Alternative/Punk

2011 was a rather remarkable year for products and companies that were on top, taking a flop.

Here are our Top 5 moves and happenings that were hard to watch, from Flip to HP to Netflix and BlackBerry. It just goes to show that some of the biggest names can lose their way spectacularly.

Back to school shopping doesn't always mean things you can hold in your hand. Downloads of all kinds are out there to make the student's life smarter, better, and cushier. And they run on a wider variety of devices than ever before. Brian Cooley runs down the hottest in the Top 5 device categories of back to school downloads.

For everything back to school related in tech this year, head over to CNET's Back to School 2011 guide.

OK, so Netflix really stepped in it. The company's recently announced price increase for a DVD and streaming plan was at least a presentation disaster if not a true pricing insult.

No matter, a lot of people are making noises about dumping Netflix now (at least when pollsters ask). So Brian Cooley did his own poll - of CNET editors - to pull together our list of the Top 5 ways to say goodbye to Netflix.

Keep up on all the latest Netflix news from CNET.

When was the last time you took a picture with your camera? And how about with your phone? Exactly. The cameras in phones have become our daily snapshot tool, so you should consider imaging seriously when buying a new phone. Brian Cooley counts up the top five  phones by their cameras according to CNET's editors.

We have more lists of best phones, ranked by other features, at CNET's cell phone center.

The iPad is synonymous with "tablet" for most people, but that's starting to change. The reason is a crop of fairly well-realized alternatives that offer different sizes, operating systems, and prices. Brian Cooley runs them up to No. 1.

Here's a quick tutorial on how to "root" a Barnes & Noble Nook Color to make it a cheap, capable Android tablet.

And all of CNET's reviews in the fast growing tablet category are here.

Whether you are the student in question or the parent of one who is being leaned on to help get the gear lined up, this is our essential guide to what's hot in backpacks for back to school 2011.

And you may also want to peruse our full CNET Back to School 2011 tech guide.

With iCloud, Apple has the pulpit to make or break "the cloud" in the minds of millions of consumers. We recently showed you what iCloud does right; now we take a look at the top 5 things about it that make us scratch or shake our heads.

Breaking news from CNET about Apple iCloud.

Apple's iCloud is different than some competing services in that it leverages the company's enviable line of products (and the people who love them). While there are hundreds of details you can get mired in, here are the Top 5 reasons you should seriously consider embracing iCloud on your Apple iPhone, iPad, or other device.

And read this CNET explainer to understand what's going to happen to your MobileMe account in the wake of iCloud.

We're moving away from watching video on discs in general, but Blu-ray is helping stem that erosion somewhat. Hmm, doesn't sound like a very compelling argument to get on the Blu-ray bandwagon, until you consider that the best Blu-ray players are also streaming powerhouses that move you into the future of watching. Here are our Top 5 that deserve a place in your home video stack today and tomorrow.

You can find all of CNET's reviews of Blu-ray players here.