It's hard to sum up the last ten years in technology. We've had new phones, data breaches, foldable technology, virtual reality, and a host of other things that have kept us busy. Technology never stands still for long, and if the last ten years are passing, then we are certainly in for a whirlwind decade. Here at TechRadar headquarters, we've had our own fun tech to ponder, so we've narrowed down our favorite options over the years. From the revolutionary Oculus Rift to the global obsession with selfie sticks, here are our picks for the best tech and trends of the past decade.
2010 - Apple iPad
(Image credit: Apple) When the iPad came on the scene, everyone laughed at it. Why would we need this huge tablet, and who would buy one? Turns out everyone. With an ever-expanding ecosystem of apps and the simple, easy-to-use iOS interface, Apple's iPad truly ushered in the tablet era. Sure, there were plenty of tablets before the iPad, but none of them brought simplicity and elegance in the same way that the iPad did.
2011 - iPhone 4S
(Image credit: Apple) The original iPhone was really something we weren't ready for, but it had its fair share of issues as a first-generation product. Apple's iPhone 4 has improved a lot on this, but we think it's the iPhone 4S that really spurred people to claim the iPhone 4S. One of these phones. In addition to a better processor and a better camera, the iPhone 4S also introduced the world to Siri, Apple's digital voice assistant. Very quickly, people were barking orders into their phones, and Apple knew they had a winner on their hands.
2012 - Oculus Rift
(Image credit: Sebastian Stabinger) Few things were as exciting on the tech scene as the proper introduction of virtual reality with the Oculus Rift. Rift's founders wanted to create a more efficient virtual reality solution than what was currently on the market, and also make it more accessible to gamers. He launched an extremely successful Kickstarter in 2012, introducing the first version of the Rift, and then continued to improve the helmet over the years. Finally, the company would be scammed by Facebook in 2014 for the modest sum of €2 billion. Honorable Mention: Tesla Model S
(Image credit: Tesla) Few would anticipate the magic of an all-electric vehicle, but when Tesla finally revealed the Model S to the world, consumers were completely stunned. Here's an energy efficient car that looked great on the road and was easy to drive and drive? Consumers were more than happy to part with their hard-earned Model S money, and that was long before autonomous driving was even discussed at Tesla. This proved that there really was a market for electric vehicles and Tesla was more than happy to lead the pack.
2013 - PlayStation 4
Sony made big waves with the PlayStation 3, and it was only a matter of time before moving on to the next big thing. The PlayStation 4 was an incredible feat of engineering, with a faster processor, incredible graphics capabilities, more storage space, and much tighter online gameplay and functionality. The developers applauded Sony for listening to their requests, as well as those of the fans, finally delivering a console that would define a new generation of gamers.
2014-Amazon Echo
(Image credit: Amazon) Apple may have introduced Siri to the world, but it was Amazon that installed a digital assistant in our homes. The company's Echo speaker brought Alexa into our lives, and the doors opened from there. Whether answering questions, ordering food, or playing music, Alexa was more than happy to oblige. While people thought it was a bit scary to have a device in your house that would always listen, most threw caution to the wind and grabbed the little assistant's 'no go'. Amazon at breakneck speed. Honorable Mention: Selfie Stick
(Image credit: Amazon) Oh yeah, the selfie stick. This bulky thing that people were more than happy to wave in public or even accidentally bump into you while trying to capture the perfect photo. They made a splash in 2014, and their popularity (and some inconvenience to others) led to their ban from various concert halls, museums, and historical sites. Although its use may have declined over the years, the selfie stick is a true testament to how far people will go to get a decent photo of themselves.
2015 - Hoverboards
(Image credit: HOVERBOARD BLUETOOTH COSMOS) Just hear us out on this one: These pesky (and dangerous) two-wheelers rose to popularity in 2015, with everyone from kids to adults clamoring to tackle one of these things. Unfortunately, their popularity It meant the market was flooded with cheap imitations, leading to serious accidents, exploding batteries, airline bans, and a whole host of other problems. Fortunately, the madness ended soon enough, so seeing someone out in the wild riding one of these death machines is truly a sight to see.
2016 - Apple Airpods
(Image credit: Apple) 2016 was the year Apple finally said goodbye to the headphone jack and ushered in the AirPod era. These wireless headphones would end up being in people's ears 24/7, even (we assume) when people weren't listening. It also caused a wave of similar products to hit the market, but Apple's huge fan base was more than happy to save these headphones in lieu of a decent headphone jack on their iPhones. Honorable Mention: Samsung Galaxy Note 7
(Image credit: Future) When the Note 7 was revealed, the world was excited about the idea. Here's a classy phone that had plenty of screen space and a stylus for quick notes and sketches. It seemed like the perfect continuation of the company's Note series, until it was in the hands of consumers. Battery issues continued to plague the Note 7 after launch, resulting in a hostile reception. The company has worked hard to try to rectify the various issues before finally pulling the plug and offering refunds to affected customers. RIP.
2017 - Nintendo Switch
(Image credit: Future) While most of the world's population is content to watch games on their smartphones, the rest of us dreaming of a decent portable gaming experience were finally rewarded when Nintendo announced the Nintendo Switch. This portable game console can be taken anywhere and comes with two controllers that can be used together or separately to allow two players to play. In addition, the Switch could also be used as a home console connected to a TV, making it a huge hit with Nintendo fans and gamers and quietly attracting attention from the poorly received WiiU. Honorable Mention: Bose QuietComfort 35
(Image credit: Bose) Noise cancellation is something we almost always expect from headphones these days, but back in the days when Bose introduced the QuietComfort 35 to the world, it wasn't as banal as other headphones or of any use at all. . But Bose seemed to have done away with the noise-canceling QuietComfort 35, making it a serious addition to any traveler's arsenal or really anyone who just wants a bit of peace and quiet. To this day, they remain one of our most recommended headphones, and if you're lucky enough to spend a few minutes with them, you'll quickly understand why.
2018 - Apple Watch 4
(Image credit: Shutterstock) The Apple Watch launched in 2014, and while it's a new product worth mentioning, it had a number of issues that were slowing it down. perhaps its potential to conquer the public. The fact that it required a paired iPhone for location services, had limited storage, and a slightly above-average price meant few people wanted to jump on the Apple Watch bandwagon. But when Apple released the Apple Watch 4, things changed. It featured a faster processor, twice the storage, a better heart rate sensor, fall detection, and a host of other improvements, making it a must-have smartwatch for iPhone users.
2019 - Samsung Galaxy Fold
(Image credit: Samsung) Although some companies are working on foldable screens and related technology, Samsung was the first to put a foldable phone on the market before anyone else. Yes, it found some issues with the display when it was first rolled out to reviewers, but the company was quick to send the phone back for further testing and improvements before finally releasing it. publish for public purchase. While its massive price tag may not be the easiest to swallow, the Galaxy Fold is still one of the most unique pieces of tech we've seen this year, and it's sure to be the first of many similar foldable devices to come.