Best Portable Gadgets of 2013

With the New Year just around the corner, it’s time to have review of the best portable gadgets of 2013. The advancement of technology in the year 2013 can be defined by the evolution of wearable gadgets, portable tablets, flexible smartphones and great gaming consoles. The phones turned bigger with finer displays. The tablets turned slimmer with sharper screens. In fact, 2013 can be considered to be the sharpest year to date in the field of consumer electronics. It’s the year when pixels vanished in a snap. Many of these gadgets turned out to be better than their predecessors and some are displaying great potential for a spectacular show in the coming year. Let’s check out our picks for the best portable gadgets of 2013.

#10 Amazon Kindle Paperwhite

The Amazon Kindle Paperwhite is one of the lightest eReader for booklovers. The device weighs around 7 ounces and is practically thinner than a pencil. The Paperwhite model features soft and rubber coating making it extremely easy to hold and read for long sessions. It also features Wi-Fi and 3G allowing bookworms to download and share their favorite eBooks. Automatic syncing is offered over multiple devices. Besides, it also allows adding notes, creating bookmarks and highlighting texts with absolute ease and comfort.

The Pros

  • Features adjustable edge-lighting.
  • The E-ink display is white & crispy.
  • Integrates Amazon eBook Store – clearly the best in business.

The Cons

  • It does not come with a headphone jack.
  • Audiobooks are not supported.

 

#9 Fujifilm X100S

The Fujifilm X100S model is an amazing retro-styled camera which combines the best features of traditional photography in a digital flavour. The X100S is a 16.3 Megapixel camera with an X-Trans CMOS sensor and on-chip phase detection. The autofocus speed is extremely fast compared to the previous models. A new processor called the ‘EXR Processor II’ comes along with this model including the ‘Lens Modulation Optimiser’ which was never introduced before. What’s so special about it? The photo quality is OUTSTANDING! This is a dream camera for the serious photographers.

The Pros

  • Comes with a hybrid electronic viewfinder.
  • The image quality is excellent at High ISO.
  • Wideangle field view of 35 mm.

The Cons

  • Compartively bigger than other compact cameras.
  • Image stabilisation is not available.

#8 LG G Flex

Although the G Flex has just been launched in South Korea this year, it features something magical which we look forward to see among the smartphones of 2014. The G Flex is one of the two smartphones which came to the market this year with curved screens. The technology is unique and opens a new horizon for smartphone displays. A plastic OLED screen, thinner than the conventional ones can be curved and even flattened when put on table without cracking the screen. Besides, the self-healing coating reduces the scratches to a minimum level.

The Pros

  • Features a self-healing coating and the contoured display offers an immersive view.
  • The curve design is unique with a self-healing coating.
  • Great battery life and flawless performance.

The Cons

  • Camera quality is okay, but not great.
  • Does not support 1080p resolution.

 

#7 Pebble

Pebble is called 21st century’s first smartwatch. It features connectivity with iPhone and Android smartphones via Bluetooth. Silent vibration alerts you on emails, messages or incoming calls. Different apps are available for stopwatch, GPS and music player. In a nutshell, it’s the watch of the future. If you’re to keep in pace with the continuously advancing world of technology, you better get one of these as soon as you can!

The Pros

  • Features connectivity to smartphones (Android and iPhone) using Bluetooth.
  • The watch can be customized with a wide range of apps.
  • The price is quite affordable.

The Cons

  • Pebble does not support Blackberry or Windows phone.
  • The display size is a bit small.

 

#6 Samsung Galaxy Gear

Although Pebble entered the consumer market as the first smartwatch, the real deal was brought up by Samsung with their Galaxy Gear – a small, square, touchscreen watch supporting a good number of apps along with handling text messages, voice calls, taking snaps and shooting videos. The Galaxy Gear is compatible with some of the latest smartphones from Samsung and is a really smart device to take up a position on our list.

The Pros

  • Features the first camera on a smartwatch.
  • Gorgeous display at 320×320 pixels.
  • Wide range of colors.

The Cons

  • Only compatible with a few specific models of Samsung smartphone.
  • Very expensive for a watch.

 

#5 Leap Motion Controller

The Leap Motion Controller was released this year responding to the wows of the world on their YouTube video back in 2012. The controller is just a little bigger than a USB flash drive and allows the users to control the computer with hand motions. This can be used for navigating through the browser or play games. It’s a great device and can be used for further development of technical innovation in the future. Once they roll out more useful apps, they’ll rise up and hold a better position in this list!

The Pros

  • Affordable price.
  • Super precise motion control.
  • Easy set up procedure.

The Cons

  • Limited range of detection.
  • Difficult to master for the first time.

 

#4 Nokia Lumia 1020

The Lumia 1020 is undoubtedly one of the most impressive smartphones released this year. The specifications are mid blowing with a 720p 4.5 Inch screen and the highest resolution camera sported ever in a smartphone. It comes with a 41 Megapixel camera allowing ‘infinite’ zoom of any snapshot. During the release, this Windows phone was not very enriched in apps compared to the Apple Store or Google Play Store. With time, many apps have found their places on the Windows Phone platform and is turning out to be a popular mobile OS. If photography is your priority, Lumia 1020 can be an excellent choice.

The Pros

  • Highest resolution smartphone camera.
  • Perfect solid form factor.
  • Battery life is great.

The Cons

  • Bigger in size compared to the latest slim and sleek smartphones.
  • Expensive as a smartphone.

 

#3 Google Chromecast

The Google Chromecast is a TV receiver just like Roku and Apple TV. The best part of this device is that it comes at a far lower price (only $35) and also a smaller size. It can be plugged on to an HDMI port in your TV and used to stream content from smartphones, tablets, computers when connected to a Wi-Fi network. It supports Netflix, YouTube, HBO Go, Pandora, Hulu Plus etc. It’s the most reliable and cheapest TV receiver ever standing at #3 in our list.

The Pros

  • Very cheap price.
  • Chrome tab casting is excellent.
  • Small size and easy set up method.

The Cons

  • Does not support central playback control.

 

#2 Apple iPad Air

There cannot be a best gadgets list without the tech-giant Apple. Their most impressive additions of 2013 include the iPad Air – the fifth generation iPad. It’s lighter and sleeker than the previous models with a thickness of only 0.29 inch. It comes with the blazing fast Apple A7 64-bit processor and is the smartest tablet in terms of configuration and performance to date. If you’re looking for a tablet and don’t mind the 10 inch size, the Apple iPad Air can be a treat for your eyes!

The Pros

  • Thinner and lighter than the previous models.
  • Battery life is excellent.
  • Improved front camera enhances FaceTime experience.

The Cons

  • Does not feature a TouchID fingerprint scanner like the iPhone 5S.

 

#1 Google Glass

Welcome to the future! In the year 2013, no other device has acquired so much public attention as the Google’s eyewear – The Google Glass. Although it has not been released officially, its features are good enough to blow anyone’s mind. Just like smartwatch, the Glass allows users to connect to their smartphones and perform different functions such as making calls, sending text messages as well as shoot pictures and videos. With the right price and design, Google will possibly hit a huge number of customers for this amazing eyewear. We couldn’t but place Google Glass on our #1 position.

The Pros

  • Features hands free technology.
  • It’s highly convenient allowing multiple functions with just a movement of the head, eye or voice command.
  • Supports multitasking.
  • The platform is open for developing new apps.

The Cons

  • We couldn’t find one!

2013 was a year full of surprises with great advancements in the field of science and technology. 2014 is going to turn out smarter with better gadgets and newer technologies. Wish you all a Happy New Year!

 

Ishraq Rayeed Ahmed

 

Image Credits: ra2studio/BigStock.com