Year in Review: The best in Tech

So maybe you didn't get everything you asked for this Christmas. Why not get a headstart on your list for next year by taking a look back at some of the best gadgets, gizmos, and straight-up mind-boggling tech concepts that graced the pages of Supercompressor this year.

KnowRoaming - $35
Traveling abroad is awesome. What's not as awesome are the international fees you end up paying anytime you whip out your cell to text or make a call. Changing all that is KnowRoaming, whose SIM card-cloaking sticker re-routes your signal through local towers when traveling out of the country, thus allowing you to get all your mobile business done for a fraction of what it would cost through your provider by setting up a special prepaid account. [More...]

COIN - $55
Lighten the load in your pocket seam-bursting wallet with this unique new credit card-sized device, which operates just like your VISA or Amex, except that it serves as your credit, debit, loyalty, gift, and who-knows-what-this-one-is-for cards all at once. Simply toggle to the one you want to use on its built-in digital display, swipe, and you're golden. [More...]

Sono - $NA
Want a quiet night at home without suffering through the whirr of sirens or incessant car alarms and planes flying overhead? Stick these suction cups to your window. They allow you to isolate any and all specific noises outside — from jackhammers to chirping birds — and amplify the most pleasant of the bunch. [More...]

AnkiDrive - $199
The slot car/Hot Wheels hybrid of the future, this Apple-endorsed minicar racing game involves four cars whipping themselves automatically around a sensor-laden track, while players control them via iPhone app to knock other drivers off the course, earnin performance-enhancing bonus points along the way. Badass. [More...]

Nikon 1 AW 1 - $800+
The perfect companion for your next adventure vacation, this is the world's first waterproof and shockproof interchangeable lens camera. It's a looker, too. [More...]

Revolv - $299
Just in time for the smarthome revolution, Revolv allows you to sync an unlimited number of "smart" devices — lightbulbs, door locks, thermostats, fire alarms, wall switches — via WiFi and control them all on one simple app-based interface. [More...]

Stem System - $400
Get ready for next-level GTA action with this immersive controller system, which consists of clip-on wrist, ankle, and head dongles that translate your actual physical movements into virtual movements in a given video game. And you thought rumblepacks were cool. [More...]

NYMI - $79
Wouldn't it be nice to free up some precious brain space by purging it of those 1000 different passwords you have? Snap on this biometric recognition wristband, which measures your unique cardiac rhythms and communicates with your smartphone to log you into secure accounts. [More...]

Google Chromecast - $35
Setting the stage to eat both Apple TV and Roku's lunch, this wildly low-priced little device plugs right into your TV's HDMI port and harnesses the power of your smartphone, tablet, or laptop to stream online content (YouTube, Hulu, Netflix, HBOGo, etc.) on your big screen at the press of a button. [More...]

T-Fal Optigrill - $180
If only making a perfectly cooked steak were as easy as pressing a button. Oh, wait, now it is. [More...]

Project Ara - $TBA
Motorola's ready to turn the mesmerizing Phoneblock mobile phone concept into a reality. The gamechanging modular cell phone will allow users to build custom devices with parts specific to their needs, and replace individual elements when needed rather than have to replace the whole thing. [More...]

Scentee - $37
Who needs cool alert tones when you can just smell your text messages? [More...]

Fabtotum - $1100
Sure, 3D printers are cool, but they're sooo 2012. This year it was all about the 3D copier. [More...]

Wall of Sound 2.0 - $6,900
Oh, this? It's just a car-sized iPhone dock that also happens to be the loudest single speaker on the market. [More...]