2017 is almost over! The year has come and gone and left a large impression on human history. While 2017 has brought some less-than-stellar issues and problems to our world, it has provided some fantastic new devices in technology. And that’s what I would like to focus on today. Some of this year’s positives. So, without further ado, here are some of the greatest tech products from 2017.

 

Samsung Galaxy Note 8

Samsung had an incredibly busy year. Not only did they release their first set of flagship phones (Galaxy S8 and S8+), they also released their larger-than-life flagship, the Galaxy Note 8. This was an incredibly important release for the South Korean tech giant, seeing as how last year’s Note 7 failed spectacularly due to its exploding battery. But the company was able to brush its shoulders off, move forward and release one heck of a phablet. The Note 8 boasts a SnapDragon Octa-core processor, a 6.3 inch display, a highly refined stylus and a dual-camera lens setup with optical image stabilization on both lenses. In short, the phone is a powerhouse. It takes some of Samsung’s best design principles and some of the best smartphone tech and implements it in a satisfying way. Definitely a contender for smartphone of the year.

 

iPhone X

Apple released a bevy of iPhones this year, but none was more anticipated than the iPhone X. Seeing as how the iPhone’s 10th anniversary was this year, there was a lot riding on this year’s iteration; and Apple delivered. The new phone features an edge-to-edge display that virtually eliminates any bezels, a 5.8 inch screen, a dual-camera lens with optical image stabilization and Apple’s in-house A11 Bionic chip which makes the phone run buttery smooth. But the new phone’s biggest feature is its highly-advanced TrueDepth front-facing camera that is used to unlock the phone through facial mapping. It’s an incredibly advanced piece of hardware that is being advertised as the stepping stone for the future of the iPhone.

 

Nintendo Switch

Nintendo has been around for decades providing children and adults countless hours of gaming entertainment. And although the company seems to have lost its way in recent years with the failure that is the Wii U, the Japanese video game giant is trying to make right. The Nintendo Switch combines the best of portable gaming with traditional console gaming. The console itself is a 6.2 inch screen that features detachable, slide-on controllers for portable gaming. The console can be stood upright with the built-in kickstand, and each of the two controllers can be assigned to an individual player for on-the-go multiplayer fun. What’s more, if you are looking for a more traditional experience, you can connect the console into the dock, detach the controllers and slide them into a casing that simulates a standard gamepad, and enjoy all of your Nintendo Switch titles on your television. The Nintendo Switch has proven to be a fun and entertaining console that doesn’t rely as heavily on the gimmicks of motion control as its predecessors.

 

This year has been a great year for tech enthusiasts. Hopefully 2018 will bring even greater surprises!