A new breed of critic has emerged in the iPod era: the gadgeteer. These writers are expanding their sphere of influence: Reviews of the latest laptops and PDAs are now complemented by specific instructions that make life easier (e.g., piping Outlook contacts into a cell phone's contacts folder), sharp advice on time-saving software applications, suggestions for highly practical Web sites (e.g., the "zestimates" from www.zillow.com), and, of course, news about the latest accessories and technology for the frequent-flier set.
| Expert | Bookmark | Bells and Whistles |
| Walt Mossberg-Wall Street Journal | http://www.ptech.wsj.com | The godfather of personal technology writers; pens several regular WSJ columns; appears on CNBC; a master at putting new products through their paces |
| David Pogue-New York Times | http://www.davidpogue.com | Rising star whose theater and music background shines through in highly entertaining delivery (both in print and on screen — download his NYT clips); has more than 3 million tech books in print |
| Peter Lewis-Fortune | www.fortune.com | Sharp writer with a broader business perspective (and firsthand experience — he helped launch Internet start- up ideaMarket in 1993); first reporter to cover Internet full-time, in 1993 |
| James Fallows-Atlantic Monthly | www.theatlantic.com | Deep thinker with a strong focus on software applica- tions that save time, support and spur brainstorming and other forms of collaboration, and truly make work and life easier; concluded two-year stint as New York Times columnist in January |
