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Skype Recorder 6.0

2009-11-16T23:33:00.000-08:00

Skype Recorder is easy-to-use, fast, and powerful audio-recording software. Record and replay any Skype call. For Skype, AIM, ICQ, MSN, Yahoo Messenger, and Net2Phone. The program loads the audio compressors dynamically on your system for the best power and flexibility. Audio can be recorded from any source, including microphone, line-in, or speakers. Version 6.0 improves audio compressors functionality.

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Corel PhotoImpact X3

2009-11-16T23:31:00.001-08:00

Perhaps a touch less powerful than the most elaborate photo-editing packages, Corel has expanded Ulead's PhotoImpact and blown it up. The download file is nearly double the size of the last version, but PhotoImpact X3 makes a concerted effort to compete with Adobe. Positioned between Elements and Photoshop, this app delivers everything most users need: editing tools, effects, and ready-made elements for creations.

The wide variety of textures, frames, effects, animations, and brushes wouldn't necessarily justify the download, but the app is more or less a snap to use. Wizard dialogs let you instantly create attractive and functional Web-page objects, including buttons, image maps, bullets, and backgrounds. The program works with layers, too. The traditional photo-editing interface has only one peculiarity: the main docked panel, which can hold all the other panels and quickly hide and show them. It also lets you quickly switch among work-space layouts. Beginners, for instance, can display just the controls for basic editing.

All in all, this powerful graphics program will appeal to photographers and Web designers who need a significantly cheaper alternative to monster packages such as Photoshop.

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Corel Paint Shop Pro Photo X2 Ultimate

2009-11-16T23:29:00.001-08:00

Despite a slightly annoying installation process, version X2 (read: 12) of Corel Paint Shop Pro Photo continues to offer the same high performance and full feature set of earlier editions. The digital image-editing program will fit the needs of many photographers and designers.

A well-designed and intuitive interface offers easy access to all of your digital images, and the individual components--such as tool selectors, palettes, and layer windows--can be dragged and dropped anywhere on the screen. Excellent one-click photo adjustments such as Smart Photo Fix or One Step Noise Removal will be godsends for photographers with busy schedules.

One of the most noticeable updates in X2 is the new graphite workspace theme, which gives the app a slick, 21st century look. A tabbed interface makes switching between photos a breeze, and the library organizer is available as either a palette tool or another tab in the image browser.

The organizer is one of the strongest features of Paint Shop Pro Photo, and a new Express Lab feature makes batch editing even easier. We did notice a CPU slowdown when using the organizer with large libraries, but otherwise the application was quite stable, even when editing very large BMP files. A new Learning Center provides contextual help for specific features, but we found searching the regular help topics to be more informative.

The installation is the most disappointing part of the trial. It requires registering for a free Corel account, which in turn requires a valid e-mail address. Adobe uses the same practice, but it's an annoying trend. You should also note that within the "Advanced" installation setting, Paint Shop Pro Photo is automatically set to become the default application for all your major image-file formats.

Once you get Paint Shop Pro Photo X2 installed and working on your machine, you'll find a very powerful photo editor and organizer that is quite easy to learn and use. A full 30-day trial gives you plenty of time to determine whether or not you'd like the full version.

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Xara3D 6.0

2009-11-16T23:25:00.001-08:00

Add impact to your Web pages with still and animated 3D headings, buttons, and logos. With Xara3D, you can create an endless variety of 3D graphics from TrueType fonts or imported 2D shapes, with simple controls to alter the extrude depth, lighting, bevel, color and texture, shadow, and font size and type. And there's a whole range of animation possibilities, including multi-page sequences and even animated 3D screensavers. Graphics are fully antialiased for the best possible on-screen quality and can be optimized for web use. Xara3D imports WMF/EMF and Xtreme files, and exports GIF, Flash, JPEG, PNG, AVI, or BMP.

Version 6.0 features redesigned interface. New design styles include boards, boards with holes, and borders, new Bevel types.

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SWFText 1.3

2009-11-16T23:22:00.000-08:00

If you just want to design simple Web banners, you don't need to pony up a heap of dollars for a full-fledged Flash package. Affordable and incredibly easy to use, SWFText makes it a snap to mix sound, text, backgrounds, and visual effects into eye-catching animations. Text effects are especially abundant. You can instantly preview your banner and fine-tune the colors, fonts, and position of background elements and text. You'll find several interactive options as well, such as one for opening a Web page with a click. In all, SWFText is a fine choice for amateur Web designers who occasionally need to design a Flash movie or two.

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Mozilla Firefox 3.5.5

2009-11-16T23:19:00.000-08:00

No longer a fledgling upstart, Firefox 3 is full-featured, lightning fast, and an able foe for both the big-dog competitor Internet Explorer and competitors nipping at its heels. Firefox's killer add-ons remain strong, and the latest update makes version 3.5 about two times faster than version 3. However, competition is strong and it can no longer be said that Firefox is the fastest browser available.

Several notable improvements in the latest revamp keep Firefox abreast of current browsing tech. Along with Mozilla's new TraceMonkey JavaScript engine that renders Web applications faster on Firefox than ever before, there have also been improvements to the layout engine Gecko for faster page rendering. The new Private Browsing brings a feature to Firefox that competitors have had for a while: the capability to turn off cookie and history logs. Users also have more granular control over cookies, history, and bookmarks in version 3.5 via the redone Clear Recent History option under Tools. Geolocation courtesy of Google has been activated by default in Firefox, so that generic searches such as "city hall" will come closer to pegging the government offices nearest you.

Web developers should be excited about expanded support for HTML5 local storage, downloadable fonts, and native support for OGG-formatted embedded video. ICC profiles, SVG transforms, CSS media queries, native JSON support, and Web worker threads also get lots of love from v3.5. There's no doubt that Firefox 3.5 is a must-have, but it's an update that's more about keeping the browser current rather than blazing new trails.

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Xilisoft Video Converter Platinum 5.1.26.1113

2009-11-16T23:17:00.000-08:00

Incredibly easy to use for both beginners and experts, Xilisoft Video Converter Platinum is your best choice for video conversion: converting videos of all popular formats like AVI, MPEG, WMV, DivX, MP4, H.264/AVC, AVCHD (.mts, .m2ts), MKV, FLV, RM, MOV, XviD, 3GP, M4V, VOB, DAT, SWF. It will also help you to convert between MP3, WMA, WAV, RA, M4A, AAC, AC3, OGG audio files, extract pictures in batch or take snapshots when previewing, and create fascinating video clips from photos. The optimized formats provided by Xilisoft Video Converter Platinum make it easier to watch movies and listen to music on PSP, PS3, iPod, iPhone, Apple TV, Zune, Xbox, Creative Zen, iRiver and other multimedia digital devices.

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Macro ToolsWorks Professional Edition 7.3.9

2009-11-16T20:34:00.001-08:00

Macro ToolsWorks is a powerful all-in-one Windows automation tool. Thanks to its strong built-in macro language (150+ commands) it allows you to eliminate most of your everyday repetitive tasks. The program allows user to create macros working in any Windows application and trigger the macro using hot key or text shortcut, from custom toolbar, by defined mouse action or schedule to run the macro at defined time or when specific event occurs.

What's new in this version:
Version 7.3.9 fixed a problem with sending certain keystrokes on international keyboards and many additional smaller fixes and changes.

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Yahoo Messenger 10.0.0.1102

2009-11-16T20:29:00.000-08:00

Get social over the long-established, well-rounded chat and VoIP client Yahoo Messenger and you'll find drag-and-drop capabilities and contact importing from friends other IM, e-mail, and social-networking accounts who are also on Yahoo chat. Another favorite trick is the ability to see images and videos displayed inside the chat window when you or a pal drops in a public URL.

Yahoo Messenger 10 adds some visual enhancements that call out VoIP and video chats on the conversation window. Tweaks in the buddy list showcase an updates tab that operates as a newsfeed for friends' status messages. Other visual refreshes to version 10 spruce up select icons.

Users should note that the download stub will finish installing the program online, and that the download bundles the Yahoo Toolbar. In the preinstallation window, click over to Custom Install to deselect add-ons you don't want. We could also live without the heavy-handed Yahoo branding, and it would be nice to see a link to hidden smileys in the emoticon drop-down, but these are minor niggles when weighed against the benefits of an easy-to-use, feature-rich chat client that only continues to improve.

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Windows Live Messenger 14.0.8089.0726

2009-11-16T19:52:00.000-08:00

This program improves on its predecessor, MSN Messenger, with the ability to share folders and files locally with fellow users. Windows Live Messenger also serves up the standard emoticons, multiplayer-only gaming, free PC-to-PC calling, mobile phone messaging, and video chatting in a full 640x480-pixel screen. VoIP capabilities allow you to call telephones around the world for a fee, although you can't receive inbound calls from landlines or cell phones.

During the quick installation, Windows Live Messenger offers optional shortcuts, a sign-in assistant, and Rhapsody music software, as well as the ability to change your Internet Explorer home page to MSN. You can store up to 600 contacts, integrated with your Windows Live Mail account. We found the integration a bit heavy-handed, especially when links opened in IE rather than our default browser. Also, like most dedicated chat clients, the program is a memory hog.

The Sharing Folders feature lets you and your buddy transfer files by displaying a mirror of each others' files. You can drag and drop files into the chat window or Sharing Folder. Microsoft includes a free scanner for checking files for viruses, but it didn't recognize our Symantec AntiVirus. It's unclear whether the shared files are stored on both computers or on Microsoft servers, but you can access the files offline. We wish help were offline, too, especially since the online help is so general. While Windows Live Messenger isn't yet the ultimate communications hub, it's a solid, fun, multimedia chatting tool.

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Virtual DJ 6.0.1

2009-11-16T19:50:00.003-08:00

With effects, samples, and transitions that rival vinyl turntablisms, Virtual DJ lets anyone produce polished MP3 mixes.

At the top of the graphically-intense interface, song-structure visualizations show the beats as the music plays. Two simulated turntables play the currently- loaded tracks. Windows below the turntables show samples, effects, music search, recording, program options, and an Explorer-style interface for loading music. You'll need to download an MP3 encoder if you don't want to record files in WAV format.

Virtual DJ not only can create audio collages, but it now also can make montages of video clips. The stylish interface and high number of features score points, but learning how to use the program is a hit-or-miss proposition. Fortunately, the program offers a thorough user guide. Virtual DJ is well worth a look both for aspiring mixers and newbies.

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RealPlayer SP 12.0.0.297

2009-11-16T19:50:00.001-08:00

's social. It's portable. It's the new RealPlayer SP. And it's perfect for playing and sharing video with your friends and followers on Facebook and Twitter. You'll also be happy to know it works easily with your favorite flavors of Blackberry, iPod, iPhone and game systems. Now you can download and organize your favorite videos from YouTube and thousands of other sites. Then watch them anytime, anywhere you want.

The new video converter makes it easy to copy online video to your iPod, cell phone, Xbox, PS3 or other favorite device. RealPlayer SP is the easiest way to share your favorite videos--with your favorite people--on your Facebook page or Twitter feed. Take your media experience to the next level with RealPlayer Plus. Its advanced video features let you burn DVDs with a single click.

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Windows Media Player 11

2009-11-16T19:49:00.001-08:00

The latest iteration of Windows Media Player adds a lot of useful bells and whistles, succeeding in many ways as a competitor to iTunes for Windows. A tree-style file directory makes it easy to find the music you want quickly, and a simple search box gets you where you want to go immediately. A five-star rating system lets you rate your music, then organize it by rating, so it's easy to group your favorite songs. Drag-and-drop functionality and a handy Create Playlist button take any confusion out of the process of making your own playlists. Creating the perfect mix CD is equally as easy--simply drag and drop songs into a Burn List in the right panel, then click Start Burn to finish. Ripping was reasonably fast on our test machine, and the program let us pick our preferred bit rate and audio file type.

The biggest new feature in WMP11 is the ability to sign up with paid music and video services. Without registering, we were able to browse various sites and compare prices among services including XM Radio--all from the Windows Media Player interface. We like the new, cleaner look, and the back and forward buttons make it easier to navigate. The ability to sort music by year released makes for some great reminiscing. Overall, we think the latest Windows Media Player offers almost everything you need for every type of media, making it a solid choice for an all-in-one jukebox.

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Adobe Photoshop CS4 Extended

2009-11-16T19:48:00.000-08:00

Photoshop is the professional standard in digital imaging, with an endless selection of drawing tools, filters, and color-adjustment capabilities for manipulating items in almost any way. Originally designed for bitmap images, Photoshop lets you create eye-catching typography by placing text on paths or within shapes, perform shadow and highlight correction, explore expanded color-matching features, parlay efficient layer comps, and preview, search, and share images. Oh, and it's also the premiere program for managing home digital printing.

CS3 Extended includes support for rendering and integrating 3D images into 2D composites and video layer editing. There's also a greatly modified help menu to take the edge off your learning curve, with built-in how-to's on Preparing Art for Other Applications, Printing Photos, Working with Color and Type, and more. From simply lightening dark photos to improving color and contrast, to adding objects or people that weren't originally in the picture, Photoshop is an excellent tool whose innovative features meet any professional need.

Though it's an excellent software tool, the trial version demands a lot of download time, hard drive space, and RAM for rendering and other heavy tasks. However, the trial is fully functional, letting you edit, save, print, and export files, making it easier to assess this expensive product. Keep in mind that Photoshop has a steep learning curve, so great results take time and training.

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Internet Download Manager 5.18 build 4

2009-11-16T19:46:00.001-08:00

Don't let the dull name fool you: Internet Download Manager is a full-featured package that handles downloading tasks with aplomb. It conveniently integrates into your browser, even if you use Mozilla or Opera.

It automatically sorts incoming files by file type and puts them in the appropriate folder. Most importantly, it supercharges download speeds (it doubled ours). Its windowed interface is clean and easy to understand. Power users can take advantage of the command line interface to resume file transfers, schedule downloads, connect through dial-up, or log on to password-protected sites. Experienced users also can limit the number of connections, the download speeds for specific sites, and even create an exception list to block specific, user-defined sites.

Other features include automatic virus checking and the ability to download all files linked to a page. The new version has a Web spider that can analyze a site and retrieve, for example, all the images on it.

Internet Download Manager strikes us as a natural choice for users in need of a trusty transfer tool. Version 5.11 build 5 added FLV grabber that can be used to download videos from YouTube, Google Video, MySpaceTV, and other popular sites.

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Windows Vista Home Premium upgrade

2009-11-16T16:19:00.000-08:00

The good: Windows Vista Home Premium does improve some features within Windows XP; fewer system crashes than Windows XP; and Windows Vista offers better built-in support options.

The bad: Windows Vista Home Premium does not put Search on the desktop (it's buried within applications, within the Start Menu); no new software yet written exclusively for Windows Vista; optimized only for the Microsoft Windows ecosystem (for example, RSS feeds from Internet Explorer 7 get preferential treatment); Tablet PC support unnecessary; fax and scan support missing; and there are too many editions of Windows Vista.

The bottom line: Windows Vista Home Premium is essentially warmed-over Windows XP Home Edition. If you're currently happy with Windows XP SP2, we see no compelling reason to upgrade. On the other hand, if you need a new computer right now, Windows Vista Home Premium is stable enough for everyday use. Reviewed by: Robert Vamosi; Reviewed on: 1/24/07; Release date: 1/30/07 Read the entire review.

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AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition 9.0.704

2009-11-16T16:16:00.000-08:00

AVG Free provides the bare necessities when it comes to security, but that should be enough for savvy Windows users. You'll get a combined antivirus and antimalware engine, LinkScanner, and e-mail scanning. AVG Free 9 introduces a few new features, with improvements focused on performance, including claims of faster scan and boot times. One new feature is the Identity Theft Recovery Unit. Only for users in the United States, ITRU is a business partnership with Identity Guard which provides "consumer identity theft solutions," accessible only from the AVG toolbar in Firefox and Internet Explorer.

The interface is nearly unchanged from the last version, and generally it's easy to use. From the main window, though, you must double-click to get further information on any feature, whether virus scanning, LinkScanner settings, or updating. Streamlining this to one click would be helpful. A scheduling utility automates both scans and updates, while the upgrade ad at the screen's bottom can be easily hidden using the Hide Notification button. When starting a scan, a slider makes it easy to jump between Slow, Automatic, and Fast scans: the faster the scan, the less comprehensive it is, so users should take advantage of the scan optimization that is recommended during installation to speed up that first scan. A progress meter for regular scans would've been useful, though. Should a virus create serious problems, AVG creates a rescue disk to scan your computer in MS-DOS mode.

The LinkScanner feature protects you from third-party code exploits before they load in your browser and for ranking search results. Annoyingly, when you install its optional toolbar, it commandeers your new-tab page, decidedly inappropriate behavior. The program doesn't obviously tax your system when scanning or when running in the background, although CNET Labs determined that it will significantly slow down your system's boot time, and slightly delay shutting down. AVG also detected some image files as threats, when two other scans decided they weren't--we decided these were false positives. AVG might not be the fastest or the most effective free security option, but it still gets the job done and you're better off with it.

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