Mobile Innovation Awards 2007

It’s time to applaud the ingenious products that help make our lives easier. From the first Wi-Fi BlackBerry that can make calls over your home network (and at hotspots) to a Linux-powered ultraportable notebook with zero learning curve, these award-winners all redefine their respective categories. Not surprisingly, the delightfully intuitive iPhone made our list, but so did a music player that could put the iPod on the defensive. 

 

We also recognize forward-thinking companies on the cusp of the next big thing, starting with Google’s open-source software for cell phones. The goal: to make the “mobile” part of mobile Internet a benefit instead of a tradeoff. And don’t forget to ogle the hottest prototypes that could be winging their way to U.S. store shelves sometime soon. We’ve got first dibs on the WiMax handheld.