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Look no further than the so-called Arab Spring. Social networks were widely credited with helping citizens from Egypt to Libya to Syria organize movements to overthrown their governments. Back home, social media was also credited with helping to unite protestors for the Occupy Wall Street movement, adding to the argument social networks are perhaps the most powerful mobilization tool ever.

And the more we rely on technology the more power it gives to people who can manipulate that technology for less than honorable purposes.

Sony's Playstation Network was knocked out for millions of users for around two months. And as if that's not bad enough, Sony was forced to admit information on as many as 70 million users was compromised. It ended up costing the company nearly $200 million to get the online video game and media service back to normal.

The year 2011 is also when our technology really started to look towards the cloud. From Google to Amazon to Microsoft to Apple just about any and every device and software developer is pushing you to save files -- from music to movies to documents -- up in the so-called cloud; servers that allow you access those files from just about any device no matter where you are, as long as where you are has access to the Internet.

But without question the biggest tech story of the year was the loss of one of -- if not the biggest -- technological innovator of modern times. Some would even argue ever. Apple founder Steve Jobs, after years of serious health problems, finally succumbs to cancer. He is remembered as a man who managed to merge technology with form, function, and style. Apple even passed Exxon at one point in 2011 as the most valuable company in the world. Steve Jobs was 56-years-old.