Not every noteworthy product was made by Apple in 2009.
We've been doing a lot of end-of-the year lists here at CNET as our editors round up the most popular and best products in their categories. That's all great, but then someone said, "Hey, why don't we do a list that's a best-of-the-best list of all the lists combined?"
Well, that's what I was tasked with, but instead of calling it the "Best products of 2009" or the "Most popular products of 2009," I've come up with "The most notable products of 2009," which I like to think of as a kind of a hybrid between popular, best, and most hyped.
Once again, I've enlisted the help of my fellow editors, so while my name may appear at the top of this list, it's really a collective effort. That said, you can blame me if you don't like the picks (a few may surprise you).
As always, feel free to suggest your own picks. If you make a good case, we'll update the list and make some changes.
Click on any image to start the slideshow and see the picks (they are listed in alphabetical order).
Update: After reader feedback, we've added five additional products. Thanks for all the comments.
Here we are just days away from closing out the first decade of the 21st century, which means a lot of publications are in look-back mode, taking stock of all the good--and bad--things that happened over the last 10 years.
The Gizmondo in its heyday.
(Credit: ImageShack)Before we get to the list, let's get the parameters straight. This isn't a list of all the most spectacular tech failures. I chose to exclude dot-coms, corporate debacles (AOL-Time Warner), search engines (i.e., Cuil), and assorted other Web 2.0 flame outs (I'll let Webware handle that). No, this is a roundup of gear, the stuff that turns on and off, the stuff I've been covering for almost 10 years at CNET (yes, I started in 2000).
It's also important to define just what a flop is. In my book it's simply something that was really hyped but didn't live up to its promise or expectations. And while the word "flop" has a negative connotation, we here at CNET have a lot admiration for the designers, engineers, and everybody else who put their heart and soul into bringing these products and technologies to the world. Some of them didn't deserve their fates. They were ahead of their time or just marketed poorly. Whatever the case, we appreciate the vision, risk taking, and hard work that went into creating these things.
But enough sentimentality (I meant it, really). Let's get to the biggest tech flops of the decade. If you disagree with any of them or have more to suggest, please post a comment. If we missed any clear candidates, we'll modify the list.
Click on any image to start the slideshow. (Note: The list is in chronological order).
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(Credit:
Apple)
Recently, with the help of some of the editors here at CNET, I put together list of the biggest tech flops of the decade. Since I'm not a negative guy at heart, it was only a matter of time before I came up with a more positive spin on the whole tech-products-of-the-decade concept that's all the rage as we approach the end of '09.
Once again, I've enlisted the help of my fellow editors, so while my name may appear at the top of this list, it's really a collective effort. That said, you can blame me if you don't like the picks.
As always, feel free to suggest your own picks. If you make a good case, we'll update the list and make some changes. Also, let us know what your top five picks are in order of innovation and influence.
Click on any image to start the slideshow and see the picks (they are listed in alphabetical order).
(Credit:
Best Buy)
Every year, the Black Friday online circulars hit the Web, and lots of sites round up every Black Friday tech deal under the sun. If you want to see massively long lists with loads of models names that make no sense to you, go over to our friends at ZDNet or Gizmodo. They've done an excellent job compiling everything.
However, if you're trying to sort the real deals from all the crap that's being advertised to lure you into the stores, I've done my best to surface some of the more attractive options out there. The truth is a lot of the so-called deals are already available online from stores like Amazon and others--but a few items do stand out.
Of course, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and some deals may appear better to you than us, but here's what we've picked so far. If you feel we missed anything, feel free to point it out in the comments section below, and we'll add it to our showcase. Also, noted doorbuster items will only be offered in limited supplies, so get to stores early--or don't bother.
Click on any image below to start the slideshow.
Contrasting contrasts: The Kindle on the right is the new global-wireless model.
(Credit: Sarah Tew/CNET)When the Kindle 2 was first released, we reported on the small controversy over how dark the text and images appeared on the screen compared to the original Kindle. Held side by side, the original appeared to have better contrast and the text appeared slightly darker--and slightly easier to read.
Well, when we reviewed the new AT&T-powered version of the Kindle 2, which Amazon calls "Kindle Wireless Reading Device (6" Display, Global Wireless, Latest Generation)," we noticed that the text appeared darker on this model than on the older Sprint-powered Kindle 2. It's not a huge difference but it's definitely noticeable (see photo above).
While that's a good thing, we're not sure when Amazon made the transition to the slightly improved screen. It very well could have showed up on later revs of the Sprint-powered Kindle or it may have appeared with the introduction of the international AT&T-powered version. Alas, repeated e-mails to an Amazon PR spokesperson have gone unanswered, so we haven't been able to get official word from the company on what it did--or didn't do--to the screen.
When the initial controversy flared up, some Kindle owners wondered whether a firmware upgrade would remedy the contrast issue. We still don't know the answer to that, but we're hoping Amazon will clarify the contrast question for us (if it does, we'll update this post), especially with Barnes & Noble's Nook shipping within the month.
In the meantime, you can read our full review of the AT&T-powered Kindle and if you happen to have compared this model with the Sprint-powered Kindle and noticed a difference between the black levels, please post a comment.
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(Credit:
Sarah Tew/CNET)
On her way back from the airport the other day, our photo editor Sarah found a Kindle in the back seat of a New York City taxi cab. Being the honest person she is, she asked me if there was any way to get it back to the owner.
Well, it's actually not that easy to track down the owner of Kindle, especially if that person has a fairly common first and last name, as the owner of this Kindle does. We actually e-mailed him at the Kindle address that's registered to the device but it doesn't appear that you can get your @kindle.com e-mail unless you have the device.
Addtionally--and rather tragically--the person who bought this Kindle never inputted his personal information into the device. The link to "edit personal info" can be accessed from the "Settings and Device Information" tab when you click the menu button from the Kindle's home screen. On this Kindle, the box is empty.
Lesson 1: If you own and Kindle or another device that allows you to enter your personal info into it, do it, because while a lot of people would just deregister a lost Kindle and make it their own without ever trying to track you down, there are some people who want to return stuff that doesn't belong to them.
Lesson 2: Get a protective case for your device. The naked Kindle Sarah found has a small gash on the front (we're not sure if it got stepped on, sat on, or what) and it really does ruin the reading experience.
Now, we thought of calling Amazon and asking customer service reps for some possible info on the owner, but we've heard that Amazon doesn't like to give out info on Kindle owners. In fact, the New York Times recently wrote a story about how one owner of a lost Kindle pleaded with the company to brick his device so the person who found it couldn't use it. However, Amazon will only deregister the device to prevent your account from being accessed, but it won't keep someone from reregistering it. (The article talks about how there should be some way to authorize use from one owner to the next in the case the device is lost or sold.)
Coincidentally--or not--Ars Technica wrote a very similar story a week earlier. (Good headline I'd like to use someday: "Did the Times rip off the stolen Kindle story?")
But I digress.The purpose of this column isn't about ribbing Amazon or the Times but about taking a shot at finding this Kindle's owner.
Here's a hint. The device's name is "John's Kindle." So, if you're a John who lost your Kindle recently in New York, e-mail me through the link in my bio and we'll see if your last name matches up to the one on the device.
If you're name isn't John, and just want to comment on losing a Kindle, an iPhone, or another device you cherished, feel free to comment. We'd like to hear about your loss whether it has good ending or not.
In recent days, a few blogs have picked up on the fact that the battery on Sony's upcoming PSP Go will be sealed into the unit and not be user-replaceable, just as it is on all of Apple's latest portable devices and plenty of other new gadgets. The integrated battery isn't new news. But what caught people's attention was an old quote from John Koller, Sony's director of hardware marketing, which PlayStation Insider recently ripped off from a June Ars Technica article that had Koller explaining that the move to a built-in battery was a least partially designed to thwart pirates.
The PSP Go's embedded battery is a security feature.
(Credit: Levelup.cn)In case you don't know the history behind PSP piracy, it goes something like this: For the original PSP-1000 and second-generation PSP-2000, Sony had a secret "backdoor" system for resuscitating frozen or "bricked" PSPs. The process involved replacing the common PSP battery with a special one that unlocked the system.
Alas, the secret didn't last long, and hackers developed their own custom battery (the appropriately named Pandora's Battery) and firmware that allowed anyone to run illicit "ripped" versions of UMD games along with home-brew applications and PSOne titles that had been converted to run on the PSP. Those in the home-brew community maintain that they're just interested in fully accessing the products they've purchased and that pirating games isn't what their creative efforts are about. But the offshoot of the whole movement has been a flourishing trade in pirated games.
Nintendo faces similar problems with hacked DS systems, but a quick check of The Pirate Bay Top 100 handheld games reveals that the majority of the illegal downloads on the list are for the PSP. As I write this, more than 2,000 people are illegally downloading Dissidia: Final Fantasy, the top game on the list.
It's also worth noting that a counter on another site says that 81,000 people have already downloaded a recent custom firmware upgrade that will potentially allow modders to play that pirated version of Dissidia. A couple of competing custom firmware upgrades are out there, both of which appear to have been created by European hackers, including the infamous Dark Alex, a Spanish programmer who hasn't been heard from for a while. Some speculate that Sony has somehow neutralized Dark Alex either through legal threats or compensation, but Sony reps tell me that while they're aware of him, they [Sony], "Really have no relationship with him."
Although Sony hasn't said that much publicly about the piracy issue, it's acutely aware that tens of thousands of people--and quite possibly hundreds of thousands--never pay for games. Over the years, it's been trying to stay ahead of hackers with a steady stream of new firmware upgrades and additional security features incorporated into the PSP-3000 and the game discs.
In a response to some questions I submitted to Sony for this article, Koller says that, "Piracy is an industry-wide issue that ultimately is bad for consumers. We're continuing to take proactive steps to address the issue of piracy and to minimize its impact on the PSP, from both a legal and technical perspective. For example, firmware updates enable us to apply security patches and enhance or add new features."
Many, if not most, new PSP releases going forward will require you to install Sony's latest firmware to run the title (the firmware comes on the game's UMD disc). At this juncture, hackers appear to be a step behind Sony, though message-board posters on sites like psp-hacks.com remain confident Sony's security measures will be breached and that the real game begins when Sony releases its 6.0 firmware (Sony hasn't announced a launch date yet).
If there's an irony in all this it's that that the UMD format was supposed to prevent piracy and now Sony is seeing the move toward digital downloads as an opportunity to keep pirates at bay. Although a bit late (many argue that the PSP should have skipped physical media from the get-go), it's the right thing to do. That said, Sony does face some serious challenges in making the transition to a UMD-less platform.
- The $250 price tag on the PSP Go is too high (this is fairly self-explanatory, but it's unclear why Sony would bring out a more expensive device unless it was actually being cautious and didn't want to sell as many PSP Gos as it could if it were priced at $179, like the current PSP-3000 is).
- It's unclear just how much people are willing to pay for downloadable games. For a UMD PSP title, you're looking at $30-$40, but the top end for a downloadable game is $29.99 max for a AAA title and $19.99 for AA stuff.
- Currently, there's no way to trade in digitally downloaded games. As it is, popular PSP titles don't fetch all that much money at Gamestop or Amazon. But they fetch something, and trade-ins are how a lot of people help finance the purchase of new games.
Koller says that based on Sony's consumer research, there's strong demand among PSP owners for digital content. "That's why we're launching the PSPgo, which specifically invites consumers who prefer digital content to download games legally," he says. "We're offering a full spectrum of games for PSP owners to download, from bite-sized games in the new 'Minis' section on PlayStation Store to full, large-scale experiences like Gran Turismo."
As far as the pirates go, if history is any indicator, Sony probably won't be able to stop hackers from cracking the Go. (Koller was smart enough not to declare it unhackable; he merely said, "The PSP Go is going to make things tougher on the pirates.")
Ultimately, the company's best defense against piracy may be to offer good, affordable sub-$20 games and applications or perhaps even move to a monthly rental/subscription model that allows you to check out titles for 30 days, with an option to buy at the end. To get to where it wants to go, Sony not only needs to stay one step ahead of the hackers, but it needs to stay one step ahead of the competition. Occasionally, that requires thinking differently.
Comments?
Concept art for an Apple touch-screen Netbook.
(Credit: Gizmodo)
CNET News Poll
According to various rumors and reports, Apple's got a new slate-style Netbook in the works that may be announced as soon as next month. While we have no confirmation from Apple--or anybody else--that such a product really exists, that doesn't mean we can't do a little market survey and ask you what the thing should be called.
If the rumors are at all on target, the final product will look something like a jumbo iPod Touch. However, what's interesting is that such a PC would most likely be a crossover product for Apple and straddle several product families, includes iPods, MacBooks, and maybe even Apple TV. So, is it part of one of those families or a whole new category unto itself?
Only time will tell, but for now you can cast your vote in our poll of popular candidates or write in your own choice in the comments section. We strongly doubt we'll have any influence whatsoever over Apple's decision, but, hey, people at Apple do read CNET. At least a couple do anyway.
The iPod Classic may be an endangered species.
(Credit: Apple)If you've read the stories on Apple's latest earnings, you may have noticed that Apple Chief Financial Officer Peter Oppenheimer took the time to break out the sales of each model in the iPod franchise, which is seeing year-over-year declines for the first time in its history. In her piece, our own Erica Ogg wrote:
"During the third quarter, Apple sold 10.2 million iPods, compared with 11 million a year ago. It turns out that the shifting appeal of the Shuffle, Nano, and Classic model iPods are to blame. But Apple apparently saw this coming." She then goes on to quote Oppenheimer, who says those declining sales are "the reason we developed the iPod Touch. We expect our traditional MP3 players to decline over time as we cannibalize ourselves with iPod Touch and iPhone."
As rumors continue to circulate that Apple will introduce new iPod models this fall (as it traditionally has), the big question is whether the iPod Classic becomes the odd iPod out. In a recent MP3 Insider podcast, CNET editor Donald Bell points out that orders for new Samsung hard drives that would go into an updated Classic appear to be nonexistent, according to Ars Technica and Apple Insider. And shortly after the earnings were posted, TechCrunch writer MG Seigler asked whether the iPod as we know it is dying.
The prevailing bet among iPod followers is that the Classic may stick around for a little while, but it probably won't be upgraded and will be quietly put out to pasture. ... Read More
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Fujitsu's FLEPia offers color, but it costs $1,000.
(Credit: Fujitsu)Those of you holding out for a color version of the Kindle may be disappointed to learn that Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos is telling the world it won't be arriving anytime soon. In fact, a color-screened Kindle is "multiple years" away, he said Thursday, adding: "I've seen the color displays in the laboratory, and I can assure you they're not ready for prime time."
We weren't expecting a color-screened Kindle in the near future, particularly one that anyone can afford (Fujitsu has just launched the FLEPia color e-book reader in Japan, but it costs $1,000). That said, I strongly suspect we'll see color-screened e-book readers very soon that don't use E-ink technology. Manufacturers could simply go with an advanced touch-screen LCD. Apple's rumored netbook/jumbo iTouch would fall into this camp. And we suspect cheaper, sub-$300 versions will turn up if the whole e-book trend remains hot.
Whether they'll be any good is another story. The downside to backlit LCDs is that cause eyestrain and arguably aren't ideal for reading (and they tend to get washed out in direct sunlight). But by the same token, a lot of people spend much of the day staring at an LCD monitor, so a model that was easier on the eyes would probably be tolerated for the right price, especially if you consider an LCD has no problem displaying video and Flash animations. (E-ink currently can't do moving images).
What do you guys think? Will color e-book readers of the future use E-ink or shift to another technology?
