Readers' Choice Awards 2006

Firefox
The Firefox internet browser has evolved from being used by a tiny proportion of the world’s web surfers to running on more than a tenth of all the computers on the internet. It offers better and arguably safer browsing compared with its rival Internet Explorer.

Firefox has several arrows in its quiver for safe web surfing. The phishing protection prevents users from being fooled into giving away personal details by mistake and the address bar makes it clear when it is safe to use credit cards online. Private details can be quickly deleted from a computer.

The fact that the program is open source means developers around the world can write really useful add-ons for Firefox, and the thriving community provides support for even the most novice users.

Slingmedia
These days it’s rare to see real product innovation, so when the Slingmedia Slingbox arrived, it raised more than a few eyebrows.

Exploiting increased home broadband speeds, Slingbox enables you to view any video source in your home anywhere in the world. As long as you’ve got access to an internet connection or 3G mobile phone, live TV or past recordings can be streamed over the internet as if you were sitting on the sofa. Slingmedia is definitely one to watch.

The winners as chosen by you

Best Product of the Year
Winner: Apple iPod range
Runners-up: Nintendo Wii, Tom Tom Go, Canon EOS 400

Best After-sales Customer Service
Winner: Amazon
Runners-up: PC World, Evesham, HP

Best Consumables Company
Winner: Choice Stationery
Runners-up: Inkcycle, Stinky Ink, Premier Ink Supplies

Best Creative Software Company
Winner: Adobe
Runners-up: Serif, Corel, Microsoft

Best Digital Camera Company
Winner: Canon
Runners-up: Fujifilm, Sony, Olympus