Best of TechRadar 2014
With 2014 at an end, we decided to take a look back at some of our favourite bits of writing for the year.
From buying guides to reviews, opinion pieces to our favourite interviews and news exclusives, it's been a great year, and we hope you enjoy our look back at some of the highlights.
Below are the articles that made TechRadar what it is - your ultimate place for news, features and reviews of the greatest gadgets and a ton of tech teases.
Thanks for reading and commentating and we look forward to hearing from you in 2015.
Console gaming is dead; everything good is happening on PC right now
By James Rivington, 5 August
"The Xbox One doesn't need a cheaper price tag or new colours to get people interested. It needs some decent games, because let's face it, there are none.
"Games, apps, features and functionality - both next-gen consoles are still hugely lacking in them all and we're nearly a year in now."
Also among James' favourites:
The real reason Google bought Nest
By Marc Chacksfield, 14 January
"If you hate the phrase the Internet of Things, then you are not alone. Tony Fadell, founder of Nest, isn't a fan either.
"He told TechRadar back that items that should never be 'connected' include fridges, toasters and kettles. And this is from the guy who made both smoke alarms and thermostats 'smart'."
Moto 360 review
By Matt Swider
Moto 360 proves that smartwatches can be as fashionable as its Google Now-integrated software is functional, making it the first Android Wear watch worth strapping to your wrist.
Its circular watch face takes cues from stylish designer wristwatches with analog tickers, not square-shaped smartwatches. The very computerized-looking Pebble Steel, Samsung Gear Live and LG G Watch are no match for what Motorola had up its sleeve.
How Project Morpheus unearthed some of my greatest fears
By Cameron Faulkner, 28 October
"I recently had the privilege to try out Project Morpheus, Sony's bold attempt at bringing virtual reality gaming to the PS4. Waiting in line, I watched others play through the two demos available. They all seemed to be having fun, smiling, looking all around and comfortably managing their existence in two worlds at once.
"When it was my turn, a Sony representative slipped the equipment over my eyes and as soon as my vision of a demo event was replaced with darkness, all I knew about VR quickly shattered."
Also among Cameron's favourites:
How Evernote became the elephant in 90 million rooms
By Kane Fulton, 31 March
"There's been a few famous elephants over the years - from Dumbo's big-eared protagonist to the star of that 90s Rolo commercial.
"But California-based Evernote's logo, a grey elephant, is perhaps the most recognised trunk-toting mammal among fans of cloud-based productivity software in 2014."
Also among Kane's favourites:
- The challenges Wearable tech needs to overcome to succeed
- From racetrack to cardiac surgery: how McLaren is bringing IoT up to speed
iPhone 6 review
By Gareth Beavis, first published September
"Why do we have the Apple iPhone 6? Well, despite record sales, the Cupertino brand was heading for a fall. Not this year, or the next. But the brand had been trading on the same phone for four years and something big was needed to keep it current.
"So with that, the iPhone 6, and its bigger brother, the iPhone 6 Plus, were born to keep Apple at the sharp end of a market that was starting to lust after powerful, big screen smartphones with clever and premium design."
Microsoft: Surface Pro 3 is for people not business
By Joe Osborne, 22 May
"Before Apple CEO Tim Cook pulled back the curtain on theiPad Air last year, he threw in a thinly veiled jab at Microsoft in the process: 'Our competition is different. They're confused. They chased after netbooks. Now, they're trying to make PCs into tablets and tablets into PCs. Who knows what they will do next?'
"Behind him, an image of a traffic sign depicting a goofily winding road appeared on a large screen. Did Panos Panay, Corporate Vice President of Surface at the Redmond-based Windows maker, take this slight personally?"
Also among Joe's favourites:
How Dolby is bringing Atmos into the home
By Marc Chacksfield, August 21
"Since Dolby Atmos arrived on the cinema scene in 2012, the technology has set a precedent for movie sound.
"The intricate but sparse sonic landscape of Gravity, Godzilla's guttural roar, the rain-soaked urban jungle of Dawn of the Planet of the Apes... all of these have benefitted from the Dolby Atmos Cinema Processor and its support of up to 128 discrete audio tracks - but can Dolby recreating this winning formula in the home?"
The Xbox was the original Steam Machine
By Patrick Goss, 13 January
"A massive company whose name and reputation is intrinsically tied to the PC sets out to do the unthinkable - to bring PC gaming to the living room but keep some of the ethos that made it so popular.
"The machine will forge its reputation with first person shooters and, after some early divisive efforts, a well received new version of the traditional controller and a connected and vociferous community will be at its heart."
Best Compact System Camera 2014
By Rod Lawton, 19 October
"They come in a bewildering array of shapes, sizes and prices, so how do you choose the best compact system camera?
"We've produced this guide to explain how mirrorless compact system cameras work and how to choose the right one for you. Our camera home page will keep you up to date with all the latest camera reviews, but here's where we explain how to find the best CSC for you and what you need to look for."
Hands on with Wil.I.am's Puls wearable
By Lily Prasuethsut, 16 October
"Officially announced during Dreamforce 2014, the Puls marks yet another step into the tech sphere by musician and tech fan, Will.i.am. Engineered by his i.am+ company, the "smartcuff" took almost three years to complete and has clearly been a labor of love for the Black Eyed Peas band member.
"Like the Apple Watch, Moto 360 and even Pebble Steel, the Puls cuff is attempting to blend fashion with functionality, or as Will put it during his keynote, 'fashionology.'"
Is the world about to run out of storage?
By Desire Athow for TechRadar Pro, December 22
"Mark Whitby, Seagate VP for branded products group, walks us through the fascinating world of storage, warning us of the dangers of not producing enough data and introducing us to the concept of the Zettabyte.
"The world, he says, will produce 44 of these by 2020, which might not sound a lot until you consider that a Zettabyte is 1^21 bytes."
TV of the year 2014: what to look for in your next television
By James Rivington, 8 December
"It's been a tumultuous year for TVs. Technologies like 4K, curved screens and OLED have hit big, while old favourites have faded away.
"In this article, we'll look back at how the TV landscape has changed in the last 12 months, discuss all the key technologies you need to consider before buying, offer shopping tips and name the best TVs of the year."
You'll be able to charge your car wirelessly from 2014
By John McCann, 21 August
"Electric cars certainly have potential, but it's a pain having to plug them in to charge - give it three years though and you'll be able to ditch those annoying cables.
"Wireless car charging technology is already up and running on the safety cars of the new Formula E championship - the world's first fully electric racing series - and from 2015 even the race cars will charge wirelessly."
Also among John's favourites:
- The future of contactless payments may be in your retina, heart-beat and veins
- Lacking fitness? Why your iPhone won't be replacing your doctor just yet
- Live sports: The future is HD streaming
Riding the Honda Cub
By Hugh Langley, 21 July
"The micro machine has been through a number of iterations since Honda started working on it, the latest of which sees it more mobile and agile than ever. And though it looks like you're sitting on a fat robot penguin, it's surprisingly comfortable and easy to operate.
"Movement is controlled by the "sitter" slightly shifting their body weight in their desired direction of travel - the more you lean the faster it goes. There's no accelerator. No brake. The idea of getting on this thing is admittedly a little daunting."
Also among Hugh's favourites:
- Sony set to reveal the PS4 VR headset at GDC - exclusive
- Oculus Rift public beta will open in summer 2015 - exclusive
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