iPad number one, iPhone 4 takes third

Technology reviewer for the Wall Street Journal, Walt Mossberg, has revealed his top picks for the best -- and worst -- technology products of 2010. Unsurprisingly, the iPad took top honors, gaining glowing reviews from Mossberg and mass acceptance from the public, with Apple selling more than 7.5 million of the devices before the holiday rush. While the overall concept of "4G networks" took the silver, Apple's iPhone 4 took third place, tied with the Samsung Galaxy S -- even though Mossberg goes out of his way to say that the iPhone 4 is the better product of the two.

The Samsung Galaxy S was chosen, Mossberg explains, not as a particular product but as "representative of the powerful force that Android has become in the smartphone marketplace." The full promise of Android -- along with his pick for second place, the emerging "4G" cell networks -- will come later in the new year, he said.

The iPad has been at or near the top in most such lists, including Time Magazine's top gadget honor, but Mossberg said he chose it for his list based mostly on its "amazing" quality for a first-release product. He also credits Apple with creating a new category of tablet and the App Store -- of which Mossberg says there are already over 40,000 iPad-specific titles -- with helping the device find its audience.

Mossberg also picked the three worst products of 2010, choosing the original 5-inch Dell Streak the single worst product. In his original review published in August, Mossberg listed a litany of problems with the device, concluding that it was a "tweener" that was neither a very good tablet nor a good phone, too large to be the latter and too small to the former.

His other two choices for worst of 2010 were both television-oriented. Google TV was named second-worst device, mostly for simply being "not ready for prime time." Mossberg cited a confusing user interface, clumsy keyboard options (and now, less content) as its main issues. The TiVo Premiere took third place, with Mossberg calling the device "cluttered" and expensive.

By Electronista Staff