There might be some softwares out there that can rip copyright protected DVD's but of my experience, I have not yet seen one. At the box of every software I encountered is printed, "does not work with copywrite protected media". I have purchased a conventer, ripper that does not have a warning about copywrite protected DVD's but when I tried it, a message pops out saying "the software cannot rip or copy copywrite protected media". Frustrated, I stopped my ambition of backing up my DVD collections for the moment.... until this afternoon that my wife's friend has a nice DVD that she wants to have a copy.
I fired up my software but found out that it is a copywrite protected DVD. Curious about the content, I tried to play it. Guess what? My player has a record button! Well, in default the record button does not show. You need to play with the menu to show it in the player's interface. The only downside is, the recording is in real time. It records in MP2 and the destination folder can be reconfigured so you won't be lost. After recording the video, just use your built in DVD maker, or Movie maker of your computer to organise it and burn it into DVD! The burnt file may not be as good as the original but where else can you get it for free?
Get the player with record button for windows at
http://www.videolan.org/vlc/download-windows.html
If you run into problems or need help, just message me!
Monday, 14 March 2011
Thursday, 10 March 2011
Online Photo Processing
Don't you know that you can get 20 free prints everytime you develop your photo online, and pay only 5pence for every 4"x6" photo? And if you want to make a photo book of your travels or other happenings, there is a 20% off promo discount running at the time of this article. There is also a photo editor, a photo book maker, calendar maker software within the site that you can use for your project. Check out the page below and try to discover your creativity with your digital photos.
And if you are outside the UK, this site promises a free delivery worldwide. Check them out!
Wednesday, 2 March 2011
PC Softwares You'll Ever Need For Free
Who says you can not run a PC without premium softwares? There are a lot of freebies there with similar functions but of different capabilities. Here's a list of free softwares that are as good as the paid ones!
Security and System
are, and an optional security toolbar that can protect you from rogue websites and phishing scams.
Minimum requirements: Windows XP/Vista/Win7
File size:45.6MB
Download: AVG Free 2011
CCleaner 2.26
This essential disk-cleaning tool can find and remove temporary files, cookies, cached internet data, file fragments and so on. CCleaner also comes with a gentle Registry cleaner, a program uninstaller and start-up and cookie managers. Files can be deleted normally or securely and the software can wipe free space, too.
Min requirements: Windows XP/Vista/7
File size: 3.2MB
Download at: http://www.ccleaner.com/
This essential disk-cleaning tool can find and remove temporary files, cookies, cached internet data, file fragments and so on. CCleaner also comes with a gentle Registry cleaner, a program uninstaller and start-up and cookie managers. Files can be deleted normally or securely and the software can wipe free space, too.
Min requirements: Windows XP/Vista/7
File size: 3.2MB
Download at: http://www.ccleaner.com/
Defraggler 1.15
Although Windows comes with its own disk defragmenter, Defraggler is a much better free alternative. As well as defragging your entire hard disk, the program can target individual files and folders, and even defrag free space to prevent future defragmentation. You can schedule scans and opt to run it on a daily, weekly or monthly basis.
Min requirements: Windows XP/Vista/7
File size: 3MB
Download at: www.piriform.com/defraggler
Although Windows comes with its own disk defragmenter, Defraggler is a much better free alternative. As well as defragging your entire hard disk, the program can target individual files and folders, and even defrag free space to prevent future defragmentation. You can schedule scans and opt to run it on a daily, weekly or monthly basis.
Min requirements: Windows XP/Vista/7
File size: 3MB
Download at: www.piriform.com/defraggler
Comodo Internet Security 3.13
A powerful all-in-one security solution, Comodo's suite offers a firewall, anti-virus and anti-malware protection and a memory firewall. There are 32- and 64-bit versions available, and you can choose if you want to install the whole suite or just one of the core components. The firewall gives you complete control over which programs can and can't access the internet and the anti-virus element provides real-time and on-demand scanning.
A powerful all-in-one security solution, Comodo's suite offers a firewall, anti-virus and anti-malware protection and a memory firewall. There are 32- and 64-bit versions available, and you can choose if you want to install the whole suite or just one of the core components. The firewall gives you complete control over which programs can and can't access the internet and the anti-virus element provides real-time and on-demand scanning.Min requirements: Windows XP/Vista/7
File size: 39MB
Download at: http://www.comodo.com/Microsoft Security Essentials 1.0
This surprisingly good anti-virus program offers real-time and on-demand protection and, unlike similar tools, won't bother you unnecessarily. It automatically scans your system once a week and you can choose whether it should perform a Quick or Full Scan. The software comes with basic membership to Microsoft SpyNet, an online community that helps to prevent the spread of malware.
Min requirements: Windows XP/Vista/7
File size: 4.7MB
Download at: www.microsoft.com/Security_Essentials
This surprisingly good anti-virus program offers real-time and on-demand protection and, unlike similar tools, won't bother you unnecessarily. It automatically scans your system once a week and you can choose whether it should perform a Quick or Full Scan. The software comes with basic membership to Microsoft SpyNet, an online community that helps to prevent the spread of malware.
Min requirements: Windows XP/Vista/7
File size: 4.7MB
Download at: www.microsoft.com/Security_Essentials
FortiClient Security Suite
This suite comprises an anti-virus tool, an intelligent personal firewall and an SL and IPSec Virtual Private Network (VPN) that lets you access another computer over the internet. Scans are fast and very thorough. The program checks for spyware as well as viruses by default, although you can specify the type of malware to look for if you wish.
Min requirements: Windows XP/Vista/7
File size: 10.4MB
Download at: http://www.forticlient.com/
This suite comprises an anti-virus tool, an intelligent personal firewall and an SL and IPSec Virtual Private Network (VPN) that lets you access another computer over the internet. Scans are fast and very thorough. The program checks for spyware as well as viruses by default, although you can specify the type of malware to look for if you wish.
Min requirements: Windows XP/Vista/7
File size: 10.4MB
Download at: http://www.forticlient.com/
WinPatrol 2010
Scotty, WinPatrol's watchdog mascot, patrols your system on a regular basis, alerting you to any changes that may have been made without your knowledge or permission. As well as helping to thwart hijackings, the program lets you manage various tasks and processes and can delay non-essential Windows start-up items for up to one hour.
Min requirements: Windows XP/Vista/7
File size: 971KB
Download at: http://www.winpatrol.com/
Scotty, WinPatrol's watchdog mascot, patrols your system on a regular basis, alerting you to any changes that may have been made without your knowledge or permission. As well as helping to thwart hijackings, the program lets you manage various tasks and processes and can delay non-essential Windows start-up items for up to one hour.
Min requirements: Windows XP/Vista/7
File size: 971KB
Download at: http://www.winpatrol.com/
Partition Manager 2010 Free
This great tool lets you safely create, format, delete, copy, move and resize partitions without risking losing any data. Everything is done using simple wizards and there are express and full interfaces to choose from. You'll need to register the software to get a product key and serial number, but it's free to do so. There are 32- and 64-bit versions available.
Min requirements: Windows XP/Vista/7
File size: 29.9MB
Download at: www.paragon-software.com/
This great tool lets you safely create, format, delete, copy, move and resize partitions without risking losing any data. Everything is done using simple wizards and there are express and full interfaces to choose from. You'll need to register the software to get a product key and serial number, but it's free to do so. There are 32- and 64-bit versions available.
Min requirements: Windows XP/Vista/7
File size: 29.9MB
Download at: www.paragon-software.com/
Ad-Aware 8.1.2
This well-known anti-malware program offers basic real-time protection, a choice of manual scans (Smart, Full and Profile), rootkit removal and a TrackSweep privacy cleaner. The latest version of Ad-Aware can identify threats, not only by their definitions but also by their actions, thanks to the inclusion of a system called Genotype and behaviour-based heuristics detection. A tool called the Neutralizer works to prevent persistent malware from restoring itself once it's been removed.
Min requirements: Windows XP/Vista/7
File size: 87.1MB
Download at: www.lavasoft.com/
This well-known anti-malware program offers basic real-time protection, a choice of manual scans (Smart, Full and Profile), rootkit removal and a TrackSweep privacy cleaner. The latest version of Ad-Aware can identify threats, not only by their definitions but also by their actions, thanks to the inclusion of a system called Genotype and behaviour-based heuristics detection. A tool called the Neutralizer works to prevent persistent malware from restoring itself once it's been removed.
Min requirements: Windows XP/Vista/7
File size: 87.1MB
Download at: www.lavasoft.com/
WhoCrashed 2.0
Sometimes when your PC crashes, the cause is obvious. At other times it will be a total mystery. Knowing the reason for the problem is important because you'll have information that should help prevent your PC from crashing again. WhoCrashed will tell you what happened and which driver or piece of hardware or software was responsible.
Min requirements: Windows XP/Vista/7
File size: 755KB
Download at: www.resplendence.com/downloads
Sometimes when your PC crashes, the cause is obvious. At other times it will be a total mystery. Knowing the reason for the problem is important because you'll have information that should help prevent your PC from crashing again. WhoCrashed will tell you what happened and which driver or piece of hardware or software was responsible.
Min requirements: Windows XP/Vista/7
File size: 755KB
Download at: www.resplendence.com/downloads
Ninite
If you need to install a lot of popular applications at once (if you're starting afresh with a new PC, for example), you'll find Ninite a godsend. Go to the website and select all the programs you want. The software on offer includes browsers, messaging tools, media players, imaging and security software and so on. When you're done, click Get Installer. Run this file and it will go to work installing everything for you in the background, choosing default install options and rejecting toolbars and other bundled junk.
Min requirements: Windows XP/Vista/7
File size: 178KB
Download at: http://ninite.com/
Seven Remix XP 2.3
Give XP a Windows 7 makeover with this transformation pack. It won't turn your aging operating system into an exact copy of the new one, but it will replace certain elements, including the Start menu, loading screens, Desktop backgrounds, icons, cursors and sounds. It creates a back-up copy of your set-up, so the changes can be easily rolled back if required.
Min requirements: Windows XP
File size: 22.9MB
Download at: http://niwradsoft.blogspot.com/
If you need to install a lot of popular applications at once (if you're starting afresh with a new PC, for example), you'll find Ninite a godsend. Go to the website and select all the programs you want. The software on offer includes browsers, messaging tools, media players, imaging and security software and so on. When you're done, click Get Installer. Run this file and it will go to work installing everything for you in the background, choosing default install options and rejecting toolbars and other bundled junk.
Min requirements: Windows XP/Vista/7
File size: 178KB
Download at: http://ninite.com/
Seven Remix XP 2.3
Give XP a Windows 7 makeover with this transformation pack. It won't turn your aging operating system into an exact copy of the new one, but it will replace certain elements, including the Start menu, loading screens, Desktop backgrounds, icons, cursors and sounds. It creates a back-up copy of your set-up, so the changes can be easily rolled back if required.
Min requirements: Windows XP
File size: 22.9MB
Download at: http://niwradsoft.blogspot.com/
Music and Video Softwares
MediaMonkey 3.2
Definitely one of the best free audio tools around, MediaMonkey can organise your digital music collection (managing up to 50,000 playlists), rip and burn CDs, convert tracks from one format to another, look up album art and other missing information, and synchronise any iPod or MP3 player. It even has a secure Auto-DJ & Party Mode.
Min requirements: Windows XP/Vista/7
File size: 7.4MB
Download at: http://www.mediamonkey.com/
Definitely one of the best free audio tools around, MediaMonkey can organise your digital music collection (managing up to 50,000 playlists), rip and burn CDs, convert tracks from one format to another, look up album art and other missing information, and synchronise any iPod or MP3 player. It even has a secure Auto-DJ & Party Mode.
Min requirements: Windows XP/Vista/7
File size: 7.4MB
Download at: http://www.mediamonkey.com/
Foobar2000 1.0 beta 4
This very lightweight music player can handle most audio formats (including some very obscure ones), and its support for third-party plug-ins means you can add all manner of additional features to it. The software can rip CDs, convert one file format to another and fix ID3 tags. It offers full Replay Gain and Unicode support along with gapless playback. The new version squashes a lot of bugs and introduces built-in support for Windows Media streaming.
Min requirements: Windows XP/Vista/7
File size: 2.98MB
Download at: http://www.foobar2000.org/download
This very lightweight music player can handle most audio formats (including some very obscure ones), and its support for third-party plug-ins means you can add all manner of additional features to it. The software can rip CDs, convert one file format to another and fix ID3 tags. It offers full Replay Gain and Unicode support along with gapless playback. The new version squashes a lot of bugs and introduces built-in support for Windows Media streaming.
Min requirements: Windows XP/Vista/7
File size: 2.98MB
Download at: http://www.foobar2000.org/download
HandBrake 0.9.4
If you need to convert one video format into another, HandBrake is the tool for the job. All you need to do is select a file to convert, choose a new format and leave the software to get on with it. The program can also rip and encode DVDs to various video formats. The latest release is smaller and faster with improved audio-video synchronisation. It comes with 64-bit support for Macs (but not Windows, currently) and offers a smart preview mode.
Min requirements: Windows XP/Vista/7 or Mac OS X
File size:4.7MB
Download at: http://handbrake.fr/
If you need to convert one video format into another, HandBrake is the tool for the job. All you need to do is select a file to convert, choose a new format and leave the software to get on with it. The program can also rip and encode DVDs to various video formats. The latest release is smaller and faster with improved audio-video synchronisation. It comes with 64-bit support for Macs (but not Windows, currently) and offers a smart preview mode.
Min requirements: Windows XP/Vista/7 or Mac OS X
File size:4.7MB
Download at: http://handbrake.fr/
Orb 2.5
Orb is an excellent tool for streaming audio and video files to any computer or supported device, including the Nintendo Wii and Apple iPhone. It's incredibly easy to use - just install the software and point it toward your media, then go to http://mycast.orb.com, log in and begin streaming the files. The latest version is available for the Mac as well as Windows.
Min requirements: Windows XP/Vista/7 or Mac OS X
File size: 22.3MB
Download at: http://www.orb.com/
Orb is an excellent tool for streaming audio and video files to any computer or supported device, including the Nintendo Wii and Apple iPhone. It's incredibly easy to use - just install the software and point it toward your media, then go to http://mycast.orb.com, log in and begin streaming the files. The latest version is available for the Mac as well as Windows.
Min requirements: Windows XP/Vista/7 or Mac OS X
File size: 22.3MB
Download at: http://www.orb.com/
iTunes 9.02
Apple's popular music software is essential for anyone who owns an iPod or an iPhone. The latest version boasts a redesigned Apple Store, improved navigation, Home Sharing, nested rules in Smart Playlists and support for sharing links in Facebook and Twitter. It also has a new Genius Mixes feature that can automatically generate up to 12 genre-themed playlists.
Min requirements: Windows XP/Vista/7 or Mac OS X
File size: 88.9MB
Download at: http://www.apple.com/uk/itunes
Apple's popular music software is essential for anyone who owns an iPod or an iPhone. The latest version boasts a redesigned Apple Store, improved navigation, Home Sharing, nested rules in Smart Playlists and support for sharing links in Facebook and Twitter. It also has a new Genius Mixes feature that can automatically generate up to 12 genre-themed playlists.
Min requirements: Windows XP/Vista/7 or Mac OS X
File size: 88.9MB
Download at: http://www.apple.com/uk/itunes
Windows Live Movie Maker
Windows Live Movie Maker is part of Windows Live Essentials and designed specifically for Windows 7 and Vista. Microsoft's video-editing tool offers everything you need to create impressive-looking home movies. You can trim and rearrange scenes and add music, transitions, effects, titles, captions and even photos. Completed movies can be uploaded directly to YouTube and Facebook and saved in a range of formats including HD (1080p).
Min requirements: Windows Vista/7
File size: 6.4MB
Download at: http://download.live.com/moviemaker
VLC Media Player 1.0.3
This program can play and stream virtually any audio and video file (including HD) without the need for additional codecs. It offers live recording, instant pausing, frame-by-frame playback, full-screen video scaling and AirTunes streaming. VLC can convert one file format into another with ease and can even play zipped media files (no need to unzip them first).
Min requirements: Windows XP/Vista/7 or Mac OS X
File size: 17.2MB
Download at: www.videolan.org/vlc
Audacity 1.3.10
Audacity is a superb multi-track audio-editing tool that can be used to mix music, record audio, fix problems and more. It offers an impressive collection of filters that can (among other things) strip out background noise, boost low volume, change the speed/pitch and tempo and add cross-fades. The new beta version offers lots of useful tweaks including various interface improvements, a full-screen mode and a mixer-board view.
Min requirements: Windows XP/Vista/7 or Mac OS X
File size: 10.4MB
Download at: http://audacity.sourceforge.net/
Windows Live Movie Maker is part of Windows Live Essentials and designed specifically for Windows 7 and Vista. Microsoft's video-editing tool offers everything you need to create impressive-looking home movies. You can trim and rearrange scenes and add music, transitions, effects, titles, captions and even photos. Completed movies can be uploaded directly to YouTube and Facebook and saved in a range of formats including HD (1080p).
Min requirements: Windows Vista/7
File size: 6.4MB
Download at: http://download.live.com/moviemaker
VLC Media Player 1.0.3
This program can play and stream virtually any audio and video file (including HD) without the need for additional codecs. It offers live recording, instant pausing, frame-by-frame playback, full-screen video scaling and AirTunes streaming. VLC can convert one file format into another with ease and can even play zipped media files (no need to unzip them first).
Min requirements: Windows XP/Vista/7 or Mac OS X
File size: 17.2MB
Download at: www.videolan.org/vlc
Audacity 1.3.10
Audacity is a superb multi-track audio-editing tool that can be used to mix music, record audio, fix problems and more. It offers an impressive collection of filters that can (among other things) strip out background noise, boost low volume, change the speed/pitch and tempo and add cross-fades. The new beta version offers lots of useful tweaks including various interface improvements, a full-screen mode and a mixer-board view.
Min requirements: Windows XP/Vista/7 or Mac OS X
File size: 10.4MB
Download at: http://audacity.sourceforge.net/
Image Editing
Picasa 3.6
Google's photo-organising software automatically catalogues all the images on your hard disk and displays them as thumbnails. You can reorder the pictures, star, tag and share them, fix common photo flaws and generally enhance your snaps. The latest release introduces several new features including facial recognition, enhanced tagging and collaborative albums.
Download at: http://picasa.google.com/
Paint.NET 3.5.1
It may have started life as a simple, free replacement for Windows Paint, but this image editor is now vastly superior and packed with powerful tools and features including layers, levels, special effects, unlimited undo history, magic wand and clone stamp. Paint.NET also offers support for third-party plug-ins. The newest version has been spruced up for Windows 7 and runs noticeably quicker.
Min requirements: Windows XP/Vista/7
File size: 4.8MB
Download at: http://www.getpaint.net/
Google's photo-organising software automatically catalogues all the images on your hard disk and displays them as thumbnails. You can reorder the pictures, star, tag and share them, fix common photo flaws and generally enhance your snaps. The latest release introduces several new features including facial recognition, enhanced tagging and collaborative albums.Min requirements: Windows XP/Vista/7
File size: 9.1MBDownload at: http://picasa.google.com/
Paint.NET 3.5.1
It may have started life as a simple, free replacement for Windows Paint, but this image editor is now vastly superior and packed with powerful tools and features including layers, levels, special effects, unlimited undo history, magic wand and clone stamp. Paint.NET also offers support for third-party plug-ins. The newest version has been spruced up for Windows 7 and runs noticeably quicker.
Min requirements: Windows XP/Vista/7
File size: 4.8MB
Download at: http://www.getpaint.net/
Imagina - Virtual Lightbox
This image viewer lets you rotate, resize, straighten and crop photos, and adjust their illumination (using a curves tool), brightness/contrast and colour saturation. It lets you tag your shots, and an information box in the corner provides detailed information on a picture's file size, focal length and exposure time. Imagina also has a nifty 3D mode that lets you slide pictures around a wooden Desktop.
Min requirements: Windows XP/Vista/7
File size: 4.8MB
Download at: http://www.planetimagina.com/
This image viewer lets you rotate, resize, straighten and crop photos, and adjust their illumination (using a curves tool), brightness/contrast and colour saturation. It lets you tag your shots, and an information box in the corner provides detailed information on a picture's file size, focal length and exposure time. Imagina also has a nifty 3D mode that lets you slide pictures around a wooden Desktop.
Min requirements: Windows XP/Vista/7
File size: 4.8MB
Download at: http://www.planetimagina.com/
Browsers and Add-ons
Opera 10.10
The latest version of Opera comes with Unite built in. This essentially turns your browser into a web server and lets you chat with friends and share files and folders directly from your hard disk. It also lets you stream your music collection over the internet. The new Visual Tabs feature lets you see at a glance which pages you have open, while Opera Turbo can speed up browsing on a slow connection.
Min requirements: Windows XP/Vista/7
File size: 8.9MB
Download at: http://www.opera.com/
Firefox 3.6
The next feature release of Mozilla's browser comes with the Personas tool built in, so you can change the look of the interface with a single click. Firefox 3.6 runs up to 20 per cent faster and groups tabs by origin so you can identify those from the same site (as you can in IE8). It's also a lot more stable because outdated add-ons are blocked if a newer version can't be found.
Min requirements: Windows XP/Vista/7
File size: 7.7MB
Download at: www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/all-beta.html
Chrome 4
Google continues to update its browser at a speed that puts other developers to shame. The newest version of Chrome finally introduces add-ons and there's already a wealth of extensions to choose from. You can customise the interface with themes, sync your bookmarks with other computers and browse incognito. Tabs are managed independently so if one website gives you problems, it won't crash the whole browser. Oh, and it's very fast, too.
Download at: www.google.com/intl/en/landing/chrome/beta/
Min requirements: Windows XP/Vista/7
File size: 10MB
Mozilla Weave 1.0 Beta 3
Weave is a useful add-on for Firefox that provides a secure way of keeping Firefox profiles synched across multiple computers. Expected to eventually be integrated into the browser (like its Labs stable mate Personas), the software can copy your history, open tabs, bookmarks, the Awesome Bar and so on from one system to another, letting you immediately pick up from where you left off.
Min requirements: Windows XP/Vista/7 or Mac OS X, Firefox
File size: 353KB
Download at: https://mozillalabs.com/weave
Lunascape 6
It might not be the best-known web browser, but Lunascape has a neat trick up its digital sleeve that web designers may find irresistible. It comes with all three of the major rendering engines built in, allowing it to mimic IE, Firefox, Chrome and Safari. Not only that, the browser can also run Internet Explorer and Firefox extensions, as well as its own native Lunascape plug-ins.
Min requirements: Windows XP/Vista/7
File size: 10.2MB
Download at: http://www.lunascape.tv/
uTorrent 1.8.5
It may be a small download, but this BitTorrent client offers all the features you'd expect to see and more. It lets you search for torrents, adjust the bandwidth allocation and speed of each item, manage seeding, and even set what it does on a schedule. You can set the program running full speed at night, at a limited speed or off during daylight hours and seeding at weekends, for example. It also lets you download torrents directly from a web address or web feed.
Min requirements: Windows XP/Vista/7
File size: 283KB
Download at: http://www.utorrent.com/
The latest version of Opera comes with Unite built in. This essentially turns your browser into a web server and lets you chat with friends and share files and folders directly from your hard disk. It also lets you stream your music collection over the internet. The new Visual Tabs feature lets you see at a glance which pages you have open, while Opera Turbo can speed up browsing on a slow connection.
Min requirements: Windows XP/Vista/7
File size: 8.9MB
Download at: http://www.opera.com/
Firefox 3.6
The next feature release of Mozilla's browser comes with the Personas tool built in, so you can change the look of the interface with a single click. Firefox 3.6 runs up to 20 per cent faster and groups tabs by origin so you can identify those from the same site (as you can in IE8). It's also a lot more stable because outdated add-ons are blocked if a newer version can't be found.
Min requirements: Windows XP/Vista/7
File size: 7.7MB
Download at: www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/all-beta.html
Chrome 4
Google continues to update its browser at a speed that puts other developers to shame. The newest version of Chrome finally introduces add-ons and there's already a wealth of extensions to choose from. You can customise the interface with themes, sync your bookmarks with other computers and browse incognito. Tabs are managed independently so if one website gives you problems, it won't crash the whole browser. Oh, and it's very fast, too.
Download at: www.google.com/intl/en/landing/chrome/beta/
Min requirements: Windows XP/Vista/7
File size: 10MB
Mozilla Weave 1.0 Beta 3
Weave is a useful add-on for Firefox that provides a secure way of keeping Firefox profiles synched across multiple computers. Expected to eventually be integrated into the browser (like its Labs stable mate Personas), the software can copy your history, open tabs, bookmarks, the Awesome Bar and so on from one system to another, letting you immediately pick up from where you left off.
Min requirements: Windows XP/Vista/7 or Mac OS X, Firefox
File size: 353KB
Download at: https://mozillalabs.com/weave
Lunascape 6
It might not be the best-known web browser, but Lunascape has a neat trick up its digital sleeve that web designers may find irresistible. It comes with all three of the major rendering engines built in, allowing it to mimic IE, Firefox, Chrome and Safari. Not only that, the browser can also run Internet Explorer and Firefox extensions, as well as its own native Lunascape plug-ins.
Min requirements: Windows XP/Vista/7
File size: 10.2MB
Download at: http://www.lunascape.tv/
uTorrent 1.8.5
It may be a small download, but this BitTorrent client offers all the features you'd expect to see and more. It lets you search for torrents, adjust the bandwidth allocation and speed of each item, manage seeding, and even set what it does on a schedule. You can set the program running full speed at night, at a limited speed or off during daylight hours and seeding at weekends, for example. It also lets you download torrents directly from a web address or web feed.
Min requirements: Windows XP/Vista/7
File size: 283KB
Download at: http://www.utorrent.com/
Desktop and PC Tools
OpenOffice.org 3.1.1
OpenOffice.org is an excellent free alternative to Microsoft Office. The suite comprises a word processor (Writer), spreadsheet (Calc), presentation creator (Impress), vector-drawing program (Draw) and database (Base). It offers most of the features you'd expect to find and can handle the standard Microsoft Office formats (.doc, .xls and so on) and read Office 2007's XML file types (.docx, .xlsx and .pptx files).
Min requirements: Windows XP/Vista/7 or Mac OS X
File size: 150MB
Download at: http://www.openoffice.org/
Blaze 0.5.2
This powerful application launcher lets you quickly fire up programs and open websites with a few keystrokes. It's not phased by typos, unlike some similar programs, so if you try to launch ‘Fireox', it will still know what you're asking it to do. Blaze can also make life easier for you by automating a range of repetitive tasks, including creating emails, performing calculations, converting text into upper or lower case and indexing MP3 tags.
Min requirements: Windows XP/Vista/7
File size: 10.6MB
Download at: http://blaze-wins.sourceforge.net/
TeamViewer 5
TeamViewer lets you control a remote computer over the internet. Once you've got the software installed (or running) on both systems, connecting is just a matter of entering the correct ID and password. There are several different connection options available and the latest version also offers audio (VoIP) and video calling so you can chat with the person on the other computer while you access it.
Min requirements: Windows XP/Vista/7
File size: 2.5MB
Download at: http://www.teamviewer.com/
OpenOffice.org is an excellent free alternative to Microsoft Office. The suite comprises a word processor (Writer), spreadsheet (Calc), presentation creator (Impress), vector-drawing program (Draw) and database (Base). It offers most of the features you'd expect to find and can handle the standard Microsoft Office formats (.doc, .xls and so on) and read Office 2007's XML file types (.docx, .xlsx and .pptx files).
Min requirements: Windows XP/Vista/7 or Mac OS X
File size: 150MB
Download at: http://www.openoffice.org/
Blaze 0.5.2
This powerful application launcher lets you quickly fire up programs and open websites with a few keystrokes. It's not phased by typos, unlike some similar programs, so if you try to launch ‘Fireox', it will still know what you're asking it to do. Blaze can also make life easier for you by automating a range of repetitive tasks, including creating emails, performing calculations, converting text into upper or lower case and indexing MP3 tags.
Min requirements: Windows XP/Vista/7
File size: 10.6MB
Download at: http://blaze-wins.sourceforge.net/
TeamViewer 5
TeamViewer lets you control a remote computer over the internet. Once you've got the software installed (or running) on both systems, connecting is just a matter of entering the correct ID and password. There are several different connection options available and the latest version also offers audio (VoIP) and video calling so you can chat with the person on the other computer while you access it.
Min requirements: Windows XP/Vista/7
File size: 2.5MB
Download at: http://www.teamviewer.com/
TeraCopy 2.01
Copying and moving large files around your system, especially from one hard disk to another, can often take an age. TeraCopy speeds up the process and gives you greater control over file transfers. You can pause and restart copying, and the program can even attempt to resume broken file transfers. There are installer and portable versions available.
Min requirements: Windows XP/Vista/7
File size: 1.5MB
Download at: http://www.codesector.com/
Copying and moving large files around your system, especially from one hard disk to another, can often take an age. TeraCopy speeds up the process and gives you greater control over file transfers. You can pause and restart copying, and the program can even attempt to resume broken file transfers. There are installer and portable versions available.
Min requirements: Windows XP/Vista/7
File size: 1.5MB
Download at: http://www.codesector.com/
PDF XChange Viewer 2
This free alternative to Adobe Reader lets you view documents and add text, shapes and stamps (Draft, Approved, Top Secret, and so on) to them. You can also use it to select and copy text and objects, highlight sections, add sticky notes, measure areas and distances and save, print or email a document.
Min requirements: Windows XP/Vista/7
File size: 15.8MB
Download at: http://www.docu-track.com/
This free alternative to Adobe Reader lets you view documents and add text, shapes and stamps (Draft, Approved, Top Secret, and so on) to them. You can also use it to select and copy text and objects, highlight sections, add sticky notes, measure areas and distances and save, print or email a document.
Min requirements: Windows XP/Vista/7
File size: 15.8MB
Download at: http://www.docu-track.com/
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