Best Invention of the Year?

I am biased against giving the I-phone the award. Its popularity has factored into its being picked. Some unknown garage-built invention is likely way more deserving.

Invention? Well, since the i-Phone is nothing more than a well done collection of existing technologies, I wouldn't even classify it as an invention under the normal definition. New product and new application maybe.

The 3D printer from Cornell University, designed for DIYers that can print with any medium from plastic to peanut butter seems like it would be a better choice.

http://arstechnica.com/articles/culture/fabathome.ars

The iPhone adds a level of convenience and unprecedented ergonomics, but doesn't really enable much of anything new like the unleashing of creativity that a full 3D printer enables: Things like Chocolate castles, plastic widgets, etc. This will drastically reduce the cost of simply prototyping and increase its overall availability to the general population, where the vast bulk of our untapped ingenuity lies.

iPhone...greatest invention...uhhhhh. interesting. But personally I think there are numerous inventions of this year, or inventions of the last two years under innovation that are intelligently designed, and have new and innovative methods of production. One example is a spherical solar cell being produced by Kyosemi Opto, called Sphelar.

http://www.kyosemi.co.jp/product/pro_ene_sun_e.html

I believe products such as this should certainly be placed above Apple's collection "invention"