Archive for the ‘Software’ Category
As unlikely as it may seem, Redmond actually has a thriving – though largely unsung – library of free applications available to download. And we’re not just talking about freeware cobbled together in bedrooms by people who don’t get out much.
We’re talking well-engineered, high-quality programs written by the same people who created Windows and all the rest. It’s stuff we’re sure that Microsoft would love to charge for, but with uncharacteristic benevolence, it’s chosen to give it away.
The only difficulty is finding the stuff : it’s hidden here and there in and around Microsoft’s sprawling website. Well, the folks at techradar played detective and tracked down the best free Microsoft apps.
Check out the 48 free Microsoft apps at techradar.
Ultimate Windows Tweaker is a freeware TweakUI Utility for tweaking and optimizing Windows 7 & Windows Vista, 32-bit & 64-bit. It can simply be downloaded and used as a portable application to customize your Windows to meet your requirements. With judicious tweaking, it can make your system faster, more stable, and more secure with just a few mouse clicks. The tweaker detects whether you have Windows 7 or Windows Vista installed and accordingly offers you the relevant tweaks only.
The tweaker is a 345KB .exe file which does not require an install, but yet packs over 150 tweaks & settings. Simply download the zip file, extract its contents and run Ultimate Windows Tweaker.
Get your free copy of Ulitmate Windows Tweaker.
Lockheed Martin’s new IronClad promises to let you carry your entire computer with you and securely use it on any public computer. Exact details are not published, but the drive is available with “at least” 8GB of storage, and includes 256-bit encryption, built-in virus protection, and a variety of networking features that will let organizations keep watch on individual drives and control what can or cannot be installed on them. No word on pricing, but Lockheed Martin is apparently ready to talk with any companies that are interested in using the drives.
Source: Endgadget
Open the program and find the setting your looking for. Its that simple!
For everyone who made the big switch to Windows 7 here is the ultimate Desktop Tool.Windows7 in a Box. Windows7 in a Box was designed to help guide you through the brand new operating system from Microsoft. Everything from Theme settings to Parental Controls. Sits on your desktop, easy to navigate, and puts an end to all the frustration of endless searching for settings. Spyware, Adware, and Malware free. Windows7 in a box can make the complete novice seem like a pro in just seconds. No need to install anything. Sits on your Desktop or wherever you place it (it even runs off of a thumb drive). Just locate what your looking for and click! It cant get any simpler than that.
Learn more about Window7 in a box at How-To Geek.
Did you like this? If so, please bookmark it,Allmyapps makes software installation a breeze. No matter how many applications you need, 1 click is all you need to have all your favorite applications installed on your PC.
Allmyapps also keeps your applications safe! Would you need to reinstall your system, Allmyapps takes care of reinstalling all your favorite applications in the blink of an eye.
With Allmyapps, installing software applications has become so easy that you’ll soon find yourself installing a lot of great new applications!
Did you like this? If so, please bookmark it,How-To Geek posted the following tutorial on how you can make your own DVD slideshows.
Windows DVD Maker is included in Windows 7, and lets you author a DVD quickly with custom menus, scene selections, or add your digital photos with music.
Windows DVD Maker
Go to Start \ Windows DVD Maker to launch the application.
DVD Maker starts up with a splash screen that you can prompt to not show in the future.
Now simply add the videos and / or pictures you want to add to the DVD.
You can set up different options for the DVD such as the playback and burner speed.
Customize the DVD menu to add style to your video.
If you’re making a slide show of your photos you can add music and customize the presentation.
At anytime you can preview how the customizations and changes will look and sound before burning it to disc.
It might not be as feature rich as experienced video authors would like, but if you need a neat way present your vacation or family photos it gets the job done. If you want more functionality in creating your own movies, you might want to download Movie Maker which is included in Windows Live Essentials.
Did you like this? If so, please bookmark it,Amazon and Microsoft have teamed up and will release an application called “Kindle for PC” in November. It will let you buy, download and read Kindle books on a Windows-based PC, regardless of whether you own a Kindle.
If you also own a Kindle, you can see any notes or highlights made on the e-reader. Amazon will also keep track of where you are in a book, so you can stop reading on your PC and pick up at the same place on your Kindle.
Windows 7 includes touch-screen functionality that will also come into play with the Kindle app, with users able to navigate through pages by swiping the screen, as well as zoom in and out with a finger-pinching motion.
The Printliminator is a bookmarklet with some simple tools you can use to makes websites print better. One click to activate, and then click to remove elements from the page, remove graphics, and apply better print styling.
Did you like this? If so, please bookmark it,Microsoft Security Essentials is a free utility that provides real-time protection to identify and eliminate harmful viruses and other malware from your PC.
The folks at HowToGeek have offered up an in depth guide for installing and using Security Essentials.
Did you like this? If so, please bookmark it,
With the proliferation of lightweight and wide-screen notebooks, it was only a matter of time before someone realized that they make decent e-book readers when they’re sideways. EeeRotate makes swapping orientation easy.
Once installed, the tiny application rotates your screen and trackpad input using keyboard shortcuts. CTRL+ALT+RIGHT rotates your screen and touchpad input 90 degrees clockwise, CTRL+ALT+UP returns it to normal. Interestingly, in our tests EeeRotate would rotate the touchpad input, but not the input from the USB mouse plugged into the laptop. The navigation wasn’t difficult using either one of them, and you’d likely not have an external mouse plugged in if you were using it as an e-book reader, but it’s worth noting. Next time you find yourself reading lengthy documents on your wide screen laptop or netbook, EeeRotate can help you take advantage of your expansive screen space. EeeRotate is freeware, Windows only.
Download EeeRotate
Original article: lifehacker