BusinessWeek Picks 'The Best Products of 2000'; Razor, Dilberito, BMW's Z8, Audrey and Sound Morpher Included in the List
7 December 2000
BusinessWeek Picks 'The Best Products of 2000'; Razor, Dilberito, BMW's Z8, Audrey and Sound Morpher Included in the List
NEW YORK--Dec. 7, 2000--BusinessWeek's December 18th issue heralds its top picks for "The Best Products of 2000." From a convenient vegetarian burrito (the Dilberito) designed by cartoonist Scott Adams and a new, improved ergonomically correct pencil (Grip 2001) to the trend-setting Razor and the high speed Z8 by BMW, BusinessWeek's list reflects a range of products that though they may appear simple in design are quite sophisticated in their execution."The Best Products of 2000" (in alphabetical order) are:
Alpine Power NAV (Alpine) - Powered with a multi-media station, this GPS guided navigator becomes an electronic map on the dashboard. (www.alpine1.com)
Audrey (3Com, Nasdaq:COMS) - A snazzy Net appliance that simplifies Web access. Once it is plugged into an electrical outlet and a phone jack, tap on the screen and one can send email, view Web pages and coordinate with PDA calendar and address book. (www.3com.com)
BlackICE Defender (Networkice) - A $40 software program that creates barriers for unwanted "hacker" visitors over DSL and cable-operated modems. (www.networkice.com)
BMW Z8 (BMW) - The $130,000 roadster's 394-hp, V-8 engine powers a lightweight, all-aluminum body and goes from zero to 60 mph in about 4.7 seconds. (www.bmw.com)
Coolpix 880 (Nikon) - The 3-megapixel digicam automatically sets up tricky shots like sunsets and fireworks. (www.nikonusa.com)
Dilberito (Scott Adams) - A convenient vegetarian burrito for the cubicle set fortified with 23 vitamins and minerals. (www.dilberitio.com)
Focus (Ford, NYSE:F) - Ford's $13,000 replacement for the Escort which is a huge hit with trend-setting youth. (www.fordvehicles.com/cars/focus/)
G-4 Cube (Apple, Nasdaq: AAPL) - This computer is remarkably small for its size--9.8-by-7.7-7.7 inches, however, it doesn't allow for internal peripherals and the reset button is on the bottom. (www.apple.com)
Grip 2001 (A. W. Faber-Castell) - An improved pencil in cool silver and black that sports an ergonomically designed triangular cross-section. (www.faber-castell.com)
Health Buddy (IDEO Labs, Health Hero Network) - A device that can help medicos monitor patients by asking questions of a patient, who in turn responds by clicking the buttons, sending the doctor an instant update. (www.hhn.com)
Ifilm.com, Icebox.com and Heavy.com - Short films are now available online for free thanks to video-compression technology.
Insight (Honda, NYSE: HMC) - A $20,000 two-seat car that runs on a gasoline engine/electric motor combo (www.honda2001.com)
LGI-3000W (LG Electronics) - A phone that is also a pocket organizer with a screen three times that of most phone displays. (www.lginfocom.com)
Omnisky (Omnisky, Nasdaq: OMNY) - The wireless modem allows one to fetch mail from any standard Internet service and browse the Web from the Palm V, the Palm VII or the Handspring Visor. (www.omnisky.com)
Paytrust (Paytrust) - An online bill paying service that also receives bills electronically. (www.paytrust.com)
PlayStation 2 (Sony, NYSE: SNE) - The $299 game console includes an expansion bay for a hard drive, will eventually link online with other gamers and will have a browser for limited Web surfing. (www.playstation2.com)
PT Cruiser (Chrysler, NYSE: DCX) - Chrysler's retro-styled car has achieved cult status with a waiting list that is over 300,000 long. (www.chyrsler.com)
Razor (Razor USA) - The hippest way to go this year at $99, $129 or $149. (www.razorusa.com)
RC51 (Honda, NYSE: HMC)--The street-legal version of Honda's champion Superbike-class racer, now priced $10,999 for 2001.
Richochet (Metricom, Nasdaq: MCOM) - A modem that hooks into laptops and allows wireless Web surfing at 128 kps. (www.metricom.com)
S210 (Polar Electro) - A new heart rate monitor that records performance based on heartbeats not time spent exercising. (www.polar.fi)
The Sims (Electronic Arts, Nasdaq: ERTS) - A game in which players create neighborhoods right down to the quirky personalities of its inhabitants. (www.ea.com)
Sound Morpher (Intel, Nasdaq: INTC) - A device that records sounds that can be altered by adding an echo, changing a pitch or even editing words. (www.intelplay.com)
Stentrepair (Johnson & Johnson, NYSE: JNJ) - Both Johnson & Johnson and Novoste have a solution for repairing stents (small coils that prop open arteries after angioplasty) that get clogged with scar tissue.
T21ThinkPad (IBM, NYSE: IBM) - At 5 pounds, the thinnest, lightest laptop yet offers up a 14-inch display, a Pentium processor up to 850 MHx and a running time of about 3 hours on a charge. (www.ibm.com)
Velocifero (Italjet) - A five-horsepower, two-stroke scooter merely sips gas getting around at 50 mpg. (www.italjet.com)
Visudyne (QLT, Inc., Nasdaq: QLTI) - A simple drug along with laser therapy offers the first treatment to slow down ate-related macular degeneration, a leading cause of blindness in the elderly. (www.Visudyne.com)
ZoZa.com - A website that offers a unique line of high-fashion apparel made exclusively of fabrics found in outdoor wear.
The December 18th issue of BusinessWeek featuring "The Best Products of 2000" will be available online (www.businessweek.com) and available on newsstands through December 18th.