Softonic > Windows > Latest releases

EssentialPIM Free 3.03-The powerfully simple Personal Information Manager

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 00:00:00 +0200

Managing personal information can be tricky if you need a different program to handle contacts, tasks, calendar email and your schedule. EssentialPIM Free however can make the job much easier.

EssentialPIM Free can securely schedule your day, manage your contacts, keep track of your To Do plans and organize your notes. Its interface is very similar to Outlook, and is clean and well organized. You can use the left sidebar to change between the program's utilities and all the details are displayed on the right hand side.

The tools included in EssentialPIM Free are easy to use, and have pretty much everything you need to organize your daily work. Schedule displays a calendar with different background colors and symbols that indicate frequency and degree of completion; Notes lets you add notes with pictures, rich-format text, tables and symbols; and with Contacts you can easily keep a list of all your friends and colleagues, with highly customizable information fields.

EssentialPIM Free does feature a large variety of options, but it's only when you take a deeper look that you realize that many of them are only available in the Pro version – which is kind of disappointing.

EssentialPIM Free is a useful application but it loses some of its attraction when you discover some of its options are only available in the Pro version.

Download EssentialPIM Free 3.03 in Softonic

Screenshot Captor 2.57.01-Simple and functional screenshot program

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 00:00:00 +0200

As we've mentioned before, here at Softonic we have to take lots of screenshots everyday, so we need a screen capturing program that is simple to use, doesn't hog system resources and can provide us with a wide range of tools. After trying out a few, I must say Screenshot Captor meets all these requirements and does a great job.

This program enables you to capture images in a variety of ways, ranging from the active window to a fixed size zone and including objects, scrolling windows (great for capturing sites from top to bottom) and even your entire working space, which means that if you have multiple monitors Screenshot Captor will capture all of them. These capturing modes are conveniently available from a system tray icon and also via customizable keyboard shortcuts.

But the best is yet to come: Screenshot Captor includes an excellent set of filters and special effects for your screenshots: frames, borders, shadow effects, arrows and a lot more. We tried all of them and were satisfied with the results, although we missed the possibility to undo actions beyond the last step. We also had problems when trying to apply certain effects; the trick here is to make sure the image is not selected, as the program tends to select everything after taking a shot and this may interfere with other tools. Despite this, we found some really good tools like the possibility to automatically generate thumbnails from images or a zoom that can go up to an impressive 999%. You can actually see every single pixel in the image!

In general, the program features so many possibilities that you may feel a bit overwhelmed at the beginning. Our advice is to be patient and give the program a chance - it's really worth it.

Download Screenshot Captor 2.57.01 in Softonic

BumpTop 1.0.5.3058 Free-Amazing 3D Windows desktop

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 00:00:00 +0200

If you're tired of your Windows desktop and changing the wallpaper doesn't work anymore, try going for the third dimension!

BumpTop is an alternative three-dimensional desktop that lets you manage icons and files in a totally 3D environment that also follows basic physics rules. In this sense, files behave like real-life objects, which you can throw against windows, hang from walls and pile up in stacks according to different criteria.

BumpTop's appearance is simply spectacular. The 3D design is like nothing you've seen so far in desktop management. Managing files and folders like objects is fun. What's more, you can decorate the desktop with post-it notes, photos and also different themes.

That said, the truth is that BumpTop is more beautiful than practical. Despite having some nice usability tricks, like being able to print a document just by dragging and dropping it on the printer's icon, I don't think a 3D environment is the most useful way to manage your desktop – not to mention the app's high system requirements.

If you like original desktop environments and don’t care that much about usability, BumpTop is pretty much the best you can get.

Download BumpTop 1.0.5.3058 Free in Softonic

CakeWalk SONAR 8.0.2 Producer Edition-Professional music and audio creator

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 00:00:00 +0200

Download CakeWalk SONAR 8.0.2 Producer Edition in Softonic

EssentialPIM Portable Free 3.03-A portable version of the personal organizer

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 00:00:00 +0200

Managing personal information can be tricky if you need a different program to handle contacts, tasks, calendar email and your schedule. EssentialPIM Portable however can make the job much easier and without leaving any traces on your system, as you can run it directly from your USB memory device.

EssentialPIM Portable can securely schedule your day, manage your contacts, keep track of your To Do plans and organize your notes. Its interface is very similar to Outlook, and is clean and well organized. You can use the left sidebar to change between the program's utilities and all the details are displayed on the right hand side.

The tools included in EssentialPIM Portable are easy to use and have pretty much everything you need to organize your daily work. Schedule displays a calendar with different background colors and symbols that indicate frequency and degree of completion; Notes lets you add notes with pictures, rich-format text, tables and symbols; and with Contacts you can easily keep a list of all your friends and colleagues, with highly customizable information fields.

EssentialPIM Portable does feature a large variety of options, but it's only when you take a deeper look that you realize that many of them are only available in the Pro version – which is kind of disappointing.

EssentialPIM Portable is a useful application but it loses some of its attraction when you discover some of its options are only available in the Pro version.

Download EssentialPIM Portable Free 3.03 in Softonic

AutoRuns 9.51-Find all the programs that start when Windows is loaded

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 00:00:00 +0200

Download AutoRuns 9.51 in Softonic

MyUninstaller 1.45-Comprehensive uninstall program for use in Windows

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 00:00:00 +0200

Download MyUninstaller 1.45 in Softonic

Lingoes 2.6.1 Beta-Easy dictionary and translator for more than 60 languages

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 00:00:00 +0200

On the whole, Lingoes is an interesting application which combines a comprehensive dictionary with a translator service (while looking and feeling mysteriously similar to its competitor, Babylon). There are also some useful tools like the periodic table, an abbreviation chart and an irregular verbs one, plus an international time zone converter, a dialing codes directory, a weights & measures converter and to end a currency converter.

Theoretically the most useful tool is that by pressing CTRL+ right click on whatever word you have on your screen, a pop-up window should appear with the definition of that word, a search tool for a deeper definition and also an audio file with the correct pronunciation. The disappointing aspect of this feature is that it doesn't work with a lot of words (unfortunately, I have to say, the majority), even if they appear in the list of definitions that Lingoes has in its database. I think this is a major bug as it invalidates massively the application's main utility which would be to have an always-available dictionary without having to change window.

The program leans on Google for the translation function which I find to be weak as many words are not translated correctly or not even found.

Because of strange performance issues, Lingoes is not worth using if you're just looking for an on-the-fly dictionary or translator. Some of its other features are really useful, though.

Download Lingoes 2.6.1 Beta in Softonic

TimeLeft 3.45-Free stopwatch and countdown utility

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 00:00:00 +0200

Download TimeLeft 3.45 in Softonic

Armalyte Demo-A new remake of an 80s classic

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 00:00:00 +0200

Armalyte was a much loved Commodore 64 game from 1988. That system lacked a version of Gradius, but Armalyte was excellent compensation.

This demo features similar artwork, but the graphics overall have been updated. This is probably a good thing, as the original doesn't look as it did in 1988! The sound too has been updated, with crunchy sound effects, and a great version of the original atmospheric theme tune.

The gameplay is unchanged. It's a sideways scrolling shoot 'em up, you ship is equipped with a drone, which is invincible unlike you. Power-ups are littered around each level, and you choose the type of power up you want by shooting it to make it change. It may seem slow to begin with, but it's not easy, and you need to learn the levels to be successful. This demo unfortunately doesn't allow two player games, a shame as it's much improved with a partner!

This is definitely a piece of retro nostalgia, even if it's been polished up. Whether younger players will enjoy it is difficult to say, but it's worth a go, as it's one of the best non-arcade shoot 'em ups ever made.

Still fun after all these years, and may bring ex-Commodore 64 owners to tears.

Download Armalyte Demo in Softonic

Combined Community Codec Pack 2008 9.21.0-Audio and video codec pack which avoids conflicts

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 00:00:00 +0200

Although it might appear like some sort of Communist software, CCCP is actually just a pack of codecs to help just about any video run on your system.

The full title is the "Combined Community Codec Pack". In reality, it's more like a filter pack than a codec pack but the developers say that "filter doesn't begin with C and we wanted a good acronym"! For anyone who understands Russian, the developers also like to point out that the name is also a pun on the Russian name Союз Советских Социалистических Республик, which is transliterated into the Latin alphabet as "Soyuz Sovietskikh Sotsialisticheskikh Respublik", or "Union of Soviet Socialist Republics", abbreviated as "СССР" or "USSR". Anyway, the CCCP codec pack was created to replace the filter packs provided by other groups which simply often did not work properly or broke compatibility for other formats. In reality, it is an extremely powerful Codec pack, playing back effortlessly most popular formats and some unpopular ones too. There are now fiddly options to get it working although if you have other codec packs installed, you may experience some conflicts or significant slowdown in reproduction of your films.

However, overall, this is an impressive pack which deals with just about anything and I quite like the attitude of the developers and their ironic communist branding.

Download Combined Community Codec Pack 2008 9.21.0 in Softonic

Cooliris 1.11.0.26762 for Internet Explorer-Browse photos in Internet Explorer with amazing 3D effects

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 00:00:00 +0200

Cooliris started off as a simple Firefox extension known as PicLens which enabled you to view online photos in a full screen slideshow. After some intensive development and a change of name, Cooliris is much more than just a simple slideshow, and now it also works with Internet Explorer

Cooliris for Internet Explorer not only lets you browse online photos from a variety of websites – including Google Images, Facebook, DeviantArt, Flickr, Picasa Web Albums and many, many others – but also online videos and photos stored on your local computer. Cooliris makes use of tags to display valuable context information for each photo, which comes in especially handy when working with Facebook albums.

Images are displayed in a sleek animated 3D wall from where you can browse them as thumbnails, open them up in a larger view or visit the source website when available. All movements are done with the mouse, either using the wheel or clicking on the photos.

Cooliris runs smoothly and features a really attractive design. On the downside, it can take a while to load photos, and can also make your computer really slow.

Cooliris lets you browse both online and offline photos in an impressive animated 3D gallery right on Internet Explorer.

Download Cooliris 1.11.0.26762 for Internet Explorer in Softonic

Han Trainer Pro 3.91-Practice your Mandarin Chinese vocabulary, writing and comprehension

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 00:00:00 +0200

Language learning is fun, but a challenge. For many, Mandarin Chinese is the most challenging of all, which is why Han Trainer Pro is a very interesting program.

Han Trainer Pro is an educational tool that will enable you to learn new vocabulary, practice your listening comprehension and swat up on your stroke order when writing. The trial version has 9 learning modes, 4 lessons, and 92 words for you to practice with.

The program is easy to install, with a choice of interface languages and little tips to help you on your way. Each of the nine modes focuses on a different aspect of language learning, offing you different scenarios to practice and learn. One lesson focuses on words related to the Chinese Zodiac signs and tattoos, a second to books and literature, a third to words related to materials, while the last is linked to a textbook (Practical Chinese Reader edited by Professor Chiao Wei) which is available to buy from the Han Trainer Pro website.

Depending on what options you choose, you will have the opportunity to practice the pronunciation, stroke order, meaning or pinyin transcription (including tones) of Chinese words. You can also print vocabulary lists to practice later, and, if the program sees that you are getting a lot of wrong answers, Han Trainer Pro will limit the range of vocabulary you are given until you are ready to move on.

Han Trainer Pro is a lovely program. Although it is of limited use to an absolute beginner, it could really help someone looking to practice the Chinese they have learned elsewhere. On the downside, the lessons prove a little difficult to find your way around and there is no help file if you do get stuck.

Han Trainer Pro provides entertaining, useful practice for the difficult task of learning Mandarin Chinese.

Download Han Trainer Pro 3.91 in Softonic

Ashampoo Core Tuner 1.10-Make the most of your multi-processor computer

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 00:00:00 +0200

Dual and quad-processor computers are becoming increasingly popular, but not all operating systems and software applications are ready to make the most of them.

With Ashampoo Core Tuner you can make sure your system is using all of its processor power, optimizing the distribution and priority of all active processes, and managing them over two, three or even four different processors.

Ashampoo Core Tuner includes a automatic optimization tool with which the program analyzes the systems and distributes processor power accordingly. But if you prefer to have more control over processor settings, you can also prioritize them manually. Whatever changes you apply, they can be saved as profiles for later use.

All in all, Ashampoo Core Tuner is a handy tool for the most powerful systems, but it may not be that useful if your computer only has one processor.

If you have a dual-processor or quad-processor computer, with Ashampoo Core Tuer you'll be able to make the most of your machine.

Download Ashampoo Core Tuner 1.10 in Softonic

MP3 Rocket 5.2.2-LimeWire based file sharing network

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 00:00:00 +0200

Download MP3 Rocket 5.2.2 in Softonic

Pacestar LanFlow Net Diagrammer 6.13-Create and draw diagrams for all types of networks

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 00:00:00 +0200

Download Pacestar LanFlow Net Diagrammer 6.13 in Softonic

EDGE Diagrammer 6.13-Versatile program for data flow diagrams

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 00:00:00 +0200

Download EDGE Diagrammer 6.13 in Softonic

Explore&Burn 1.1-Burn folders and files directly from Windows Explorer

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 00:00:00 +0200

If you only burn a CD from time to time, there's no need to install a mammoth recording suite; Explore&Burn may be more than enough.

Explore&Burn is not a standalone burning app, but rather an add-on that's seamlessly integrated into Windows Explorer and lets you burn folders and files to CD or DVD directly from their context menu.

Simply right click on any item you want to record to CD and select "Burn to disc…". You'll be presented with a step-by-step wizard that will guide you through the recording process.

Being a simple burning add-on, Explore&Burn doesn't have any special options, except for a few features such as support for finalizing sessions and the ability to burn double-layered DVDs and also ISO files. Bear in mind that if you're using Windows XP, you'll need to install the IMAPI hotfix from Microsoft.

Explore&Burn is a simple add-on that lets you record CD and DVD from Windows Explorer context menu.

Download Explore&Burn 1.1 in Softonic

Arles Download Manager 1.8.0.5-Manage multiple downloads from YouTube and Rapidshare

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 00:00:00 +0200

Arles Download Manager is a little stand-alone application that lets you download videos from YouTube and similar sites, as well as download links from the filesharing service Rapidshare.

Installation isn't necessary, just extract the .ZIP file and execute. The interface is a little old fashioned, and not brilliantly translated, but the tabbed menus are clear enough. Paste a link into the Video menu, check it, then you can download the source.

If you copy a Rapidshare link into you clipboard, you can then paste it directly into the Download task window. When you've collected the links you want to downloaded, click start, and off it goes. Sometimes it takes a while to start downloading, and unfortunately there is little indication of what's happening while you wait.

Arles Download Manager is useful for downloading multiple links, as you can run it, and leave it to get on with the job. It doesn't have completion pop up alerts, but it's easy to open up. It's also not a very hungry application so isn't a problem to have running in the background.

Arles Download Manager does it's job, but it's interface is a little awkward and poorly explained.

Download Arles Download Manager 1.8.0.5 in Softonic

FreeRapid Downloader 0.8.2-Administer Rapidshare and Megaupload files etc in one app

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 00:00:00 +0200

If you're a massive user of both Rapidshare and Megaupload it's a pain to use two separate administrators to manage your upload and downloads.

In the case of Rapidshare the most annoying thing is that you have to wait before you can click on a file to download it. FreeRapid Downloader offers a more holistic way to manage your downloads and uploads in one convenient application. It lets you download files hosted on Megaupload, Rapidshare, Netload or FileFactory without needing to click a single thing.

FreeRapid Downloader basically works by allowing you to add several links at the same time until they're queued up waiting to go. It can even monitor your clipboard for links that are cut to it and automatically add them to your queue. While this definitely makes managing your downloads easier, it still only downloads files one by one meaning if you've got several files from several file sharing sites, it can be painfully slow.

FreeRapìd Downloader will make your file sharing site downloads easier to manage although not speed them up in any significant way.

Download FreeRapid Downloader 0.8.2 in Softonic