Another year has gone by, and we move forward towards new technologies, innovations and new gadgets. 2013 was definitely an exciting year for anyone who loves technology, and needless to day we were on our toes all year round. As the year progressed, we saw better smartphones, laptops, tablets, hybrids, audio systems, games and cameras each month. We loved a lot of new gadgets, gizmos and games, and here are the ones that topped TEAM SMARTBUY's list of favourites.

iPhone 5s

What it is: The most irresistible smartphone

Why we love it: To put it simply, iPhone 5s put in most of the tech that the previous generation lacked. But features that initially looked like afterthoughts actually made the iPhone 5s a brilliant piece of tech. The form factor remained the same as the iPhone 5, but the 5s got the sapphire crystal treatment on the camera, which also received new tricks. The 5s got better wireless performance, and performance got boosted to double. The icing on the cake was the fingerprint recognition technology. And need we say more about how good iOS 7 is?

HTC One

What it is: The prettiest performer

Why we love it: The HTC One came very early this year, and even before it was launched it was speculated to be one of the best Android smartphones of the year. Once released, it was confirmed. It was a complete departure from HTC’s usual designs, and we loved it. Because what it offered were splendid performance, a never-seen-before user interface and a truly remarkable UltraPixel camera, in a body so sleek and well designed that it kept just wanting to look at it the whole year. It gave tough competition to the iPhone 5 and Samsung Galaxy S4.

Nokia Lumia 1020

What it is: A massive camera, and oh, a smartphone too

Why we love it: Let’s face it – what’s there not to love about a 41-megapixel camera that’s housed in a smartphone body? The camera didn’t just produce stunning photos and videos, but was also packed with complete manual controls. What it meant was that you could take beautiful photos by default, or make them look good with your own creative control. And in spite of the camera technology and solid processing power packed into the phone’s body, the form factor wasn’t too bulky either. Plus we loved all the small little goodies Nokia threw in, such as some great photo tools, HERE Maps and City Lens.

Sony Vaio Pro 13

What it is: A featherweight powerhouse

Why we love it: When you think of a laptop that’s not just extremely sleek but also powerful, you usually think of the Apple MacBook Air. There really wasn’t a true PC offering that could match the MacBook Air’s value for money as well as its form factor. Until Sony picked up the gauntlet and produced the Vaio Pro 13. Crafted out of carbon fibre (two words that would make any tech-lover drool) and machined aluminium, the Vaio Pro 13 weighed just 1.03 kilos. It looked quite good too! And, it was packed with enough power to handle all your computing needs (unless you’re a workstation kind of person).

Apple iPad Air

What it is: A breath of fresh air

Why we love it: First of all, pardon the pun. In our defence, we really can’t help it because that’s just the truth. For the last 3 generations of the iPad, the overall design has been more or less the same. Only a few visual cues could tell the 2nd, 3rd and 4th generations of the iPad apart. But with the iPad Air, this tablet not just shed a lot of weight and bulk, but brought along with it a new design and more ergonomics. Weighing less than half a kilo, the iPad Air offers better performance and graphics with the A7 chip, and with MIMO technology, it’s got the best wireless technology on board.

JBL Charge

What it is: The portable party starter

Why we love it: How often do you get to see a cola-bottle sized portable speaker that delivers audio so good that you’d think it’s blaring out of a full-size dock? The JBL Charge gave us just that. With two drivers, a built-in bass port, a rechargeable battery that can also charge other devices, the form factor is a tubular structure that is just over 2-inches thick and slightly longer than 6-inches. It’s loud enough for both outdoors and indoors, delivers rich audio, and the battery goes on for nearly 10 hours. It also comes in funky colours. And, you don’t have to spend a bomb for all this!

Olympus OM-D EM-1

What it is: A camera that humbles DSLRs

Why we love it: While mirrorless cameras haven’t caught on much in India, we just couldn’t stop gaping in awe at what the OM-D EM-1 is. If you think that the name is a bit complex, wait till you read about the specs! To begin with, it’s a robust camera with almost military-grade build quality, and is weather-sealed. Thanks to top-of-the-line anti-aliasing filter free four-thirds sensor, 5-axis image stabilisation, and TruePic VII image processor, what you get is pure photography nirvana. The array of controls that have been provided will keep the serious shooter hooked on, under all lighting conditions.

Grand Theft Auto V

What it is: An unbelievably massive game world

Why we love it: The fifth edition of Grand Theft Auto brought with it a game universe so immense and so intricately crafted, it became almost impossible to not get lost in it. The game mechanics and graphics had been revamped, making it look great and challenging to play. You think you’re playing the game, but it’s the game that plays you. It keeps asking you, what you would do next, instead of commanding you to do it. The best part about GTA V, however, is that it puts you in three very different sets of shoes, and makes you see the make-believe city from three different sets of eyeballs.

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