Entertainment electronics are hotly searched items every year, and 2013 has been no different. Since the release of the PlayStation 3 in 2006, gamers have been anxiously awaiting new consoles, and 2013 delivered both the Xbox One and the PlayStation 4 into eager hands. As technology continues to develop rapidly, it's important for consumers to stay up-to-date with the best products so they can make informed purchasing decisions.
Here are the rankings of the most-searched entertainment electronics of 2013 according to Bing, with some details about why each term was particularly relevant this year.
1. Xbox -- The highly anticipated Xbox One went on sale November 22 in 13 countries, and sold over two million units in the first 18 days. Gamers around the globe are buzzing about all of its games and entertainment, now easily accessible and controlled by voice, not controller. The gaming console sells for $499 in the U.S.
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2. iPhone -- 2013 was another big year for the iPhone, with the 5S and 5C -- as well as iOS7 -- released in September. The 5S boasts major camera improvements, a fingerprint identity sensor, the ability to run 64-bit apps (thanks to the new A7 processor) and color options including silver, space gray and gold, among other improvements. The 5C is a lower-cost iPhone model and comes in brighter colors; however, due to disappointing sales, Apple began limiting iPhone 5C production in October.
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3. Android -- This year, Android announced
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4. iPad -- Apple released two new versions of the iPad this year: the iPad Mini Retina and the iPad Air. Both tablets boast 10 hours of battery life and include upgraded cameras and processors.
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5. Windows Phone -- The Windows Phone claimed the third ranking in popularity among smartphone-platform searches this year, and could be one of the major players in the phablet space. With Microsoft's recent acquisition of Nokia for $7.2 billion, we can likely expect to see continued innovation and announcements in 2014.
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6. Surface -- Two updated models of Microsoft's tablet, Surface, were released in October this year: Surface 2 and Surface Pro 2. Both tablets feature improved kickstands, new backlit keyboards and performance and battery life improvements.
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7. PlayStation -- PlayStation's big move this year was the release of the PS4 on November 15th. The release was a success: Sony sold 1 million units in the first 24 hours.
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8. Nintendo -- Although Nintendo's release of the Wii U in November 2012 isn't selling particularly well, the gaming brand continues to maintain customer loyalty with new offerings every year. Nintendo announced versions of both the popular games Mario Party and Legend of Zelda for the Nintendo 3DS in 2013.
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9. BlackBerry -- Although there has been a lot of talk about BlackBerry in 2013, it hasn't amounted to much good news for the company. BlackBerry launched the Z10 and Q10 models with fanfare -- however, the phones ultimately failed to wow users. Throughout the year, BlackBerry announced Alicia Keys as the company's new creative director, it replaced CEO Thorsten Heins with John S. Chen and announced a $1 billion loss in Q2. Though the company continues to make headlines and generate speculation, its future is still uncertain.
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10. Kindle Fire -- A popular competitor to tablets, it's no surprise that the Kindle Fire finishes off the list of the most-searched entertainment electronics of 2013. The highly rated, new generation Amazon Kindle Fire HDX comes in both 7 and 8.9-inch models, and boasts a powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor. Will the popular tablet ever be available for delivery via drone? Only time will tell.
Image: Mashable, Christina Ascani