Photo via Creativity103

It’s that time when journalists take a moment to reflect on the past year.

We’re doing that here on GeekWire too, with a series of stories that look back at 2012.

Today, we’re listing the 50 most popular stories on GeekWire. As you’ll see in the list below, sometimes it is the offbeat and oddball stories that take off, such as Todd Bishop’s detailing of the so-called “Creepy Cameraman” (GeekWire story No. 2) and Taylor Soper’s look at the “bad-ass Boeing missile” which flies over buildings and fries computers with microwaves (GeekWire story No. 36.)

Commentaries from the GeekWire community also do well, such as Charlie Kindel’s analysis of Windows Phone (GeekWire story No. 39) and Monica Guzman’s funny take on folks who carry iPhones without cases (GeekWire story No. 11).

And then there was the dancing. Two of the top 50 stories — including the number one story — involved weird dance routines by geeks. Wow, didn’t see those coming! Here’s a look back for all of those who missed some of the action this year. Thanks to everyone for tuning in to GeekWire!

Video: Raunchy dance routine a PR nightmare for Microsoft (1,055 Tweets, 212 comments)


‘Creepy Cameraman’ pushes limits of public surveillance — a glimpse of the future? (896 Tweets, 128 comments)


Microsoft employees getting free Surface tablets, new work PCs, Windows Phone 8 (707 Tweets, 110 comments)

Arfa Karim. Photo via Dan DeLong of the Seattle P-I

Top 10 reasons why Darth Vader was an amazing project manager (5,289 Tweets, 101 comments)

Arfa Karim Randhawa, 1995-2012: Hear her philosophy of life (638 Tweets, 136 comments)

Bill Nye back in spotlight, challenging skeptics of evolution (79 Tweets, 48 comments)

10 mental traits of truly innovative leaders (2,769 Tweets, 15 comments)

Bill Nye

The coding game: Microsoft’s Visual Studio gets badges, achievements and leaderboard (435 Tweets, 27 comments)

Google Drive in the wild? Screenshot and possible logo (257 Tweets, 33 comments)

Video: Bill Gates on his last visit with Steve Jobs (205 Tweets, 4 comments)


5 reasons I think you’re nuts if you own a naked iPhone (247 Tweets, 106 comments)

Nick Hayek Jr. of Swatch with actress Mischa Barton and Bill Gates, unveiling a new line of smart watches in 2004.

Microsoft seeks patent on monetizing buttons of TV remote (206 Tweets, 24 comments)

How former Microsoft tech chief Nathan Myhrvold could have created the iPhone (287 Tweets, 40 comments)

Voracious reader Bill Gates shares his favorite books of the summer (163 Tweets, 9 comments)

Not so smart anymore: Microsoft’s watches are done (77 Tweets, 37 comments)

Maybe Google’s Larry Page needs Microsoft Word, after all (114 Tweets, 46 comments)

Behind the scenes: Teenager captures amazing aerial snow pictures from R/C plane (87 Tweets, 15 comments)

Whole Foods prototype puts Kinect on shopping cart, follows people around store (651 Tweets, 42 comments)


Serafina Fiero performs Shiva, as part of a Geek burlesque show.

Solavei raises $3.6M, touts $49 per month mobile service that rewards you with cash for signing on others (104 Tweets, 83 comments)

Photos: Geek burlesque reveals the sexy side of video games (69 Tweets, 0 comments)

The vibrator of the future: Revel Body uses sonic tech to power new sex toy line (80 Tweets, 14 comments)

Xbox 360 tops Wii and PS3 for 1st time in yearly global sales (548 Tweets, 100 comments)

5 coolest features of the Samsung Galaxy S III (so far) (70 Tweets, 14 comments)

Ballmer, Sinofsky and the struggle for the soul of Microsoft (175 Tweets, 40 comments)

‘Real user’ tries Windows 8: ‘They trying to drive me to Mac?’ (213 Tweets, 72 comments)

Microsoft’s ‘Lost Decade’? Vanity Fair piece is epic, accurate and not entirely fair (90 Tweets, 54 comments)

iPad fans react to a Windows 8 tablet — will they switch? (197 Tweets, 51 comments)


Why Microsoft is building one of North America’s largest tents on its campus (320 Tweets, 9 comments)

Valve’s Gabe Newell

How Valve experiments with the economics of video games (722 Tweets, 24 comments)

Xbox team’s ‘consumer detector’ would dis-Kinect freeloading TV viewers (280 Tweets, 35 comments)

The venture capital model is broken, and this damning report explains why (454 Tweets, 10 comments)

Ex-Congressman Rick White and ex-Motricity CEO Ryan Wuerch raise $4M for stealthy Solavei (23 Tweets, 64 comments)

Windows 8: Why I’m struggling with Microsoft’s new thing (116 Tweets, 225 comments)

How these geeks pulled off one truly amazing light show at CenturyLink Field (286 Tweets, 7 comments)


As launch date nears, Solavei collects cash for cell service that pays users for signing up friends (36 Tweets, 107 comments)

Bad-ass Boeing missile flies over buildings, fries computers with microwaves (165 Tweets, 25 comments)

Images: Amazon’s colorful new towers will put a bold stamp on Seattle’s skyline (115 Tweets, 6 comments)

Productivity Porn: 7 tricks for beating procrastination (455 Tweets, 6 comments)

Steven Sinofsky

Commentary: Windows Phone’s Canary in the Coal Mine (211 Tweets, 108 comments)

Farewell, Hotmail: Microsoft previews Outlook.com, ending longtime webmail brand (162 Tweets, 20 comments)

A Microsoft misfit moves on: Thoughts on Windows chief Sinofsky’s sudden exit (50 Tweets, 39 comments)

Video: Flash mob at Apple Store honors Steve Jobs (108 Tweets, 19 comments)


Dave McClure

Dave McClure is ripping VCs again: They’re f***ing arrogant and stupid a**holes (421 Tweets, 57 comments)

Malcolm Gladwell: In 50 years, Bill Gates will be revered and Steve Jobs will be forgotten (722 Tweets, 37 comments)

Latest Dilbert strip takes an indirect swing at Microsoft (57 Tweets, 31 comments)

No pressure, Microsoft, but I just spent my family’s iPad budget on a $599 Surface (81 Tweets, 109 comments)

Live: Angry Birds turning Space Needle into giant slingshot for launch event (258 Tweets, 23 comments)

How to succeed in Tetris and life: 7 secrets of an 18 year-old Tetris Grand Master (172 Tweets, 9 comments)

Why this developer loves the new iPad, and how Steve Jobs inspired his latest creation (36 Tweets, 6 comments)

Amazon vet’s new robot-powered apparel startup aims to revolutionize how we buy clothes (169 Tweets, 24 comments)


So, there you have it. The top 50 stories of the year. Thanks again to everyone for tuning in to GeekWire over the past year. We’re looking forward to bringing you the most important tech news and analysis in 2013.

Previous year-end coverageStartups 101: Advice from 63 entrepreneurs in the trenchesGeekWire New Year’s Special: Highs, lows and key tech trends to watch in 2013

Coming up on Monday: The biggest Seattle tech stories of the year by month.

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