World Class Awards: Best of 2001

Best Internet

It's easy to get lost in the ever-expanding universe of the Internet. These World Class Web sites will help you find your way.

Best Portal

Yahoo: The mother ship of directories is our pick for Best Portal. Beyond news, weather, and e-mail, you can shop on Yahoo for a home, a car, or a date, among other possibilities. Or you can hang out in auctions or use Yahoo Mobile on your cell phone.

Best News and Information Site

CNN: Remember Election 2000? Late last year, Ted Turner's media empire delivered up-to-the-second bulletins on the manic melee in Florida. No question, CNN.com is still the most comprehensive and timely news site on the Web. (Full disclosure: PC World's parent company, International Data Group, provides most of the technology content for CNN.com.)

Best Free E-Mail

Yahoo Mail: The world of Web freebies is rapidly shrinking, we're sad to say. But you can still use Yahoo Mail with 6MB worth of storage for free. Your e-mail account comes with a handy address book, and you can take advantage of Yahoo's free encryption service via SecureDelivery.com. In addition, you can configure Yahoo Mail to work with your favorite POP3 e-mail software.

Best Search Engine

Google: Tired of Web searches that give you endless pages of gibberish? Move over to Google. This first-rate engine is supereasy to use and comes back with extremely relevant results. Links are rarely broken, and Google's 'I'm Feeling Lucky' button brings you right to its best guess as to the site you want. And once the company irons out its acquisition of Deja.com's Usenet archives, Google should be a stronger search engine than ever.

Best Application Service Provider

NetLedger: The pioneer of Web-based accounting, NetLedger, offers you the best run for your money. Now at version 5.1, its suite of services includes employee payroll management, online bill paying, client care, and e-commerce. Monthly fees start at $10 (for accounting); NetLedger also offers a free 30-day trial.

800/638-5334

Best Recreation/Entertainment Site

Digital City:The Web's a fun place, but the best entertainment still happens in the real world. Digital City will help you find it. Choose the nearest city, and the site acts like an entertainment portal, listing the best way to find movies, events, restaurants, and shopping. The bigger your city, the better your results, but provided you live near a town at least as large as Sioux City, Iowa, Digital Cities should have something for you.

Best E-Commerce Site

Buy.com: A huge selection of products and some of the best prices on the Web make Buy.com our favorite e-commerce site. From movies and music to computers and software, Buy.com aims to be a one-stop shop for all your Web shopping needs. Solid shipping and return policies round out a truly World Class shopping site.

Best ISP

AT&T WorldNet: Despite broadband's recent growth, a dial-up ISP remains the connection of choice for most Internet users. Great dial-up speeds, high connection success rates, solid tech support, and helpful extras like multiple e-mail boxes make AT&T WorldNet our favorite dial-up ISP. If you can't get hold of broadband in your area, this could be your best option.

800/967-5363