphasize that smart TVs were really expensive back then. It changed everything. It was cheap, really easy to set up, and, although smart TVs have had many new version releases, new brands have entered the segment and their prices have been lowered through the upcoming years, Google’s Chromecast is still today a very handy and useful gadget to instantly connect your favorite Netflix series to your TV.
1. Apple AirPods (2016)
The most important thing to be learned here is that everything needs to be balanced. The Apple AirPods wasn’t the first wireless earphone, nor the first to work through Bluetooth connection. In a matter of fact, this is actually a very old technology and an already explored market. However, the perfect combination of technology and design made the AirPods sell like hotcakes — it was hard to buy for months — and successfully introduced Apple into another new category of technology devices, once again.
Let’s talk about design. It wasn’t a shot in the dark when Apple started approaching fashion and luxury sector executives and hired Angela Ahrendts — former CEO of Burberry — and Paul Deneve — former CEO of Yves Saint Laurent — , among others. The way Steve Jobs has always cared so much about the design of the products is definitely on Apple’s DNA — and still remains nowadays under Tim Cook’s legacy. The AirPods truly had that DNA, they were beautifully designed and worked with a sync precision that blew everyone’s mind. Design matters.
And so does technology. The Bluetooth connection, which had always been a terrible experience for everyone in the recent past — who remembers the terrifying Motorola’s Bluetooth headsets back in 2005? — , worked like magic in the new AirPods, just one click away to pair them with your phone. Plus, the automatic pause when you unplug one pod from your ear, and the double-tap command to change the song — were features that definitely enhanced the product and made it unique.
The Apple AirPods wasn’t a pioneer product at all, in fact, it actually got into a competitive and relatively old market, but it was so ingeniously designed that it immediately became a hit and it decisively changed the culture of wireless earbuds, as we have witnessed — Google’s Pixel Buds, Xiaomi’s Airdots, Huawei’s Freebuds, among many others were launched after 2016.
Apple used an old idea to build and deliver a new product that combined design and technology. And it worked. The combination of both brought us to this, the gadget of the decade.
One more thing…
Extra: The Water-Resistant Technology
Who has lost a phone that fell into a swimming pool or — ew — into the toilet? Maybe it didn’t happen to you exactly, but you probably know someone who’s been there. Smartphones have been with us since the mid-2000s and water has been one of the greatest enemies of those technological little devices in our hands. The Rice Theory to fix a phone that has dropped in water has flooded the internet — sorry about the pun — in the early years of the decade of 2010s, but did that actually work? Most probably not.
Samsung’s smartphones were pioneering at that concern and have been delivered as water-resistant since 2016, with the IP68 certification — which means they are water-resistant, not waterproof, and could be submerged to 1.5 meters (5 ft) and for up to 30 minutes. In the same year, Apple’s new iPhone 7 and 7+ were the first iPhones classified as IP67, which means they were resistant to splashes and could be submerged to 3 meters (10 ft) and for up to 30 minutes as well.
After that, all subsequent models — from all brands, not only restricting to Samsung’s and Apple’s smartphones — have been enhanced with a better water-resistance feature model after model, but, it’s important to emphasize once more, that none of them — as of January 2020 — are actually water-proof, they are at most water-resistant.
The main difference between them is that, for example, a piece of hardware inside the phone may break with extended exposure to water since they are not actually waterproof. But hey, that’s definitely some progress since the old days’ nightmares we have all been to and/or witnessed, relying on the Rice Theory to get the phone dry and hoping it would miraculously blink back to us.
