by Gina Trapani

Click to view2006 was another wild and wacky year in software and web development. While Google launched or acquired a new product every week, Intel Macs made the unholy marriage of Windows and OS X possible, Joe Schmoe's became the self-made video stars of the web on YouTube, Internet Explorer got tabs and Microsoft finally ponied up the new version of Windows they've been promising (well, kinda.)


Here it is December and you know what that means: time for a best-of-the-year list. After the jump, check out my picks for best new software and web applications that rocked our world in 2006.

In no particular order:

Parallels (Virtual machine, $79.00)


With Macs based on the Intel chip, the once-impossible has become a reality: a computer that runs both the Mac OS and Windows operating system. While Apple's Boot Camp was a nice thought, forget rebooting your Mac to switch from OS X to Windows. With Parallels you can have the best of both operating systems at your fingertips, either on separate desktops or running in Coherence mode. THIS is the reason any on-the-fence switchers with cash for spendy Apple hardware and an affinity for that one Windows app will make the jump to a shiny new Mac.

Google Reader (Web-based feed reader, free)


My longtime love affair with Bloglines ended this year with a switch to Google's new feed reader, and I've never looked back. If you're a Gmail user, using Reader will be second nature; I can't imagine going back to a feed reader without the one line post preview, keyboard shortcuts or tagging abilities GReader offers. For any power RSS subscribers (meaning, you keep up with more than a dozen feeds), Google Reader's for you. Note: The first version of Google Reader that launched in October of 2005 barely turned my head; it was Reader's major revision in September of this year that got it onto this list.


Windows Vista (Operating system, various editions and prices)


This image was lost some time after publication, but you can still view it here

I risk losing any indie hacker cred I may have with this pick, but hear me out. While Vista hasn't been released for home users yet, the fact that Microsoft made early versions of the new OS available as a free download to willing testers rates really high in my book. Being one of those willing testers, I was impressed with what Vista has in store for PC users early next year. Do I think Microsoft, as a company, is old and slow? Yes. Am I excited to show my Mom how to create a saved search folder on her PC? Yes.


Google Calendar (Web-based calendar, free)

I was a loyal and dedicated Yahoo! Calendar user for years, patiently enduring its antiquated user interface and monstrous entry forms. But after trying the dynamic Google Calendar, with easy calendar subscriptions and sharing and smart input (ie "Dinner with Mark at 6PM"), I was sold. Unlike Google Reader, Calendar got it right from the start.


Hamachi (VPN, free)


With more and more folks running home servers or simply wanting to access their documents or stream their iTunes library across computers connected only via the loose strands of the internet, Hamachi's free Virtual Private Networking client is an absolute savior. While Hamachi is more for us geeks than Average Joe, I don't go on a business trip or walk down to the coffee shop without secure access to my home computer with Hamachi. Here's more on how to create your own virtual private network with Hamachi. Note: Not sure if Hamachi was born in 2006, but LogMeIn bought it this past year, when it came onto our radars.


Campfire (In-browser group chat, free and paid plans)


While researching this article I was shocked to realize that Campfire only came out this past year, because I can't - and don't want to - remember working without it. While group chat is a pretty specific need - mostly for folks who work in the "virtual office" - it's a godsend for any group of people who need to chat without wanting to wrangle with regular IM clients and services. Here's more on how we use Campfire here at Lifehacker.


OpenDNS (Domain resolution, free)

For anyone whose ISP is cranky about resolving web pages, OpenDNS' free, fast, and huge distributed database of domain names can seriously speed up your web browsing session. Plus OpenDNS automatically fixes common URL typos like lifehacker.cmo and uses community-policed phishing protection from PhishTank. Set this one up on your parents' computer when you're home for the holidays this month.


Foxmarks (Bookmarks synchronizer for Firefox, free)


Ok, so Foxmarks didn't launch in 2006, but we first mentioned in here on LH in the last weeks of December '05. However, at least 3 of the LH editors agree that Foxmarks is indispensable for seamless synchronization of your bookmarks from home to the office or from laptop to desktop or any number of computers. What's that you say about Google Sync? Foxmarks beats Google Sync when it comes to bookmarks.

Google Sync your bookmarks across computers Back in June I made it pretty clear that Google Sync, a plugin for Firefox that replicates your… Read more


HONORABLE MENTION:

Ubuntu Linux (Open source operating system, free)


Desktop Linux has been around for ages, but Ubuntu ("Linux for humans") made a splash in 2006 among the geek set, including our very own Adam, who showed us how to triple-boot Windows XP, Vista and Ubuntu. You Ubuntu users should also check out Adam's Top 10 Ubuntu apps and tweaks.

Ask the Readers: Is Ubuntu the new switch? Earlier this month a few of the blogosphere's geek elite publicly switched from Mac OS X to the… Read more


EveryStockPhoto (Stock photo search, free)

Sometimes it's slow and most of the time I'd love to see evidence of a bit more movement behind the scenes at EveryStockPhoto, but it's still one of my favorite places to find stock and Creative Commons-licensed images for use here on Lifehacker. With more and more folks publishing online and licensing their work for reuse, search engines like ESP are more important and necessary. Here are 6 ways to find reusable media.


Stikkit (Personal information manager)


The youngest and most immature application in the bunch, Stikkit (forgive me) stuck with me because of its input smarts and ability to organize unstructured data with flexibility and intelligence. Plus it's pretty and fun to use, and in my opinion, is one of the best of "Web 2.0."


Note: While Adam and Rick didn't necessarily agree with all my choices, I'd like to thank them for their help putting together this list.

Ok lifehackers, here's your chance to agree or disagree with me. What are your best of 2006 picks? Let us know in the comments.


Gina Trapani, the editor of Lifehacker, just loves end of the year best-of lists. Her semi-weekly feature, Geek to Live, appears every Wednesday and Friday on Lifehacker. Subscribe to the Geek to Live feed to get new installments in your newsreader.