The winners of the 2005 Engadget Awards!

Ah yes, the Engadget Awards! All the glitz and glamor of the Oscars, but without all that Best Acting stuff -- only technical achievements here, people -- the most interesting, innovative, feature-rich gadgets 2005 had to offer. Thousands of readers cast their votes for the Readers' Choice, and we also selected our picks for each of the 26 categories we're giving awards for. As always, we ask the winners to please keep their acceptance speeches brief or they'll be played off, and to keep those Engadget Awards trophies polished to a high shine forever more.

Without further ado, click on to see the winners!

Gadget of the Year
Readers' Choice: Apple iPod (5g)
Engadget Pick: Microsoft Xbox 360

Merger of the Year
Readers' Choice: eBay and Skype
Engadget Pick: Sprint and Nextel

Worst Gadget of the Year
Readers' Choice: Motorola ROKR E1
Engadget Pick: Gizmondo

Weird Gadget of the Year
Readers' Choice: Solid Alliance USB Spaghetti
Engadget Pick: Solid Alliance USB Spaghetti

Disappointment of the Year
Readers' Choice: Motorola ROKR E1
Engadget Pick: Creative Zen Vision

Most Anticipated Gadget of 2006
Readers' Choice: Sony PlayStation 3
Engadget Pick: Sony PlayStation 3

Cellphone of the Year
Readers' Choice: Motorola V3c
Engadget Pick: Sony Erisson w800

Smartphone of the Year
Readers' Choice: Palm Treo 650 (GSM)
Engadget Pick: HTC Universal

Desktop of the Year
Readers' Choice: Apple Power Mac G5 (quad)
Engadget Pick: Sony RC Series

Digital Camera of the Year
Readers' Choice: Canon EOS 5D
Engadget Pick: Canon EOS 5D

Display of the Year
Readers' Choice: Dell 2405fpw
Engadget Pick: Dell 2405fpw

Game Console of the Year
Readers' Choice: Microsoft Xbox 360
Engadget Pick: Microsoft Xbox 360

GPS Device or Application of the Year
Readers' Choice: Google Earth
Engadget Pick: TomTom Go 700

Handheld of the Year
Readers' Choice: Nokia 770
Engadget Pick: Nokia 770

HDTV of the Year
Readers' Choice: Sony KDS-R60XBR1
Engadget Pick: Toshiba SED 50-inch

Home Entertainment Device of the Year
Readers' Choice: Slingmedia Slingbox
Engadget Pick: Slingmedia Slingbox

Household Device of the Year
Readers' Choice: iRobot Scooba
Engadget Pick: iRobot Scooba

Laptop of the Year
Readers' Choice: Apple PowerBook (15-inch)
Engadget Pick: IBM Thinkpad Z

Media PC of the Year
Readers' Choice: Apple iMac G5 with Front Row
Engadget Pick: Niveus Media K2

Peripheral of the Year
Readers' Choice: Logitech Cordless Desktop MX 3100
Engadget Pick: IPEVO free-1 USB phone

Portable Audio Device of the Year
Readers' Choice: Apple iPod Nano
Engadget Pick: iRiver U10

Portable Video Device of the Year
Readers' Choice: Apple iPod (5g)
Engadget Pick: Cowon A2

Robot of the Year
Readers' Choice: Honda Asimo
Engadget Pick: Stanford's VW Touareg "Stanley"

Tablet PC of the Year
Readers' Choice: Lenovo ThinkPad X41
Engadget Pick: Lenovo Thinkpad X41

Wearable Device of the Year
Readers' Choice: Fossil Atari watch
Engadget Pick: Seiko Spectrum e-ink watch

Wireless Technology of the Year
Readers' Choice: 802.11n
Engadget Pick: 802.11n

[(Unverified) Posted Feb 8th 2006 3:32PM]

Nice to see TomTom GO 700 get some credit, handsfree bluetooth really set them apart.

[(Unverified) Posted Feb 8th 2006 4:10PM]

I agree that the election of the Toshbia SED was a little suspect, but it does point up the pants-wetting promise of this new display technology, does it not?

[(Unverified) Posted Feb 8th 2006 5:56PM]

Whoa...
1) You sure can... with iTunes. MCE doesn't offer a video distribution service or music distribution service that can really match iTunes (don't even pretend there is, you're kidding yourself) , and since iTunes integrates with Front Row but not MCE, that's a feather in Front Row's cap. (You can watch and record TV too with ElGato EyeTV, but the idea is that there's a new distribution network here- that you won't need to record TV anymore.) Granted it isn't quite perfect yet but it works extremely well.

I agree with the presentation Steve Jobs Made- the 'MCE' remotes try to replicate the TV. Their design is too cluttered and while it may be more capable, it's far less efficient. If I can navigate my media library with far fewer keys in an arrangement that doesn't involve me looking down, than why not?

Clutter is idiotic. Simplicity is brilliance.

[(Unverified) Posted Feb 8th 2006 6:58PM]

Great selection guys ;)

[(Unverified) Posted Feb 8th 2006 7:39PM]

Apple!

Apple apple apple, apple apple Apple? Apple apple apple. Apple apple apple, apple, apple, apple apple. Apple apple apple, apple; apple apple apple...

Apple (apple apple apple!) apple apple--apple--apple apple apple. Apple apple, apple apple?

Apple: apple apple...

Apple!!!

[(Unverified) Posted Feb 9th 2006 12:55AM]

Miker (#52): You're kidding yourself if you think that MCE doesn't have any content distribution that can match iTunes. For a start, MCE can do TELEVISION! There are also plenty of subscription sites that provide video content, some for free (Online Spotlight) and it all adds up to more than the lipservice iTunes pays to video. Add a membership to a private TV torrent site and you've get everything you can ever want at your fingertips.

As for music, MCE has a 10' interface plugin model that is used by Napster and the like. Say what you want about iTunes as a portable music content store, it cannot hold a candle to a subscription-based service through your home theatre. Fire up Napster at a party and let your guests build playlists from Napster's entire library. MCE also allows you to play content you have on your hard drive (or via network shares) - non-FairPlay content is still quite popular you know.

There's a reason the FrontRow remote only has a small number of buttons - there's barely enough functionality to warrant it. By all means enjoy your crippled, second-rate Apple solution - anyone who's ever seen MCE in action knows FrontRow sucks in comparison.

[(Unverified) Posted Feb 9th 2006 7:53PM]

I can't wait to have my Napster playlist building party...it's going to be off the hook.

[(Unverified) Posted Feb 11th 2006 10:47AM]

"though I'd go with the revolution instead, but that's just my vote."

Same here, how do you possibly choose the PS3, which is more of the same, over Nintendo's actually unique and innovative approach to gaming...that baffles me.

[(Unverified) Posted Feb 12th 2006 9:00AM]

After reading the comments can�t help but wonder exactly who�s poll is this? It appears that the folks that voted for the products were mostly Unitedstatians, wonder what the results would be if Europeans, and Orientals were equally represented.

It may be that this poll should�ve been called 2005 Endgadget Awards according to Unitedstatians!

[(Unverified) Posted Feb 12th 2006 6:46PM]

Thats my view, as for my experience, I've used/owned ipod's and generic MP3 devices, all types of portable video playing devices from ipods to treos. As for computers, I've used/owned all types and brands, tablet, laptop (even had one of the first zenith clamshell xt clone laptops), desktop, OS X, dos, OS/2 2.1,
OS/2 3.0 Warp, Win 3.1, 95, 98, NT, XP PRO, Many linux flavors too. I still have a working IBM Portable PC ( IBM XT PC in a portable case) and collect IBM PS/2 machines (MCA only). And mobile gadgets? I'm all about mobile gadgets, if its small, cool and has electronics in it I'll buy it (anyone remember the Philips Camera Key? or the kensington WiFi finder that actually only finds WiFi traffic, or how about the casio camera watches? yep have 'em all lol)
So as you can see I play with almost as much gadget stuff as the guys at engadget and I've never had stuff "just work" like when you use apple products. The only things with as much plug and play ease of use and reliablity is video game consoles ( xbox 360 excluded lol). And if you doubt the power and flexablity of all-in-one packages like apple stuff go look up some of the homebrew stuff for the Dreamcast or the PSP.

I have your experience and then some. But my take on Apple is definitely different.

From a personal point of view, Jobs has a history of taking what isn't his and then getting credit for it. From not marrying his girl after getting he pregnant, lying to his partner ( Steve Wozniack ) about how much money they were making so he could keep most of the profits from Apple, and stealing parts from Atari labs to build his first Apple computer. He's done a lot of questionable things.

From a technical standpoint, there are a lot of issue with Apple productions. Looking at the iPod, the battery is not user-replaceable, the surface gets scratched very easily( Nano's ), and the iTunes software is a mis-mash of applications that existed in the mid-90's with a pretty cover over the top. And they always have excuses for the many artificial limitations they put on end users, from iTunes file sharing, DRM, to simple use interface settings such as the location of toolbars.

The iPod video player is a late-comer to the market, and its screen is too small to really compete, but somehow people voted it as the best portable video player. The Archos line of PVR's is a much better choice with its wide range of screen sized, good performance, and mp4 support. The PSP is a close second in that category.

I appreciate that Apple exists as to provide more competition in the market place, along with OS's such as Unix, Linux, and ( gulp ) Windows, but you guys have to stop the fan-boi-ism ( spelling intentional ) and realize that you are taking the good with the bad, and all is not perfect in the world of Apple. In short, stop getting the short end of the stick and fight back a little. Say, "yes the click-wheel is nice, but you're telling me I am not allow to change the battery or it violates the warranty?"

[(Unverified) Posted Feb 13th 2006 11:40PM]

http://iaudiophile.net/forums/showthread.php?t=7429

Us Cowon A2 users over at the iaudiophile forums applauds Engadget for awarding the Cowon as Player of the Year. Take that iPos!

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 2nd 2006 5:39PM]

My iAudio M3 _kicks_the_crap_ out of an iPod. In every category, including price.

My best friend bought an iPod (fell for the hype) and after I showed him the M3, he's sorry he did.

I was lucky to stumble across iAudio.

[(Unverified) Posted Apr 2nd 2006 3:21AM]

thank you

[(Unverified) Posted Apr 5th 2006 8:55AM]

I have get a TomTom Go 300 on my birthday useable for de Benelux. Is it possible with an other chip this to use for West Europa? So Yes what is the price?

[(Unverified) Posted Apr 5th 2006 9:17AM]

is oke! C. Pool

[lulianping Posted Dec 2nd 2009 9:28PM]

Come on, i don't think front row should even be given the title of media centre, it's in a a totally different league to MCE.
http://www.laptopbatteryclub.com/