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We've also assembled slideshows for convenient comparison-viewing of our top picks in four categories: cameras/camcorders, laptops, smartphones, and storage devices. Check 'em out!
The iPhone is far from the first smartphone that could run third-party software. But one reason for the success of iPhone apps is that there's a store for them. By creating one easy-to-use marketplace for 85,000 free or (in most cases) inexpensive programs, Apple sparked unprecedented interest in phone software from both iPhone owners and developers.
It may seem as though an inordinately large proportion of the items available for downloading are dedeicated to creating fart noises, but if you cut through the cheesy games and novelties, you'll find thousands of innovative, thoughtfully designed apps that can make your iPhone do things no smartphone has done before.
2. Google Voice (telephony service, free) Google Voice gives you a single number for all of your phones to use, e-mails you transcripts of your voicemail messages, and sports a host of sophisticated calling features. Set up conference calls for free, record calls, even switch phones in the middle of a call. And it's all free. Ma Bell, eat your heart out.
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5. Twitter (social media service, free) We loved Twitter enough last year to include it on our Top 100 list, and it has only grown stronger since. Twitter's uncomplicated API has led to an explosion of cool client apps and media sites that continually expand what it can do, including robust photo and music sharing. It's not just for pithy sentences anymore.
7. Microsoft Bing (search engine, free) What sets Bing apart most strikingly from Microsoft's old Live Search and from the Google and Yahoo alternatives is the way it parses and displays search results. Whereas Google emphasizes a stark, quick-loading design and a list of highly relevant search results, Bing organizes its search results into Search Categories--subdivisions such as Web, Maps, Images, and Health. In a particular search, Bing creates Search Categories dynamically in response to the user's query. Bing also packs some new smarts: it attempts to figure out the searcher's intent rather than relying heavily on matching keywords to Web documents.
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10. Samsung LN46B750U (HDTV, $1670) This 46-inch TV turned in the best performance we've seen yet in our tests for motion handling. Its 240Hz refresh rate certainly helped, and the LN46B750U offers solid Web service connectivity, too. Want a smaller TV? Samsung's 40-inch LN40B650 ($1190) delivered even better overall image quality, and its 120Hz refresh rate put it just behind its 46-inch cousin in performance on our motion tests.