The PC World 100: #81-#90
83. Wolfram Alpha (search engine, free) This radically different search engine doesn't return Web pages; it returns information, neatly formatted with graphs and images. Wolfram Alpha doesn't have nearly the scope of Google, and you won't find anything about Jon and Kate's latest fight, but for well-presented data on serious topics, it's a great resource.
84. Ubuntu 9.04 Desktop Edition (operating system, free) With its twice-yearly release cycle, community-driven Ubuntu Linux has become the gold standard in free OSs. Version 9.04, also known as Jaunty Jackalope, includes the best hardware support in Linux history, with simple tools to manage displays and wireless network connections. If you're looking for a PC OS to replace Windows or to breathe new life into an aging laptop, Ubuntu remains the best option out there--and it keeps getting better.
85. LG BD390 (Blu-ray player, $250) The LG BD390 delivers the best Blu-ray images we've seen, and it supports BD-Live, CinemaNow, DLNA, Netflix, Wi-Fi, and YouTube. Picture clarity is amazing, though the player doesn't achieve the same level of quality when upconverting regular DVDs. The BD390 is well designed and easy to use, with intuitive menus and an option that lets you output all audio in DTS format.
88. Acronis True Image Home 2010 (backup software; free trial, $50 per license) Following a complete revamp of its interface, and the introduction of useful new features such as one-click backup and continuous data protection, this powerhouse backup software is now one of the most complete and convenient imaging packages we've seen.
89. Wordnik (online reference, free) With detailed definitions, synonyms, audio pronunciation guides, usage examples and statistics showing how often a term is used, Wordnik is the perfect site for word nerds (like us).
90. Intuit Mint (accounting software, free) Last year, Mint made our list of favorite sites, thanks to a suite of accounting tools that rivaled most paid apps. This year, the makers of Quicken bought Mint, but it continues to add great features at the same unbeatable price. A streamlined but robust iPhone app takes Mint on the road, and you can even integrate it with your Yahoo Finance account.