The 100 Best IT Products of 2006 – Part 10

We finally count down to the top 10 products of 2006. Exciting stuff… (Data Source: PC World)

#10 Apple Boot Camp

Finally, Apple lets you install and run the Windows XP operating system on your Mac by using this free Boot Camp.

#9 YouTube.com

A free video-sharing site for you to enjoy watching videos of every kind, and you can also upload your own productions at no cost.

#8 Canon EOS 30D

This 8.2 megapixel digital SLR camera takes many of the pro-level features from Canon’s EOS 5D, and offers them at a friendly price. Selling for $2,499 in New Zealand, but if you think it is still too expensive – you need to have a look at the new Canon EOS 400D.

#7 Adobe Premiere Elements 2

This strong, stable, entry-level video editing application only costs a fraction of the Premiere Pro, and you may not be able to even notice the difference. Click the link for more information and pricing. BTW…Adobe Premiere Elements 3 is coming soon.

#6 Google Earth

Many of the world’s news channels use Google Earth to zoom in places like Iraq, but you can use it to look in on your neighbour’s backyard…or your work…or the local tourist spot…or…

#5 Seagate 160GB Portable Hard Drive

You may be wondering why a portable hard drive is rated this high. It’s because this is the first hard drive to use perpendicular magnetic recording technology to pack more data into the same space. This revolutionary drive costs US$380 (NZ$575). But hey – if this is a little expensive for what you need, you can consider the 100GB model. Click the link for more information and pricing - Seagate 100GB USB 2.0 Portable External Hard Drive.

#4 Apple iPod nano

Everyone can recognize this tiny digital music player from Apple. The second generation is coming soon and should be available by the end of September. Refer to my previous post for more information and click the link for the latest pricing.

#3 Craigslist.org

Although it’s a very ugly web-classified website, this website is now established in over 200 cities around the world. Check out http://geo.craigslist.org/iso/nz for New Zealand cities (only Auckland, Christchurch and Wellington available at this stage).

#2 AMD Athlon 64 X2 Dual-Core

This most powerful desktop CPU ever made has achieved a dual-core design first. Click the link for more information on the range and the latest pricing.

#1 Intel Core Duo

If AMD’s Athlon X2 is #2, then who should be the number 1? The winner is – Intel Core Duo. Intel has had one of their biggest years! They introduced dual core processors for both notebook and desktop PCs, provided multi-tasking power never before possible on a portable PC, while supporting superb battery life for mobile devices. The Core Duo is not only for Windows PCs, but also for Apple’s laptop and desktop Macs. AMD’s Athlon X2 is powerful as well, but not as battery-efficient as Intel in the mobile area. Intel also launched the Intel Core 2 Duo desktop range recently, click the link for more information and pricing.

Who will be the king for 2007? Who knows. But one thing is for sure, these great products do make our life far more exciting, don’t they?