The 20 Most Innovative Products of the Year

Innovative Products, #5-#7

5. Samsung 32GB SSD

Bringing a flash drive of usable size to notebooks, the Samsung 32GB SSD hard disk (price not set at press time) heralds a new age in fast laptop storage, and sets the stage for upcoming hybrid drives.

6. Sony Reader

E-books have yet to truly make it in the mass market, but Sony's $350 Reader (check latest pricing) may buck the trend. The device boasts a glare-free screen and innovative E Ink technology, which gives you the same resolution as newsprint and looks better than typical LCDs do in bright light. The Reader, slightly larger than a standard paperback, is easy to use and weighs only 9 ounces.

7. YouOS

Do you ever wonder how far the whole Ajax-based applications-in-a-browser craze can go? How about an entire operating system that runs in your browser? That's what YouOS, WebShaka's intriguing free site currently in alpha testing, is all about. Applications, data, and settings all live on the server. Set up an account, and you can access your YouOS desktop from anywhere, which gives a whole new meaning to remote access.