The document discusses competitive intelligence (CI) software and its ability to automate, collaborate, synthesize, and connect CI producers and consumers. It reviews 10 CI software applications and vendors that were nominated by actual users. Key trends observed include CI software taking the form of development kits that can be customized more than packaged applications, and the rise of hosted options to route around IT department bottlenecks. The review finds an emerging "application poly-culture" with capabilities that can be combined through "mashups".