Best in Tech 2012

Marketing Team Technology

macbook proAs we look ahead to the new year, let’s take a step back and see what we accomplished. Here are the top 3 tech devices of the year based on creativity and future impact (in no particular order).

1. MacBook Pro with Retina Display

Yes, Apple made the list and there’s a case to feature any other device they released this year such as the popular iPad mini, iPhone 5, or the new iMacs. But the 15-inch MacBook Pro with Retina Display tops the product line. Why? While the other Apple devices feature upgrades and different screen sizes, the new MacBook Pro completely replaces the powerhouse desktop in a mighty mobile solution. The new laptop is thin, light, and the razor-sharp Retina display is truly ahead of its time. Upon release, several websites and popular software programs (or apps) had to work overtime to release “Retina-quality” upgrades. Tablets may not replace mobile computing for all, but this new laptop has already become the go-to option for the intense computing needs of video editors, photographers, gamers, and others.

2. Lytro Camera

No, this is not a camera made by the heavyweights Nikon or Canon. This camera was founded by a startup company of the same name. And it has completely reinvented the art of photography. The Lytro camera captures the entire light field when taking pictures, which allows the user to select and modify the depth of field after the picture is already taken (you can now refocus a picture at any time). This changes the entire school of photography.

3. Raspberry Pi

This $35 computer developed by the UK Raspberry Pi Foundation contains only the bare essentials of computing in the form of a credit-card-sized circuit board. Yet the impact of this small computer is a monumental step towards computer science education. The cheap cost of the computer allows students and adults to tinker and create various innovations from retro gaming, voice-activated coffee machines, musical instruments and more.