Apple’s new phone for 2011, the iPhone 4S, is a lot like last year’s iPhone 4. Considering that Apple still melds hardware, software and services far better than anyone else in the business, that’s a compliment. Both major new 4S features are a big deal, too. The much improved rear-facing camera takes better photos than some conventional point-and-shoots. And Siri, the voice-controlled assistant with a sense of humor, feels like a beta version of the future of human/computer interfaces. And now that the 4S is on Sprint, almost everyone who wants an iPhone can get an iPhone. (Sorry, T-Mobile customers.)
Price: $199 and up with two-year contract at Apple