Brace yourselves, shoppers – there are only a few days left in the year, but the gift-giving, product-swapping season has just begun. Amidst the chaos, we’re taking a moment to reflect and review the top innovations to be thankful for in 2013.
Here are a few of our favorites after analyzing over 25,000 product recommendations on Yabbly.
This list is based on our data crunching of Yabbly conversations, lists, and searches combined with research from our concierge team who spent over 1,000 hours doing custom shopping research for our members this year.
App
Feedly, Dropbox, and Mailbox were recommended over and over. However, when looking at the gee whiz factor, we’d have to give the nod to Dark Skies. This thing will tell you when it will start or stop raining (or snowing) based on your exact location and usually get it right down to the minute.
Tech
Hold on to your Google Glass, techies! There have been plenty of tech innovations to speak of this year, but let’s talk tablets for now. Of course there was the Kindle Paperwhite, the Microsoft Surface Pro, the Galaxy Note 10.1, the HP Slate 7 and many others, but the following two products were the both listed and recommended this year.
We’re not choosing sides, but check the specs and let us know which one you’d pick.
Team Apple
Pricing: $399 – $829
CONS: Resolution is too sharp for some people, pricier
PROS: Great display for hi-res imagery and graphic design, super responsive, functions faster
Team Android
Pricing: $229 – $349
CONS: Noticeably slower significantly sooner than other tablets, NOT encased in Gorilla Glass – needs protective sleeve.
PROS: Cheaper, lighter, comes with hundreds of free apps, easy to carry around.
Home
Whether it’s streaming or steaming, a gateway to relaxation is key to have for the home front. Get your fix with these two favorites.
People swear by the Venta Airwasher Humidifier! It’s the fourth most-tagged and recommended product mentioned, as well as the top most-listed item. Some of the reasons user CarCounsel counts this as a great humidifier include it being quiet, effective, simple, reliable, multi functional and albeit it’s hefty price point, it requires minimal cleanup.
Thanks to the abundance of reviews on this particular product, you can now, sleep soundly. More details on the Venta here.
Move over, TV, the Roku 3 is here. This $98 streaming media player made its home theater debut this year and has already been impressing just about everyone. With a wide array of features, apps and streaming source options, this device brings you all levels of entertainment for a very fair price.
Family
Smooth over those tense family feuds with a spontaneous, brain tickling scrimmage of the Lazer Maze Logic Game, courtesy of the world famous Wei-Hwa Huang. Although it’s been recommended for ages 8 – 15 years old, Katie knows fun knows no age: “This puzzle game also looks like fun! I would play this myself.“
Beauty
A new year. A new plan. Don’t succumb to New Year’s Resolution pressure by passively purchasing a gym membership. Save face and motivate yourself by grabbing these two top trending gadgets of the year: Wearable Technology and Juicers.
Want to count the calories you’re burning per minute by looking at this website? Grab this handy tool to get a personal, silent morning alarm, monitor your physical activity and become your own cheerleader.
As the $90 Fitbit Flex Wireless Activity + Sleep Wristband is listed in both the most listed and most tagged and preferred for its slim form factor (looking at you, Nike), the endorsement by many startup cofounders just goes to show that all the cool kids are wearing tech.
Put all of your fresh produce into this $220 beast of a juicer (by Omega) and you won’t be disappointed – the juice is definitely worth the effortless squeeze. It’s easy to clean, reduces foam and produces dry pulp. What more could you want in a healthy helper?
Travel
Retreat into your special place with what critics are saying is the best pair of noise cancelling headphones on the market. Thanks, Bose QC15.
Hobbies
Snatch up the 2nd most listed item and head to the closest mountain to shred the gnar. This season, show off your sweet skills with new Burton Cartel Snowboard Bindings. Remember, it’s only cool if you catch air on purpose, so be careful.
