Year in Review: Top 10s of 2009

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Everybody loves a list (we've got the stats to prove it).

Whether it's a quick and easy way to rank tech tools and gadgets, or an argument for why open source might be right for your business, it's handy to be able to cut through to the core of what you need to know: what are the options out there, and which is the best.

In case you missed any of them, here's our top 10 list of our best top 10 lists of the year don't think about it too hard, okay?

A buyer's guide to the top 10 netbooks

Netbooks have been one of the big success stories of the tech sector over the past two years. As the recession took hold, the cheap and cheerful form factor was one of the main areas of growth for PC retailers.

In this feature, we run down the many choices out there, and help you pick the best one to buy. Also check out our guides to laptops, smartphones, and must-have gadgets.

The top 10 Microsoft Windows 7 features

The release of Windows 7 was one of the biggest stories of the year. Any new Microsoft operating system is a news-worthy event, but this one attracted headlines by actually being pretty good.

The shiny new OS introduced a host of new features, including faster speeds, better compatabilty, and more. As our writer noted at the time: "Some are small, and some are major, but taken all together it makes for the most exciting upgrade for Windows users since the arrival of Windows XP."

Top 10 iPhone business apps

As Apple's adverts like to promise, there's an iPhone app for everything. While the iconic handset first arrived as a consumer handset, it's been firmly welcomed by business users and not just because it's the must-have gadget of the past few years.

Not all the two billion-plus downloads from the App store are for games. Many developers have created impressive business productivity applications, letting you work on the go. Here's our list of the top 10 free and paid-for business apps for the iPhone.

Top of the flops: 10 pieces of tech that died before they'd lived

When we go on and on about the iPhone and other successful gadgets, it's easy to forget how many devices fail completely. We run down the top tech flops that never really took off and for good reason, too.

10 reasons to use open source in business

Open source is seen as a good option for businesses because it's often cheaper than propretary alternatives, but there are many other reasons to consider it too.

Quality and security come into play, as does better interoperability. But of course, a lower total cost of ownership doesn't hurt, either.

A buyer's guide to the top 10 smartphones

It seems like there's a new smartphone coming out every week lately, all with different operating systems like Android, Windows Mobile and Symbian.

With this buyer's guide, we unravel the features and specs to help you make the right decision from the iPhone, HTC Hero and more.

Top 10 mobile Twitter apps

You may have heard of Twitter? The hot new thing this year, and all that? If you're not on it, why not?

The great thing about Twitter is that it's quick and easy to update, especially on the go. We try out 10 Twitter apps for using the site on the go from your handset.

Top 10 business gadgets

Everybody loves gadgets, and it's especially great to find ones that work for the office too.

Our list of the best business gadgets covers smartphones, laptops and more from across consumer and corporate devices. We look at why they can help you do your job better, which could come in handy when you're trying to convince yourself that iPhone 3GS is for work and not play.

10 big internet names that have fallen

After Geocities got shut down earlier this year, we took a look at 10 of the top big internet names that aren't with us anymore and why they may have failed.

Surely you remember Netscape, but what about Boo.com and CDNow? Their investors will surely never forget

Top 10 business add-ons for Firefox

One of the best features of Firefox is the add-ons tools to tack to the browser to help you on your way across the web.

These free tools can help you with your marketing, manage your news feeds, keep track of Twitter, watch how your firm's stock price is doing and more.