As we put 2011 to bed, a lot of technologies are vying for that virtual award podium of our memory: Which ones will not be forgotten in 2012? So, here we are with the Top 5 Tech All Stars of 2011 – the products defined the year in tech — all strong in reviews ratings, but even more importantly, they defined their category or set a path that we’ll be on for some time.

Number 5 – Amazon Kindle Fire

Amazon as well as Barnes & Noble gave us really good tablets we can afford and carry without a bag. We don’t know how well the Kindle Fire is going to survive after some skeptical early reviews but i’m pretty sure the idea of a smaller tablet that is good enough and doesn’t cost a fortune is gonna stay.

Number 4 – Macbook Air

Laptops changed with the success of Macbook Air this year. The Air just seemed to be what we always wanted a laptop to be: Light, thin, instant on and with lonngggg battery life,  good enough storage and processing. It even diverts some people away from their iPad. Macbook Air sales are growing 4 times faster than PC sales and even 2.5 times as fast as hot Mac sales.

Number 3 – iPad 2

Part of the reason we have our #5 Kindle Fire at all is because Apple established this sort of Valley of Death for everything else. iPad2 is arguably Apple’s most successful product when measured in terms of market dominance and while its price can be a lot to bite off, there’s a lot to chew on once you do. iPad2 is simply the best tablet out there and its singular success in 2011 helped keep the entire sector from becoming a distant memory.

Number 2 – iPhone 4S

After getting drubbed for being too evolutionary, the 4S went on to be the best selling new iPhone ever and the highest rated by CNET. From iOS5 to Siri to a camera that obviates cameras, this phone kept Apple top of mind even as the Android guys took over on sales momentum.

So, the #1 Tech all Star of 2011 goes to a product that is also accepting on behalf of its category.

Number 1 – Motorola Droid Razr

CNET’s best rated smartphone of the year. And according to many reviews best rated smartphone EVER. It just doesn’t end. Motorola came out of nowhere with this guy and in the process symbolized the rise of Android and of the superphone category in a year when smartphones in general were the most competitive field in consumer tech.

Don’t miss my other year end Top 5 for 2011 that put’s the year in tech in perspective.