Best Tech Products of 2008

We highlight the best and brightest items from 2008, from cell phones to TVs.

Best of 2008: Digital Photography

Kodak Zi6, $180

This inexpensive little camcorder took us off guard with its stunning video quality and ease of use. Yes, it’s a little on the chunky side when you pocket it, but the tradeoff in quality, LCD size, and even the benefit of using standard AA batteries is well worth it. We can only hope they gain in popularity so that YouTube trampoline accident footage looks even sharper down the road.

Kodak Zi6

Canon PowerShot SD880 IS

Canon remains the king of point-and-shoot digital cameras with a number of solid entries in the PowerShot line during 2008. Our favorite: The SD880, which includes an adequate 10-megapixel sensor, generous 3-inch LCD, and typical Canon image quality, all for well under $300.

Read our review of the Canon PowerShot SD880 IS.

Canon PowerShot SD880 IS

Sony Alpha DSLR-A900

If you’re not counting pennies, the DSLR-A900 is last year’s cam to beat when it comes to pure image quality. A full-frame 24.6-megapixel imaging sensor at its heart is primarily responsible for its position on top of the stack, but Carl Zeiss glass and Sony build quality don’t hurt either. With a price tag of $3,000, though, only pros and frivolous spenders need apply.

Read our review of the Sony Alpha DSLR-A900.

Sony Alpha DSLR-A900

Canon EOS 5D Mark II, $2,700

A DSLR that shoots video? Nikon’s D90 was the very first to do it, but Canon’s EOS 5D Mark II was the very first to do it properly: in full 1080p high-def. Though the lack of autofocus in video mode means it takes some serious chops to operate, superior video quality and sheer innovation won us over in the end.

Read our review of the Canon EOS 5D Mark II.

Canon EOS 5D Mark II

Canon Vixia HG21, $1300

Here we have the total package. Canon’s Vixia HD21 combines superior video quality with a massive 120GB internal hard drive, all in a package that’s little bigger than a soda can. It also boasts superior low-light performance compared to its nearest competitor, the Sony HDR-SR12.

Read our review of the Canon Vixia HG21.

Canon Vixia HG21

Best of 2008: Computers, Laptops and Accessories

MSI Wind U100, $360+

Of all the netbooks that sprung up from different manufacturers this year, and the seemingly inane differences between them, the U100 struck us as an instant favorite. A bright 10-inch screen, 1.6GHz Intel Atom processor and 1GB of memory are all more or less standard for netbooks, but MSI managed to roll this tried-and-true formula into a package that retails for $360, giving the U100 incredible bang for the buck.

Read our review of the MSI Wind U100.

MSI Wind U100

Lenovo X300, from $1,819

Apple may have popularized the ultra-light category in 2008 with the MacBook Air, but Lenovo perfected it with the X300. Besides including a 64GB solid-state drive (SSD) standard and incorporating Lenovo’s sturdy signature roll-cage design, the X300 also includes a few must-have staples the Air was missing: A total of three USB ports and an optical drive.

Read our review of the Lenovo X300.

Lenovo X300

Apple MacBook Pro, $1,999+

Apple satisfied its cult following in 2008 with yet another notebook worthy of putting in a display case. Besides its sharp looks, the new MacBook Pro also brought a super-sturdy machined aluminum design, discrete graphics that could be switched off to save battery life, and an incredibly sharp LED-backlit screen.

Read our review of the Apple MacBook Pro.

Apple MacBook Pro

Alienware’s Area-51 X58 Desktop, $1,649+

Sure, the majority of the buzz in the computing market this year was over laptops, but Intel’s Core i7 processor also managed to drum up some significant excitement in terms of gaming desktops. Of them, Alienware’s Area-51 X58 soon turned into a crowd favorite with predictably jaw-dropping performance paired with a starting price that seemed almost startlingly down to Earth for an Alienware rig: Just $1649.

Alienware’s Area-51 X58 Desktop

Logitech Illuminated Keyboard, $80

We guess you could call this our hands-down favorite peripheral of 2008. (Get it?) Besides a smooth typing experience, this keyboard lights up to keep you typing way past a sane person’s bedtime, and looks sharp even with the lights on.

Read our review of the Logitech Illuminated Keyboard.

Logitech Illuminated Keyboard

Best of 2008: GPS

Mio Moov 310, $250

A true sleeper in the GPS category, Mio’s Moov 310 impressed us by delivering a clean, bright display, intuitive interface, accurate tracking, traffic updates and a slim profile, all in a device you can score for under $200 with a little shopping around. For those who just demand an efficient navigator, it’s a bargain.

Read our review of the Mio Moov 310.

Mio Moov 310

Magellan Maestro 4370, $400

Magellan may not stick around as a name brand now that it’s been bought up by Mio’s parent company, but the Maestro 4370 remains a solid unit nonetheless. One-touch navigation brings you to your favorite destinations with minimal hassle, and voice navigation makes it easier to punch in new ones without lifting a finger.

Magellan Maestro 4370

Navigon 8100T, $600

Navigon’s flagship 8100T literally brought a new dimension to GPS by becoming the first on the U.S. market to map terrain in full 3D. There are some hiccups in other aspects of the device’s execution, sure, but after driving around in 3D, it’s hard to go back to a two-dimensional world.

Read our review of the Navigon 8100T.

Navigon 8100T

Garmin Nuvi 880, $800

The go-to name in GPS systems delivers yet another popular hit with the Nuvi 880, a unit which doesn’t skimp on much of anything. Though it has just about every feature one could desire, the built-in FM transmitter for sending tunes to your car stereo and free lifetime traffic reports really give the gizmo a major edge over competitors, helping justify the rather steep price.

Garmin Nuvi 880

TomTom GO 930, $400

TomTom’s flagship GO 930 is bristling with features, but isn’t quite as pricy as the Garmin equivalent. The biggest news here is IQ Routes, which uses data TomTom has accrued over generations of its GPS devices to deliver more accurate drive-time estimates and smarter paths to your destination.

TomTom GO 930

Best of 2008: Mobile/Cellular Phones

Apple iPhone 3G, $200 (with contract)

Having heard cries of discontent from first-gen iPhone users over its sluggish EDGE connection speed, Apple upped the ante over the summer this past year by releasing a new, 3G (read: high-speed) network edition. Cutting the price in half helped generate an enormous amount of interest in the smartphone too, making it the undisputed king of ’08 mobile communications launches.

Read our review of the Apple iPhone 3G.

Apple iPhone 3G

HTC Touch Pro, $600 (unlocked)

We dinged this phone for its somewhat slovenly Windows Mobile 6.1 operating system, but fell in love with the rock-solid and attractive case, powerful camera, and satisfying keyboard. For Windows Mobile devotees who don’t mind its dated way of doing things, there was no more drool-worthy phone than the Touch Pro in 2008.

Read our review of the HTC Touch Pro.

HTC Touch Pro

T-Mobile G1, $200 (with contract)

Google’s Android operating system was a breath of fresh air in the world of stagnating smartphone operating systems (many of which looked like they were stuck in the Neolithic age compared to the iPhone’s streamlined front-end). And T-Mobile’s G1 was the very first model to roll out with it onboard. The hardware may have been a bit dull, but the handset’s clean interface, overall capabilities, and open source philosophy made it a winner in our eyes. And with a full keyboard to boot!

Read our review of the T-Mobile G1.

T-Mobile G1

BlackBerry Bold, $300 (with contract)

Change comes less rapidly in the Blackberry camp, where “similar to the old model” is still a good thing. The Bold proved it by sticking with a tried-and-true form factor that won over RIM devotees, while the iPhone-imitating Storm turned into a train wreck. The sharp and incredibly vivid display it used was just the cherry on top.

Read our review of the BlackBerry Bold.

BlackBerry Bold

Motorola Motozine ZN5, $100

While this was definitely the year of the smartphone (as evidenced by our other four choices), a number of less powerful handsets also stood out for their innovations. Motorola and Kodak hit a killer combination with the ZN5, whose on-board camera ranks among the best cell phone cameras we’ve ever used, and boasts a price far lower than its nearest competition.

Read our review of the Motorola Motozine ZN5.

Motorola Motozine ZN5

Best of 2008: Home Audio

Pioneer Elite X-Z9, $1,800

Can an all-in-one system satisfy audiophiles? Indeed. The Elite X-Z9 hits the sound quality of a system built piece-by-piece, but with the convenience and features (like iPod support) that come with modern home-theater-in-a-box solutions. No compromises here… except for the price, that is, which is pure Pioneer.

Read our review of the Pioneer Elite X-Z9.

Pioneer Elite X-Z9

Strata Mini Loudspeakers, $1,995

Though not a well-recognized name to chain store shoppers, AV123 has built a following for itself amongst audiophiles, and the Strata Mini proves why. If you can find room for these inappropriately named “mini” speakers in your home theater, they’ll fill it with some of the most satisfying sound you’ve ever heard this side of $2,000.

Read our review of the Strata Mini Loudspeakers.

Strata Mini Loudspeakers

iPod Touch Second Generation, $229+

The king of MP3 players just got better with the iPod Touch second generation, which reduces the player’s dimensions to almost absurd slimness while retaining all the capabilities that made the original a winner. It still proves costlier than the competition, but considering you get a fully functional Web browser, giant screen for video, and endless gaming possibilities via the App Store, nothing else comes close.

Read our review of the iPod Touch Second Generation.

iPod Touch Second Generation

Logitech Squeezebox Boom, $300

Another Squeezebox product for effortless audio streaming blows us away with outstanding sound, easy setup, and a multitude of impressive tricks. Best of all, it has a built-in amp, so you don’t have to try to squirrel away a 500-watt receiver in the kitchen just to chop onions to Bon Jovi.

Read our review of the Logitech Squeezebox Boom.

Logitech Squeezebox Boom

Monster Beats by Dre Headphones, $300

Expensive? Yes. Sure to annoy the people sitting next to you? Damn skippy. Batteries required to listen? Guilty as charged. Despite all these shortcomings though, the sheer sound quality emitted by the Beats impressed just about everyone who tried them on, and the bass these can can pump out rivals just about any other competitor on the market.

Read our review of the Monster Beats by Dre Headphones.

Monster Beats by Dre Headphones

Best of 2008: Home Video

Samsung LN46A630, $2099

The range of different prices, features and capabilities make it tough to recommend a good “all-rounder” HDTV, but we can safely say that this Samsung model has something for everyone. Outstanding picture quality, a slick interface for reading MP3 and photos off of USB sticks, a 120Hz refresh rate, and an attractive Touch of Color bezel all makes the set quite a bargain for $2,099 SRP – and you can find it for far less now.

Read our review of the Samsung LN46A630.

Samsung LN46A630

LG BD300 Blu-ray Player, $350

LG was the first to posit that a Blu-ray player could do more than just play Blu-ray movies with the BD300, which Netflix users can use to pull down films from the Internet, rather than walking to the mailbox. Any number of more sophisticated Netflix players will be coming in 2009, but the BD300 remains the original innovator – and will probably stay the cheapest option of the bunch for some time to come.

LG BD300 Blu-ray Player

Universal Remote URC R50, $200

Anybody can build a remote that controls 18 different devices, but if setting it up requires a Ph.D. and an entire spare weekend to devote to configuring the darn thing, count us out. Universal Remote’s R50 can be easily programmed, even without a trip to the computer, though, since it has all the codes you need preprogrammed, and doesn’t skimp on features, either.

Read our review of the Universal Remote URC R50.

Universal Remote URC R50

Pioneer Elite Kuro Pro-111FD, $5,000

For sheer jaw-dropping picture quality, Pioneer remains the go-to brand. Never mind the price: This is the set that will have friends finding excuses to come over to your house just to watch the Discovery Channel in HD.

Read our review of the Pioneer Elite Kuro Pro-111FD.

Pioneer Elite Kuro Pro-111FD

Sony BDP-S350, $300

For home theater enthusiasts who don’t want to perform Netflix shenanigans with their Blu-ray players and just want to watch high-def movies easily and in optimum resolution, Sony’s S350 makes an ideal starter player. It not only lives up to the manufacturer’s typically high quality standards, but – better still – also manages to evade the brand’s price premium with a relatively tame $300 sticker price.

Read our review of the Sony BDP-S350.

Sony BDP-S350