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Tuesday, November 3, 2015

Best Free Downloads, Sites, and Services: The Full List


All-Time Greats

Antivirus Utilities (Tested By PCWorld)

Audio Apps and Services

Backup Utilities

Browser Add-Ons, Apps, and Utilities

  • CeeVee: Online résumés with custom sharing
  • Lazarus: Recover info typed into Firefox
  • MailBrowser: Manage Gmail contacts, attachments, and more
  • MyBrainshark: Add narration to a presentation by speaking over the phone
  • PDF to Word: Turns PDFs into edit-ready docs

Collaboration Services

  • LogMeIn Express: Secure screen sharing (great for troubleshooting your dad's PC)
  • MiNeeds: Connect with and receive bids online from local contractors
  • Tinychat: Disposable chatrooms
  • Yammer: Facebook-like communications features for businesses
  • Zoho Discussions: Add a feature-rich discussion forum to any online destination

Desktop Customization

  • BumpTop: 3D desktop that allows you to pin up notes and photos
  • DeskHedron: Create up to nine 3D desktops that you can flip through
  • Fences: Organize desktop icons and make them disappear when you want them to
  • InterfaceLift: PC wallpaper library
  • Krento: Rotating 3D circle for app launching
  • Rainmeter: Attractive, seamlessly embedded desktop overhaul
  • StandaloneStack 2: Animated shortcuts for easy access to folder contents
  • T3Desk: Minimizes programs to the PC desktop

Mobile Apps and Services

  • BlueRetriever: Helps recover lost gadgets
  • Connectify: Turn your laptop into a Wi-Fi hotspot
  • Instapaper: Bookmark Web pages; strip them to text-only for easy mobile reading
  • OverMyMinutes: Helps you stay within your cell-phone plan allotment
  • Xpenser: Track expenses via the Web

Photo Utilities

Productivity Tools

  • DoPDF Free PDF Converter: Fast and simple PDF conversion
  • Drop.io for Outlook: Share large files in Outlook
  • Ecofont: Special design allows this font to consume less ink
  • Everything: Thorough indexing and fast search of your desktop
  • FlockDraw: A Web-based "cocktail napkin" for shared ideas
  • Fonolo: Gives you access to phone menus for customer service numbers
  • iCurrent: Free news site with personalization
  • Liaise: Outlook add-in keeps tabs on all of your important action items
  • MakeSomeTime: Keeps tabs on invoices, projects, and billable hours
  • ScreenToaster: Create and e-mail or upload a video of a screen that explains something
  • Tom's Planner: Easy Gantt charts

Security Utilities

  • KeePass: Organizes and protects all of your important passwords with just one password
  • OpenDNS: Protects kids from online violence, pornography, and other unsavory Web material
  • SuperAntiSpyware: A robust malware fighter
  • Web of Trust: Vets the links you click in your browers for security issues

Self-Improvement Assistants

  • BudgetSketch: Track where your money will go before you spend it
  • DailyBurn: Presents charts and graphs to track your fitness program
  • Habitforge: Train yourself in new habits with the help of daily reminders
  • Learn10: Ten new foreign-language words daily
  • RunKeeper Free: Use your iPhone to keep track of your jogging sessions
  • YouTube EDU: Videos of Ivy League lecturers

Social Networking Tools

System Utilities

Timesavers

  • Belvedere: Automated file manager works with the rules you set
  • Cache My Work: Autoreloads the apps running when you restart your PC
  • Ninite: Installs your all favorite free apps in the background, after a Windows reinstall or anytime
  • PhraseExpress: Monitors your typing for shorthand text and expands it to larger snippets
  • Read It Later: Mark material for later enjoyment in Firefox or on your smartphone
  • Rescue Time: Monitors your apps and sites and provides graphs on how you spent your day

Video Tools and Services

  • Boxee Beta: Plays back PC and Web-based media on your HDTV
  • Classic Cinema Online: Watch classic films
  • Clicker: Aggregates Internet videos
  • DoubleTwist: A great iTunes alternative for media
  • Hulu Desktop: Desktop app for Hulu's video
  • Jinni: Select movies and videos to watch based on keywords such as plot or mood
  • Libox: Private network to share large media files
  • ShowMeWhatsWrong: Lets people record and share screencasts of what's ailing their PC

Windows 7-Style Features for Older PCs

Monday, October 26, 2015

Best Free Cloud Storage Services to Safe and Secure Your Data

Cloud storage let you access your photos, videos, documents and other important information anywhere and anytime, and also keep your data safe and secure from local hardware damages or other form of data losses you may encounter and to protect your digital data cloud storage services provides free online storage where you can easily store and share your personal files.

Cloud storage provides an easy solution to email attachments where you can just share a file or folder link with access level rather than attaching the files, you can collaborate in a group to share work, view, edit and upload files and share thoughts on group projects.
Cloud storage becoming more and more popular day by day because of safe, secure and reliable anywhere access of files, photos, videos and important documents and lots of sharing options which is a another plus point to any cloud storage.
And, to keep in view all these features we have reviewed and listed the top 5 best free cloud services for you.
  
Google Drive
Google Drive offers you a decent deal of pay as you grow and you get 15 GB of free storage. You’ll have to pay additional fee if use more than 15 GB free storage. In an easy to use interface you can even directly drag or upload folder from your local storage using Chrome browser or installing a Java-Based Folder Upload applet to upload folders from any other browser.
Installing Google Drive for PC or MAC let you easily sync files shared in your My Drive folder. Anything you edit, modify, add or remove will be reflected in your Google Drive account and vice versa.
You can change sharing settings to allow your friends and colleagues to access your uploaded files and  you can also have the option to share your files with whom you want to share with choice of access level you set by which you can share documents with your friends and colleagues without sending email attachments.
You can make any file, document or folder private, share with a link, make it public on web and set access level to any group or individual you want.
FREE STORAGE: 15 GB
FEATURES: Pay as you use in addition to free storage, Upload folders, Google Drive for MAC/PC, Auto sync, File sharing with access level, Share files with a link or make It public on Web
Dropbox web interface
Dropbox is one of the largest cloud storage providers and offers great list of services and features.
Though there’re endless opportunities of features a cloud storage could provide but not all can be provided with the start and Dropbox still offers great list of features a cloud storage should offer. Dropbox offers 2 GB free storage which you can increase upto 16 GB with their referral program.
Dropbox works on almost all platforms; Windows, MAC, Android, iPhone, Blackberry, Linux so, it let you access your files on device you’re accessible to anywhere anytime. Auto sync feature make it feel like the whole system is just one drive whether you have a connection on not you can access files anytime becauseDropbox updates only changes to files rather than transferring the whole thing.
Inviting and sharing with friends and colleagues is the common feature in all cloud storage services and Dropbox also let you invite people to folder, share link and create photo galleries viewable to anyone you choose.
And, if by chance you accidently deleted any file or folder then you can restore your data within a month you have deleted that, because Dropbox keeps one month history of you work.
FREE STORAGE: 2 GB (initially)
FEATURES: Increase free storage upto 16 GB, Auto sync, Work offline, Folder invite, Social sharing, Backup deleted files within a month

Apple iCloud
iCloud is the cloud service provided by Apple which works with MAC, iOS devices as well as PCs. iCloud is more than just a cloud storage, you can auto sync music, pictures, contacts and other files from your MAC and iOS devices using iTunes Match.
If you’re a music lover then iCloud offers you to store and stream music right from iCloud, you can store your entire collection of photos and music in iCloud and it acts as media server for your iOS devices.
iCloud provides 5 GB of free storage in addition to it 10 GB for $20 per year, 20 GB for $40 per year and 50 GB for $100 per year.
FREE STORAGE: 5 GB
FEATURES: Available on MACs, iOS devices and PCs, Create music library from iTunes, Stream music, Attractive paid plans

box
Box is a popular cloud storage service but unlike Google Drive where you can upload a file upto size of 1 TB Dropbox limits file size upto 5 GB and 250 MB under Personal Free plan. Instead Box provides great customer support and higher level of services for personal (Free), Business and Enterprise IT plans.
What you get in Personal Free account is 10 GB free cloud storage, quickly share large files and folders and easily embed files in your website. More on you can access your files on any device; desktop, laptop, smartphone or tablet, Box is available on both iPhone and Android for on the go access to files.
Box provides an online collaboration platform where in a group anyone whom you invite can view, edit, upload, comment and assign work in a shared folder which make it easy to work on a project no matter from where you’re participating in.
An added feature in Box is their real time update system where you’ll get email notifications for everything you’re involved in at Box platform.
FREE STORAGE: 10 GB
FEATURES: Quick sharing options, Collaboration platform, Real time notofications on activities

Microsoft OneDrive
OneDrive offers you 7 GB of free space when you signup and you can get additional free 8 GB storage if you activate camera roll backup which save your photos automatically to your OneDrive and 5 GB if you refer someone to OneDrive, with asum up you get 15 GB free space for your photos, videos, documents and more.
OneDrive is available to install on Windows, MAC, Android, Windows Phone and iOS devices by which your files automatically sync to your OneDrive account.
You can view, edit and save documents in OneDrive from you Office 2013 applications and if you have not installed Office 2013 then you can still access your office documents within your browser using Office Online and collaborate in group projects with your friends and colleagues.
You can easily create word documents, excel workbooks, powerpoint presentations and more, share you photos, create slide shows, send a link to someone or embed anywhere from just one place, OneDrive.
FREE STORAGE: 7 GB (initially)
FEATURES: 8 GB additional free storage, View, edit and save OneDrive files in Office 2013, Office Online, Create Office documents online.
However these are the best cloud storage services which provides free as well paid online storage options, but there are other more or less known cloud storage providers, let us know which one you’re using and what you like or dislike about specific one by leaving a comment.

Best Free Photo Editing Software Programs


Adobe Photoshop, no doubt is the most powerful and advanced photo editingsoftware application but, not everyone is familiar with it and there are always alternatives so, here we have listed the best free photo editing software programs that fulfil the need of photo processing, but they can not be compared with Adobe Photoshop, though they are good for most of the photo editing tasks that Photoshop can do.
Here are some feature rich free photo editing software programs that are capable of making your photos look better and retouch them with cool effects.

GIMP (www.gimp.org)
GIMP is a powerful GNU based image manipulation program. It is capable of retouching photos with expert quality tools. Gimp interface is modulized into a so called docks, and allow you to stack them into tabs and keep each tool open in their own window like Adobe Photoshop. Some of the handy features Gimp packed with are fix perspective distortion, lens barrel distortion and vignetting, channel mixer, new healing tool with perspective clone tool. Gimp also support various input devices and large number of file formats and you can extend it using GIMP’s plug-ins.Gimp is available to all operating system – Windows, Mac, Linux and few other open source OS.
Paint.NET
paint.NET free photo editor
No doubt paint.net is a award winning free image and photos editing software for Windows operating system. It features an intuitive and innovative user interface with support for layers, unlimited undo, special effects and other various powerful tools. At the online forum you can get the support and plug-ins which helps extend the features on paint.net.
Photoscape (www.photoscape.org)
Photoscape free photo editing software
Photoscape lets you enhance photos in a fun and easy way. Photoscape has some nice features with various editing options, combine multiple images, animated GIF, print photos, splitter, color picker, rename photos in batch mode, raw converter, face search to find similar faces on internetand much more. Photoscape is available only to Microsoft Windows.
PhotoPad Photo Editor (www.nchsoftware.com/photoeditor/index.html)
Photopad photo editor
PhotoPad is a simple, clean and easy to use photo editor. It is bundled with some great features like photo effects such as sepia tones, grascalle, vibnette, local blur and more, filter effects, removing red-eye and blemished, create collages and photos mosaics, direct upload to Facebook or Flickr, create video slideshowsand other great features. PhotoPad is available for Windows and Mac platforms.
PhotoPlus (www.serif.com/free-photo-editing-software)
PhotoPlus
Using PhotoPlus is a simple and effective way to enhance images. It contains the tools to straighten and crop photos, repair old photos, red eye removal, smooth skin, remove unwanted objects from pictures, adjust levels curves, brightness, contrast, paint, blendand more.PhotoPlus is available for Windows operating system only.
GIMPSHOP (www.gimpshop.com)
GIMPSHOP free photo editor
GIMPSHOP is a great alternative to Photoshop. You can feel the Photoshop performance and features by using GIMPSHOP and it is completely free open source GNU image manipulation program. For sure you’ll be addicted to this after first use. It is packed with all the powerful tools that you can expect from an image editing software. GIMPSHOP is available for Windows and Mac operating systems.
INKSCAPE (inkscape.org)
inkscape free image editor
Inkscape is a powerful open source vector graphics editor similar to Illustrator and CorelDraw. If you are missing vector support of Photoshop then for sure Inkscape is the best vector graphics software. Inkscape is available for all platforms.
 Seashore (seashore.sourceforge.net/The_Seashore_Project/Download.html)
Seashore
Seashore is a basic image editor for Mac OS X only. It’s open source image editor with some basic features of gradients, textures and anti-aliasing for both text and brush strokes. However, it is not feature rich photo editor like GIMP but, fulfil the need of basic image editing.
PhotoFiltre (photofiltre.free.fr/frames_en.htm)
PhotoFiltre photo editing software
PhotoFiltre make it easy to edit and apply effects and filters to your photos. It is a simple, easy-to-use free photo editing software program.
Photo Pos Pro (www.photopos.com/Photo-Pos-Pro-Free-Photo-Editor.asp)
PhotoPospro free image editing software
Photo Pos pro offers you most of the photo editing tools to enhance and manipulate your digital photos the way you want. You can apply various effects using different selection tools in a full screen user interface. It supports graphics tools, special effects, different selection tools, layers support, script tools, batch operations and lots more.

Great Websites to Download Free Stunning HD Wallpapers

Cool and stunning wallpapers makes your laptop or desktop background looks cool and also reflects the nature of wallpaper and here, you’re at the right place where you’ll get all the best sources of cool and stunning HD wallpapers at one place. Here we are sharing the best websitesfor all types of desktop and mobile wallpapers. Browse hundreds of categories and thousands of wallpapers from the websites listed below.
These websites have a large collection of wallpapers and also, you will get wallpapers of all resolutions from mobile device to full HD display. Just Browse from different categories to get best wallpapers.
WALLPAPERSWIDE (wallpaperswide.com)
beach sunrise wallpaper
Wallpaperswide has a wide collection of stunning and beautiful wallpapers. Browse from hundreds of categories and that too in a easy to navigate user interface. Good thing is that they have all sizes of every single wallpaper at Wallpaperswide so choose from mobile size to HD wallpapers at Wallpaperswide.
Vladstudio (www.vladstudio.com/wallpapers/)
Graphic wallpapers
Vladstudio is a good source of all graphics needs. There you find beautiful graphics wallpapers for your desktop. It has a nice collection of wallpapers for graphics lovers. You can even get the multi-monitor wallpapers at Vladstudio.
Wallpapersnow (wallpapersnow.com)
Car HD wallpapers
A random collection of wallpapers from almost all categories. Wallpapers for every screen size from mobile to HD desktop wallpapers. Browse and download, and set as background.
WALLPAPER GANG (www.wallpapergang.com)
HD gun wallpapers
Wallpaper Gang is a another great source of HD wallpapers. Browse from multiple categories and download multi HD wallpapers from Wallpaper Gang. They have a large collection of eye-catching wallpapers from different categories.
Picky Wallpapers (www.pickywallpapers.com)
Animal wallpapers
Picky Wallpapers has a worldwide collection of HD and device specific wallpapers. More on, there you can browse wallpapers by selecting your device from the iconic menu so that you can get the compatible wallpapers for your device. They also provide options at the download to select you mobile device or download in HD or widescreen resolution.
Large Pictures (www.largepictures.net)
free HD game wallpapers
Another great portal for stunning HD wallpapers from different categories. You can browse sceneries, lightening, sports, game and other categories of desktop wallpapers at Large Pictures.
WallPaperStock (wallpaperstock.net)
free stock wallpapers
WallPaperStock has a large collection of free wall papers and free stock photos. You can browse hundreds of categories of thousands of wallpapers.
deviantART (www.deviantart.com/customization/wallpaper)
At deviantART you can browse wallpapers of a large community who share their art and creativities at deviantART. There you can find wallpaper arts designed by various artists around the globe.
Creatively customized wallpapers
WALLPAPERHERE (www.wallpaperhere.com)
Cute dog
WALLPAPERHERE provides top quality HD and 3D wallpapers of various categories. Browse all top rated and most downloaded wallpapers and download for free.
Enjoy cool and stunning wallpapers, and share your favourite portals in comments.

Best Free Online Photo Collage Makers

Photo collage is a piece of art created by combining photos. Digital photo collage eliminates the need of cutting and pasting printed photos, by using digital images to make a collage with software. It is extremely popular on Instagram and Facebook nowadays, as people can show multiple pictures in one image to make photos more meaningful & interesting. There are two distinctive types of collage: layout-based and shape-based collage.
BeFunky – www.befunky.com/features/collage-maker
BeFunky
BeFunky is considered to be the best online photo editor tool and provides multiple options of photo processing, retouch and creating photo collage. With over 50 templates you can arrange your photos the way you love to be and let them stand out from crowd. BeFunky not only let you create photo collage but you can also add some cool effects, text and goodies. You can also use BeFunky on your mobile device as an app which is available on Android and iOS platforms. Editing photos using BeFunky is all fun and joy.

Fotor Photo Collage – www.fotor.com/features/collage.html
fotor photo collage
Fotor offers all sorts of photo editing tools, and photo collage is one of them. Their photo collage tool let you manage the collage style you want from Funky collage, photo stitching, montage and shape collage. It’s an easy to use online collage maker.

PHOTO COLLAGE – www.photocollage.net/collage
photocollage.net
PHOTO COLLAGE provides an easy photo collage tool with hundreds of templates and let you save image in various formats and sizes including Google Plus cover photo size, Facebook cover and Twitter cover photo as well. You can directly print, share or send created photo collage via email.

Photovisi – www.photovisi.com
photovisi online photo collage creator
Photovisi is an online photo collage creator tool where you can easily create your own photo collage from your photo collection by just selecting the template and uploading photos, save or directly share it online with your friends.

piZap – www.pizap.com/make-photo-collage.php
piZap photo editor and photo collage creator
At piZap, you can create photo collage of almost any type with templates of different shapes, add photo filters, funny stickers, text, borders, frames, graffiti and paint photos using their basic paint options. It is quite easy to use simple tool of piZap web interface as well as Android and iOS apps on mobile devices.

Loupe Collage – www.getloupe.com/create
loupe collage maker
If you love shapes and symbols then Loupe Collage let you fill those shapes with your photos. Loupe Collage is a collage maker that create photo collages of different shapes, symbols and numbers of your choice. You can also draw your own desired shapes to make shape collage.

PhotoCat – http://web.photocat.com/puzzle/
photocat online collage maker
PhotoCat provides simple and easy to use web interface to create some of the lovely photo collages by selecting template and using beautiful DIY backgrounds that make your photos look awesome. You can resize photos, rotate at any angle, add fading effect and arrange photos as desired.

Picture2Life – www.picture2life.com/collage
picture2life collage maker
Picture2Life is a simple easy to use photo collage maker. You can use beautiful customizable templates, select them by category of kids, family, happy and love, add elements and text to photos to make them speak out. It provides various customizable tools to make every moment magical.

Kizoa – www.kizoa.com/Collage-Maker
kizoa
Kizoa has some of the great collage templates to frame your beautiful moments in pictures. It has lots of background options for collage but lack in customization options. Kizoa offers different membership options for more features and besides photo collage tool Kizoa also offers slideshow maker and online photo editing features as well.

COLLAGE.COM – www.collage.com
collage.com
COLLAGE.COM is a professional online collage maker which let create your own photo collages. There’s whole lot of fun creating photo collage using automatic collage templates. Though all the collage makers listed above let you create photo collage, but COLLAGE.COM is more than that, it let you have blankets, canvases, coffee mugs, collage cards and more products with your own photo collage printed on to them which is of course is their paid service but creating digital photo collage is absolutely free.
Have fun with your photos by creating beautiful collages and spread joy and fun. Let us know your favorite collage maker website in comments.