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T3 Gadget Awards: HTC One beats out the iPhone to win best Phone of the Year

Sony’s Playstation 4 walked away with Best Gadget, while Sir James Dyson received the Tech Legend award

Zachary Davies Boren

Friday 03 October 2014 21:51 BST

For the second year running, a HTC smartphone has been named the best on the market by tech magazine T3.

At the 8th annual T3 Awards, the HTC One (M8) beat out Apple, Samsung and host of other high-end electronics brands.

It wasn’t against the iPhone 6 that HTC was competing but rather its predecessors the iPhone 5 and 5S. Samsung’s latest model, the Galaxy S5, was given a commendation.

Earlier this year, The Independent dubbed the HTC One (M8) “the best Android handset on the market.”

Apple didn’t go home empty handed, however, as it won both Laptop of the Year for the MacBook Pro with Retina display and The Design Innovation Award for their Mac Pro.

10 best smart phones

Show all 10

1/1010 best smart phones

10 best smart phones

Samsung Galaxy S5

With a gloriously bright and colourful 5.1in screen, the S5 has significantly improved battery life. Features that impress include the fingerprint sensor under the home button to keep the phone secure and the fast 6MP camera. £569.95, carphonewarehouse

10 best smart phones

Apple iPhone 5s

Though it was released in October, this is an impressive phone with good design and its 4in display is pin-sharp. The iPhone operating system is elegant and more intuitive than rivals. The camera is 8MP, not as high resolution as some, but the fastest on test. There’s a fingerprint sensor for extra security. From £549, store.apple

10 best smart phones

Motorola Moto G

If you’re upgrading to your first smart phone, this slick, good-value model is one to consider. It has a screen that’s bigger than the iPhone 5s at 4.5ins, and higher resolution. £119.95, amazon

10 best smart phones

HTC One (M8)

This year’s model is slick and beautiful with an all-metal back. The camera has just 4MP resolution but the sensor is bigger and better at sucking in light and has two lenses to record extra data for further effects. We like the Android’s attractive and user-friendly software, particularly the gesture controls so you can answer a call just by picking it up. £529.95, carphonewarehouse

10 best smart phones

Sony Xperia Z2

The new 5.2in-display Sony is solid, handsome and waterproof, so you can text in the bath. The camera is very strong – 20.7MP. The audio is also great thanks to special headphones with the phone that have digital noise-cancelling. £599, shop.sonymobile (available for pre-order)

10 best smart phones

Nokia Lumia 1020

This is one for photo aficionados. It has a 41MP sensor: the results are stunning. It uses the Windows Phone operating system. For us, the highlight is the fact that maps are available for free download, so you can use the phone as a satnav abroad with no data charges. £479.99, shop.o2

10 best smart phones

Apple iPhone 5c

Apple’s lower-priced handset has a glossy plastic case that looks and feels anything but cheap. The screen is the same as on the pricier 5s and the operatingsystem is identical. The main point of difference is it’s not quite as fast as on the 5s. From £429, store.apple

10 best smart phones

Yotaphone

Along with a regular 4.3in screen, the back of this phone is a display as well, a monochrome e-ink one, like on a Kindle e-reader. This screen uses no power except when the content changes so you can save data there and it’s safe even if you run out of juice. £419, yotaphone

10 best smart phones

Motorola Moto X

Uniquely, this phone responds when you say “Okay Google Now” even when it’s on standby. Then it’ll answer your spoken question. It has a good 4.7in screen and you can launch the 10MP camera by a flick of the wrist. £319.95, phones4u

10 best smart phones

Nokia Lumia 1520

This is a 6in-screen mobile making it ideal for e-book reading and web surfing. The display, like the Nokia Lumia 1020, is designed to be easy to read even in bright sunlight. You can wake the screen by tapping it and even use it with gloves on. £352, amazon

Beats by Dre, Apple’s £2 billion acquisition, failed to win Headphones of the Year, beaten out by Philips Fidelio S2.

Besides HTC, the big winner was the new Sony Playstation, which won two marquee awards and was entered into T3 Hall of Fame.

The PS4 prevailed in the awards’ main event – Gadget of the Year – having already won The Gaming Award.

Away from all the stiff competition, Sir James Dyson, the man behind the Dyson company, was honoured as a Tech Legend.

Dyson, whose vacuum cleaner revolutionised the market and whose company has served the advance of fans, heaters and hand dryers, is looking to innovate in The Internet of Things era of which we are at the advent.

He said: “What an honour. My focus is on making new technology and exciting machines. But the best ideas are not all mine, it is Dyson’s 2,000 sparky engineers and scientists who should take the credit. Working with them and some of the best universities in the world, we are developing new technologies which make things work better."

Akin to a lifetime achievement award, legendary status was last year bestowed upon Ted Talk curator Chris Anderson.

The PS4 won Gadget of the Year

Winners

Gadget of the Year Sony PlayStation 4

Phone of the Year - HTC One (M8)

The Gaming Award - Sony PlayStation 4

Laptop or Tablet of the Year - Apple MacBook Pro with Retina display

TV of the Year - Samsung HU8500

Car of the Year - BMW i3

Brand of the Year - Netflix

Camera of the Year - GoPro HERO3+ Black Edition

Fitness Wearable of the Year - Jawbone UP24

The Design Innovation Award - Apple Mac Pro

The Sound Award - Denon Coccon Stream

The Entertainment Award - Sky+ HD

The TechLife Home Award - Philips Hue

Headphones of the Year - Philips Fidelio S2

Tech Personality of the Year - Richard Ayoade

T3 Tech Legend - Sir James Dyson

T3 Hall of Fame - Sony PlayStation

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