Top tech turkeys for 2012

Windows chief Steven Sinofsky

Sinofsky and Ballmer each spouted platitudes about how the departure was amicable and each side wishes the other the best. But given the celebratory reaction to Sinofsky's departure in the Microsoft channel - which has suffered under his total lockdown on communications around Windows 8 - it's safe to say partners aren't shedding any tears now that he's gone.

RIM's BlackBerry 10

BlackBerry 10 was originally expected to arrive by the end of the year, but RIM in June pushed the launch window until the first quarter of 2013. For most of the year, RIM has seen declining handset sales and a steady stream of customers defecting to Android and iOS. But according to RIM CEO Thorsten Heins, there are brighter days ahead. "We are just a few short months away. BlackBerry 10 is on track," Heins said in September at RIM's BlackBerry Jam Americas event. "Our sales forces are getting ready. Beta devices are in testing. Carrier entries will start next month."

Apple's iOS maps disaster

Apple CEO Tim Cook apologised for the iOS maps fiasco in late September, but iOS software chief Scott Forstall reportedly refused to do the same, and for that reason, he's no longer employed by the company.

HP's big data party: is the channel invited?

"[Big data analytics] is a new area that we are building, and it's actually doubling, if not tripling, on an ongoing basis, so it's a great opportunity for us," HP software chief George Kadifa told Wall Street analysts in October. Kadifa even believes Vertica can become a $US1 billion business. For HP, which despite its struggles still has a lot of loyal partners, getting the channel involved in big data opportunities has to be a priority for the coming year.

Nokia's fake smartphone video ad

AMD's steady decline

Symantec losing its focus on solutions

Facebook's IPO dud

The bizarre saga of antivirus pioneer John McAfee