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60-second review: iPad the best gadget of 2010

After launching in April, the revolutionary tablet computer has inspired a new wave of portable computers with applications you don't get on a basic computer.

    by By Bridget Carey, McClatchy Newspapers (MCT), External
    Published 

After reviewing products each week, it's only fitting that I take a look back at the best tech I've tinkered with in 2010 and pit them against each other in the first Bridget Carey Tech Review Awards. We'll call them The Careys.

Here's a quick summary of this year's winners:

Best Showoff: The Fujifilm FinePix Real 3D W3 camera. Because most people don't have a computer or TV that can show 3D photos and movies, this $500 camera is perfect for showoffs: The display screen viewer has a 3D effect. And for $7 a pop, you can make a hard copy of your prints with a 3D effect, similar to a hologram, for family and friends.

Best Breakout: Barbie Video Girl. Much like a breakout artist, this category is for gadgets that are new shining stars in the tech scene. With simple-to-use software, this doll with a built-in camera takes playtime to a new creative level. It's a great way to inspire the next generation of young storytellers and have them learn to edit video with mom and dad.

Worst Performance: The TungstenW biometric wallet. Made of carbon fiber, this hard case wallet only opens with the owner's fingerprint scan ... unless you drop it, in which case it easily pops right open and breaks. For $600, this theft-prevention wallet is a dud. All the thief needs to do is give it a whack against a table or floor.

Smartest Smart Phone: Apple iPhone 4. This year was clearly the year of the smart phone, with a barrage of Android-powered phones hitting the market. It was a close battle with the Samsung Galaxy S line of Android phones, but Apple's iPhone 4 still stands out for ease of use and the largest selection of applications.

Gadget of the Year: Apple iPad. After launching in April, the revolutionary tablet computer has inspired a new wave of portable computers with applications you don't get on a basic computer. Android is already hot on Apple's heals with the Galaxy Tab line that's lighter and easier to hold, and even the Barnes & Noble Nook Color is more like a iPad with its ability to download Android apps and access Microsoft Office files.

(c) 2010, The Miami Herald.

Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.