Free Best Software

Bandizip - ZIP TOOL

2012-12-15T15:22:00.001+01:00

ZIP TOOL
Bandizip
DOWNLOAD
Min requirements: Windows XP/Vista/7
File size: 3.2MB

This flexible archiving tool opens compressed files in more than 3D formats, and writes zips, 7z, TAR, WIM and self-extracting files. Right-click an archive to preview its contents directly in the context menu before extracting the files. You can set the compression level you want to use when creating zips.

RootsMagic Essentials - FAMILY TREE SOFTWARE

2012-12-15T15:18:00.002+01:00

FAMILY TREE SOFTWARE
RootsMagic Essentials
DOWNLOAD
Min requirements: Windows XP/Vista/7
File size: 24MB

Build a family tree and attach an unlimited number o f notes and multimedia items to each person. The SourceWizard lets you record all the sources used in your research.

Treasure Adventure Game - GAME

2012-11-15T07:16:00.001+01:00

GAME
Treasure Adventure Game
DOWNLOAD
Min requirements: Windows XP/Vista/7
File size: 104MB

More than two years in the making, this retro-inspired adventure game, starring a hook-handed kid and his parrot, will keep you amused for hours, if not days. There’s plenty to see and do, with a huge open world, a cast of amusing characters, and smart touches such as a day and night cycle, and weather effects.

PhotoFilmStrip - MOVIE CREATOR

2012-11-13T21:32:00.002+01:00

MOVIE CREATOR
PhotoFilmStrip
DOWNLOAD
Min requirements: Windows XP/Vista/7 or Linux
File size: 17.2MB

PhotoFilmStrip lets you transform your static photos into an animated mini-movie. Create a new project and drag some images onto the program window. They’ll appear in a filmstrip at the bottom of the screen. Customise the motion path (how the camera moves) for each image and tweak the settings as required. You can alter the duration each picture is displayed for, rotate a photo left or right, add effects and transitions, and write captions. Once you’ve made your changes, you can export your movie in MPEG4 format.

OSForensics - PC MONITORINQ

2012-11-13T21:27:00.001+01:00

PC MONITORING
OSForensics
DOWNLOAD
Min requirements: Windows XP/Vista/7
File size: 35.8MB

If you want to know exactly what someone has been getting up to on a computer, OSForensics can tell you. The Recent Activity tool lets you see the files they’ve opened, file searches they’ve run, what they’ve downloaded, which USB devices they’ve connected, any websites they’ve visited, and more. You can even browse through the contents of the computer’s memory. Using the program is rather like going through someone’s bins - there is likely to be a lot of rubbish, but you’ll find some useful pieces of information in there. OSForensics isn’t simply a spying tool, however. It has plenty of other useful (and less creepy) applications. The Undelete tool will let you recover accidentally deleted files or folders. You can index different file types on the drive (such as emails, documents and images) and then search for files by name or content. The Mismatched File Search will scan your hard disk looking for items with an incorrect extension - an .exe file pretending to be a .jpg for example - which can be a good way of identifying possible malware. The software can scan the target system and list all the stored browser passwords and Windows logins - yours or someone else’s - and attempt to decrypt password-protected files. It can create images of hard disks and mount them, and test and erase removable drives, too. OSForensics is a very powerful tool (the Pro edition costs a whopping $499), but it is easy enough to use, and can be installed and run from a USB stick.

PowerFolder - BACK-UP TOOL

2012-11-09T21:43:00.002+01:00

BACK-UP TOOL
PowerFolder
DOWNLOAD
Min requirements: Windows XP/Vista/7, Mac OS X or Linux
File size: 12.2MB

PowerFolder is a versatile sync-and-sharing tool that lets you back up files locally or to the web. Free users get 1GB of online storage and you can email your back-up location to friends and family, so they can sync with the data you upload. You can also use the account for sharing large files. There are several upgrade options available if you need more storage space.

DVDStyler - DVD WRITING TOOL

2012-11-09T21:39:00.001+01:00

DVD WRITING TOOL
DVDStyler
DOWNLOAD
Min requirements: Windows XP/Vista/7 or Mac OS X
File size: 9.35MB

This template-driven authoring tool can turn virtually any video file into a professionallooking DVD, complete with customisable interactive menus. The latest version lets you add video backgrounds to the menu, not just pictures, and you can change the format and increase or decrease the default volume. DVDStyler is very easy to use and recognises all the major video formats, including AVI, MOV, MP4, WMV and MPEG.

Stranded - GAMES

2012-11-06T07:23:00.001+01:00

GAMES
Stranded
DOWNLOAD
Min requirements: Windows XP/Vista/7 or Mac OS X
File size: 221MB

In this game, you’re alone on an alien planet, and your task is to collect the rescue beacons that were scattered all over the surface when your spaceship crashed. There are hostile aliens all around, and a very limited supply of ammo, making the quest exceptionally challenging. The trick is to pick o ff as many foes as you can, while attempting to stay out of the way, or outrunning the rest.

iPadian - DESKTOP TOOL

2012-11-06T07:19:00.000+01:00

DESKTOP TOOL
iPadian
DOWNLOAD
Min requirements: Windows XP/Vista/7, Adobe AIR
File size: 35.1MB

This clever application lets you emulate the Apple iPad on your PC. Install Adobe AIR (if you don’t already have it), then run iPadian. The program will display a Desktop, with a selection of apps to the right, a dock at the bottom and a search bar and other windows to the left. The selection of apps includes Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Weather and Angry Birds. The App Store icon takes you to iPadian’s own store where you can install more free programs. Some of the apps are approximations of the real thing. For example, Cut the Rope is redesigned as a game called Feed the Panda, Photoshop is Sumo Paint and Instagram is Instant Retro.

Game Downloader - GAMING TOOL

2012-11-05T07:31:00.002+01:00

GAMING TOOL
Game Downloader
DOWNLOAD
Min requirements: Windows XP/Vista/7
File size: 1.3MB

There are tons of great free games available that you can download from the web, but there are just as many rubbish ones that aren’t worth the time and hassle it takes to install them. Game Downloader is a tiny app that provides direct access to more than 140 excellent free games, with more being added regularly. Games are sorted into clear categories, from Action to Puzzles. Click a title to find out what a game is about, view a screen grab and visit the developer’s website. You can also search for the game on YouTube to read tips and walk throughs and, of course, click a button to download it to your PC.

Revo Uninstaller Freeware - ADVANCED UNINSTALLERS

2012-10-29T07:21:00.001+01:00

ADVANCED UNINSTALLERS
Revo Uninstaller Freeware
DOWNLOAD
Min requirements: Windows XP/Vista/7
File size: 2.5MB

Once it ’s removed a program, Revo Uninstaller lets you delete any leftover items and Registry entries. The powerful software also offers a selection of other cleaning tools.

Foxit Reader 5.1 - PDF READER

2012-10-29T07:18:00.000+01:00

PDF READER
Foxit Reader 5.1
DOWNLOAD
Min requirements: Windows XP/Vista/7
File size: 13.8MB

The latest version of the popular PDF software lets you share files, including any documents, images and text you currently have open, via Facebook and Twitter. There’s also a new reading mode, which hides most of the interface, and a Read Out Loud function that narrates some or all of the document text.

IObit Uninstaller 2 - ADVANCED UNINSTALLERS

2012-10-26T07:25:00.002+02:00

ADVANCED UNINSTALLERS
IObit Uninstaller 2
DOWNLOAD
Min requirements: Windows XP/Vista/7
File size: 1.2MB

IObit Uninstaller 2 lets you uninstall multiple programs at once and can force-remove troublesome applications. The Powerful Scan option, under Advanced, can find and delete leftover files and Registry entries.

Uberstaller - ADVANCED UNINSTALLERS

2012-10-26T07:21:00.002+02:00

ADVANCED UNINSTALLERS
Uberstaller
DOWNLOAD
Min requirements: Windows XP/Vista/7
File size: 4.9MB

This program makes sure unwanted programs are completely removed from your PC. Uberstaller clears traces of your activity, manages Windows start-up and permanently erases files and folders.

Aero QLaunch - DESKTOP TOOL

2012-10-25T07:28:00.002+02:00

DESKTOP TOOL
Aero QLaunch
DOWNLOAD
Min requirements: Windows 7
File size: 44.7MB

Aero QLaunch is an elegant quick-launch toolbar for Windows 7, which you can activate by right-clicking the Taskbar and selecting Toolbars, QLaunch. This displays a green QLauncher button on the Taskbar. Click it to make a row of transparent program icons appear. Navigate the options using your mouse wheel, and click an item to launch it. You can add new programs simply by right-clicking one of the icons and dragging a shortcut to the window that opens. You’ll need to select Refresh to see any changes you make. If you add a
folder, its contents will be displayed in a new row.

Doctor Who: The Gunpowder Plot - GAME

2012-10-24T22:59:00.002+02:00

GAME
Doctor Who: The Gunpowder Plot
DOWNLOAD
Min requirements: Windows XP/Vista/7 or Mac OS X
File size: 818MB

The latest instalment in the BBC’s Doctor Who adventure game series travels back to 1605, where a group of men are plotting to assassinate the Head of State while two alien races battle to change history to suit their own ends. As always, you get to control The Doctor, Amy or Rory (voiced by the actors who play them in the TV series), and there’s lots of talking, some sneaking about and the occasional puzzle to solve.

i Photo Draw - PHOTO TOOL

2012-10-24T07:29:00.002+02:00

PHOTO TOOL
i Photo Draw
DOWNLOAD
Min requirements: Windows XP/Vista/7
File size: 5.19MB

This simple but effective tool lets you add annotations to your photographs. You can place captions, straight lines, curves, geometric shapes, speech bubbles, enlarged areas and arrows anywhere on a picture. The program also lets you layer photos on top of the existing image, and change the typeface, size, line thickness, colour and more. Annotated pictures are stored in separate files so your original images remain intact.

PC Tools AntiVirus Free 2012 - ANTI-VIRUS TOOL

2012-10-23T07:23:00.001+02:00

ANTI-VIRUS TOOL
PC Tools AntiVirus Free 2012
DOWNLOAD
Min requirements: Windows XP/Vista/7
File size: 3.65MB

PC Tools AntiVirus Free 2012 provides a decent level of system protection, including real-time, on-demand and scheduled scanning. It lacks some features found in other free anti-malware programs, but it’s fast, reasonably thorough and can be set to sweep your system on start-up. There are three scanning methods: Full, Custom and Intelli-Scan, which checks for active malware. Adjust the scanning speed using the slider bar, and choose between Performance, Balanced or Protection mode. There are various other configuration options. You can help to improve PC Tools’ protection by agreeing to let suspicious files be forwarded to the Malware Research Centre, and the Global Action List lets you set up rules to automatically block or allow particular files, cookies and websites. The Report Card button at the bottom of the screen provides details of recent activity, including the number of database updates and scans performed in the last seven days, or since installation. It also shows the total number of items scanned and protected, along with information about infections and suspicious items. When installing the software, be sure to select the Custom option so you can choose between a large or small database (large provides better protection but slower download and scan times), and disable the bundled toolbar. If you have an existing anti-virus program on your system, the software will detect it and disable IntelliGuard real-time protection to avoid any conflicts. You can still run on-demand scans though, which makes it a useful second line of defence.

Yeti - GAME

2012-10-19T12:35:00.003+02:00

GAME
Yeti
DOWNLOAD
Min requirements: Windows XP/Vista/7
File size: 61.4MB

In this short but unusual adventure game, you play a director filming a documentary about the elusive and, in this instance, remarkably domesticated Yeti. Everything is viewed through a vfdeo-camera lens, and the arrows on the edge of the viewfinder let you move from scene to scene. You can interact with items by clicking them.

7 Taskbar Tweaker - TASKBAR TOOL

2012-10-19T12:30:00.003+02:00

TASKBAR TOOL
7 Taskbar Tweaker
DOWNLOAD
Min requirements: Windows 7
File size: 290KB

Change the way the Windows 7 Taskbar operates by using this tiny tweaking application. All the changes are made from a single screen, and options include disabling the thumbnail preview, managing if and how items are grouped, and being able to cycle through Taskbar items using your mouse wheel. Find more Taskbar tips on page 60.

Way - GAME

2012-10-19T12:24:00.001+02:00

GAME
Way
DOWNLOAD
Min requirements: Windows XP/Vista/7
File size: 104MB

Way is a two-player platform game. You pair up with a stranger via the internet and work together to clear each level, communicating only by using a combination of gestures, such as waving your arms and pulling faces. It’s great fun, but the main drawback at the moment is there often isn't anyone to pair up with, unless you arrange for a friend to go online at the same time. However, you can create private games.

MailStore Home 5 - EMAIL TOOL

2012-10-19T12:20:00.001+02:00

EMAIL TOOL
MailStore Home 5
DOWNLOAD
Min requirements: Windows XP/Vista/7
File size: 5.9MB

The latest version of MailStore’s email back-up tool has had a makeover, and can now be installed on a USB flash drive, which means you can create a portable archive of your messages. The program works with all the popular webmail services and email programs, including Outlook, Windows Mail and Thunderbird, and set-up takes just a few seconds. Simply enter your email address and the software should recognise the provider and configure ail the settings automatically. As well as archiving your mail, it will let you search through and export messages, and back up files to a hard disk or portable USB drive.

RealWorld Paint - IMAGING TOOL

2012-10-18T07:17:00.001+02:00

IMAGING TOOL
RealWorld Paint
DOWNLOAD
Min requirements: Windows XP/Vista/7
File size: 8.1MB

RealWorld Paint is a powerful image editor and animation tool that offers a decent selection of advanced features, including support for layers, masks and levels. You can create an image from scratch, fix and improve your digital snaps, and take a screenshot of your Desktop. The interface is reasonably easy to use and the opening screen has a section of tutorials to get you started. The program has all the usual imageediting tools, such as a clone brush, retouch feature and red-eye remover, as well as various filters and effects. It supports Photoshop 8BF plug-ins, and makes it easy to add compatible filters to the software.

Xplorer2 Lite - WINDOWS EXPLORER ALTERNATIVES

2012-10-17T07:25:00.001+02:00

WINDOWS EXPLORER
ALTERNATIVES
Xplorer2 Lite
DOWNLOAD
Min requirements: Windows XP/Vista/7
File size: 1.5MB

This file manager is a cut-down version of Explorer7, which offers both dual-pane and tabbed browsing. It lets you preview documents, pictures, music and video files, and synchronise folders.

Simply Slideshow - PHOTO TOOL

2012-10-16T07:27:00.002+02:00

PHOTO TOOL
Simply Slideshow
DOWNLOAD
Min requirements: Windows XP/Vista/7
File size: 816KB

Simply Slideshow is designed to display large collections of photos speedily and with a minimum of fuss. It gives you a choice of viewing options and lets you filter pictures based on their size. Photos can be displayed full screen or in a window, and adding new content is just a matter of dragging folders to the Image Locations tab.