We scour the internet for the best freeware,
shareware and paid-for application releases
Welcome again to the latest installment of
The Download Directory. Each month, you’ll find us scouring the internet in the
hope of bringing to light the latest application releases, software updates and
browser plug-ins that you don’t know you can’t live without. We cover
everything from freeware to shareware to budget-price commercial software, and
review everything from giant, multi-application office suites to the tiniest
system tray applets. As long as you can download it, we’ll take a look at it.
This month, our investigations have
uncovered USB Disk Security, a program that protects your USB keys from harm,
and, more importantly, from causing harm; WindowBlinds, a desktop-theme manager
that can visually transform Windows on the most minute levels; BlueScreenView,
a fantastic crash analysis tool; and Multiplicity, a multi-PC manager that
makes using ten PCs as easy as using one. As well as all that, we also have a
quick look at the latest beta versions to be released this month to help you
keep track of the new releases that are coming your way soon.
USB Disk Security 6.2
USB keys are great at letting you transfer
files between desktops, laptops, and even other devices at times when the
internet is too slow to do so. Whether you’re transporting large files like
movies, or a large amount of music or images, a USB drive lets you put
gigabytes of data in your pocket. However, there’s one problem: the same
qualities that make USB keys so attractive as portable data storage also make
them a great target for viruses and other malware. The more computers you use
it in, the better chance there is of something evil hitching a lift.
USB Disk Security is a program developed by
ZB Shareware Lab to secure USB keys (and the data on them) as you move them
from one PC to the next. Simple to use, the application is compatible with many
different anti-virus and anti-malware suites, all of which it uses to scour the
key for viruses before you get infected.
The interface is easy to get to grips with,
featuring bright, clear icons, laid out in an easy-to-navigate manner. Tasks
are easy to access, making it simple not just to scan the drive, but to manage
the files on it, and even perform a ‘safe’ open, which bypasses any Windows
default hooks that a virus might have hijacked. Some of the features arguably
go a little too far (the ‘safe browsing’ tool changes your homepage to ZB
Shareware’s own concoction, which crosses a line most people wouldn’t expect to
see crossed by USB protection software), but in general it’s good at what it
does.
The software is free to download and try,
but a full license costs a rather hefty $55. For that, you do get lifetime
updates and tech support, but let’s not pretend those are features most people
are crying out for, especially when free alternatives exist. Slightly more
interesting are the extra tools you get, which includes system tools such as a
disk clean-up utility, repair system utility and auto start manager.
It’s fair to say that it isn’t perfect, and
perhaps it’s a little too simplistic and clunky for some users. Certainly we’d
have preferred something that integrates as seamlessly as possible into the
process of accessing USB keys, rather than hijacking it entirely, but if you’re
not bothered by that, it’s decent enough. If only the registration price wasn’t
frankly outrageous, we could see an audience for this.
The same qualities that make USB keys so
attractive as portable data storage also make them a great target for viruses
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Details
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Release Type:
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Shareware
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Price
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$55
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Official Site:
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www.zbshareware.com
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Pros:
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Dead simple, surprisingly powerful.
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Cons:.
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A little too controlling - it makes its
presence well-known. And it’s very expensive
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Rating:
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3/5
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WindowBlinds 7.4
If you find the default Windows visuals a
little too corporate and uniform for your liking, there’s hope for a more
individualistic appearance, and that hope comes in the form of WindowBlinds, a
program that lets you apply skins not just to programs but to every default
Windows element as well.
Developed by StarDock, WindowBlinds makes
the process of applying skins to the whole of Windows into a simple, one-click
process rather than forcing you to slog your way through each individual
element in some control panel menu somewhere. A selection of pre-configured
themes means you can customize the appearance of your operating system to a
near-astonishing degree.
Far from telling you anything useful, BSODs
virtually taunt users
As you’d expect from an application based
on improving appearances, the interface is slicker than a BP corporate
brochure. A scrolling lower panel displays previews of how the themes will look
when applied, making browsing and switching into a simple, seamless act. If
you’re unsure about how to operate such a program, you’ll get a brief tour the
first time you run it, which points out all of the interesting features.
The program is further divided into tabs
specifically based on things like fonts, colors, textures, wallpapers and
transparency options, all of which are available for you to sample and modify
at your heart’s desire. The pre-defined options are great fun too – faux wood
panelling adds a rustic touch to Windows, while the Windows 8-inspired designs
give Windows 7 a clean, modern look without forcing you to submit to the Metro
interface. Genius!
You can spend hours playing with the look
of your operating system, tweaking the specifics and experimenting with different
looks until you find one that suits you. If you do decide to make a change,
however, you’ll have to submit to the nag screen, which will constantly remind
you that you have a limited number of days before your artistic creation is
ripped from your fingers.
The trial only lasts for 30 days, but other
than the nag screen, it’s almost completely unlimited. If you grow to love the
power the software gives you, registration is a fairly reasonable $19.95, with
future updates available at the reduced price of $9.95. Buying the software
also gives you access to thousands of additional skins and backgrounds - more
than enough to get hours of customization fun out of the program. It may not be
your thing, and that’s fine, but if you’re into modifying the appearance of
Windows, this is a virtual gift.
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Details
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Release Type:
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Shareware
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Price
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$19.95
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Official Site:
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www.stardock.com
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Pros:
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Sleek, slick, simple to use.
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Cons:
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The nag screen is a little annoying (but
then that’s the point of them).
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Rating:
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5/5
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