CES 2012 Week
More than 28,500 votes were cast by Reg readers during December 2011 when we asked you all to name the best - and the worst - tech products of the year.
We asked for your thoughts on hardware and software in the Lifestyle, Mobile, Computing and Gaming categories, and we also wanted you to name and shame the …
I had an iPad2 and gave it up for my playbook (well not mine, they are both company devices). I have no regrets at all. Sure, it doesn't have the cool apple logo on the back, but it has a proper browser, portable form factor (I don't need a man-bag to carry it around), decent mail client (sideloaded android application), and of course, my kindle software. Sure, it doesn't have 200 different fart applications, but it is a great functional tablet for less than half the price of an iPad. I wonder how many people who voted for it have actually used one? Obviously not many given the sales figures.
Still, if we are judging on logo rather than function...
Obviously a rant you've practiced while stamping your foot while people snigger at you, before going home to look in the mirror and repeat, "You *are* better than them. You *are* better than them ..."
Half of the population are more stupid than the average person.
It rather depends on whether your average is the mean, mode or median. Bear in mind that almost all the population have more than the mean number of legs. Stupidity is probably a more symmetric distribution, though.
Not a rant, just an observation, and a pretty fair one in my experience. A lot of people will not even consider another tablet besides an iFad. They won't even evaluate it.
I am just confident enough in myself, not to need to have the coolest gadget :)
3D is a "free" feature like media playback and USB support
I think pretty much every TV above the base cheapest models and supermarket specials now does 3D; whether you want or or ever use it. The presence of 3D support doesn't have a detrimental effect on normal performance so you can just ignnore it - and many\most people do.
Most pleased to see Elite getting gold for the antique code show, although slightly confused as I don't think it's actually been featured in it (yet - hint hint guys!).
Nothing like a bit of Thargoid shooting to relieve work frustrations - check out it's modern homage Oolite for a real updated blast.
They are expensive and cap download but its by far the least heinous ISP I have ever had to speak to and they let me use the Router of my choice (that really shouldn't be a plus but Sky and a couple of other ISP's won't even consider it even if you are happy for them to not 'support' your router).
sent me a pre-configured router, but also included the set-up info for another device.
I had actually already deduced that the standard BT set-up (I'm not in an LLU area) worked in my already installed router, and got the thing working two days before the 'official' start of service date.
Previously, I was a Virgin ADSL (not cable) customer, and they encouraged a 'bare wires' service with no router when I first switched to ADSL 10 years ago.
I never intend to use a service that does not allow me to install my own router, and even then I have a separate firewall between the ADSL router and my internal network just so I can be sure that if the ADSL router is compromised, my internal network is still safe.
"the Mobile category saw Nokia's Lumia 800 smartphone gaining positive votes to a degree far in excess of its share of the market. Ditto its operating system, Windows Phone 7, in the Smartphone OS of the Year award."
All from Microsoft owned IP addresses no doubt - que the usual corporate shills...
"I disagree so you're a shill." You should at least wait for evidence before casting aspersions - you're just being lazy. Don't bother going on about past instances - irrelevant. Don't worry about looking like a 12-year old who spends too much time texting either - the spelling checker on my browser accepted your mistake with queue too.
I just wonder how many votes the lumias/wp7 got in the dodo category - but given Reg's/Andrew's pro-wp7 & pro-nokia alignment, I think we'll never know those.
Put it this way, if they're as unknown as the usual Reg commentard would like to make out then nobody will have remembered to nominate them for the usual hate.
Alternatively, one could argue that "popular" != "good". A quick look at the pop charts can be cited as evidence unless you truly believe that a billion X Factor fans and Rebecca Black can't be wrong, in which case there's not much hope for you.
Glad to see them getting a mention. In my humble experience they are impressive - good, efficient switchover, unerringly consistent performance and reliability. I like them.
"Yes, it polled well in the Smartphone of the Year, gaining a Silver, runner-up award, but Apple's latest handset was also the most disliked offering in the Mobile category."
oh, I guess that must be why it sold a shed load worldwide....
Surely 'selling' numbers and people voting on these forums don't match up.
Half of china own them (and sales count), but can't gain access to a free thinking website to vote on it. And I dare say a lot of people buy one, can't afford anything else as it is a massive cost and then regret it to some extent or just keep it to stay in the crowd / peer group.
Yes, I know, I'm about four years late to the party, but I have just had the "pleasure" of being "upgraded" to Office 2010 here at work (forced upgrade because I couldn't read the files being sent to me in the new default 2010 format, natch). What an unmitigated pile of $#!+! And I have been told I'm to get a Win7 PC this year as well. The thrills never stop!
Whose brilliant idea was it to make the user interface as different as possible from its predecessor and to require more clicks to do the same thing? In what world does that count as an improvement?
Why on earth did you "upgrade" just to use the new file formats? MS have helpfully provided a "Compatability Pack" that'll work with versions all the way back to Office 2000 http://www.microsoft.com/download/en/details.aspx?id=3
It was a toss up between Portal 2 and Skyrim (but 1,2 is right so hey) - i had to type Elder Scrolls V:Skyrim manually... as I recall Valve wasn't listed as a dev either...
I live in the US and travel to the UK. I'm on Verizon because of coverage, and just got a Droid 2 Global, which also does GSM and comes with a Vodaphone SIM. OK, so I check the pricing for service in the UK - £1.20 a minute. I contact them and say:
"OK, I see the pricing for UK to US calls, but what is the pricing for a call WITHIN the UK? "
"£1.20 a minute"
"WTF?"
"Well, you are using the international towers..."
NO I AM NOT - I am using the same damn towers everybody else is. So rather than Vodaphone getting the nod, which had their rates been competitive they would have since they will bill directly to my Verizon account, they get NOTHING from me - I'll get an Orange PAYG and be done with it.
(yes, I know - I have to get my phone unlocked to take any SIM.)
AND Verizon/Vodaphone locked the GSM side of my phone in hardware so that I cannot use US GSM sites.
PAYG - 10 pounds for the SIM, 22 p/min for voice, and 500MB data is a WHOLE lot better than what the V's were offering me. Since I'm only looking at a week at a time every few months that works for me a whole lot better. But I'll take suggestions....
Register
CES 2012 Week More than 28,500 votes were cast by Reg readers during December 2011 when we asked you all to name the best - and the worst - tech products of the year. We asked for your thoughts on hardware and software in the Lifestyle, Mobile, Computing and Gaming categories, and we also wanted you to name and shame the …
quick - contact RIM for a comment on their first award for the playbook!
Fanboi/fandroid adjusted results?
I'm sure the majority of voters will have been quite polarised in their views so the awards only show which camp has the most haters! :D
I'd have to agree....
"Utterly Useful Mobile App of the Year" - Siri-ously?
Half of the population...
..are more stupid than the average person.
I had an iPad2 and gave it up for my playbook (well not mine, they are both company devices). I have no regrets at all. Sure, it doesn't have the cool apple logo on the back, but it has a proper browser, portable form factor (I don't need a man-bag to carry it around), decent mail client (sideloaded android application), and of course, my kindle software. Sure, it doesn't have 200 different fart applications, but it is a great functional tablet for less than half the price of an iPad. I wonder how many people who voted for it have actually used one? Obviously not many given the sales figures.
Still, if we are judging on logo rather than function...
Re: Half the population
Obviously a rant you've practiced while stamping your foot while people snigger at you, before going home to look in the mirror and repeat, "You *are* better than them. You *are* better than them ..."
Half of the population are more stupid than the average person.
It rather depends on whether your average is the mean, mode or median. Bear in mind that almost all the population have more than the mean number of legs. Stupidity is probably a more symmetric distribution, though.
Bill Gates walks into a bar ...
... and the average net worth of the customers is hundreds of $millions.
Not needed
Not a rant, just an observation, and a pretty fair one in my experience. A lot of people will not even consider another tablet besides an iFad. They won't even evaluate it.
I am just confident enough in myself, not to need to have the coolest gadget :)
I have a cheapo HMV flogged off Arnova 10 G2, absolutely perfect form factor for reading comics, the widescreen held in portrait mode in one hand.
"Oi pot, this is ketlle, 'YER BLACK!'"
Familiar ground AC?
I, um, 'borrowed' a copy of Duke Nukem Forever
Deleted it.
Unplayable garbage.
Irony
Gold award goes to: Samsung (3D) telly (yes, I know it does 2D, too, and looks rather spiffy and has other features)
Rusty dodo award goes to: 3DTV
3D is a "free" feature like media playback and USB support
I think pretty much every TV above the base cheapest models and supermarket specials now does 3D; whether you want or or ever use it. The presence of 3D support doesn't have a detrimental effect on normal performance so you can just ignnore it - and many\most people do.
Antique code show gold
Most pleased to see Elite getting gold for the antique code show, although slightly confused as I don't think it's actually been featured in it (yet - hint hint guys!).
Nothing like a bit of Thargoid shooting to relieve work frustrations - check out it's modern homage Oolite for a real updated blast.
Thank You!
Downloading Oolite now ! How did I miss that ?? It's the Acorn Electron all over again......
Confused.com
Smartphone of the Year
Samsung Galaxy S II
Runner-up: Apple iPhone 4S
Rusty Dodo Award
Apple iPhone 4S
??
Well
You could try reading the words which explain it
Virgin media...
ISP of they year? Really..?
Well its the lesser of several evils... which one do you think is better?
I stand by my statement
They're all sharks :)
I would say: Zen
Zen internet
They are expensive and cap download but its by far the least heinous ISP I have ever had to speak to and they let me use the Router of my choice (that really shouldn't be a plus but Sky and a couple of other ISP's won't even consider it even if you are happy for them to not 'support' your router).
nope
BE also let you use your own modem. The caps are not as savage as zen and they are cheaper.
My vote went for smallworld cable. £30 for a phone line, digital TV and 50mb cable is a bargain.
Orange Broadband
sent me a pre-configured router, but also included the set-up info for another device.
I had actually already deduced that the standard BT set-up (I'm not in an LLU area) worked in my already installed router, and got the thing working two days before the 'official' start of service date.
Previously, I was a Virgin ADSL (not cable) customer, and they encouraged a 'bare wires' service with no router when I first switched to ADSL 10 years ago.
I never intend to use a service that does not allow me to install my own router, and even then I have a separate firewall between the ADSL router and my internal network just so I can be sure that if the ADSL router is compromised, my internal network is still safe.
Kingston Technology HyperX SSD?
Surely that award should have gone to SandForce? All of those drives perform the same.
Re: Kingston Technology HyperX SSD?
"Surely that award should have gone to SandForce? All of those drives perform the same."
Doesn't really matter which one gets the award then, does it? Although I'm guessing you have a Sandforce ...
SandForce don't make drives, they make the controller chips.
As mentioned above, Sandforce is a controller. And apart from that there were a bunch of firmware bugs, some pretty major, with Sandforce last year..
Caught red handed
"the Mobile category saw Nokia's Lumia 800 smartphone gaining positive votes to a degree far in excess of its share of the market. Ditto its operating system, Windows Phone 7, in the Smartphone OS of the Year award."
All from Microsoft owned IP addresses no doubt - que the usual corporate shills...
Re: Caught red handed
"I disagree so you're a shill." You should at least wait for evidence before casting aspersions - you're just being lazy. Don't bother going on about past instances - irrelevant. Don't worry about looking like a 12-year old who spends too much time texting either - the spelling checker on my browser accepted your mistake with queue too.
Cue
Not queue. Not que either, but at least that had the right number of letters.
I just wonder how many votes the lumias/wp7 got in the dodo category - but given Reg's/Andrew's pro-wp7 & pro-nokia alignment, I think we'll never know those.
I doubt they got many votes
Put it this way, if they're as unknown as the usual Reg commentard would like to make out then nobody will have remembered to nominate them for the usual hate.
Alternatively, one could argue that "popular" != "good". A quick look at the pop charts can be cited as evidence unless you truly believe that a billion X Factor fans and Rebecca Black can't be wrong, in which case there's not much hope for you.
Be Broadband...
Glad to see them getting a mention. In my humble experience they are impressive - good, efficient switchover, unerringly consistent performance and reliability. I like them.
"Yes, it polled well in the Smartphone of the Year, gaining a Silver, runner-up award, but Apple's latest handset was also the most disliked offering in the Mobile category."
oh, I guess that must be why it sold a shed load worldwide....
not sure you get the point.
Surely 'selling' numbers and people voting on these forums don't match up.
Half of china own them (and sales count), but can't gain access to a free thinking website to vote on it. And I dare say a lot of people buy one, can't afford anything else as it is a massive cost and then regret it to some extent or just keep it to stay in the crowd / peer group.
Windows "ribbon"
Yes, I know, I'm about four years late to the party, but I have just had the "pleasure" of being "upgraded" to Office 2010 here at work (forced upgrade because I couldn't read the files being sent to me in the new default 2010 format, natch). What an unmitigated pile of $#!+! And I have been told I'm to get a Win7 PC this year as well. The thrills never stop!
Whose brilliant idea was it to make the user interface as different as possible from its predecessor and to require more clicks to do the same thing? In what world does that count as an improvement?
Ribbons - you work round it - shareware ect
Thought I would set up for newsgroup access, no menus - downloaded Thunderbird - that has menus set it up very quickly from never seeing it before.
Word - I found a downloadable menu for it which gives me the normal menus - sort of.
Excel - never use it beyond viewing CSVs.
Found a shareware bitmap editor as well.
Why on earth did you "upgrade" just to use the new file formats? MS have helpfully provided a "Compatability Pack" that'll work with versions all the way back to Office 2000 http://www.microsoft.com/download/en/details.aspx?id=3
eBuyer?
Considering the eBuyer £1 sale fail i'm somewhat surprised
Best Game?
Skyrim came second - well done.
Am I right in remembering that wasn't even listed as an option?
Yup, not even listed...
It was a toss up between Portal 2 and Skyrim (but 1,2 is right so hey) - i had to type Elder Scrolls V:Skyrim manually... as I recall Valve wasn't listed as a dev either...
pretty sloppy voting thing if you ask me.
No No and NO!
Mobile Service Provider of the Year: Vodaphone
Where is O2, its far superior than vodaphone or t-mobile !!!!
No kidding - Vaderphone is plain stupid!
I live in the US and travel to the UK. I'm on Verizon because of coverage, and just got a Droid 2 Global, which also does GSM and comes with a Vodaphone SIM. OK, so I check the pricing for service in the UK - £1.20 a minute. I contact them and say:
"OK, I see the pricing for UK to US calls, but what is the pricing for a call WITHIN the UK? "
"£1.20 a minute"
"WTF?"
"Well, you are using the international towers..."
NO I AM NOT - I am using the same damn towers everybody else is. So rather than Vodaphone getting the nod, which had their rates been competitive they would have since they will bill directly to my Verizon account, they get NOTHING from me - I'll get an Orange PAYG and be done with it.
(yes, I know - I have to get my phone unlocked to take any SIM.)
AND Verizon/Vodaphone locked the GSM side of my phone in hardware so that I cannot use US GSM sites.
Going from vodafone to orange
is simply akin to frying pan: fire...
Orange truely are a bunch of .....................
Better than Vaderphone
PAYG - 10 pounds for the SIM, 22 p/min for voice, and 500MB data is a WHOLE lot better than what the V's were offering me. Since I'm only looking at a week at a time every few months that works for me a whole lot better. But I'll take suggestions....
meh
On vodafone international calls to the US cost 7p...
Disclosure. I work for them
Elite - Olite link
And for those of us old enough to remember Elite and want to reminisce, as already mentioned Oolite is the way to go. Link: http://www.oolite.org/
(Hmm. Pirate icon or alien icon?)
Duke Gimp'em Forever more like
Squeal boy.
3DTV
I'm not 5, I don't want to wear "special" specks so I can see things coming out of the TV.
That's what magic mushrooms are for :-P
Good to see that the rest of the population recognize 3D for what it is - a wanky gimmick.
Vodafoney
Vodafone? Now, that's ironic on a par with Blair becoming Middle-East Peace Envoy.