It’s not a simple task to stay current with the cutting edge of IT. There is a lot of hype mixed in with some truly noteworthy developments. It’s tricky do decide which is which. I find it useful to have a number of news feeds set up via Google Reader and to check these frequently. One site that is particularly handy in this regard is smashingapps.com, as resource for designers and developers. Of the 19 Most Essential Open Source Apps featured in the latest update on smashingapps I already use 3 but will probably be using more in the future.