Stuff magazine readers voted Apple's smartphone as the coolest device this year

Sep 18, 2008 08:51 GMT  ·  By

It is not the first time Apple's iPhone takes home a medal, and it will certainly not be the last. Most recently, the latest incarnation of the device, the iPhone 3G, won Stuff Magazine's “Gadget of the Year Awards,” based on readers' impressions. Apple's MacBook Air also took home a design award, Reuters reports.

The magazine described the iPhone 3G as "a faster, cleverer version of an already remarkable phone." One of the editors said that the nominated products were judged on their performance, design and value, as well as "that elusive cool factor." Fraser Macdonald added that "Having our readers vote for a number of the awards has been fascinating. They are the ones out there on the street buying gadgets and so they are a great barometer," he said.

According to the Reuters report, other nominees included Sony's PlayStation 3, Microsoft's Xbox 360, Nintendo's Wii Fit and the B&W Zeppelin iPod speakers. The voting has now closed, but fans are advised to check back soon for more results.

Other main winners, announced at a ceremony at the Dorchester Hotel in London on Tuesday, included Nokia (International brand), Sony Reader (Innovation), Apple MacBook Air (Design), Grand Theft Auto IV (Game), Ego Electric Street Scoota (Green gadget), Firebox.com - an online gadget and toy shop (Retailer).

Back in May, Apple took home not one, but two Black Pencil awards from the British organization D&AD, thanks to the stunningly-looking iPhone and aluminum iMac. Among the nominees were also the iPod nano and Apple's innovative aluminum keyboard, while the iPod touch got a Yellow Pencil, which is the prize for second-place winners over at D&AD.

Announcing the winners of its 2008 Awards ceremony in July, the Mobile Data Association handed Apple's Jonathan Ive the MDA Personal Achievement Award for (you guessed it) his work with the iPhone. Jonathan Ive is the Senior Vice President of Industrial Design at Apple Inc. He is internationally renowned as the principal designer of the iPhone, the iMac and the iPod. Critics regard Ive's work as being among the best in industrial design. His team's products have repeatedly won awards such as the Industrial Designers Society of America's Industrial Design Excellence Award.