I’m sure everyone has their own particular list of favorite applications/hardware. Here’s mine:

Web

Logmein – The free version of this service is perfect. You have no idea how many times this program has saved my bacon. I strongly prefer the ActiveX to the Java version. It could be because I hate all things Java.

Flickr – This ancient Web 2.0 site is still the best photo image storage/sharing service on the web. I have a “Pro” account and about 10 years worth of images up there. Unlike Photobucket and ImageShack. The interface doesn’t make my eyes bleed.

Gmail – So clean and fast. More like an e-mail database/archive. I’ve used the service since it’s inception. I have about 4 e-mail accounts dumping into it and I have yet to come anywhere near the 6 gig capacity.

Google Reader – I never really caught on to the RSS craze until IE7 included a reader built-in. My trouble with it was I had 6 computers and even though I could export and import the feeds to each computer, I had to skip through a lot of stuff I had already read. Along comes the web-centric Google Reader and my problems are solved.

del.icio.us – Bookmarks anywhere. I was using Googlesync for this to keep my bookmarks where ever I went. But like Gmail, del.icio.us is more like an archive then a bookmark management and one I use daily.

Software

Firefox – It used to be all about the plug-ins. Plug-ins for this and that. Even I feel it’s actually starting to lose some of it’s innovation ground. But I really can’t work without the program, some of the plug-ins have literally re-wired my brain.

Windows Live Writer – I was a true believer of web-based applications until I tried this little program out. Like Firefox the plug-ins themselves are what put this above anything similar. So easy to use and with conjunction of Foldershare I can literally write from anywhere.

Microsoft OneNote – Taking notes. Drawing. Copying text with references. Capturing images. Storing and organizing overkill. Probably the best application made in the last 5 years. If you have a short attention span and are completely unorganized, OneNote can actually make sense of the world. This is really what the Tablet PC platform is all about. OneNote is a brilliant program.

Microsoft Outlook 2007 – Corporate mainstay. Like many Microsoft products it does 5000 things you don’t know about and probably wont use. What people don’t talk much about is that Outlook isn’t about e-mail. A huge part in contact organization and scheduling of people and resources. Like my criticism of Firefox, I feel Microsoft has dropped the innovation ball on this one for the past 5 years. That said much like Gmail and Firefox there are simply no better alternatives to Outlook for corporate e-mail clients.

Hardware:

AT&T Tilt – This recently replaced my Verizon XV6700 for this PDA/Phone. It was a nice upgrade and as usual as a new customer of any phone service you get the best price on equipment. Many people have asked me why I need such a beefy phone. It’s got lots of RAM, GPS and a keyboard. I would say that the phone part of this device is not the most used part. The internet and e-mail are by far it’s biggest utility for me.

Samsung Q1 Ultra – A new addition to my technology family. I’m still learning to use it. These UMPCs are different then the Tablet PCs I’m use to. It needed to be upgraded and hacked so I could use it for business, but I’ve had no problems doing so.

Macbook (Black) – I’ve said it before, but it bares to be repeated. I haven’t seen a faster Vista computer, but I primarily use OS X 10.5 and Microsoft latest RDP client beta. My main complaint about this laptop: Not enough USB ports. A serious design flaw.

Microsoft Natural Ergonomic Keyboard 4000 – Microsoft’s hardware branch is by far the best department in the company. And I’ve been a fan of Microsoft’s natural keyboard design since it’s inception. Yes I use this with my Mac. Apple has insane ideas for what passes for input devices.

Microsoft Natural Wireless Mouse 6000- First off, beyond the really innovative design, this is the most comfortable mouse I ever used. Again used with my Macbook, because the more buttons I get on my mouse the lower my frustration.