2012's most innovative tech gear

A lot of innovative products were announced in 2012, such as Google’s Project Glass augmented reality glasses , that are still in concept form. But let’s face it, concept gear and gadgets that may not come to market for several years (or ever) are no fun. That's why I decided to narrow my sights on ground-breaking gear available today to fill out a list of most innovative gear of 2012.

I won't argue that my picks represent the year's most popular products on the market—but I do insist they are the most innovative and brought the freshest ideas to the consumer tech world and show promise in shaping the future.