Top 10 best products of 2010

published 31 December 2010

Windows Phone 7 is the best and most promising smartphone operating system Microsoft has released in a long time, which isn't difficult given some of the stinkers that have come before it. We've been impressed with the Windows Phone 7 handsets we've seen so far, from the responsiveness of the touchscreen interface to the broad Office and Exchange compatibility.

We also like how Microsoft has tried to do something new with the Tiles and Hubs parts of the interface, rather than merely mimicking the iPhone, as Google has done with Android.

Windows Phone 7 has many rough edges, the lack of third-party multitasking and copy and paste chief among them, but the new operating system deserves to be on this list if only to keep Apple and Google on their toes.

Read our overview of the email, calendar and Office features in Windows Phone 7 here.

MailChimp

MailChimp has an amusing name and a cute mascot, but those aren't the only reasons why the email marketing service has made our list. Although it's not perfect, its uncluttered, easy-to-grasp interface and wealth of reporting options put many other email marketing services to shame. Its competitive pricing, including a free option, are very appealing too.

Read our full review of MailChimp here.

4IPNET HSG200 Access Point + SDS100 Ticketing System

With all the doom and gloom surrounding cyber security threats, you'd be forgiven for overlooking the benefits the internet can bring to your business. The most obvious is providing internet access to your customers which, for retail businesses, can immediately set you apart from the competition.

4ipnet's HSG200 Access Point + SDS100 Ticketing System includes all the networking equipment you need to share your internet connection with your customers - perhaps even charging them for it too - while keeping the rest of your network secure. It's not perfect, but its low price means we can overlook its niggling flaws.

Read our full review of the 4IPNET HSG200 Access Point + SDS100 Ticketing System here.