The 10 biggest tech stories of 2011

(CNN) -- The technology industry often finds itself pontificating about the future, but the busy news cycle this year gave us plenty to discuss.

Very influential tech pioneers died; cyber-security cost companies billions of dollars; and trends in electronics and on the Web provided new tools and created new challenges.

Smartphones and tablets each grew so immensely this year that we decided to give them their own mobile year-in-review list, according to a report in CNN.

As for future talk, there were plenty of bold, futuristic initiatives that did not quite bear fruit this year.

The seeds of Hewlett-Packard's mobile strategy, Google's plans for Motorola post-acquisition, Intel's 3-D silicon transistors and mobile payment systems like Google Wallet were planted this year. But those stories were left off of this list because their products did not reach a mass market in 2011. Look for those to make big splashes in 2012.  >>More here

SOURCE: cnn.com

RELATED STORIES