T3 Gadget Awards 2010: The Winners

published 11 October 2010

App of the Year: Google Maps Navigation

Expanding the already massively helpful Maps app into a full-on satnav, the Android-only Maps Navigation is a genuine killer app for the massively popular smartphone platform. With superb integration with Google Search, Street View and voice control, it's the app you've been searching for.

Google Maps Navigation review | App of the Year | T3 Judges' Video

Tech Brand of the Year: HTC

All our judges and you agreed that it was HTC's year. Certainly it had some superb products, most notably the Desire and its close cousin, the under-rated Google Nexus One. Nobody could reasonably argue that HTC's product run beat Apple's this year, but where the American firm found itself mired in controversy and facing a backlash for its perceived smugness and control freakery, HTC sailed benignly on.

T3 Gadget Awards 2010: HTC | Tech Brand of the Year | T3 Judges' Video

TV of the Year: Panasonic VIERA TX-P50VT20B

An example of substance - and aggressive pricing - triumphing over style, Panasonic's plasma was the unanimous choice of all our judges and the reader vote. Its superb contrast - a 5,000,000:1 contrast ratio is claimed for this one - and smoothness helped it win out, aided by the best 3D performance of any current TV set.

Panasonic P50VT20 3D TV review | TV of the Year | T3 Judges' Video

Camcorder of the Year: Sanyo Xacti VPC-CS1

The world's smallest 1080i camcorder, the CS1 also takes very good stills. A flip-out, 2.7-inch screen, 10x optical zoom, multiple face detection and an HDMI output make framing, taking and sharing video and photos a breeze and the incredibly compact frame will fit into the slimmest of pockets. With phone video capture getting better and better, a camcorder needs to be this good to be a success.

T3 Gadget Awards 2010: Sanyo Xacti VPC CS1 | Camcorder of the Year | T3 Judges' Video

Computer of the Year: Apple MacBook Pro

Last year, the MacBook Pro scooped Computer of the Year by updating its look. The casing seamlessly hewn from a single sheet of aluminium, LED-lit screen and a subtly back-lit keyboard added up to a superb-looking laptop. This year, the Pro retains its crown by upping the spec, adding i5 and i7 processors for more power and greater energy-efficiency and Nvidia 330M graphics chips for better visuals than ever.

Apple MacBook Pro review | Computer of the Year | T3 Judges' Video

Gaming Gadget of the Year: Alienware M11x

This 11.6-inch, super-chunky laptop has all the power you need to play titles such as StarCraft 2, Crysis and Mass Effect 2, bolstered by i5 or i7 processors, Nvidia GeForce GT 335M graphics and a 720p hi-def screen. Weighing in at under 2Kg, with decent battery life and at a price that's light years away from the wallet-busting prices of many gaming machines, the M11x is a worthy winner.

Alienware M11x review | Gaming Gadget of the Year | T3 Judges' Video

Innovation of the Year: Apple iPad

Always switched on, sophisticated enough to please real gadget heads and simple enough for your dad to use, this scaled-up iPod Touch sells itself more effectively than any gadget we've seen. When we took two iPads to the Gadget Show Live in April, they were the talk of the show. Everyone who picked one up, even those who were initially sceptical, was soon flicking, tilting and pinching their way through the built-in apps, hypnotised by the 9.7-inch, hi-res screen and the innate simplicity of the OS.

Apple iPad review | Innovation of the Year | T3 Judges' Video

Phone of the Year: HTC Desire

It seemed Apple would be back on top this year, but then Antennagate happened. The Desire nearly matches the iPhone in a number of key areas, looks clean-lined and functional, and it does it cheaper and on an open platform. Android Market is starting to rival the App Store for quality wares, as well.

HTC Desire review | Phone of the Year | T3 Judges' Video

Work Gadget of the Year: 3 Mobile MiFi

Work Gadget of the Year: 3 MiFi

Brought to the UK by Three - a typically savvy move from this increasingly influential mobile telecoms and internet provider - the MiFi has proved a sensation. Infamously, MiFi-like mobile hotspots even caused a Wi-Fi failure at the iPhone 4 launch - or was that because Steve Jobs was holding it the wrong way? Three's MiFi modems are actually re-branded Huawei devices - expect to see more from this giant of Chinese telecoms in the coming years.

T3 Gadget Awards 2010: 3 Mobile MiFi | Work Gadget of the Year | T3 Judges' Video

T3 Design Award: Samsung UE55C9000

T3 Design Award: Samsung UN55C9000

It's hard to argue with the 9000 Series' sheer quality of materials, its next-level tech and its innovation. As thin as a pencil, its austerely beautiful titanium frame catches the light, with its seamless form disguising touch controls. The remote control's got a bloody screen in it! The picture quality isn't too shoddy either. How does full LED backlighting and 2D to 3D upscaling grab you?

Samsung 9000 series 3D TV review | T3 Design Award | T3 Judges' Video

Retailer of the Year: Apple Store

There's general agreement that Amazon is a great online retailer and that somewhere like Selfridges provides a superb in-store experience. Only Apple manages to do both to such an incredibly high level of quality, with the honourable if slightly fusty exception of John Lewis. Apple was considered an exemplary tech haven by most of our judges and also won the reader vote.

T3 Gadget Awards 2010: Apple Store | Retailer of the Year | T3 Judges' Video

Camera of the Year: Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF1

The unanimous choice of our judges and the reader vote winner, the GF1's 12.1-meg sensor, superb photos, comparatively wide range of lenses and built-in flash make it a consummate camera for those who want to get serious about photography. This wasn't the end of Panasonic's success this year; the Japanese giant's mix of innovation and the core values of quality and affordability have paid off handsomely.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF1 review | Camera of the Year | T3 Judges' Video

Commuter Gadget of the Year: Apple iPhone 4

Call it a consolation prize if you like; Apple's much-maligned smartphone scooped this Award, both for the wealth of free and paid-for satnav apps for car commuters, the even greater buffet of time-killing games and apps laid out for those condemned to Britain's antiquated train and bus systems, and the iPhone's usual quality performance as a web browser and music/video player.

Apple iPhone 4 review | Commuter Gadget of the Year | T3 Judges' Video

Gadget of the Year: Apple iPad

There was no argument on this one. The web works brilliantly, regardless of the absence of Flash. Magazines look great on it, as T3's new app will amply demonstrate. The iPad could herald the dawn of a new era; the flood of me-too products has already begun. It could simply be a fantastically good gadget that'll never find a real niche. Either way, it's the best thing that's happened this year in the tech world, hands down.

Apple iPad review | Gadget of the Year | T3 Judges' Video

Gadget Personality of the Year: Suzi Perry

Arguably the most glamorous of all the Gadget Show hosts, Suzi grabbed this Award from the despairing fingers of Jason Chen. Her chipper, pin-sharp personality adds an improbable air of cool to the otherwise ever so slightly naff milieu of Five's The Gadget Show.

T3 Gadget Awards 2010: Suzi Perry | Tech Personality of the Year | T3 Judges' Video

Green Gadget of the Year: Intelliplug

Intelliplug puts an end to Earth-harming shenanigans by automatically shutting off equipment when it's no longer in use, detecting the reduction in power output when you turn it to standby with your remote. Not only that, but when plugged into your TV or computer, Intelliplug will also shut down all associated peripherals, from Blu-ray players to printers.

T3 Gadget Awards 2010: Intelliplug | Green Gadget of the Year | T3 Judges' Video

Home Gadget of the Year: Samsung Navibot

The Navibot's integrated camera takes a picture of your room, selects an optimum cleaning path and then sets to work vacuuming; sensors detect obstructions so that it avoids collisions. When its battery runs low, Navibot automatically returns to its charging station and as a result you never have to so much as think about vacuuming again. Isn't that what the future was meant to be like?

T3 Gadget Awards 2010: Samsung Navibot | Home Gadget of the Year | T3 Judges' Video

Music Gadget of the Year: Cambridge Audio DacMagic

With a choice of three filters, Cambridge's device takes any digital source - including via the all-important USB connector - and converts it to analogue in a most pleasing manner. It can't work miracles, but MP3s of about 192Kbps and upwards are "upscaled" very effectively. A clear winner with our judges and the public.

T3 Gadget Awards 2010: Cambridge Audio DacMagic | Music Gadget of the Year | T3 Judges' Video

New Media Service of the Year: Spotify

Spotify has a range of charms. The main one is it lets you listen to just about any piece of music for free, or £10 per month if you don't want adverts. It's got an easy, smart interface, well-established mobile versions for iPhone, Android, Symbian - hopefully BlackBerry will follow soon - a useful new social networking element, and now it's cropping up on other devices, such as Sonos' multi-room systems.

T3 Gadget Awards 2010: Spotify | New Media Service of the Year | T3 Judges' Video