| 7-Zip |
Create ZIP compressed archives for free with this handy utility. |
| Abilon |
This powerful, speedy RSS reader offers a choice of views, and
features a built-in tabbed browser. |
| AbiWord |
This lightweight, full-featured word processor is compatible with
Microsoft Word documents and also runs on Linux and Macs. |
| AIM Mail |
AIM mail offers 2GB of storage and integration with AOL Instant
Messenger. |
| AirDefense
Personal Lite |
This simple program alerts you whenever you connect to an insecure
network or to a hotspot you haven't previously marked as safe. |
| Alleycode |
A simple HTML editor for people who are comfortable with code and need
to do some quick editing. |
| All-in-One
Secretmaker |
All-in-One Secretmaker blocks banner ads and pop-ups, filters spam,
and offers an array of utilities for cleaning up and securing your
system. |
| Anonymizer |
This anonymous browsing service will display Web pages without
revealing any information to the sites you visit. |
| Audacity |
All-purpose audio editor lets you record, play, and edit digital
files. |
| Avast
Home Edition |
This antivirus scanner can do a boot-time virus scan (which can catch
more viruses than scanning once Windows is running) and will continually
monitor your system for threats. |
| Avvenu |
This free remote-access and file-sharing service lets you and your
colleagues get to files on an Avvenu-enabled computer from another
computer, Web-enabled phone, or PDA. |
| Backpack |
Create Web pages--with to-do lists, notes, pictures, and more--that
you can share with a group. |
| Bartleby |
This online reference library offers a host of features, including a
dictionary, thesaurus, and various books of quotations. |
| BeInSync |
Make sure you have access to your critical files and folders with this
remote-access tool. |
| BitTorrent |
BitTorrent is useful for downloading legitimate content quickly or for
sharing your own files. |
| Blogger |
This blogging service remains incredibly simple to use, but offers a
rich complement of features. |
| Bloglines |
This Web-based RSS reader lets you access your news from multiple PCs. |
| CCleaner |
Finds and zaps useless files--including cache files and old Registry
entries--that may be slowing down your PC. |
| Celestia |
Zoom through the solar system with Celestia, which offers real-time
views of planets, moons, comets, stars, and more. |
| Copernic
Desktop Search |
Copernic lets you search local files as well as Outlook and Outlook
Express e-mail. |
| Del.icio.us |
Forget bookmarks--this service keeps track of your favorite sites, and
much more, from any Internet-connected PC. |
| eFax
Messenger |
You can receive faxes on your PC with eFax, viewing or printing them
via the eFax Messenger software. |
| EssentialPIM
Free |
EssentialPIM combines a calendar, contact manager, to-do list, and
notes manager in a single program. |
| Feedreader |
This free Windows utility displays your news feeds, and includes
flexible keyboard shortcuts. |
| Festoon
Beta |
This add-on for Skype and Google Talk lets users of these two services
make calls to each other, and brings video chat capabilities to Google
Talk. |
| Firefox |
Still using Internet Explorer? It's time you made the switch to
Firefox--a more secure, faster, and more flexible Web browser. |
| FlashGot |
This Firefox plug-in simplifies downloading, allowing you to grab
every page from a Web site or download multiple files efficiently. |
| Flickr |
Easily upload, share, and post pictures with this popular service. |
| FolderShare
(Mac) |
|
| FolderShare
(Windows) |
Automatically sync files and folders between multiple computers and
easily share data with colleagues and friends. |
| FolderSync |
Keep your USB drive and your hard drive on the same page with this
synchronization utility. |
| FoxIt
Reader |
For viewing PDF files, FoxIt Reader beats Adobe Reader hands-down--and
it's got some tools Adobe lacks. |
| Free
Download Manager |
This companion to Internet Explorer can speed up single-file
downloads, resume interrupted downloads, manage bandwidth usage, or
schedule multiple file downloads for specific times. |
| FreeConference.com |
Set up and host conference calls with this free Web service. |
| FreeMind |
FreeMind allows you to compile your notes in a "mind map"--a
free-form tree structure that mimics the way your brain works. |
| Furl |
Save your favorite Web pages in an online account that you can access
from any computer. |
| GetByMail |
Don't pay for a pricey remote-access app--GetByMail offers access to
your office computer through your e-mail account. |
| Gmail |
Google's e-mail service feels more like a Windows application than a
Web mail service. |
| Google
Desktop |
Google Desktop extends the power of the Web's most popular search
engine to your desktop by indexing nearly every document on your hard
drive. |
| Google
Earth |
Spin the earth, tilt it, and zoom in to objects as tiny as one
building. |
| Google
Picasa |
Picasa offers a simple--and free--way to organize, touch up, and share
your photos. |
| Google Video |
Google's service is well suited for commercially oriented video
producers looking for a large audience for their work. |
| GRC
Shields Up |
This browser-based tool checks your PC for common vulnerabilities,
such as open ports. |
| Groove
Virtual Office |
Bring your far-flung coworkers together with this file-sharing and
collaboration tool. |
| Hyperwords |
This Firefox browser plug-in makes any text on any Web page clickable. |
| Irfanview |
This lean, mean graphics utility offers basic image editing and file
format conversions. |
| iTeamwork |
This Web-based project management service helps groups keep track of
complicated projects. |
| iTunes |
Apple's media player is a joy to use even if you never buy a 99-cent
song. |
| Kodak
EasyShare Gallery |
This site's usability, mobile-phone access options, and lack of upload
restrictions make it our top pick for photo sharing. |
| Kristal
Audio Engine |
This sophisticated audio mixing and sequencing platform offers
features found in much pricier apps. |
| Lavasoft
Ad-Aware SE Personal |
Ad-Aware scans your PC for spyware, making sure that no digital snoops
are lurking in memory or on your hard drive. |
| LiveJournal |
LiveJournal offers plenty of customizable options for your blog, and
carries no advertising. |
| LogMeIn |
This remote access service lets you control your PC from afar, via a
Web browser. |
| Microsoft
Tweak UI |
Take control of hidden Windows XP settings, from determining what
appears on your Start menu to specifying how users log on to your
computer, with this extra set of tools created by Microsoft developers. |
| Microsoft
Windows Defender (formerly AntiSpyware Beta) |
Microsoft's antispyware app catches spyware that other programs
don't--including the dangerous "rootkit" Trojan horse that
some Sony music CDs carry. |
| MSN Hotmail |
MSN Hotmail offers a respectable 250MB of storage and a familiar,
Windows-like look. |
| MSN
Search Toolbar With Windows Desktop Search |
This search tool indexes your hard drive and provides search results
through a Windows application, rather than a browser. |
| MySpace |
MySpace lets you store an unlimited number of small images, and makes
uploading music and images easy. |
| Netomat |
This social networking service allows you to create, access, and share
content on the Web or a phone. |
| Netscape Webmail |
Netscape Webmail offers 250MB of storage and features large,
easy-to-click buttons. |
| NewsGator |
NewsGator displays your RSS feeds in a clean, readable display. |
| Nvu |
This sophisticated Web page editor doesn't require any understanding
of the underlying tags. |
| OmniFormat |
Convert BMPs to JPEGs, GIFs to PDFs, Word documents to TIF image
files, and more with this free document conversion utility. |
| OpenOffice.org |
This full-fledged, Microsoft Office-compatible office suite offers a
word processor, spreadsheet, presentation package, and database--and it
doesn't cost one thin dime. |
| Palm
Desktop |
This remarkably well-designed calendar and address book application
will appeal to users who don't even have a PDA. |
| Pandora |
Enter the name of an artist or song that you like and Pandora creates
a custom "radio station" for you--and makes surprisingly good
choices. |
| PBwiki |
Create a free, password-protected wiki--a collaborative Web site--with
PBwiki. |
| PDF
Creator |
This printer driver lets you create Adobe Acrobat files from within
almost any application. |
| Pegasus
Mail |
A longtime favorite of power users, this e-mail client provides a huge
amount of control over your mail, with support for mail merges and
flexible filtering options. |
| podAmigo |
podAmigo works with the Podomatic Web service to organize and download
your podcasts. |
| Project Gutenberg |
Browse electronic versions of more than 17,000 books at this online
library. |
| Putfile |
This basic video sharing service works reliably and well. |
| PuTTY |
This free utility allows you to create an SSH, Telnet, or Rlogin
connection. |
| QNext |
This universal instant messenger service includes robust
music-sharing%252520and photo-sharing features. |
| Revver |
This service--our Best Bet--is a video sharing site from which you can
actually make money. |
| RssReader |
RssReader displays your news feeds simply and cleanly. |
| SeaMonkey |
This suite of Internet tools includes the Mozilla browser, an enhanced
version of the netscape Messenger e-mail client, the ChatZilla IRC chat
program, and an HTML editor. |
| SightSpeed |
This video calling service is simple to set up, synchronizes lip
movements and audio neatly, and offers easy in-call controls. |
| Skype |
Skype offers free PC-to-PC voice calls with text chat and file
transfer capabilities. |
| Spybot
Search & Destroy |
Spybot is a powerful antidote in the battle against spyware. |
| Steganos
LockNote |
Password-protect text files with LockNote, a simple notepad with
strong encryption. |
| Streamload
Mediamax |
Streamload Mediamax is great for users who want to share lots of big
files in addition to videos. |
| SyncNotes |
This sticky-note application runs on your computer, but allows you to
view and edit your notes from any Web or WAP browser. |
| System
Information for Windows |
This utility will tell you everything you need to know about your
computer's hardware, operating system, installed programs, and more. |
| Ta-Da List |
Stay organized with this straightforward to-do list manager. |
| The
GIMP (GNU Image Manipulation Program) |
This freely distributed app includes tools for photo retouching, image
composition, and image authoring. |
| ThinkFree Online
Beta |
This software runs in your browser and lets you edit Microsoft
Office-compatible documents, spreadsheets, and presentations. |
| Thunderbird |
The tighter security and robust stability of this e-mail client make
it the top choice for managing e-mail on your PC. |
| Trend
Micro HouseCall |
This Web site runs software in your browser to scan for and eliminate
malware on your PC. |
| Trillian
Basic |
This universal IM client lets you keep in contact with your friends
whether they use IRC, AOL, ICQ, MSN Messenger, or Yahoo Messenger. |
| Vimeo |
Of the video sharing services we tested, Vimeo is perhaps the easiest
to use. |
| Wapedia |
For accessing Wikipedia from a PDA or smart phone, try Wapedia. |
| Wikipedia |
This online encyclopedia is a convenient way to find general
information on almost anything. |
| Windows
Live Mail |
This Ajax-based service is still in beta, but you can put your name on
a waiting list. |
| WordPress.com |
This hosted blogging service offers a clean, fast interface. |
| WordWeb |
This handy utility provides a dictionary and a thesaurus that work in
any application on your computer. |
| WriteBoard |
This service lets you create, edit, and share documents with others
right in your browser. |
| Xanga Classic |
Xanga offers 200MB of image storage and features plenty of blog-formatting
templates. |
| Yahoo
Briefcase |
Yahoo Briefcase is one of the easiest ways we know of to store and
share files online. |
| Yahoo Calendar |
This ad-supported calendar is one of the best available online. |
| Yahoo Mail |
With a traditional, forms-based Web interface, Yahoo mail is quick and
easy to use. |
| Yahoo Mail Beta |
Beta, not yet public. |
| Yahoo
Widgets |
This application puts "widgets" on your desktop that provide
useful information, such as news updates, weather reports, stock
tickers, or photos, or provide handy little services, like performing
search engine queries, storing your notes, and more. |
| ZoneAlarm |
Zone Alarm's free firewall keeps watch over inbound and outbound
Internet connections, helping avert malicious attacks by hackers and
spyware. |
