The top 10 gadgets of 2016: from virtual reality and phones to new cameras

SMARTPHONES caught fire and headphones came under attack, but there was some amazing technology that shone through this year.

Virtual reality was an emerging trend during the rollercoaster year for technology that was 2016. Picture: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images/AFP

IT’S been a rollercoaster year for consumer technology.

Top smartphones caught fire, headphone jacks came under attack, televisions got bent out of shape, and cameras entered the world of virtual reality.

But as 2016 comes to a close it is time to celebrate the best technology changed our lives for the better, or will do so when we can afford them.

Below are the top 10 gadgets of the year, including devices that could upgrade your home and others that will improve your daily routine.

Sony PlayStation VR

Sony / $550 / playstation.com.au

Sony’s PlayStation VR headset brought virtual reality into mainstream use.

The cheapest and easiest way to see advanced virtual reality is inside this headset. The PlayStation 4 peripheral features a 5.7-inch OLED screen, a fast refresh rate to limit nausea, and can use a growing list of games.

Canon 5D Mark IV

Canon / $5200 body / canon.com.au

The fourth version of Canon’s 5D camera is a speedy, focus-shifting beast.

This fresh 30-megapixel, full-frame DSLR camera is bound to impress serious enthusiasts. It features 61-point autofocus, wi-fi image transfers, and can shoot seven photos each second. A new format even lets you shift focus after taking a photo.

Google Pixel XL

Google / $1249 / store.google.com

Google's Pixel XL smartphone is the first to feature Google Assistant that responds to voice commands.

The first smartphone designed by Google was well timed, well made, and well received. Its 12.3-megapixel camera stands up to the best of them, its rear fingerprint sensor impresses, and its voice assistant is smarter than Siri.

Nikon KeyMission 360

Nikon / $697 / harveynorman.com.au

The Nikon KeyMission 360 uses two cameras to capture 360-degree video.

It will resist water, dirt, and drops, but the best thing about this camera is just how much it sees and how clearly. The top 360-degree camera of the year captures 4K video and 23-megapixel photographs of everything around you.

Samsung Series 9 KS9000 4K SUHD TV

Samsung / $4196 / jbhifi.com.au

Samsung’s curved Series 9 KS9500 65-inch SUHD TV features a greater colour range than before.

This subtly curved television shows a lot more on the screen: more pixels, more dynamic range, more colours, and a deeper level of black. The 65-inch screen also features smart TV apps and automatically recognises devices you plug into it.

Bose QuietComfort 35

Bose / $499 / bose.com.au

Bose’s QuietComfort 35 headphones feature the best active noise cancellation technology in the market.

Quite simply the quietest headphones on the market. Bose took its excellent active noise-cancellation technology and added wireless convenience to this year’s headset. They will dull the din for up to 20 hours from one battery charge.

GoPro Hero5 Black

GoPro / $570 / gopro.com

The GoPro Hero5 Black can shoot 4K video and 12-megapixel stills.

GoPro has taken a lot of the fuss out of using action cameras, with an improved navigation system and a voice control that understands the Australian accent. It shoots 4K video at 30 frames per second and 12-megapixel stills and is waterproof to 10m without a case.

Fitbit Charge 2

Fitbit / from $150 / fitbit.com/au

Fitbit’s Charge 2 tracks a wearer’s heart rate, steps, staircases climbed, and exercise.

Fitbit’s workhorse got a major upgrade this year. The Charge 2 not only records heart rate information but shows it off on a big screen, judges your cardio fitness, guides exercise and breathing, and displays SMS messages.

Kobo Aura One

Kobo / $350 / au.kobobooks.com

The Kobo Aura One features a larger screen than most and a blue-light filter for easy reading.

Kobo laid down the challenge to Amazon with this e-book reader. It has the largest screen around, at 7.8 inches, a water-resistant body, a weight of just 280g, and its blue-light filtering technology is easy on the eyes.

Apple iPhone 7 Plus

Apple / From $1269 / apple.com/au

Apple's iPhone 7 Plus features a camera with two lenses and water resistance for the first time, though it omits a headphone jack.

Apple both gives and takes away with its latest smartphone, adding a much welcomed water resistance to the iPhone but removing the headphone jack. While the 4.7-inch iPhone 7 is good, the 5.5-inch Plus with the twin lens camera and Portrait mode is far better.