The Geek Girl 2012 Countdown: The Top 5 Technology Stories of the Year

Well, we made it. 2012 is almost come and gone, and we’re all ready to start anew in 2013. But before we dive in to the new year, let’s take a look back at this year. From battling lawsuits to battling legislation, from IPO failures to record successes, it’s been an impressive and newsworthy year for technology in 2012. And that’s why all this week and into next week, I’ll be recapping the Top 5 technology stories of 2012.

3.) Apple Wins Patent Lawsuit Against Samsung

Apple has always been known as the innovators in the tech world. So it makes perfect sense that they would be super-protective over their innovations. So protective, in fact, that they're willing to take one of their biggest rivals to court over the whole thing.

Apple claimed that many features found on today's smartphones, such as the rounded rectangle shape and touch screens, were actually proprietary Apple innovations, and that Samsung was infringing upon them. On August 24th, the jury ruled in Apple's favor, and Samsung was ordered to pay over $1 billion dollars in damages to the tech giant. Not surprisingly, Samsung appealed the decision and the two companies are right back at it again.

Samsung called the whole thing should be seen not as, "a win for Apple, but a loss for the American consumer." And I'm inclined to agree with them. On one hand, you could say that Apple hogging all these "innovation" to themselves could open the door for smartphone developers to get a little more creative with designs and features of new phones. But the more likely outcome is that Apple will now have the power to charge ridiculous fees for any company who wants to use a touch screen or a rounded shape on their new phones, which will most likely in turn jack up the price on already overpriced mobile devices. That's more than enough reason for this story to make my Top 5 of 2012, and depending on how the next chapter of this lawsuit plays out, it could make the Top 5 of 2013 as well.

Check back here tomorrow as The Geek Girl 2012 Countdown continues with a well-known company taking a leap into the unknown.