The Best Tech Companies of 2013

July 26, 2013 — by Per Christensson

Last week, I listed my least favorite technology companies of this year. But I'm not all doom and gloom. There are some great technology companies out there that are doing things well. Below are my current top three.

#3: Apple

Apple certainly isn't the same without Steve Jobs. But the people at Apple are still doing a lot of things well. The hardware designers continue to create meticulously crafted products and the software team continues to innovate on both the desktop and mobile platforms.

While I am not a big fan of the current iOS (Apple's mobile operating system), I was pleased to hear at the June WWDC that Apple is in the process overhauling the entire user interface in iOS 7. I was also happy to see that the company is continuing to improve OS X, my favorite operating system. Apple really won me over when the company announced they are finally going to release new Mac Pros later this year.

#2: Amazon.com

Amazon.com is a company that has subtly changed the way we live. Originally an online bookstore, Amazon.com now sells just about every product imaginable online. By doing so, it has created a new type of online retail experience that no other company has even come close to matching. This has forced competitors to innovate and improve their e-commerce sites, which has provided a better online shopping experience for everyone.

The two things that impress me most about Amazon are the quality of the website, and the customer service. For as large as the Amazon.com website is, it is still easy to navigate and provides an intuitive user experience. There are rarely any errors and orders are processed quickly and accurately. My experience with customer service has always been pleasant and their no-hassle return policy allows me to make worry-free purchases.

#1: Google

Of all the major technology companies, Google impresses me the most. While search is still the primary focus of the company, Google has excelled in many other areas as well. For example, Google Maps continues to get better each year and the service now provides more information than most of us could have even imagined a few years ago. YouTube continues to dominate the world of online video and has provided a new media outlet for creative people. Other services like Gmail, Google Drive, and Google Calendar have helped simplify daily tasks for many people.

My favorite Google service is their advertising platform. By providing an effective online advertising solution for advertisers (AdWords) and publishers (AdSense / Ad Exchange), Google made it possible for me to turn a hobby into a full-time job. The company continues to improve their ad delivery services and reporting interfaces while most other advertising platforms I use haven't made any updates for years.

Finally, Google has been a great partner in dealing with copyright violations. Unfortunately, this is something I deal with on a regular basis. Since information on the web is digital and freely available, it can easily be copied and republished by anyone with a computer and an Internet connection. Fortunately, Google has come to my aid several times and removed copied content from their search results and has even taken action against infringing websites.

Google is a great company that provides excellent services and is continually finding ways to improve them. That's why Google is number one in my list of favorite companies this year.