While Google has created huge hype in Silicon Valley for developing a self-driving car, John Deere has quietly sold monstrous self-driving tractors to farmers in flyover states during the past few years. The tractors steer themselves thanks to GPS software and a satellite or two. Yeah, even if you don't typically think of John Deere as a tech brand, that's exactly what it is: In the past several decades, the Moline, Ill.-based company has designed and manufactured a ridiculous number of planters, plows, discs, etc. that have helped the breadbasket region feed the nation.

By: David Norfolk, Practice Leader - Development, Bloor ResearchPosted: 2nd October 2014Copyright Bloor Research © 2014

An investigation in charts.

Pebble arguably started the modern smartwatch craze. In 2012, the startup became the darling of the tech world when it raised over $10 million on crowdfunding site Kickstarter to create the first Pebble watch, which can connect to your iPhone or Android phone and deliver notifications to your wrist. It formally launched in early 2013. That was before Samsung had a chance to launch its Gear smartwatches. Or before Google could introduce Android Wear, its operating system for smartwatches. And it was way ahead of the Apple Watch, which won't launch until early 2015.