Time names Chromecast gadget of the year; what other Android devices made the cut?

Quentyn Kennemer
10 years ago

Time Magazine has put out another one of their influential lists, with the outlet highlighting the top gadgets of 2013. It’s always interesting to see where different devices end up on this list. There was a time when Apple’s mobile products were automatic winners, but the tide has shifted in recent times. Folks seem to have figured out that a little company over in Mountain View is also coming up with some extraordinary gizmos and gadgets.

So who won 2013’s best gadget accolade? None other than the little HDMI key that could (also known as the Chromecast). This $35 bundle of joy enables folks to stream multimedia to their televisions in an easy-to-use, no nonsense fashion. It uses your home’s WiFi connection to set up an ad-hoc network for streaming content in ideal network conditions, giving you stutter-free HD playback from various different sources (such as HBO Go or Netflix).

It’s like Roku, except in stick form. It’s cheap, it’s easy, and it works, which would make it a very nice holiday gift for anyone looking to upgrade their home entertainment experience. While it’s not quite as open as we’d like it to be just yet, Google promises that they are working on bringing the tools that will help facilitate third-party development. You’ll find all of the details on the Chromecast in our official review, so be sure to check that out if you want to know more about what this little guy can do. Don’t forget to mingle with the rest of the Chromecast community over at AndroidForums.com.

Other big winners

Of course, the Chromecast wasn’t the only device on this 10-item list. A couple of other Android and Android-related products made the cut. The Amazon Kindle Fire HDX (check out the forums) came in at #7, with Time giving props to instant remote control support system Mayday (which they consider to be a ground-breaking feature).

At #4 was the Pebble smart watch, an e-Ink wrist dweller that can connect to your smartphone and display social updates, notifications and messages. We’ll also give a nice nod to the Nest Protect, a smoke detector and carbon monoxide monitor in one which can alert you to potential life-threatening dangers inside your home while you’re away. Here’s the full list of products which made the list:

No matter what you like and which side of the mobile wars you stand on, one thing can’t be argued: 2013 was a great year for tech. Let’s hope 2014 brings us even more innovative ideas. Let us know what you think about the list in the comments below!

[via ChromeSpot]