All Business and productivity

The Bottom Line: Intuit QuickBooks Premier 2009 keeps the program's well-designed, intuitive interface, while adding a few new features. It's a worthy upgrade for people serious about online banking, and it remains the best accounting program for small business owners. However, Intuit should be more generous with customer support, particularly for setup issues.

Specs: 3 users, Complete package, Microsoft Windows Vista, Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Microsoft Windows XP SP2 or later, 1.8 GHz (Microsoft Windows XP), 2 GHz (Microsoft Windows Vista) 1.8 GHz, 2 GHz, 4x CD-ROM, SVGA monitor, Internet connection, 1.8 GHz (Microsoft Windows XP), 2 GHz (Microsoft Windows Vista), 1.8 GHz, 2 GHz, Windows, Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0

The Bottom Line: Dragon NaturallySpeaking 10 isn't perfect, but it's the best dictation software available. We don't find this upgrade necessary for the most basic dictation, although new features may benefit heavily accented English speakers and those who rely heavily on voice commands.

Specs: 1 user, Complete package, Microsoft Windows Vista, Microsoft Windows Vista SP1, Microsoft Windows 2000 Server, Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Microsoft Windows XP SP2 or later, Microsoft Windows 2000 SP4 or later, 1 GHz, 10, DVD-ROM, Speaker(s), Microphone, 16 bit sound card, Internet connection, 1 GHz, Windows, Internet Explorer 6.0 or later

The Bottom Line: Dragon NaturallySpeaking 10 isn't perfect, but it's the best dictation software available. We don't find this upgrade necessary for the most basic dictation, although new features may benefit heavily accented English speakers and those who rely heavily on voice commands.

Specs: 1 user, Complete package, Microsoft Windows Vista, Microsoft Windows Vista SP1, Microsoft Windows 2000 Server, Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Microsoft Windows XP SP2 or later, Microsoft Windows 2000 SP4 or later, 1 GHz, 10, DVD-ROM, Speaker(s), Microphone, 16 bit sound card, Internet connection, 1 GHz, Windows, Internet Explorer 6.0 or later

The Bottom Line: Dragon NaturallySpeaking 10 isn't perfect, but it's the best dictation software available. We don't find this upgrade necessary for the most basic dictation, although new features may benefit heavily accented English speakers and those who rely heavily on voice commands.

Specs: 1 user, Complete package, Microsoft Windows Vista, Microsoft Windows Vista SP1, Microsoft Windows 2000 Server, Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Microsoft Windows XP SP2 or later, Microsoft Windows 2000 SP4 or later, 1 GHz, 10, DVD-ROM, Speaker(s), Microphone, 16 bit sound card, Internet connection, 1 GHz, Windows, Internet Explorer 6.0 or later

The Bottom Line: The Corel WordPerfect Office X4 suite best fits those who prefer traditional interfaces for word processing, spreadsheets, and presentations. We found the features rich, but the execution sometimes clumsy.

Specs: 1 user, Complete package, Microsoft Windows Vista Business, Microsoft Windows Vista Ultimate, Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition, Microsoft Windows XP Professional, Microsoft Windows Vista Home Basic, Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium, Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition, 466 MHz, CD-ROM, SVGA monitor, Mouse or compatible device, 466 MHz, Windows, Internet Explorer 6.0 or later

The Bottom Line: The low price and strong technical support of TaxAct Deluxe Online 2007 make it a solid choice for bargain hunters with relatively simple finances, although Intuit TurboTax and H&R Block TaxCut include more investment, deduction, and audit tools.

The Bottom Line: The low price and strong technical support of TaxAct Deluxe Online 2007 make it a solid choice for bargain hunters with relatively simple finances, although Intuit TurboTax and H&R Block TaxCut include more investment, deduction, and audit tools.

The Bottom Line: The low price and strong technical support of TaxAct Deluxe Online 2007 make it a solid choice for bargain hunters with relatively simple finances, although Intuit TurboTax and H&R Block TaxCut include more investment, deduction, and audit tools.

The Bottom Line: Intuit TurboTax Online Deluxe 2007 is a terrific tax-preparation service that's sure to please longtime TurboTax users tired of software installations.

Specs: 1 user, License, MacOS, Windows

The Bottom Line: Intuit TurboTax Online Deluxe 2007 is a terrific tax-preparation service that's sure to please longtime TurboTax users tired of software installations.

Specs: 1 user, License, MacOS, Windows