Inspired by Lifehacker's Zeitgeist, I took a trip down Google Analytics lane to compute Gizmodo's top 10 most popular stories of 2006.
10. USB Powered BBQ—WTF?
Note to George Foreman: There is a huge and untapped market for in-office grilling solutions. At least judging from the popularity of this mod, which uses 30 USB ports spread out over five USB PCI cards to power a grill that cooks 1 ounce of steak (or bacon—it's hard to tell from the photo). The YouTube video of the USB BBQ is, sadly, no longer available.
9. Exclusive Microsoft Zune Details
The first grope of the Zune music player, as leaked to Gizmodo's Jason Chen, revealed all kinds of juicy details about the buttons, the interface, the FM transmitter and that magnetic headphone thingy on the back. Second base.
8. Zune: First Full Review
A little feel just wasn't enough for you, was it? So Jason had to go all the way and slide the Zune down his pants. We also learned that the device would be upgradeable, and got to skulk around the Zune Marketplace looking for records.
7. Gizmodo Knows: iPhone Will Be Announced On Monday
The post was just one line long, but it turned into a full-blown iPhoneyGate.
6. Lexus Self Parking Car Video and Review
Gizmodo usually leaves the car scoops to our pals over at Jalopnik. Except when the car is a Lexus that has the ability to park its own bad self, as well as adaptive cruise control, 8-speed transmission and an optical drive in the dash that rips CDs.
5. Microsoft Argo's Final Name: The Zune?
Microsoft changed the name of its music player from Argo, the ship sailed by Jason and the Argonauts, to Zune, which was invented by Lexicon Branding and cost several hundred thousand dollars. Runner up name: Henrietta.
4. Wii and PS3: Complete and Synchronized Unboxing
As if it weren't enough to receive the final consumer version of Sony's PlayStation 3 a full day before anyone else, an ice cream truck drove up and delivered a Nintendo Wii to Gizmodo Editor Brian Lam as well. Over the next few hours, Lam would achieve gadget geek nirvana by simultaneously unboxing the two most sought-after tech toys of 2006.
3. The Japanese Wii Safety Manual is Crazy
Gizmodo has seen a lot of weird Japanese things over the years, but none matched our discovery of a secret battle between Godzilla and several Gundams in the early 1980s that bombarded the whole of Japan with cosmic G-rays, which allowed then-youths to grow up and draw this weird-ass manual for the Nintendo Wii.
2. Exclusive Microsoft Zune Picture-Zune In The Wild!
Gizmodo gets to first base with Zune. Who could have known then how short our romance would be.
1. LG "Chocolate" Phone Not What You Think
LG's little Valentine's Day gift to Gizmodo was this adorable picture of the "Chocolate" phone. I hear she's quite popular.