MemOptimizer 3.10

Download Now (1.32MB) Tested spyware free
License:Free to try; $19.95 to buy
Editor's Rating:Average
User Rating:(out of 6 votes) Rate it!
Downloads: 10,251
Requirements:Windows 2000/XP/2003 Server/Vista
Limitations:1-hour trial
Date Added:May 06, 2008

Publisher's description of MemOptimizer
view larger From Pointstone Software:
Whenever a Windows based program is running, it's consuming memory resources - unfortunately many Windows programs do not clean up after themselves and often leave valuable memory locked, preventing other programs from taking advantage of it and slowing your computer's performance. Until now, the only way to free up this locked memory was to reboot your computer. Version 3.10 added option to Optimize Memory by right-clicking the tray icon.
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Editor's review of MemOptimizer
Anyone looking for smart ways to monitor and optimize your systems memory use will appreciate the smart options this utility offers.
MemOptimizer is a powerful little utility that offers a lot in a small box. It has a functional, nicely designed and easy-to-comprehend interface organized with tabs for current memory use overview, optimization, statistics, system processes, programs, and options. We liked how the Overview tab provides a graphical display of physical and virtual memory use, and that among the options we could choose the update frequency. We also liked that the tool didn't simply provide blind optimization, but that we could select the level of memory we wanted to free and set a point at which MemOptimizer would launch automatically to free memory.
This utility performed very well during our tests. We liked its look and feel, its user friendliness, and the many options it provided for optimizing our system. Although the publishers blurb notes this download has a one-hour trial limitation, the actual trial lasts 15 days. This period is ample for determining whether MemOptimizer will suit your needs, and the price isn't so steep that it will scare potential buyers away.

TweakVista 1.1

Download Now (4.39MB) Tested spyware free
License:Free to try; $19.95 to buy
Editor's Rating:Average

User Rating:(out of 14 votes) Rate it!
Downloads: 40,982
Requirements:Windows Vista
Limitations:Some features disabled
Date Added:May 22, 2008

Publisher's description of TweakVista
view larger From Stardock:
TweakVista is a comprehensive utility designed to enable users to configure and optimize their Windows Vista based system. TweakVista enables both casual PC users and power users to safely alter hundreds of different settings in Windows Vista to ensure users are getting the most out of their PCs.Features include a consolidated recommendations area, an assessment/benchmarking suite that allows users to see how their systems stack up to others, an easy to use security configuration screen, power use estimates to evaluate the running cost of your PC and carbon footprint, an interactive start-up process manager and start-up profiles.
TweakVista is the type of utility that every Windows Vista user should have on their PC. Version 1.1 supports more start up options, can evaluate what's changed on your system recently, and friendlier GUI.
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Microsoft Windows Vista,
setting,
Microsoft Windows,
PC

Editor's review of TweakVista Do more than just tweak
TweakVista takes an unnecessarily complicated interface provided by Microsoft and simplifies it by organizing the myriad of system options into one clean design.
The app starts with a list of 10 options on the left nav, ranging from Start Up and Resources, down through Security and Power, and ending with Miscellaneous Tweaks. Each tab opens a new panel of topic-specific options, most with tabs of their own delineating between basic and advanced functions. For example, the Services tab controls access to many of the background processes. There are preconfigured Profiles for gamers, for saving memory, and so on. The Features tab, though, lets you pick and choose specific settings.
The Power option is useful for more than just laptop users, though. It also gives you a carbon footprint of your computer usage based on your hardware, and extrapolates it for a year's worth of use. Who knows if it's accurate, but it's good reminder that computers aren't running on the power of love.
Whether you want to make adjustments or simply learn more about what Vista is doing, TweakVista gives both Vista newbies and power users abilities that go beyond mere "tweaking," without the headaches that Vista is infamous for.

FileZilla 3.0.10

Download Now (3.05MB) Tested spyware free
License:Free
Editor's Rating:Average
User Rating:(out of 224 votes) Rate it!
Downloads: 1,061,220
Requirements:Windows 2000/XP/Vista
Limitations:No limitations
Date Added:May 28, 2008

Publisher's description of FileZilla
view larger From FileZilla:
FileZilla is an FTP program for file uploading and downloading to and from your FTP site, server, or host. The program lets you transfer files and navigate among folders, Web sites, and your computer. This software enables you to perform multiple file transfers simultaneously.
Version 3.0.10 may include unspecified updates, enhancements, or bug fixes.
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FTP,
FTP site,
server

Editor's review of FileZilla Straightforward and fast
Rich in Web content, short on cash? This free, open-source FTP application is handy if you're looking for a solid tool to handle FTP transfers and don't want to part with your bucks.
The straightforward interface offers translations in most of the world's major languages. Caching directories speeds up browsing FTP sites, and multiple secure connection options ensure that you can move files around without concern. Bookmarking comes in two flavors: the Site Manager for all your major FTP locations, and QuickConnect for fast switching on the fly.
The program lets you download or upload multiple files at once from and to several servers. If your bandwidth is somewhat limited, you'll appreciate a feature that lets you automatically adjust transfer speeds based on the time of day or date. FileZilla also lets you browse FTP sites mid-transfer. The lack of a task scheduler is compensated for, in our eyes, by a powerful filter so you only see the files you need.
FileZilla is no monster, either, eating up a manageable 50 MB in memory. Clearly, this is one of the best FTP tools around.

CrashPlan 05.21.2008

Download Now (20.73MB) Tested spyware free
License:Free to try; $19.99 to buy
Editor's Rating:Average
User Rating:Be the first to rate this product!
Downloads: 713
Requirements:Windows 2000/XP/2003 Server/Vista
Limitations:30-day trial
Date Added:June 01, 2008

Publisher's description of CrashPlan
view larger From CrashPlan:
CrashPlan is the ultimate backup solution for your home or business. Files are automatically compressed, encrypted, and transmitted to your designated backup destinations. Easily back up your laptop to a desktop, the office server off-site, or a remote employee's laptop to HQ. By using your own backup destinations you avoid monthly fees, enjoy greater security, and can recover from data loss much faster. Don't have a destination? Use the built-in destination CrashPlan Central for a small monthly fee. CrashPlan runs on Mac, Windows, Linux, and now VMWare--our enterprise virtual appliance for business, at no additional cost.
Version 05.21.2008 adds the option to secure your data with a separate password from your account password.
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backup,
laptop computer,
Apple Macintosh,
password,
hard drive

Editor's review of CrashPlan A storage media alternative
Instead of mucking around with removable media, Crashplan offers up a distinct alternative. Banking on ubiquitous high-speed Internet access and more than one computer per household, this service allows you to back up your entire computer to as many discreet locations as you can manage. This includes Crashplan's servers, a second PC of yours, or even your friend's computer.
Designed for PCs and Macs, Crashplan's backups are encrypted before they're sent out. The backup process runs effortlessly in the background over a high-speed network, but we wouldn't recommend it to anyone still on a dial-up modem. The simple and intuitive interface makes preference changes easy, whether you're adding or dropping files from the backup process or choosing a new backup location.
The benefit of off-site safety and security could potentially save you thousands of dollars, as anyone who has had to salvage a fire-damaged hard drive knows. Crashplan charges 10 cents per gigabyte per month to use their servers, but the company discourages this option. Given the ever-dropping cost of memory and storage drives, Crashplan may not be the wave of the future, but it's nice to have a choice for backing up essential files other than shelling out for yet another hard drive.

Process Explorer 11.20

Download Now (1.53MB) Tested spyware free
License:Free
Editor's Rating:Average
User Rating:(out of 299 votes) Rate it!
Downloads: 316,290
Requirements:Windows 95/98/Me/NT/2000/XP/2003 Server
Limitations:No limitations
Date Added:June 02, 2008

Publisher's description of Process Explorer From Sysinternals:
Process Explorer is an advanced process management utility that picks up where Task Manager leaves off. It will show you detailed information about a process including its icon, command-line, full image path, memory statistics, user account, security attributes, and more. When you zoom in on a particular process you can list the DLLs it has loaded or the operating system resource handles it has open. A search capability enables you to track down a process that has a resource opened, such as a file, directory or Registry key, or to view the list of processes that have a DLL loaded. The Process Explorer display consists of two sub-windows. The top always shows a list of the currently active processes, including the names of their owning accounts, whereas the information displayed in the bottom window, which you can close, depends on the mode that Process Explorer is in: if it is in handle mode you will see the handles that the process selected in the top window has opened; if Process Explorer is in DLL mode you will see the DLLs and memory-mapped files that the process has loaded.
Version 11.20 now shows thread permissions, adds process working set minimum and maximum columns, and fixes a bug that allows it to run from read-only locations on 64-bit Windows.
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Process Management,
DLL,
process,
security

Editor's review of Process Explorer

Find the process you want, when you want If you've ever tried tracking down a process in Windows Task Manager, you know it's like looking for a needle in a haystack. Process Explorer makes the job a lot easier. This freeware utility displays running processes in an intuitive tree format that includes not only process names, but also program icons and other data, such as description, image, and processor time.
It also can identify the process for a given application window or look up a process name in Google--a handy way to spot spyware. Additional features offer detailed information on performance, DLLs, threads, handles, TCP/IP connections, security settings, and environments. Despite its lack of visual polish, Process Explorer is one of the best Task Manager replacements we've seen.

XYplorer 7.20

Download Now (1.01MB) Tested spyware free
License:Free to try; $29.95 to buy
Editor's Rating:Average

User Rating:(out of 18 votes) Rate it!
Downloads: 3,770
Requirements:Windows 95/98/Me/NT/2000/XP/2003 Server/Vista
Limitations:30-day trial
Date Added:June 09, 2008

Publisher's description of XYplorer
view larger From Donald Lessau:
XYplorer is a multitabbed file manager for Windows, featuring a very powerful file search, versatile preview facilities, a highly customizable interface, and a large array of unique ways to efficiently automate frequently recurring tasks. XYplorer is a portable file manager. It does not require any installation, stores all data in the program's folder, and running it does not change your system or registry.
Version 7.20 adds support for editing Unicode filenames.
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Microsoft Windows Explorer,
Microsoft Windows

Editor's review of XYplorer Explore with XYplorer
XYplorer is a shareware alternative to Windows Explorer that offers more tools and file information than the native file manager. You can have XYplorer automatically show thumbs in the document list, or you can use the info panel to get a full-size preview. The info panel offers a wealth of information about files with a powerful search tool that supports Boolean logic, regular expressions, whole word matching, fuzzy terms, and more to find any file quickly.
Although the search feature is arguably the best thing about XYplorer, there are other great features included. The program offers a traditional layout for users who want to keep a Windows Explorer feel, and a tabbed layout for those ready to move on. Users can also run XYplorer in conjunction with scripts and create shortcuts to other apps. At just a shade over 1MB, it's tiny, and since it doesn't edit your computer's Registry, XYplorer is completely portable and utterly worth trying.

eMule 0.49a

Download Now (3.68MB) Tested spyware free
License:Free
Editor's Rating:Not rated
Average User Rating:(out of 477 votes) Rate it!
Downloads: 7,377,904
Requirements:Windows 95/98/Me/NT/2000/XP
Limitations:No limitations
Date Added:May 14, 2008

Publisher's description of eMule From eMule:
eMule is one of the biggest and most reliable peer-to-peer file sharing clients around the world. Thanks to it's open source policy many developers are able to contribute to the project, making the network more efficient with each release. eMule is a filesharing client which is based on the eDonkey2000 network, but offers more features than the standard eDonkey client.
Changes in v0.49a include major Kad protocol improvements, like kad obfuscation, better NAT handling, direct callbacks, flood protections; several changes to the message system to get rid of spammers and stay in touch with friends with dynamic IP; several GUI improvements like storing searches between eMule sessions, a searchfilter for shared files and easier access to the comment filter.

Vuze 3.1.0.0

Download Now (8.59MB) Tested spyware free
License:Free
Editor's Rating:Average
User Rating:(out of 296 votes) Rate it!
Downloads: 2,548,882
Requirements:Windows (all)
Limitations:No limitations
Date Added:June 16, 2008

Publisher's description of Vuze
view larger From Azureus:
Vuze is an online entertainment platform that allows you to watch, publish and share original DVD & HD quality video. You can discover high-quality entertainment by browsing through channels and categories containing thousands of TV shows, music videos, movies, video games and more. And if youd like to publish your original content, you can monetize it the way you want and maintain complete control and flexibility.
Version 3.1.0.0 is the first version that features the name changed from Azureus to Vuze, and introduces social networking to the client.

DriverMax 4.2

Download Now (2.89MB) Tested spyware free
License:Free
Editor's Rating:Average
User Rating:(out of 233 votes) Rate it!
Downloads: 322,675
Requirements:Windows XP/2003 Server/Vista
Limitations:No limitations
Date Added:June 17, 2008


Publisher's description of DriverMax
view larger From Innovative Solutions:
DriverMax is a powerful utility which helps you download, backup and restore the drivers installed on your Windows Vista or Windows XP computer and check if newer versions are available. Download all drivers from one place in just a few steps. Or back them up so you will have all of them in a single place and will be able to reinstall them in a few minutes. This tool can save you a lot of time when reinstalling Windows, especially on older computers for which the original CDs containing the drivers have been lost. You no longer have to track down old driver installation CDs, insert one installation CD after another or spend hours searching for drivers on the Internet. DriverMax is also able to display a detailed report about all drivers (versions, release dates) installed on your system. Identify unknown devices in your computer and get Windows Vista rating information before you purchase new hardware.
Version 4.2 improves the driver download speed as well as the unknown hardware device identification.
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Microsoft Windows Vista,
CD,
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Editor's review of DriverMax Maximize your driver security
Behind a slick interface, this program backs up all your PC's drivers in case you mess up something fierce. From registration to implementation, DriverMax works fast, runs smooth, and does even more than mere backing up.
When you run the app, it asks you if you'd like to run the trial version or apply for a registration key. The key is free, though, requiring only an e-mail address and your name. Once you've entered the key, the program interface appears, with slick button navigation: Driver Operations, Updates and Identification, and Popular Hardware. Mousing over one reveals more choices, so you can export your drivers, import drivers, or view an installed drivers report.
Updates lets you update both the DriverMax software and the drivers themselves, although as of this writing there is a warning label on the DriverMax Web site that downloads are not currently functioning. The program can also identify unknown hardware and point you in the direction of popular hardware options, pointing users to a compilation of statistics about different video cards and processors.
The strongest features, though, relate to driver backup and reinstalls. They function smoothly, offering users the option to back up all drivers or compile a customized list. Reinstalling an "accidentally" deleted driver was as pain-free as could be. As of the version 4 update, the DriverMax Agent, which automatically scans for driver updates, only works in Windows Vista 43-bit. Nevertheless, this is a great utility tool that should appeal to newbies, advanced hackers, and everybody in between.

SugarSync Manager 1.1.4

Download Now (6.75MB) Tested spyware free
License:Free to try; Monthly subscription; $2.49 to buy
Editor's Rating:Average
User Rating:(out of 4 votes) Rate it!
Downloads: 2,859
Requirements:Windows XP/Vista
Limitations:45-day trial
Date Added:June 24, 2008

Publisher's description of SugarSync Manager
view larger From Sharpcast:
SugarSync is a premium online backup service for protecting your documents, photos, music, videos and more. Your files are automatically backed up to your secure, personal website in real-time; you can then access and share these files from any web browser or mobile phone. Unlike other services, SugarSync allows you to backup as many computers as you'd like with the same account. You can even sync files across these computers. And this all happens securely with SSL file transfer, 128 bit AES encryption and world-class data centers. A computer crashes every five seconds; try SugarSync and get the peace of mind you deserve.

Version 1.1.4 may include unspecified updates, enhancements, or bug fixes.

SurveyGold 8

Download Now (31.51MB) Tested spyware free

License:Free to try; $299.00 to buy
Editor's Rating:Average
User Rating:(out of 35 votes) Rate it!
Downloads: 26,114
Requirements:Windows 2000/XP/2003 Server/Vista
Limitations:30-day/use trial
Date Added:May 07, 2008


Publisher's description of SurveyGold
view larger From Golden Hills Software:
This complete software system is for building and administering surveys and exams and then analyzing their results. It is ideal for individuals, educational institutions, and organizations that need to quickly create and conduct exams or surveys over the Web, over the phone, or with a printed questionnaire form. It provides point-and-click features that make collecting and reviewing results quick and easy. Full support for automated test scoring is included. A 12-language spelling checker is built in, and the software is simple to learn and use. It has unlimited surveys and responses, e-mail notification of Web survey responses, and real-time reporting. Users can export data to Excel, SPSS, and other formats, and publish formal reports via Word.
Version 8 adds the ability to organize surveys into folders and the ability to pass respondent and response values into a web survey form via URL query string.
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Microsoft Word,
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Editor's review of SurveyGold
This program helps you create and conduct paper, telephone, and Web surveys. Its interface is self-explanatory, but, if you get lost, the Orientation wizard explains the basics. It's easy to navigate the lists of respondents and surveys, which are arranged in a standard folder tree. The interface is practical, with large buttons, easy-to-find functions, and an innovative tooltip window, but it doesn't look all that slick. It supports Windows interface standards, such as drag and drop, letting you easily reorder questions in surveys and copy from one survey to another. SurveyGold Standard Edition is invaluable, especially for people who have never conducted surveys. Advanced options let you create nonlinear questionnaires, wherein the next questions respondents see are based on their previous answers. Perhaps the most useful feature is the ability to create Web forms. You can receive answers via e-mail or record them to download later. The program also considerably assists in conducting oral surveys. The results can be converted into various database formats and published as graphs, HTML, or Word documents. Anyone who needs to conduct surveys, especially academic and business users, can benefit from this excellent tool.

Passage 3 Christmas Edition 2.6

Download Now (4.05MB) Tested spyware free
License:Free
Editor's Rating:Average
User Rating:(out of 12 votes) Rate it!
Downloads: 44,950
Requirements:Windows 95/98/NT/2000/XP
Limitations:No limitations
Date Added:November 04, 2004


Publisher's description of Passage 3 Christmas Edition From GEKKO Software: This is the Christmas version of the game Passage 3, a game styled after dominoes, Tetris, solitaire, and Scrabble. The player places the tiles on the board according to a certain pattern. Tiles played must match the neighboring tiles in color or symbol. Version 2.6 features accelerated display routines for many systems; completely new Internet access routines for high-score upload and download; and significantly lower CPU load during the game when using Windows XP to avoid heat problems on very fast PCs.
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tile,
games

Editor's review of Passage 3 Christmas Edition Engrossing puzzle play makes Passage 3 Christmas Edition worth your time. Essentially, it breaks out the Clear mode from the full version of Passage 3, then dresses it up with Christmas images and music. As with the original game, each tile you place must match all of its neighbors in color (red, yellow, blue, orange, green, and purple) or picture. You start with 30 credits, losing some each time you place a tile incorrectly or discard a usable tile. The aim of this version is to remove designated tiles by filling up an entire row or column to form passages. The game ends after 45 minutes, but you can play as many games as you wish. The settings don't let you adjust the volume of the music and audio, which meant we had to turn off the MIDI carols instead of just turning down the volume. Other than that, Passage 3 Christmas Edition serves as an enjoyable stand-alone game, as well as a tempting free sample of the full game.

AP Tuner 3.06

Download Now (1.25MB) Tested spyware free
License:Free
Editor's Rating:
Average User Rating:(out of 37 votes) Rate it!
Downloads: 139,402
Requirements:Windows 98/Me/2000/XP
Limitations:No limitations
Date Added:December 04, 2004


Publisher's description of AP Tuner From Audio Phonics: AP Tuner is a full feature chromatic tuner for your PC. The tuner is responsive and accurate (~0.1 cents). The detection algorithm has been improved to better find low and inharmonic notes. The tuning system is fully customizable with a custom temperaments and stretch tables, as well as adjusting Middle A. Finally, a new "harmonic graph" window has been added to assist in visualizing harmonic content over time.
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musician,
note


Editor's review of AP Tuner AP Tuner takes a classic musician's instrument tuner and puts it on the computer, while adding a few extra, useful features. It offers a "note preset" function that allows musicians to tune to the standard notes used by their instruments, as well as customizable temperaments. It has a harmonic graph feature that shows the nearby harmonics of the note being played, aiding in more precise tuning adjustments. The interface is smart and straightforward, with menus and settings logically organized and easy to find. Our main objection was that it works only in standalone mode, without an option to be used as a DirectX or VST plug-in inside one of the most popular audio-editing programs. This drawback alone may keep it out of professional recording studios, but we would otherwise happily recommend it to computer-friendly musicians.

Celebrating Christmas PDF Magazine 2007

Download Now (20.16MB) Tested spyware free
License:Free
Editor's Rating:
Average User Rating:(out of 7 votes) Rate it!
Downloads: 20,950
Requirements:Windows 95/98/Me/NT/2000/XP/2003 Server/Vista, Adobe Reader
Limitations:No limitations
Date Added:November 09, 2005

Publisher's description of Celebrating Christmas PDF Magazine
view larger From Celebrating Christmas: Celebrating-Christmas.com brings to you a complete holiday magazine, available in PDF format, which you can download from your computer and even print out for your personal use and to share with your family and friends. This 2007 issue is packed with illustrated articles on holiday recipes, crafts, home decor, party planning tips, gift ideas, and family fun activities for Christmas, the magazine is the ultimate combination of a 'Home and Lifestyle' and 'Holiday' magazine and is aimed to help you celebrate a better, merrier, and stress-free Christmas.
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magazine,
holiday,
idea,
Adobe PDF

Editor's review of Celebrating Christmas PDF Magazine It's holiday time. Relatives are on the way. You haven't bought your presents. Maybe it's time for a little help. This download is a full, Christmas-themed magazine in PDF format instead of glossy paper, containing a host of ideas to help with Christmas preparations. Inside are decorating and gift ideas, entertaining tips, 75 easy recipes, articles on how to handle the holidays with a new baby, and even puzzles for the kids. The package is illustrated with just the kinds of festive pictures and inscriptions to set the mood. Although aimed at a family audience, the download could be welcome to anyone who wants some quick pointers on how to handle holiday stress.

Switcher 1.1.0.1468

Download Now (303.5K) Tested spyware free
License:Free
Editor's Rating:
Average User Rating:(out of 8 votes) Rate it!
Downloads:18,350
Requirements:Requirements unavailable
Limitations:No limitations
Date Added:April 18, 2007


Publisher's description of Switcher From Bao Nguyen:
Switcher allows users to manage multiple program windows in Windows Vista by arranging thumbnails of them at the top of the screen, and is accessible via hot keys.
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Microsoft Windows Vista,
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mouse,
Microsoft Windows


Editor's review of Switcher Make the switch
For those who've made the jump to Windows Vista but don't like the angled multipane view, Switcher offers a familiar and less-jarring alternative.
Using fully customizable hot keys, you can activate the app with nothing more than a single keystroke or mouse gesture. The currently active program will then drop slightly on the screen and the other active apps will appear above it in minimized form. The opacity of the inactive programs can be tailored to your tastes, as can nearly everything else about Switcher. Dock padding and location, mouse trigger corner, transition duration, view of minimized versions of the inactive apps, and more can be adjusted. You can even organize the Options menu alphabetically or by category.
Strengthened by a fast install and lightweight footprint, Switcher is a fun program for those who love modifying their PC experience to suit their tastes. Who doesn't?

Warlords Battlecry III 1

Download Now (266.31MB) Tested spyware free
License:Free to try
Editor's Rating:Average
User Rating:(out of 9 votes) Rate it!
Downloads: 40,107
Requirements:Windows 98/Me/2000/XP,DirectX 9 drivers
Limitations:Two races, four hero classes, four campaigns, two skirmish maps
Date Added:April 16, 2004


Publisher's description of Warlords Battlecry III
view larger From Enlight Software: Join with the many races of Etheria as you fight your way through the ruins, jungles and deserts of the southern continent of Keshan, searching for new lands to conquer, and the treasure with which you might build an Empire. Or take the role of the Ssrathi the snakemen of Keshan as they repel the invaders and then unleash the full might of their empire upon the northern realms.
Try out the new hero system and new campaign through unexplored parts of Etheria in this single-player demo for the latest Warlords fantasy real-time strategy game. Choose between of the game's 16 playable races--the dwarves and the swarm--and four of the 28 hero classes, and jump into out four campaign battles or two skirmish maps.
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real-time strategy,
race,
strategy game,
Real-Time

Editor's review of Warlords Battlecry III
Starting out as turn-based and developing nicely into real-time, this fantasy strategy series up the antes in its third version with new role-playing elements, more races, more heroes, a new spell system, and radically improved graphics. For fans of real-time strategy looking for a non-linear storyline with a hero who develops and improves abilities as the story progresses, Warlords Battlecry III might be just their ticket. For those who like RPGs but disdain structure building, resource collecting, and army management, you should definitely look elsewhere.
The interface and control system will be very familiar to anyone who's ever played a real-time strategy game. Starting with your hero, you must collect gold, metal, stone, and crystal, turn those resources into buildings, and then use those structures to develop technology, produce weapons, and create troops. The wide array of units available in 16 different races will undoubtedly keep the full game fresh, but the demo only allows for play with the brutish Dwarves and the insect-like Swarm. A brief but excellent tutorial and four single-player campaigns are available for learning the game, and two skirmish maps let you test your mettle against customizable AI opponents. It's unfortunate that the demo doesn't allow multiplayer gameplay, as a major factor in the full game will be how well it handles one-on-one skirmishes between two human players. However, the quality of the gameplay, the bountiful amount of single-player exploration available, and the ability to practice ad infinitum against the computer in skirmishes make this demo a definite must-try for fans of real-time fantasy strategy.

ExamDiff Pro 4.0

Download Now (2.91MB) Tested spyware free
License:Free to try; $35.00 to buy (Buy it now)
Editor's Rating:Average
User Rating:(out of 86 votes) Rate it!
Downloads: 104,422
Requirements:Windows 98/Me/NT/2000/XP/2003 Server/Vista
Limitations:30-day trial
Date Added:April 08, 2008


Publisher's description of ExamDiff Pro
view larger From PrestoSoft:
ExamDiff Pro is a powerful yet intuitive and easy to use visual file and directory comparison tool. If you have been frustrated with other comparison utilities, you will find that ExamDiff Pro offers a much more efficient and user-friendly way to compare files and folders. ExamDiff Pro features a double-pane view that allows for side-by-side comparisons, with customizable color-coding indicating whether each line is added, deleted, or changed. It compares files and directories with equal ease, and boasts one of the fastest comparison algorithms of any tool today. ExamDiff Pro offers such advanced features as full Unicode support, word wrapping of long lines, automatic detection of changes in files or folders, drag and drop support, and the ability to preprocess compared files via user-defined plug-ins. Other features of ExamDiff Pro include regular expression filters, manual synchronization, named sessions, and comprehensive Ignore options.
Version 4.0 may include unspecified updates, enhancements, or bug fixes.
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Editor's review of ExamDiff Pro Save valuable coding time with ExamDiff
Whether you want to compare Word documents or PERL code, ExamDiff Pro loads any two files of your choice and shows you how they differ from each other.
Similar to its free cousin, but offering up many more options and customization, ExamDiff Pro displays the two files side by side, highlighting differences and allowing you to make changes on the fly. The app's handy interface offers several navigation schemes--buttons that take you to the previous or next change, a drop-down list of differences by line, or mouse functionality going directly to any line in either document.
What's more, if you open a subfolder or file in one directory, the program automatically compares it with the same item in the second. Files can be scrolled in tandem or separately, and there are numerous options for comparing items: looking at differences by line, word, or character; ignoring spaces; or only viewing similarities. Colors can be customized, and changes can be saved to one or both opened files. Output can be in Unix DIFF or HTML.
ExamDiff Pro should appeal to all levels of developers, from those just learning HTML to seasoned pros.

3D Button Visual Editor 4.2.0.5

Download Now (3.51MB) Tested spyware free
License:Free to try; $29.00 to buy
Editor's Rating:Average
User Rating:(out of 6 votes) Rate it!
Downloads: 34,047
Requirements:Windows (all)
Limitations:Watermark on generated image
Date Added:September 13, 2006

Publisher's description of 3D Button Visual Editor
view larger From MultiMedia Soft:
3D Button Visual Editor is a WYSIWYG application that allows the user to create outstanding 3D buttons for use with Web sites and standalone applications requiring a more effective look. The creation of Web site navigation bars has never been simpler and faster: 3D Button Visual Editor can easily manage button collections and, if needed, it can generate the HTML code and JavaScript code that the user will insert into a Web page to create rollover effects. If using the Professional edition as an add-in for Microsoft FrontPage or for Visual Vision products, the insertion of HTML and JavaScript code into Web pages will be performed automatically. The application User Interface has been completely redesigned to let you create 3D buttons with very few mouse clicks.
Version 4.2.0.5 added compatibility with Windows Vista.
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JavaScript,
3D,
HTML,
multimedia,
button


Editor's review of 3D Button Visual Editor

Button up Designed to create 3D buttons for Web sites, 3D Button Visual Editor offers good flexibility and creates nice-looking buttons. The application comes with 25 button templates, which range from the professional to the whimsical. Every single template can be configured in terms of shape, texture, and color. You can label each button and move the text around as you like. It also lets you import existing buttons and edit them. It helps you create such JavaScript extravagances as rollover effects, generating the HTML you need to implement it on your site. We found little to complain about with this button maker and recommend it for busy Web designers.

EclipseCrossword 1.2.54

Download Now (48K) Tested spyware free
License:Free
Editor's Rating:Average
User Rating:(out of 25 votes) Rate it!
Downloads: 98,946
Requirements:Windows 95/98/2000/Me/XP
Limitations:No limitations
Date Added:December 15, 2005

Publisher's description of EclipseCrossword
view larger From Green Eclipse Software: EclipseCrossword is a free application that makes creating crossword puzzles ridiculously easy. Just give it a list of words and clues, and it gives you a crossword puzzle that you can save and share, print out for photocopying and distribution, and even save as a Web page for posting on the Internet. EclipseCrossword guides you through the entire process, which takes just seconds after entering your words. This program is a must for K-12 teachers.
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Editor's review of EclipseCrossword Twenty-down is uncommon
For any crossword fans out there, our only question is "Why wouldn't you download this fantastic, free program?" If you've ever had the yen to make your own puzzles, there's no rational answer. EclipseCrossword may not get you a guest gig at the New York Times or Games Magazine, but it will make quality crosswords of varying sizes in mere seconds. Better yet, your final creations are printable or publishable in a number of formats.
The program uses a wizard-style interface to guide you through the steps of making your own crossword. The biggest requirement, of course, is a list of clues and answers. Once you've got the list of words you want to use, you'll define the size of your grid, and seconds later, you'll have a crossword. How many seconds is entirely up to you: set it as low as five seconds or as high as you can imagine. Aside from your limit, the time the program takes to create a puzzle obviously depends on the size and complexity of your word list. Both puzzles and word lists are saveable as Eclipse files or as HTML. Interactive crosswords can be created with Java or dHTML. Finally, your puzzles also can be exported as RTF, WMF, or EPS files. Eclipse is a great inspirational tool for creative puzzle makers, or a complete solution for anyone who wants to make a basic crossword.

Trailfire Toolbar 1.5

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License:Free
Editor's Rating: Average
User Rating:(out of 11 votes) Rate it!
Downloads:3,661
Requirements:Windows XP/Vista, Internet Explorer 6.0 and above
Limitations:No limitations
Date Added:February 28, 2008


Publisher's description of Trailfire Toolbar
view larger From Trailfire:
Trailfire provides a unique new method for commentary, web navigation and social discovery. By leaving "marks", which are essentially electronic notes, on individual Web pages and adding your comments you can guide people out onto the web and help them discover what you already know. Connect your marks together and form a "Trail" with your own navigation path across the web. Trailfire's unique social discovery engine generates an audience to discover the trails you create without the need for them to download the Trailfire extension. Download the Trailfire extension and create a web of your own for others to discover.
Verion 1.5 includes the Trailfire Guide tab which displays similar marked pages to the page you are currently viewing.
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teacher,
student,
Web page,
Microsoft Internet Explorer


Editor's review of Trailfire Toolbar
If you're searching online for info on a particular topic, this Internet Explorer add-on may be just the tool to help you do it quickly and easily. The Trailfire Toolbar lets you mark particular points (or Web pages) on the Internet to lead you along a certain path of gaining information.
We were a bit skeptical at first (it initially sounds like a glorified Web ring) but we see how teachers and orientation mentors for corporations could use this tool to help their students gather info in a very specific manner. For example, a seventh grade history class teacher could create a trail of sites about the Middle Ages. Contextual comments and questions created by the teacher with the Trailfire tool could then lead students through the material, much like a class discussion. Arrows on the contextual pop-up allow the students to move backward or forward along the trail.
Trailfire Toolbar adds two small, nicely designed buttons to the IE toolbar. It worked impressively in our tests. We were able to create a trail with a few clicks, add some commentary, and continue building a new trail. The tool responded quickly in all cases. Trailfire Toolbar is free, it applies no limitations, and it's certainly worth trying out.
User reviews of Trailfire Toolbar
There are no user reviews yet for this version of Trailfire Toolbar. View reviews for all previous versions of Trailfire Toolbar.

Free Window Sweeper 1.1

Download Now (768.04K) Tested spyware free
License:Free
Editor's Rating:Average
User Rating:(out of 5 votes) Rate it!
Downloads: 3,550
Requirements:Windows 95/98/Me/NT/2000/XP/2003 Server/Vista
Limitations:No limitations
Date Added: November 29, 2007

Publisher's description of Free Window Sweeper
view larger From FindSth Software:
Free Window Sweeper is a free privacy tool for cleaning up the history of your activities on a computer. Your computer stores more information than you think. Every site you visit, every file you open, and various other activities you have performed. Free Window Sweeper is designed to protect you by cleaning up all the unwanted history data on your computer. With simply one click, Free Window Sweeper allows you to erase the cache, cookies, history, typed URLs, auto complete memory, index.dat files from your browsers, Windows temp folder, run history, search history, recycle bin, and recent documents. It also offers support for many third party applications, and allows you to add your custom file, folder, or registry locations to be cleaned. It also has a cookie keeper option which allows you to save specific cookies from useful sites while erasing all other cookies. You can optionally choose to use secure deletion methods to completely eliminate all traces of the deleted data.
Version 1.1 includes exact progress hint and bug fixes.
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activity,
setting,
Firefox


Editor's review of Free Window Sweeper
From price to operation, this privacy cleaning tool does everything right. Free Window Sweeper's check box and information window interface needs no instruction. Novice users will pick up this application in seconds.
This application cleans files and settings from Internet Explorer, Netscape, Opera, and Firefox browsers. It also removes settings and personal information from Windows, Microsoft Office, certain instant messengers, and select applications found on the computer. Operating Free Window Sweeper takes just a few mouse clicks. Simply check the categories to delete and press the Test button. The program almost immediately reports how many files would be deleted, and the kilobytes of hard drive space recovered. Users can easily set the program to list each file, but no matter the mode the application reports progress. This is a fast cleaning application, so users are not given the opportunity to select which files to delete from the list.
Advanced users will appreciate the easy method to add custom lists, directories, and settings for this application to clean. An easy freeware application to recommend, Free Window Sweeper performs with the power of much more expensive programs in this genre.

Corel Painter Essentials 4

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Tested spyware free

License: Free to try; $99.00 to buy (Buy it now)
Editor's Rating: Average
User Rating: Be the first to rate this product!
Downloads: 14,487
Requirements: Mac OS X 10.4
Limitations: 60-day trial
Date Added: September 26, 2007


Publisher's description of Corel Painter Essentials
view larger From Corel:
Corel Painter Essentials 4 is the simple-to-use home art studio that makes it easy for you to sketch, paint and turn your photos into paintings. Two new workspaces put the tools you need at your fingertips, whether you're turning a photo into a painting, or sketching and painting on a blank canvas. Based on the world's most powerful painting and illustration software, Corel Painter, it's the ideal way to get started with digital art.

Version 4 includes a wide array of new features, including a redesign photo-painting workspace, Smart Stroke technology, updated file formats, brush drawer, a Mixer palette, tablet supports, and a Magic Wand tool.

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Editor's review of Corel Painter Essentials
Essentials is a must-have
Corel Painter Essentials 4 is a slimmed-down version of Painter for home use, but don't let that fool you into thinking that the average home user will be disappointed. For those who like to play around with their photos, tweaking them artistically, Essentials provides a deep toolbox under its intuitive layout.

All the tool icons in the palette are large and easy to understand, there's nothing obscure or hard to remember here. Brush sizes and opacity can be adjusted at the top of the editing window using sliders, and while a few main brushes live on the main left-side toolbar, you can change those by accessing the Brush Drawer. The program features two workspaces, Drawing & Painting and Photo Painting. The first is a standard image creation template, while the second lets you upload a photo and "paint" over it.

The Photo Painting was quite impressive. When you upload an image, you select which parts of it you want shown by using the same variety of paint tools available in the Drawing & Painting workspace. The choices are quite deep, too: you can choose to change the texture of the images by changing the paper, you can change the brush type and width, and even use different kinds of paints to change your staid photo into an Impressionist work of art.

Comic Life 1.3.4

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Tested spyware free

License: Free to try; $24.95 to buy
Editor's Rating: Average
User Rating: (out of 1 votes) Rate it!
Downloads: 15,936
Requirements: Mac OS X 10.3.9
Limitations: 30-day trial
Date Added: November 08, 2007

Publisher's description of Comic Life
view larger From plasq: With a comprehensive set of features, Comic Life gives you numerous ways to explore your creativity - liven up holiday snaps, tell a story, even create how-to guides. Its so easy, you and your dog will be making comics and emailing them to family and friends in minutes. Want a more authentic-looking comic? Now you can apply filters to your photos to make them look printed, hand-drawn, painted and even 'night vision', among others. 16 included filters expand your creative palette and making ordinary photos.
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comic, digital photograph, photograph

Editor's review of Comic Life
Give your photos super powers This nifty little program lets you make comics out of your real life photos. You can arrange your photos on a page in different sizes, add text and thought balloons, and then add colors and graphics to create funny projects of your digital images. We really like the intuitive interface which let us create a comic out of photos on our hard drive and couldn't help but think of many applications for this product. The program even has fun sound effects while you work making it a joy to work with. The huge number of effects, graphics, and ways to present your project make this program perfect for creating holiday cards, birthday invitations, or even fun fliers for work events. Anyone who likes to express themselves creatively will love Comic Life for the sheer ease of bringing digital photos to life.

CandyBar 2.6.1

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Tested spyware free

License: Free to try; $12.95 to buy
Editor's Rating: Average
User Rating: (out of 4 votes) Rate it!
Downloads: 58,520
Requirements: Mac OS X 10.3.9
Limitations: Some features disabled
Date Added: August 23, 2006


Publisher's description of CandyBar
From Panic:
CandyBar lets you quickly, easily, and safely change the default icons in Mac OS X. You now can attach an author's name, e-mail, and URLs to iContainers. Jaguar Open/Drop folder states are supported. Customized Finder and Trash icons now stick better. CandyBar also is integrated with Picadex, an icon organizer.

In version 2.6.1 CandyBar is now a Universal application for improved speed on Intel-based Macs; there is now built-in support for up to Mac OS X 10.4.9; and several other enhancements and fixes have been implemented.

This program will not work with Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard. Use CandyBar 3.0.

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OS X Leopard, icon, Apple Mac OS, Apple Macintosh, Apple Mac OS X
Editor's review of CandyBar
The art of customizing your icons has come a long way, thanks to CandyBar, a utility designed to customize everything from the look of the Finder toolbar, folders, the Trash, and everything in between. With CandyBar, nothing is sacred. The thoughtful interface makes swapping icons easy by simply dragging and dropping. We really like iContainers, which pack a set of icons into a single file. You even can save your current icon scheme to an iContainer to quickly switch among custom-created sets. Overall, CandyBar is a wonderfully simple application that makes dressing up your icons a joy.

Blender (PowerPC) 2.46

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License: Free
Editor's Rating: Average
User Rating: Be the first to rate this product!
Downloads: 2,472
Requirements: Mac OS X 10.3/10.4
Limitations: No limitations
Date Added: May 19, 2008


Publisher's description of Blender (PowerPC)
From Blender:
Blender is the open-source software for 3D modeling, animation, rendering, post-production, interactive creation and playback. It is available for all major operating systems under the GNU General Public License. Version 2.44 offers numerous bug fixes. Version 2.46 includes cloth and fur simulation, physics caching and baking, shading, glossy reflection and refraction, raytraced soft shadows, improved rendering features, and more.

See more CNET content tagged:
3D, animation, 2D, open source

Editor's review of Blender (PowerPC)
Blend your rendering programs into one all-powerful app
If you've ever thought about making professional-quality animations but decided not to because of the cost of the software, your excuse just got up and walked out the door. Blender is a free, open-source 3D rendering program that puts the power of the medium back into the hands of the artist.

Blender features a laundry list of animation essentials that can be broken down into categories: Interface, Modeling, Rigging, Rendering, Animation, UV Unwrapping, Shading, Physics and Particles, Imaging and Compositing, and Real Time 3D/Game Creation. The interface, though loaded with complicated tools, is remarkable for neither obscuring nor interfering with the image being worked on. A brief sampling of tools and functions includes 3D paint for vertex weighing, polygon meshes, 2D and 3D procedural brushes, edge rendering, textures, collision simulation, and support for around two dozen 2D and 3D file formats. Extras can be added with Python scripting, and since it's open source, many scripts can be easily found for download in the user forums.

Blender is not for the faint of heart. Learning to use it is time-consuming and best done by following the detailed tutorials available on the Blender Web site. There is also an extensive online Blender community, making familiarization with the app less painful--if not pain-free. However, none of these detracts from the overall experience or usefulness of the program, and we strongly recommend it for advanced users.