BUYING GUIDE.

Read on for the Worst products for 2009, as selected by BusinessWeek's technology writers and editors, as well as five highly anticipated products that failed to meet expectations.

1. Aspire EasyStore H340 NAS Server

Acer
$390

We loved the idea: a low-priced machine that lets you store up to 500,000 digital photos, 300,000 MP3 files, and 4,285 hours of movies, and then send and share the information with devices in the home and on the road. The Aspire is slick, has a powerful Intel Atom processor, and is relatively easy to set up and install. The desktop software is the deal breaker; it includes McAfee (MFE) antivirus software that can't be removed and at times significantly slows your PC's operations. Also, if you lose the installation disc, there's no way to download it from Acer's Web site.

2. Windows Mobile 6.5 Operating System

MicrosoftFree (with purchase of Windows Mobile smartphones)

Microsoft has been working hard to put its Windows Mobile operating system on par with Android, Palm's webOS, and the software running Apple's iPhone. But Windows Mobile 6.5 doesn't quite get there. Sure, it's zippy and more stable than previous generations, but the touchscreen interface needs work, and the overall experience seems Stone Age compared to its rivals.

3. Twitter Peek

Twitter Peek<$200 (with wireless lifetime service) With Twitter available on so many smartphones, you'd better make a dedicated mobile Twitter device good. This isn't. Its shortcomings are legion. It doesn't display full 140-character messages on the home screen, and there's no way to include multiple Twitter accounts or even get Tweets from one account if you power the device off and turn it back on. 4. PoGo Instant Digital Camera

Polaroid
$180
We liked the idea of a digital camera that can instantly print out images on the run. But overall, the camera was too heavy to carry around for extended periods of time, its tiny prints yielded washed-out or uneven colors, and the tradeoff between novelty and value was too high at a time when a point-and-shoot digital camera at twice the resolution can be had for $40 to $70 less.

5. AT&T 3G Network

AT&T
www.wireless.att.com

We hate to kick them when so many others have come before us. But spotty 3G coverage and overloaded networks have hobbled Apple's iPhone and App Store in some big cities and kept us from adding the iPhone 3GS to the list of this year's best gadgets. A delay in offering multimedia text messaging (while still charging for it) also merits a bucket of coal.

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For more on retail outlets, check out our where to buy Bestsellers in Electronic article.
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