2001 has not been a kind year for either the handheld industry or the tech industry in general. The industry-wide slowdown has made it very difficult for companies to acquire new venture capital for developing new products. The tragic events earlier this month will most likely extend the recession for at least the next few months. Nevertheless, the products that have been released this year have really helped the market mature. Most of the winners of this year's VisorCentral Awards are not "gee whiz" products, but instead have moved the Visor less like a computer accessory and more like the computer itself.

The VisorCentral Awards cover everything released during the past year from carrying cases to Springboard modules and helps our readers stay informed about news, products and software that can both help them use the Visor efficiently and enjoy it while doing so. The 2001 Awards begin on September 24; each business day we will announce a winner from one of the below categories, finishing with the Product of the Year on October 9th. Here are the categories:

• Accessory of the Year
• Carrying Case of the Year
• Application of the Year
• Communications Module of the Year
• Storage Module of the Year
• MultiMedia Module of the Year
• Software Module of the Year
• Location Module of the Year
• Springboard Module of the Year
• Visor of the Year
• Product of the Year