I am surprised that the Barnes and Noble Nook was not on this list. I understand that it has not been released yet, but it will be launched in November, and seems to be a great alternative to the Kindle.
With hundreds of thousands of apps available, and more and more being added each day, the only problem will be to sift through he stupid fart noise apps and bikini girl games to find the really great apps. Hands down, the App Store was the best product of 2009, and if they keep improving it with quality apps then I predict it will be here again next year.
#2 Microsoft Windows 7
How far Windows has come since the launch of Vista. XP was launched with mixed reviews, and Vista just bombed, so Windows had to do something big to make up for it. And they did that with Windows 7. The new taskbar and cleaned up user interface make it enjoyable to use a PC again.
#3 Firefox 3.5
Firefox is the best browser on the market, and got a lot better this summer with the release of 3.5. Speed was much improved, the addition of private browsing, and the add-ons that keep getting better, make this one of the best products of the year.
#4 Google Voice
Google voice finally gives you a way to have one number that will ring to all of your phone. No more "Here are my work, home, and cell numbers." On top of that, voicemails are transcribed and organized gmail style for your convenience. Then throw in free conference calling, phone switching and recording. Now all we need
is a Google Voice iPhone app....
#5 Western Digital My Passport Essential SE 1TB
WD hard drives have always been my favorite, and now they brought a TB into a My passport that you can take with you everywhere. Very durably and reliable, one of the best portable externals on the market.
#6 Evernote
Evernote is a must have for note takers. Note only can you organize all your notes, but you can add emails, PDFs, photos, and just about anything in between, and have it all synced to your iphone as well as the Evernote website. The free version is great, but this is one of the few products that I'm willing to pay to upgrade.
With so much of the world going wireless, its only a matter of time before we "cut" the power cord. Duracell is bringing us one step closer to wireless charging with the Duracell Mygrid. The Mygrid can power up to 4 devices using a Powersleeve (a sleeve that is made from a special conductive charging material). This is a great product and we can make due with it until someday in the not-so-distant future we will be completely wireless.
One of the best innovations in the past 5 years is online television. It has reached a point where it seems almost pointless to have cable, with nearly every network supplying some, if not all, of their shows available online for your viewing pleasure 24 hours a day. The only problem is it doesn't act like a TV, with the ability to sit on the couch and flip through the channels. That is where Boxee comes in. Boxee has all the video you would want in one place, with the ability to use your iPhone or Mac remote to flip channels, as well as browse videos, pictures, and music that are on your computer.
Free up some room on your key chain by tossing out your flash drive and get a Dropbox instead. Dropbox allow you to drag and drop files into your dropbox and access them from other computers that you have setup with the same account. Some if you are constantly needing to transfer files from your work computer to your laptop and then to your home computer, this will be a life changer. Free package gives you up to 2gbs of storage. Free iPhone app also available.
In these tough economic times, everyone is watching their money a little closer. So why not do that in a fun and visual pleasing way. Mint is a site that allows you to keep track of your finances, view breakdowns of how you are spending your money, and has great fincial tips. Also, a great iPhone app allows you to check your balances on the go.
What do you think were the best products of 2009? Let us hear it.
PC World Top 100 of 2009
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