From the $1.1 billion acquisition of blogging platform Tumblr to the growing popularity of Snapchat, which reportedly turned down a $3 billion bid from Facebook, startups hit the mainstream in a big way.
Google also had a tremendous year, thanks in part to the buzz around its high-tech eyewear,Google Glass, which hasn't even hit the consumer markets yet. Take a look at our full list of winners in the gallery.
Other companies made valiant attempts at innovation, but some — such as Samsung with itsGalaxy Gear smartwatch — didn't quite hit the mark. We rounded them up, too.
