Best of Breed 2006
The results are in and the readers of PC Live! have spoken.
3,000 of our most loyal readers were asked and have revealed their choices for the top personal technology products of 2006.
Honourable mentions must go to the products that didn’t claim the top prizes but did win the applause of many of our readers.
Google’s Gmail web-based mail and calendar services were complimented for their ease of use. Philips WACS 700 home music streaming device was commended for taking the hassle out of Wi-Fi for making it extremely easy to transfer music.
Mozilla’s Firefox was also honoured for its tab browsing feature while AVG was singled out for making a robust anti-virus application available for free of charge to home users.
In the digital device and gadget of the year categories, the Sling Box TV Anywhere device and the Sonos wireless music system came in for high praise while a handsfree Bluetooth car kit from Mr Handsfree and Wi-Fi-based Internet radio from Magicbox captured the imagination of our most loyal readers when its came to naming some of their coolest gadgets.
But, in the end, there can only be one winner (well 13 actually) so read on for the top technology products and services according to Ireland’s most educated technology users.
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Mobile content service of the Year
Winner: Vodafone Live! With 3G
News, ringtones and multimedia entertainment from Ireland’s largest mobile operator.
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Software program of the Year
Winner: Itunes
Apple’s music management software, also perfect for listening to your favourite podcasts.
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Entertainment desktop PC of the Year
Winner: Sony Vaio XL 100 Digital Living System
VCR-style Windows Media Center device designed to sit comfortably under your living room flat-panel TV.
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Entertainment notebook of the Year
Winner: Dell XPS M2010
A 20” notebook that miraculously turns into a bedroom entertainment centre.
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Portable entertainment device of the Year
Winner: Sony PSP
A portable games console that can support music and a web browser.
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Plasma TV of the Year
Winner: Sony KE-P42M1 42” Plasma TV
Our readers like their plasma on a budget as they have gone for a big screen that doesn’t support high definition TV.
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LCD TV of the Year
Winner: Sony KDL-40V2000 40” LCD TV
HD ready flat panel with an integrated digital TV tuner, backlight and colour filter side.
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Budget Broadband Product of the Year
Winner: Imagine Time-based Broadband
20 hours of broadband access for EUR*9.99 per month.
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Enthusiast Broadband Product of the Year
Winner: Magnet 8MB Download, 512k Upload with free national and local calls and digital TV services for EUR*59 per month.
Superb triple play offer.
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Digital Home Device of the Year
Winner: Sky High Definition Set Top Box
This service takes you to the next level of TV picture quality.
11. Digital Compact Camera of the Year
Winner: Canon Powershot S80
This snapper offers a powerful zoom and Canon’s legendary reliability.
12. Mobile Phone of the Year
Winner: Nokia N70
Incorporating a complete smartphone feature set, as well as a 2 megapixel camera, flash and front camera for video calling, the Nokia N70 comes fully equipped with stereo FM radio, a digital music player and new 3D games.
13. Gadget of the Year
Winner: Plantronics Pulsar 590A Bluetooth Stereo Headset
Wireless stereo sound and switch from calls to your music player.
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