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Not every noteworthy product was made by Apple in 2009.

We've been doing a lot of end-of-the year lists here at CNET as our editors round up the most popular and best products in their categories. That's all great, but then someone said, "Hey, why don't we do a list that's a best-of-the-best list of all the lists combined?"

Well, that's what I was tasked with, but instead of calling it the "Best products of 2009" or the "Most popular products of 2009," I've come up with "The most notable products of 2009," which I like to think of as a kind of a hybrid between popular, best, and most hyped.

Once again, I've enlisted the help of my fellow editors, so while my name may appear at the top of this list, it's really a collective effort. That said, you can blame me if you don't like the picks (a few may surprise you).

As always, feel free to suggest your own picks. If you make a good case, we'll update the list and make some changes.

Click on any image to start the slideshow and see the picks (they are listed in alphabetical order).

20 most notable products of 2009 (photos)

More: The decade's 30 biggest tech flops

(Credit: CNET)

As 2009 rolls to a close, we look back at the cars we've reviewed over the last year to see which one should earn our Tech Car of the Year award. From our survey of the 100 or so cars we've reviewed, we're pleased to see that the adoption of cabin tech by automakers is becoming more prevalent and ever more sophisticated, with features such as hard-drive-based navigation with traffic reporting becoming common.

Among the cars we've seen, we picked out five that show the most innovative technology. These cars use technology to enhance the cabin and driving experience, and push the automotive technology envelope. Please vote for the car you think should be the 2009 Tech Car of the Year, and discuss it in the comments. The Car Tech staff jury members will place their own votes, and we will announce the winner on January 11, just before the Detroit auto show. Voting closes on January 4, 2010.

Nominees

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Audi's Quattro all-wheel-drive system, along with an active suspension system, makes the Q5 handle like a car, maintaining grip and composure during high-speed cornering. A new navigation system, powered by a Nvidia graphics chip, extensively renders urban areas in 3D.

(Credit: CNET)

BMW spared no technology in its effort to make the X5 SUV worthy of an M badge. The result? The heaviest vehicle we've ever rotated through a turn. Throw in a navigation system with satellite imagery in the maps, and we've got a tech leader.

(Credit: CNET)

Toyota may have turned the Prius into the iconic hybrid, but Ford's Fusion Hybrid is just a better all-around car. The hybrid system gives this midsize sedan excellent mileage, while letting it run under electric power at speeds up to 47 mph. Ford's cabin tech is anchored by Sync and Sirius Travel Link, and gets pushed up a step further with the driver-configurable ecology-oriented instrument cluster.

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The new Prius might have made this list of nominees, if it weren't for the all-new Lexus HS250h. This car uses Toyota's hybrid system to get excellent mileage while showing that a luxury car doesn't have to be a full-size sedan. It makes use of a number of driver aid technologies, and incorporates Lexus' newest cabin tech suite.

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Lincoln's new flagship sedan was a contender last year, and makes the list this year because of significant improvements. Along with its excellent Sync, Sirius Travel Link, and THX audio features, Lincoln gave it a high-tech engine in the form of the twin turbo direct injection V-6. Add to this adaptive cruise control and an automatic parking system that actually works, and the MKS shows up as a tech heavyweight.

Update: After reader feedback, we've added five additional products. Thanks for all the comments.

Here we are just days away from closing out the first decade of the 21st century, which means a lot of publications are in look-back mode, taking stock of all the good--and bad--things that happened over the last 10 years.

The Gizmondo in its heyday.

(Credit: ImageShack)

Before we get to the list, let's get the parameters straight. This isn't a list of all the most spectacular tech failures. I chose to exclude dot-coms, corporate debacles (AOL-Time Warner), search engines (i.e., Cuil), and assorted other Web 2.0 flame outs (I'll let Webware handle that). No, this is a roundup of gear, the stuff that turns on and off, the stuff I've been covering for almost 10 years at CNET (yes, I started in 2000).

It's also important to define just what a flop is. In my book it's simply something that was really hyped but didn't live up to its promise or expectations. And while the word "flop" has a negative connotation, we here at CNET have a lot admiration for the designers, engineers, and everybody else who put their heart and soul into bringing these products and technologies to the world. Some of them didn't deserve their fates. They were ahead of their time or just marketed poorly. Whatever the case, we appreciate the vision, risk taking, and hard work that went into creating these things.

But enough sentimentality (I meant it, really). Let's get to the biggest tech flops of the decade. If you disagree with any of them or have more to suggest, please post a comment. If we missed any clear candidates, we'll modify the list.

Click on any image to start the slideshow. (Note: The list is in chronological order).

The decade's 30 biggest tech flops (photos)

More:

(Credit: Apple)

Recently, with the help of some of the editors here at CNET, I put together list of the biggest tech flops of the decade. Since I'm not a negative guy at heart, it was only a matter of time before I came up with a more positive spin on the whole tech-products-of-the-decade concept that's all the rage as we approach the end of '09.

Once again, I've enlisted the help of my fellow editors, so while my name may appear at the top of this list, it's really a collective effort. That said, you can blame me if you don't like the picks.

As always, feel free to suggest your own picks. If you make a good case, we'll update the list and make some changes. Also, let us know what your top five picks are in order of innovation and influence.

Click on any image to start the slideshow and see the picks (they are listed in alphabetical order).

20 most innovative consumer electronics products of the decade (photos)

More: The decade's 30 biggest tech flops

(Credit: Skype)

Today's episode of CNET's The 404 Podcast starts off on a personal note, with Jeff detailing last night's tour of Justin's tiny Manhattan apartment. I'll concede that the space is indeed very small relative to the cripplingly expensive rent, but like any self-respecting human, I'll pay almost anything stay out of New Jersey.

Although, if I ever get tired of New York, I can always make like Rob Cavazos, aka the Wilderness Man, and embark on a 10-day camping trip to the most remote phone box in the world. It's a 10-day experiment put on by Skype and The Viral Factory to raise awareness of Skype's cheaper international calls to landlines and mobile phones. Cavazos speaks English, Spanish, and French, and is inviting everyone to call the payphone using Skype for a quick chat. Check out the Phone Box Experiment Web site for more details.

Back in January, we made a spelling error trying to use the idiom, "Good juju, bad juju." As it turns out, the expired CrunchPad is now resurrected as the "JooJoo," but CNET's Rafe Needleman doesn't think consumers are willing to pay $499 for a device that does less than a Netbook. Check out Rafe's hands-on with the JooJoo and let us know YOUR opinion in the comments below.

Thanks Austin!

Big thanks to Austin for the Nook motivation poster you see up there. And, as promised, we've got more 404 theme song remixes today, including more 8-bit awesomeness and two piano covers of Jonathan Coulton's "Mother Effers" track! Very cool stuff here, and please keep them coming! This has been the most. successful. unofficial. contest...ever!

As MP3 players become more popular, the age at which a child is introduced to them continually decreases. And finding appropriate headphones for youngsters presents a few unique challenges.

First and foremost, any responsible parent wants to ensure that any sounds being piped into their little ones' ears are coming through at safe listening levels. While it's important to consider music volume and hearing protection at any age, kids' ears are more sensitive the younger they are, which is why it's important that their headphones employ a volume limiting feature. And then there is the lesser--but still important--issue of fit, as children need smaller-size earphones.

All of the models here take both concerns into account, and a few of them even offer fun design considerations for the younger set. And perhaps best of all: none of them will break the bank, making any set a great stocking stuffer option.

Read our roundup of kid-friendly headphones.

Parental Advisory: Explicit Content!

(Credit: Jeff Bakalar/The 404)

If you've ever sat around with friends and mourned the death of the mixtape, you'll certainly appreciate the first half of today's episode of CNET's The 404 Podcast. While Jeff was at home for the break, he stumbled upon a a collection of old cassette tapes including the Cool Side/Awesome Side mix you see up there. It's got a solid collection of '90s hits including "Mr. Jones" by Counting Crows, Soundgarden's "Black Hole Sun," and, of course, "Smells Like Teen Spirit."

I spy "Crazy" and something that starts with "Livin...," which I can only assume to be Britney Spears and Ricky Martin. Just kidding, Jeff, but seriously--we've all pulled some pretty embarrassing stunts in a pathetic attempt to win a girl's heart, so stick around to witness the humiliation.

(Credit: Tech Crunch)

Speaking of death, we're (kind of) sad to see the demise of the CrunchPad. The brainchild of TechCrunch founder Michael Arrington and Fusion Garage, the CrunchPad was supposed to be an aluminum tablet computer with a 12-inch LCD screen running Ubuntu Linux and Webkit browser. Unfortunately, Arrington reported today that the CrunchPad project is officially dead. We're disappointed that we'll never be able to test the product ourselves, but we're sure that Arrington has something else up his sleeve.

We imagine that a lot of you guys will be traveling by plane for the holiday season, but what if you were forced to hand over your iPod to security agents to check it for pirated music at the airport? Sounds like a nightmare, but Wilson tells us that the Australian government is apparently proposing a plan to search iPods and other MP3 players for illegally downloaded songs, punishable by heavy fines or even jail time!

From a technological stand point, we're not even sure how the government plans on checking for purchased vs. bootlegged music. At the end of the day, it's always comforting to know that you'll NEVER get busted for listening to The 404, and isn't that the most important thing?

A prototype of the CrunchPad tablet computer

(Credit: TechCrunch)

In a turn of events that has sent the blog world into a frenzy, TechCrunch founder Michael Arrington said on Monday that the CrunchPad tablet computer that he announced more than a year ago is officially dead.

According to Arrington, Fusion Garage, his company's manufacturing partner, said that it would take over full control of the CrunchPad project and cut TechCrunch out just days before its debut.

"Bizarrely, we were being notified that we were no longer involved with the project. Our project," Arrington wrote on TechCrunch. "[Fusion Garage CEO] Chandra [Rathakrishnan] said that based on pressure from his shareholders he had decided to move forward and sell the device directly through Fusion Garage, without our involvement."

Fusion Garage, according to Arrington, wanted to offer him the opportunity to "assume the role of visionary/evangelist/marketing head." The company would also acquire Arrington's rights to the CrunchPad name and brand. Arrington said that Fusion Garage and his company "jointly own the CrunchPad product intellectual property," but Arrington's firm solely owns the CrunchPad trademark.

For now, we only know Arrington's side of the story. (Disclosure: I wrote for TechCrunch in 2008.) He claims that he was ready and willing to launch CrunchPad with Fusion Garage. He said that he is "enraged, embarrassed, and just...sad." He plans to unleash a flurry of lawsuits on Fusion Garage.

But as you might expect, TechCrunch isn't providing the only word on the matter. Blogs across the Web are giving their two cents on where they stand on Arrington's announcement and the CrunchPad itself. Some support Arrington and still hope the CrunchPad will hit store shelves. Others aren't so sure.

Let's take a quick look around the Web to find out what others are saying.

Supporters

Gizmodo: "The whole situation is lousy, and FusionGarage certainly doesn't come out looking all that smart in it. I can't imagine anyone wanting to work with them again after this, but I guess we'll have to wait and hear what their side of the story is."

OSNews: "This is all very sad. The CrunchPad had a lot of promise, because it was driven by the very best incarnation of the Hacker Ethos. Talented and driven people, who surveyed the marketplace and failed to find a device that met their wants and needs, pulled together hardware and software talent to bring their dreams to reality, and designed a very appealing-looking device. It's a thin, light, open, relatively inexpensive device for "couch computing," and because the designers were motivated by a desire to have the device for themselves and make it available to as many others as possible, there were no hidden agendas or app stores or value-added nonsense or artificial limits on use, such as exist in the iPhone or Kindle or Sony eBook ecosystems."

Slashgear: "Away from the production wrangles, it's disappointing news both for anybody interested in portable electronics and for those to whom the CrunchPad project represented the potential for individuals and small companies to come up with an idea and make it reality."

Techland: "It seems as though Fusion Garage was being pressured by shareholders to ditch Arrington and co. They seem to forget that Arrington is a former lawyer and a pitbull at that."

Ubergizmo: "Of course, we haven't heard both sides of the story yet, but based on what we've heard (from TC), it all does seem a little sad. At least it has generated its fair share of marketing and publicity for TC, and that's worth something."

Detractors

JKOntheRun: "A basic on-screen keyboard for a 12-inch slate simply won't cut it for most people. It's too large to thumb-type on, which means you'll be holding the device in one hand while pecking with another. And the price is another issue. $300 buys you what I'd consider an equally portable, yet far more function device in either a Netbook or a smartphone. Unless there was a subsidy model in play, a web-only tablet isn't what folks expect for $300 or more."

Technologizer: "Arrington has always said that the CrunchPad sprung from his own desire to have a "dead simple" tablet he could use to get online from his couch. I get his desire. Well, mostly: I've never been entirely clear why the CrunchPad would be a better couch computer than a more typical, versatile cheap portable computer."

Wired: "Arrington's earlier promises regarding the CrunchPad never panned out, and his latest missive only points to his inability to walk the talk."

So while it seems that the Web is split over where they stand on Arrington and the CrunchPad, it's arguably John Gruber over at Daring Fireball who best summed up the CrunchPad news: "No word from Popular Mechanics yet on whether they get to keep their product of the year award."

Now it's your turn. Share your thoughts on the death of the CrunchPad below.

(Credit: Best Buy)

Every year, the Black Friday online circulars hit the Web, and lots of sites round up every Black Friday tech deal under the sun. If you want to see massively long lists with loads of models names that make no sense to you, go over to our friends at ZDNet or Gizmodo. They've done an excellent job compiling everything.

However, if you're trying to sort the real deals from all the crap that's being advertised to lure you into the stores, I've done my best to surface some of the more attractive options out there. The truth is a lot of the so-called deals are already available online from stores like Amazon and others--but a few items do stand out.

Of course, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and some deals may appear better to you than us, but here's what we've picked so far. If you feel we missed anything, feel free to point it out in the comments section below, and we'll add it to our showcase. Also, noted doorbuster items will only be offered in limited supplies, so get to stores early--or don't bother.

Click on any image below to start the slideshow.

Top 15 Black Friday tech deals