From the “where did this come from?” file comes this: The Palm Pre is not only a terrific smartphone, it’s one of the “10 Most Brilliant Products of 2009.”

You read that right. Palm Pre has been named to the prestigious Popular Mechanics list for “[setting] a new standard by putting all of the best available technologies together.” It made the list despite the magazine recognizing that it “doesn’t break ground with any one engineering advance.”

The “geek’s wish list” is listed right up there with such products as an innovative wind turbine that could help transform the energy business in the U.S., and a bionic hydrant wrench that helps firefighters save lives. Way to go, Pre. Not bad for a phone that many would say wasn’t the best in its category this year – at least not the biggest seller.