American magazine Popular Science annually names the Top Innovations of the Year. See if you agree with their 2009 picks for the computer industry.
Wolfram Alpha
The new search service Wolfram Alpha takes a different approach than Google or Bing. Enter your question or calculation and Wolfram|Alpha uses its built-in algorithms and a growing collection of data to compute the answer. Based on a new kind of knowledge-based computing...
Logitech Performance Mouse MX
The Logitech Performace Mouse uses the Dark Side, debuting the company's Darkfield Laser Technology derived from the principles of dark field microscopy used in laboratories around the world to detect the most difficult-to-see particles. That makes Darkfield Laser Tracking is the only current tracking technology on the market that works on glass (as well as most other surfaces.)
Go on Glass
MacBook Pro
MacBook Pro was named especially for its advances in battery design. Apple engineers embedded the battery to get more 8hrs on a set of flat lithium-polymer batteries. These batteries can be recharged 1000X because of Apple's Adaptive Charging where a chip sends juice only to those parts which need it.
Go Apple MacBook battery technology
Google Wave
Hailed as the newest collaboration tool, Google Waves for mailing, messaging, file-sharing is in Beta and you need to be invited. (We were invited but we just don't get the fuss. Maybe it's an Enterprise thing...a Lotus-like collaboration tool.)
Go Wave Around
CLEAR Wireless On the Long-Range
CLEAR is the brand name for next gen mobile internet products and services offered by Clear Wireless, LLC. Living in one of the 25 USA cities served with Clear network, people can now download an entire iTunes album in about 90sec. Clear delivers 4G WiMax (5x quicker than current wireless phone) and will serve 80 markets by the end of next year. (But what about Europe, we ask?)
Go Wireless
Nvidia ION
NVIDIA's ION graphics processors turn up the visuals on compact, low-power PCs with performance up to 10X faster than similar systems. When combined with a low-power CPU like Intel Atom, ION graphics processors transform traditional under-performing PC designs into a premium experience.
Go ION
Marvell SheevaPlug
Giving developers unlimited opportunity to create applications, services, and functionality to serve consumers with help of a palm-sized, always-on, easily-accessed platform which uses less than 2W of power: the Marvell SheevaPlug.
Uhh, Windows 7
Let's call it a Bounce Back award: Microsoft's new OS gets a place on the list. Maybe because even the Governor of California has stopped saying, "Hasta la VISTA."
Go Windows
Go the rest of Popular Science's 100 Best Innovations of 2009
