Product of the Year: 9th Pocket-lint Gadget Awards nominees

This is the big one, the award that everyone wants to win. Product of the Year might be a gadget that walks off as a winner in another category, or it could be an outstanding device not recognised in the other areas. Whichever it is, the Product of the Year will offer you an outstanding experience.

So cast your eyes over the list of nominees below, ponder a while and decide which you'll be looking to buy. But don't stop there, make your voice heard and head over to our voting page. Perhaps you will cast that deciding vote. Don't delay, do it today!

Amazon Kindle Paperwhite

Price£109ReleasedSeptember 2012

The Amazon Kindle is undoubtedly one of the hottest gadgets around. The Kindle Paperwhite took this to another level, addressing the biggest criticisms of E-Ink devices: it lets you read in the dark.

The delivery of that light is wonderfully even, but doesn't depart from the glare-free and energy efficient technology of the display, delivering the Kindle experience you know and love. Couple that with Amazon's ecosystem and ease of use and you have a device that should take pride of place on your coffee table.

READ: Amazon Kindle Paperwhite review

Sony Cyber-shot RX100

Price£549ReleasedJune 2012

Sony managed to squeeze a pair of cameras into our nominations this year, but it's the RX100 that we're really impressed with, jumping over to the Product of the Year category. The RX100 was a standout compact, making for a quick, simple and highly customisable pocket snapper.

Sony also used a clever WRGB LCD screen which offered a lot more quality image viewing than other compact cameras. Throw in a fast wide-aperture lens and you have a nomination-worthy compact package.

READ: Sony Cyber-shot RX100

Samsung Galaxy S III

Price£375Release dateApril 2012

There is a lot to love about the Samsung Galaxy S III. As a premium flagship smartphone, it has plenty going for it. The huge display, the power, the smooth and fast operation are all to its credit. Add to this the ability to change battery and expand storage and you've a very good package indeed.

Of course there are always areas where we might want an improvement: the display could be brighter, for example, which is our biggest gripe. We found some bugs with screen unlock and the Smart Stay feature, designed to keep the screen on when reading, never really worked for us and in some areas the UI is a little cartoony. Still, 30 million people can't be wrong.

READ: Samsung Galaxy S III review

Windows 8

PriceFrom £25Release dateOctober 2012

Microsoft's latest operating system has been met with mixed feelings, but to us, it's grown into something of a masterstroke. The contentious issue of the Start screen has enraged some, but most of those people haven't lived with it. We have, and we can tell you that while it's visually new, it works in the same way as the old Start button - but better.

But it's easy to get drawn in to a debate about the new front-end, while ignoring the core of the operating system. That's a massive mistake, because here Windows has improved substantially over Windows 7. File copies are now stuffed full of information, with speed information and the ability to pause a file transfer. There's also a new, post-Aero UI that's nothing short of beautifully designed.

Windows 8 is rock solid, brings some fantastic ideas to the world of desktop operating systems and, most of all, it's a massive improvement over Windows 7. It might be a visual jump, but often evolution works like that.

READ: Windows 8 review

Apple iPad mini

Price£269ReleasedNovember 2012

Rumoured for so long, the 7-inch iPad turned up just in time for the 9th Pocket-lint Gadget Awards to add some kind of seal of approval and recognition to the fact that, actually, Samsung was probably right about how big tablets should be all along. Whoops.

The iPad mini is the new iPad to lust after. It's a lot more manageable, a lot more kid-friendly, more game-friendly and it's just a lot more "you" friendly. It's a lovely size, it's a lovely experience, and one that we can easily see cannibalising iPad 4 and iPad 2 sales in the future. It might be mini in size, but it's mighty in stature. We love it. Do you?

READ: Apple iPad mini review

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