Gallery: Gear of the Year: Gadget Lab's Favorite Stuff From 2013
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The hardest part about assembling any year-end list of "best products" is coming up with the selection criteria. Sure, we could just look at the scores of everything we reviewed in a calendar year and select the products with the highest ratings. But that's lazy, and not really useful since you can just do that yourself. We could also just pick the most buzzed-about products. Also easy: [Oculus Rift](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/gamelife/2013/12/oculus-rift/) and [Google Glass](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/gadgetlab/2013/12/glasshole/). But neither are things you can actually buy in finished form yet. So for 2013's Gear of the Year list, we took the practical route. What follows is a list of products we consider no-brainer purchases. If you're in the market for something new, you absolutely can't lose with any of these picks. Not every category is represented. We didn't pick headphones, for example — [our favorite headphones](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/gadgetlab/2013/11/gifts-audio-freak/#slideid-258431) came out years ago. But most of the major product categories saw big enough innovations this year that you'll find them on this list. So as we bid goodnight to 2013, we say hello to the year's best stuff. __Above:__ Moto X ------ The [Moto X](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/reviews/2013/08/moto-x/) hit the market like a revelation. This was the first phone that really showed off Moto-Google's new ambition. It makes great use of its sensors not only to monitor and relay information, but to perform tasks for you — like automatically swapping into driving mode and going hands free when you're moving faster than a human can, or automatically going silent when it sees a meeting on your calendar. It listens to you and (ostensibly at least) only you, and can come alive and do things based on the sound of your voice, even when it is locked. Shake it and the camera launches. Tap the screen to fire photos, or just hold it down for bursts. And yet, all that technology comes cheap — or at least cheap-ish compared to the prices for some of the other dominant Android handsets. And yes, it comes in wood. *— Mat Honan* *Photo by Brian L. Frank/WIRED*
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Google Chromecast ----------------- Google's little nubbin is extremely simple. If you think about it, the [Chromecast](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/gadgetlab/2013/07/one-night-with-chromecast/) really just replaces a $10 cable. Plug it into an HDMI slot on your TV, and you can wirelessly throw any browser-based media to the big screen on your television. The tiny dongle won't usurp your TiVo or your Apple TV, but it will introduce a wider range of video choices (basically, almost anything you can watch on the web) to your living room setup. And it will play Netflix, Amazon Instant Video, Plex media, and Hulu, so if that's all you use your set-top box for, then maybe it will replace it — or at least stand in for it when you travel. But two things in particular earn the Chromecast a spot on our best-of list for the year. First is its versatility: It works with almost every device with a screen that's on your Wi-Fi network, including Android phones, iPhones, tablets, laptops, and desktops. Second, the price: It only costs $35. It's not perfect — Silverlight videos won't play, and it sucks up bandwidth — but at such a low price, it's definitely a breakthrough device for today's cord-cutter. *— Michael Calore* *Photo by Alex Washburn/WIRED*
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Kindle Paperwhite ----------------- Before Amazon sold you everything, it just sold books. It also popularized the e-reader. Those two historical threads have lead us here, to a best-in-class e-reader that plugs directly into Amazon's vast media ecosystem. If there's an electronic version of a book, there's a very good chance it's available for the Kindle. To read all that content, the [Kindle Paperwhite](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/reviews/2013/10/2013-kindle-paperwhite/) has a light-up display with crisp fonts, great contrast, and excellent battery life. It's an improvement on last year's model, and worth an upgrade if you're a voracious reader. Plus, thanks to new [FAA regulations](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/autopia/2013/11/approved-airlines/), the paper book has lost one of its biggest selling points — it's no longer the only way to read on the airplane during take-off and landing. The bottom line is that if you love reading books, you have to get one of these. $120 with ads, $140 without. *— Roberto Baldwin* *Photo by Josh Valcarcel/WIRED*
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Apple iPad mini with Retina Display ----------------------------------- The [iPad mini with Retina Display](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/reviews/2013/11/apple-ipad-mini-retina/) is about as close to a perfect tablet as it comes. Powerful processors inside, stutter-free performance, and all day battery life, all centered around a pin-sharp 2048 x 1536 pixel Retina display. Despite complaints that it has a [narrower color gamut](http://allthingsd.com/20131118/ipad-minis-color-range-still-a-shade-shy-of-the-best/) than the larger iPad Air and [Google Nexus 7](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/reviews/2013/08/google-nexus-7/) -- Apple's screen is still one of the best displays you can get in a tablet. In fact, this is the iPad mini we were hoping for when Apple released the original last year. The 7.9-inch size is of course smaller than a full-size iPad, but this compact size is much more portable and easier to hold in a wider variety of situations. However, the thing that still sets Apple's tablet far, far apart from others on the market is the huge expanse of tablet-optimized iOS apps you can choose from. When you get one of these devices, the hardware is only half the equation — it's the software and the ecosystem that really earns the win. And it's here that Apple can't be beat. *— Christina Bonnington* *Photo by Josh Valcarcel/WIRED*
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UE Boom Bluetooth speaker ------------------------- We've tested almost all of the Bluetooth speakers out there — there are a gazillion — and when the music stops, we've really only found two that are truly worth buying: the $300 [Big Jambox](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/reviews/2012/05/big-jambox/) (on last year's Gear of the Year list) and the $200 [UE Boom](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/reviews/2013/10/ue-boom/). This beer-can-sized cylinder is the best choice if you want something packable. It sits upright and pumps out fantastic sound in a wide arc. The high audio quality is of course the number one reason to consider it. But it has other things going for it, like its superior portability, its handsome design, its splash-proof construction, and its rock-solid wireless performance when streaming audio from your phone. After the sound quality, however, my favorite thing about it is the battery life. In the last six months of use, I've consistently gotten over 15 hours of use from the battery between charges. This means that even if I listen to music for an hour every day, I only juice up my UE Boom once every couple of weeks. It's a welcome travel companion, a wonderful addition to a bathroom or a bedroom, and as essential as the sunblock on a trip to the beach. *— Michael Calore* *Photo by Ariel Zambelich/WIRED*
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Microsoft Xbox One ------------------ "Next-gen" is now the current-gen when it comes to gaming consoles, and the [Xbox One](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/reviews/2013/11/xbox-review/) brings a lot to the table even if you're not a gamer. An HDMI-in port around the back makes it the default center of all your cable-and-streaming needs, and the included Kinect lets you control your set by talking to it. Any TV you hook it up to becomes a voice-controlled, face-recognizing entertainment hub. The Xbox One lets you multitask on the screen, too: Using the console's "Snap" feature, the right side of your screen lets you browse the web or keep an eye on live TV while you're playing a game or streaming a movie. In terms of sheer gaming power, [the Sony PlayStation 4 may have it beat](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/gamelife/2013/11/xbox-one-vs-ps4/). But even when it's not playing games, the Xbox One can breathe new life into an older TV. We like that. *— Tim Moynihan* *Photo by Ariel Zambelich/WIRED*
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Sonos Play:1 ------------ There are very few spaces in a home or apartment that can't be improved with music. Sonos knows this, and you will too once you bring home a Play:1. This small, impeccably designed music maker is without a doubt the most versatile wireless speaker the company makes. More importantly, at $200, it addresses our last remaining gripe about the Sonos ecosystem: price. Like [the Play:3](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/reviews/2013/01/sonos-play3/) and [Play:5](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/reviews/2009/12/pr_sonos_s5/) before it, the Play:1 sounds fantastic. Unlike those larger units, however, this speaker can go anywhere. Whether you use it in your kitchen, your bathroom (it's humidity resistant), or your bedroom, you'll get super-reliable wireless streaming and instant access all the music you could want. Just be careful; once you buy into the Sonos ecosystem, it's hard to stop. *--Bryan Gardiner* *Photo by Josh Valcarcel/WIRED*
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Fujifilm X100S -------------- This is a camera made to take with you on vacation and around town when the idea of dragging a bulky DSLR makes you cringe. [Fujifilm's X100S](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/reviews/2013/08/retro-fabulous/) is a retro compact-camera that delivers high-quality photos quickly in a 23mm, f/2 prime lens setup. Toss the 16.3MP APS-C X-Trans CMOS II sensor into the mix and you're shooting six RAW images a second, each one of them stellar. Sure, there's no zoom. But it forces you to be more intimate with your subject. And of course, you can't change lenses. But, the 23mm lens on the camera is so great and versatile, you'll appreciate the simplicity. Sure, it's $1,300, and there are excellent compacts for less money, like [Sony's RX100 II](http://store.sony.com/cyber-shot-digital-camera-rx100-ii-zid27-DSCRX100M2/B/cat-27-catid-All-Cyber-shot-R-Series-Cameras) at $700. But Fujifilm's tiny marvel really is the perfect grab-and-go camera for every situation, something that's worth any price. *--Roberto Baldwin* *Photo by Alex Washburn/WIRED*
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Apple iPhone 5s --------------- This isn't just an iPhone. Yeah, it shares similar outward stylings to last year's iPhone 5, but the [iPhone 5s](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/reviews/2013/09/iphone5s/) packs something much more powerful and transformative: Touch ID. While [some have had issues](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/gadgetlab/2013/12/touch-id-issues-and-fixes/) with Apple's proprietary fingerprint scanner, it is changing the public's view of mobile security and of convenience. I've been carrying a 5s since it first arrived, and when I switch to another device, I instinctively hold my finger down to try to unlock it, and I'm baffled when it doesn't work. It's rare a new technology can inspire such significant, instinctive behavioral changes so quickly, but Touch ID has. While its applications may be limited to making iTunes purchases and unlocking your phone for now, the potential uses for this latest breed of sensor are vast. In just a few short months, Touch ID has stoked a new wave of interest and debate about biometrics' place in mobile technology. *— Christina Bonnington* *Photo by Ariel Zambelich/WIRED*
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Roku 3 ------ For a long time, Roku played second fiddle to the Apple TV. But with the [Roku 3](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/reviews/2013/04/roku-3/), the media streamer emerged as the better box thanks to an updated interface, better components, and a quicker processor. The $100 set-top box has over 700 channels (apps) available to stream video, music, and photos. Just browse them right on the device and download whichever ones you want. It also runs [Plex](https://my.plexapp.com/), our favorite app for watching media stored on other machines on your network. But the killer feature is the audio jack on the remote. Plug a pair of headphones into the remote, and you can watch a movie without waking your roommates or significant other. For that feature alone, the Roku 3 is worthy of one of your precious HDMI ports. *— Roberto Baldwin* *Photo by Ariel Zambelich/WIRED*
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Fitbit Force ------------ When the [Fitbit Flex](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/reviews/2013/05/fitbit-flex/) came out, I said that of all the activity trackers out there, it was "the most wearable, best-syncing device in the scrum, with the best app to boot." But I also loudly lamented that it didn't have an on-device display that could show everything it was tracking without connecting to a smartphone. Good news! Just a few months later, Fitbit rolled out the $130 [Fitbit Force](http://www.fitbit.com/force), another wrist-worn tracker that tracks your sleep and activity, wakes you with gentle vibrations, and wirelessly syncs all your data to your desktop or mobile device. But unlike the Flex, it has a built in display that can show you how many steps you've taken, how far you've walked, and how much of the day you've been active. It even tells the time like a real old-fashioned, honest-to-goodness watch. At just $30 more than the Flex, this is the one to buy. *— Mat Honan* *Photo courtesy Fitbit, Inc.*
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Panasonic's Last Plasmas ------------------------ Here's an understatement: The HDTV landscape is changing. The majority of sets you'll find these days are LED-backlit LCD displays, and we're in the early years of a big transition to 4K-resolution TVs and OLED panels. But there's still a lot to be said for good old plasma TVs, which normally have deeper black levels, smoother on-screen motion, and cheaper prices than similarly sized and tiered LED/LCD sets. By many accounts, Panasonic makes the best plasma sets you can buy. Make that *made*; the company recently announced that it will not make any more plasma TVs in the future. With 2013's [Viera ZT, VT, and ST series plasmas](http://shop.panasonic.com/shop/viera-televisions-plasma), Panasonic went out at the top of the plasma game. And now you can get these high-end sets cheaper than ever. If you're looking for a top-notch big-screen TV for the Super Bowl, you'll have a tough time beating the 50-inch Viera ST60 for less than $1,400, the 55-inch Viera VT60 at around $1,600, or the 60-inch Viera ZT60 for just north of two grand. *— Tim Moynihan* *Photo courtesy of Panasonic Corporation of North America*
