Evan Wondrasek

1. Android-based Phones – I bought a Motorola Droid on launch day and have never been so happy with a gadget.  This phone has all the hardware necessary to utilize Android’s wonderful multitasking, and I’ve seen leaps and bounds with application development over the past few months.
2. Netbooks – I’m away from my apartment more than ever this year, but I haven’t had to make any compromises because of my Asus 1005HA. (which I reviewed).  Modern netbooks offer plenty of processing power and batteries that can keep you going all day.  It can be a little difficult working on a tiny screen, but you can’t beat these devices for their stuff-in-your-backpack portability.
3. Xbox 360 – I’m not a big gamer like some of my fellow contributors, but I’ve really enjoyed some of the great titles that have been released in 2009.  More than anything though, I use my Xbox as a media center to stream Netflix Instant Watch and video files from my PC.
4. iPod Touch – Until I bought my Droid, this was my go-to device for mobile browsing and entertainment.  Despite the fact that I was limited to wifi access, I typically would reach for my Touch before my laptop.
5. Growing 3G Mobile Networks – Everybody is arguing about “who has the best 3G network” – but have we forgotten how amazing this technology is in the first place?  The internet on my mobile phone is considerably faster than many DSL connections, so if you’re using a mobile phone on 3G right now, take a second to appreciate how awesome this technology is.

Dustin Patterson

1. Netbooks – Netbooks are my favorite technology of 2009. I purchased my netbook this year and am really glad I did (I’m actually writing this article from it right now.) Ever since I purchased it, my netbook has gone with me almost everywhere I go. [Check out our 5 reasons why a netbook might be right for you]
2. Atom Processors – Tied in with my number 1, this little guy has help to push the netbook market to where it is today. With their ultra-low voltage requirements and small form-factor, these small yet powerful processors are the core of today’s mobile computing technology and show that big things really do come in small packages.
3. USB 3.0 Devices – Although none have been released yet, 2009 showed some major development of consumer USB 3.0 devices. I’m looking forward to 2010 when we will be able to transfer at 0.4 GByte/s (almost a full CD in a second).
4. Solid State Drives – I took an interest in solid state drives this year when I purchased my netbook (which does contain an SSD). Although not quite mainstream, solid state drives are definitely the future of consumer storage with their faster speeds and higher reliability rates. I look forward to when I am able to purchase a larger SSD in the coming year.
5. Android Smart Phones – This year was the year for the Android-based phone. With the highly anticipated release of the Motorola Droid on the Verizon network, many people are now able to get their hands on a powerful and customizable phone powered by Android. Although I do not have one for myself, I look forward to purchasing an Android-based phone in the coming year.

Reis Pritchard

Kevin Schulte

1. Playstation 3 – I finally picked up a PS3 this summer, and it quickly turned into my favorite console of the current generation.  Great exclusive games, a Blu-Ray player, and free online play make the PS3 hard to beat.  Plus you can install Linux on it.
2. Motorola Droid – I don’t personally have one (yet), but it’s impossible to not acknowledge that there’s finally a killer phone for the Android platform.
3. Creative Zen X-Fi – Of the iPod alternatives I looked at, the Zen X-Fi was the most attractive choice. It does everything I want at a very reasonable price. As a bonus, it comes with earphones that sell for around $50 if purchased separately.
4. Hard Drives – Hard drives were in the spotlight for computer hardware this year. Solid state drives have continued to drop in price and rise in speed, and high capacity traditional drives dropped to dirt cheap levels.
5. Logitech G500 Gaming Mouse – My old G5 bit the dust this year, and I picked up a G500 to replace it. It takes everything good about the G5 and perfects it, and takes every complaint I had about the G5 and fixes it.

Derek Dahlen

1. XBMC Media Center – The open-source XBMC Media Center (formerly Xbox Media Center) software is my HTPC solution of choice. With a large development community creating new features and eliminating bugs, XBMC continues to be my go-to solution for media playback on my TV.
2. Google Android Phones – I’ve been playing around with Android for quite a while now, and am thoroughly impressed with how the mobile OS is shaping up. With the lag time in updates from phone makers and providers, rooting your Android phone and performing updates to the latest and greatest versions is a must.
3. Windows 7 – Windows 7 released in fall of ’09 with an incredible adoption rate. With Microsoft’s free beta program, they created quite a bit of hype from geeks across the globe. If you’re still on Windows, you should definitely be giving 7 a look.  [Check out all of our guides about Windows 7]
4. Nvidia Ion Netbooks – Nvidia’s ION platform has given netbooks the ability to perform semi-intensive video activities that netbooks have desperately needed. (Watching YouTube in HD, 720p video playback) I think these netbooks are going to blow up in 2010.
5. Intel Core i5 750 – With low prices and excellent overclocking ability, Intel’s Core i5 has finally given enthusiasts an affordable path to a 4 Ghz quad-core solution.

David Carman

1. Large Hadron Collider – It’s awesome.  Still not convinced?Image courtesy Ethan Hein
2. Smartphones – I don’t have one but they are a huge leap forward in terms of personal and portable computing.  Navigating NYC is so much easier with my brother’s iPhone than it would be without it, we are using it constantly.

Patrick Vinge

1. Drobo – The best on-site back up solution of all time.  With the ability to add hard drives together to create a backup, you can’t have a safer set up.  Expandable up to 16 terabytes, Drobo can be a solution for commercial applications as well.
2. Unibody Macbook Pro – The most solid laptop made today, with amazing performance from the hardware.  The only drawback?  Price.
3. Solio Hybrid 1000 Solar Charger – This is a light weight USB solar charger for backpacking and camping.  It takes about 4 hours to fully charge an iPod, but when your hiking all day long and it can clip to your pack it is a great tool to keep your music playing.
4. T-Mobile G1 – The original Android phone has continued to receive updates while many others have stolen the limelight. This phone works great and supports almost all new Android applications.
5. Linksys WRT54GL – This is one of the older Linksys routers, but still can be the core of any good (and cheap) home network.  Easily has the greatest pool of third party firmware released, giving it the ability to compete with any major corporate level routers.

Michael Green

1. Android Smart Phones –  I use my Motorola Droid A LOT. It is so nice to have a smartphone because I am always connected, and I frequently find myself using my phone to do random Google searches that I would otherwise have to go find a computer to perform. I also find that since I have gotten my phone I am using my desktop computer much less than I used to. As lazy as it sounds the most annoying part of using my computer is waiting for it to start up and with my smart phone I don’t have to wait for anything. I get up in the morning and check my email from my bed in a matter of seconds all I have to do is unlock my phone and open up the Gmail app.

The post Staff Picks: Top Gadgets and Tech of 2009 first appeared on Techerator.

Evan Wondrasek

1. Gmail – I’ve been using Gmail for a few years, but 2009 was definitely the year where I got the most out of it.  I love being able to import mail from several accounts into one Gmail account and keep them all organized with Multiple Inboxes.  [Check our our guides about Gmail]
2. WordPress – You might not know this, but you’re using WordPress right now.  This website (and thousands of others) all use WordPress to create and manage content.  Just like all my favorite applications, WordPress supports plugins so you can expand it far beyond it’s core functionality. WordPress is some of the highest quality free software I have ever used.  [Check out our guides about WordPress]
3. Twitter – I might be referred to as a Twitter addict.  I might also have a few Twitter t-shirts in my closet. Those allegations aside, Twitter has turned into my favorite social network and I find I’m getting more out of it every day.  If I ever have a problem (especially tech related), I typically Tweet about it first and my great group of followers can provide a solution.  [Check out our guides about Twitter]
4. Firefox and Google Chrome – Is it cheating to list both of these in one spot?  I think not!  Firefox has been my favorite browser for years, but in the last few months (most notably when Chrome started offering support for extensions) I’ve been using Google’s browser almost exclusively.  Now if only Chrome supported a legitimate version of Tree Style Tabs…  [Check out our guides about Firefox and our articles about Google Chrome]
5. Android – I fell in love with Google’s mobile operating system when I got my Motorola Droid.  Even though the Android Market is small and most applications are in early versions, I’ve discovered some fantastic applications that could never see the light of day in Apple’s app store (like the Google Voice app).

Dustin Patterson

1. Dropbox – Dropbox is a great way to sync your files across multiple platforms including different operating systems and other portable devices.  The ability to share files and folders with other Dropbox users creates a great collaboration environment that I have been able to take advantage of this year.  [Checkout our guide Dropbox]
2. Twitter – Probably one of the most talked about services of 2009, Twitter is a great way to keep up with people you know personally, and those you don’t. I have found Twitter to be a great way to keep up with people I’m interested in including directors, musicians, bloggers, and other tech enthusiasts. [Check out our guides about Twitter]
3. Hulu – Although Hulu has been around for a couple of years now, I found myself watching more content on Hulu than on cable or over-the-air television this year. By having added a larger number of shows and easiler ways to access the content with software like Hulu Desktop, Hulu is one of my top web apps for 2009.
4. Evernote – Evernote is one piece of software that I am still incorporating into my daily usage. With an essentially unlimited number of uses, Evernote allows you to keep track of just about anything. Its rich editor is available in both a web interface and desktop application and also has apps for many portable devices.
5. Vibe Streamer – Probably my favorite piece of software this year, Vibe Streamer allows me to stream my music library to any computer with a Flash-enabled web browser. Whether I am at work or on the run, I always have my Vibe Streamer page open and am able to listen to anything from my music library with a couple clicks.  [Check out our guide on Vibe Streamer]

Reis Pritchard

1. CCleaner – Every computer’s ‘apple a day’, though in my case it’s more like 10 bushels.  I use it constantly to remove digital junk from my computer. [Check out our guide to CCleaner]
2. Steam – This online gaming network for PC brings Xbox LIVE to it’s knees in my biased opinion.
3. Xmarks – I fell in love with this online bookmark management system after they announced support for the Google Chrome web browser. [Check out our guide to Xmarks]
4. WLAN Optimizer – A very small, relatively unknown tool that has given me huge relief with my Vista and Windows 7 installations.  One of its features cancels the background scan for new networks and has fixed many people’s wireless issues (particularly in gaming and audio/video streaming).
5. Netflix – Online movie rentals and instant streaming via PC, Xbox 360, PS3, and many other devices.

Kevin Schulte

1. Gmail – Is there really any question why this is on here? Gmail makes other web based e-mail services look archaic and unusable. [Check our our guides about Gmail]
2. Bruce Schneier’s Blog – Bruce’s musings on security are always relevant, entertaining, and informative. There’s a reason why he’s at the top of his field.
3. Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal – Definitely ranks as one of my favorite web comics. While everyone loves XKCD, it can be spotty at times. Zach Weiner churns out consistently funny material on a near daily basis.
4. Dragon Age: Origins – BioWare at their finest. Dragon Age delivers with a top notch storyline and classic BioWare gameplay that brings back pleasant memories of Neverwinter Nights and the Baldur’s Gate series. Without a doubt my personal game of the year.
5. Rock, Paper, Shotgun – The authority on PC gaming. I’m amazed at how much information RPS is able to produce every day. If it’s relevant to PC gaming, RPS has it covered.

Derek Dahlen

David Carman

1. Twitter – I really used it a lot this year.  I Started following a lot of cool people and found it to be a great tool to communicate with new people as well as current friends.  [Check out our guides about Twitter]
2. Amazon – Used it a lot more this year than most, not for any specific reason but I just found myself ordering more and more from it versus other places.
3. Hulu – As Hulu included more and more shows I find myself watching more and more on Hulu instead of using other methods to get TV.  In fact, I didn’t get TV when I moved into my apartment, and I don’t even feel like I need to.

Patrick Vinge

1. Dropbox – Dropbox has been around for awhile now but with the ability to upgrade space for free now by inviting people, it is better then ever.  This year we have also seen a lot of Dropbox “hacks” to bring out the full potential of the service.  [Check out our guide to Dropbox]
2. Twitter – Twitter is huge and only getting bigger.
3. Google Voice – The single most useful Android app released to date.  Google Voice’s transcription service isn’t spot on yet but it is coming along nicely and honestly, having a “close enough” transcription works for me.  [Check out our guide to Google Voice]
4. Pandora – Recently I have been reaching my monthly maximum limit over and over again, but you can’t ask for much more then 40 free hours of music a month.  [Check out our guide to using Pandora without a browser]
5. Quicksilver – A must install app on all systems running Mac OS X.  With the ability to launch and search applications in one quick keyboard shortcut, it will save you a considerable amount of time.  Windows users should check out Launchy for a suitable equivalent.

Michael Green

1. Firefox – I had previously been an Internet Explorer user and I am really glad I made the switch.  I really like all of the options for add-ons.  I love the Folders 4 Gmail Greasemonkey script because it shortened up the length of my labels A LOT.  [Check out all of our guides about Firefox]
2. Gmail – I have been using Gmail for a while but after reading about getting organized in Gmail and utilizing filters to sort my messages, I really like the way Gmail works for me now.  I have set up a couple of filters to send my work emails to a folder which skips my inbox so my phone doesn’t blow up every time I get a work email which is great.
3. Clone DVD by Elaborate Bytes and AnyDVD by Slysoft – With this combination of programs I have been able to burn every DVD I own to make backups.  AnyDVD is a decryption program that is updated at least 2 times a month to account for the most recent DVD protection codes.
4. DVDShrink and Mediacoder iPod/iPhone Edition – With DVDShrink I am able to reauthor DVD’s so that I can save just the main title of a DVD as an ISO file.  DVDShrink also allows me to adjust the compression ratio on the title I am saving which is nice because it saves a lot of room in the end when I put the file onto my phone or iPod for watching.  Mediacoder takes the ISO file and converts it to an MP4 file.  This program program has a friendly UI, but sometimes it takes around 3 hours to convert the ISO file into an MP4. Both of the programs are free so that is a definite bonus to be able to convert any DVD into an MP4 for free.
5. Microsoft Excel – If I made this list in order of most useful programs this would be my #1 and not my #5.  As an engineer I really don’t have any idea what I would do with out Excel.  I use it in just about every one of my classes and it saves me a lot of time.  I have been using the 2010 beta version lately but it seems to be pretty similar to the 2007 version with some changes in paste options being the biggest thing that I have noticed.

The post Staff Picks: Top Web Apps and Software of 2009 first appeared on Techerator.