Monday, October 31, 2011

CloudSecurity - Security tool



SECURITY TOOL
CloudSecurity
www.free-cloudsecurity.com
Min reqirements: Windows XP / Vista / 7, Firefox or IE
File size: 6.5MB

This browser plug-in from security-software company G Data blocks access to know phishing - and malware-infested websites. If you try to visit a bad page, the program will warn you off. You can bypass this warning and access the site anyway, if you are prepared to take the risk or you are sure that the site is clean.

Soluto - Start-up tool



START-UP TOOL
Soluto
www.soluto.com
Min requirements: Windows XP / Vista / 7
File size: 1.1MB

Soluto carefully monitors your Windows start-up, shows you how long each running process takes to load and tells you how much time you will save by delaying or removing entries.

Sunday, October 30, 2011

Neon Lights - Game













GAME
Neon Lights
www.naillmoody.com/neonlights.htm
Min requirements: Windows XP / Vista / 7, Mac OS X or Linux
File size: 5.4MB

The object of this shoot-em-up is to destroy the glowing enemies. This is much trickier than it sounds because you can only shoot in the direction you are moving and the ship spins as it changes course. There are five game modes on offer including a Draw mode inspired by TV artist and animator Tony Hart.

Google Cloud Connect - Office tool



OFFICE TOOL
Google Cloud Connect
www.googlecloudconnect.com
Min requirements: Windows XP / Vista / 7, Microsoft Office
File size: 5MB

If you use Microsoft Office but want the benefits of cloud technology that Google Docs provides, you will welcome this new plug-in from Google. Cloud Connect integrates the two rival suites so you can save your Office documents to the web, edit or collaborate on them in Docs and then save them back again to your Desktop. If you don't want to work on your files online, you can just use the tool to back up your important documents. Cloud Connect tracks, manages and syncs all changes making it easy to restore a previous version. The plug-in works with all versions of Office from 2003 onwards.

Magix Photo Designer 7 - Photo editor



PHOTO EDITOR
Magix Photo Designer 7
http://www.magix.com/us/free-download/photo-designer
Min requirements: Windows XP / Vista / 7
File size: 28.2MB

Magix Photo Designer 7 offers all the features you'd expect from a free photo editor including red-eye removal, clone, blur and sharpen, plus some excellent additional tools. If you have a slightly crooked landscape picture, Level Horizon can straighten it. Draw a line representing the true horizon and the program will automatically rotate the image and trim it straight. The Brightener/Darkener brush lets you lighten or darken specific areas and the Decolorer will de-saturate parts of the picture. The program has a good selection of effects that you can access from the main menu or through the Effect Browser at the bottom of the screen. Select the one you want and the effect will be applied instantly. A sidebar lets you make various tweaks most of which have an impressive assortment of options. Select one of the 'Oil on Canvas' choices for example and you can change the brush type and adjust the density relief and placement of the effect. You will see the changes as you make them and can confirm or cancel everything. If you don't want to apply the effect globally, click the Paint button and go over parts of the photo with a brush instead. Magix Photo Designer 7 has a 1-click-fix button a shot and there are lots of quick image optimisations, efects and filters in the Tasks menu. The software guides you through complex tasks such as isolating people and objects creating panoramas and removing scratches and stains.

Saturday, October 29, 2011

Norton Cybercrime Index - Security tool



SECURITY TOOL
Norton Cybercrime Index
http://us.norton.com/cybercrime/
Min requirements: Windows Vista / 7
File size: 208KB

This free Windows gadget is linked to the new website of the same name. It displays information about cybercrime from around the world, including the current Cybercrime Index ( which rates the activity of hackers ) and tells you whether the figure is up or down compared to yesterday. The tool also provides reports on ID theft, malware, fraud and spam.

NeverNote - Note taking tool



NOTE-TAKING TOOL
NeverNote
http://nevernote.sourceforge.net
Min requirements: Windows XP / Vista / 7, Mac OS X or Linux, Java
File size: 81.1MB

NeverNote is an unofficial open-source client for the superb note-taking and web-clipping service Evernote ( www.evernote.com ). The tool offers the usual features, plus support for multiple databases an inline PDF viewer, the ability to hide notebooks and datebase encryption. NeverNote can also be set to auto-sync when you close it.

Npackd - Program updater



PROGRAM UPDATER
Npackd
www.npackd.com
Min requirements: Windows XP / Vista / 7
File size: 6.3MB

If you use Ubuntu Linux, you can finde, install, remove and upgrade applications directly through its built-in Synaptic package manager. Npackd is the equivalent tool for Windows. Run the program to display a list of programs ( 230 and counting ) including popular apps such as CCleaner, Firefox, IrfanView and paint.net. Select an item and click install to automatically download and install it. Any programs alredy on your system are shown under Status. You can filter the list by 'name', 'installed', 'not installed' and 'update available'.

Survivor: The Living Dead - Game



GAME
Survivor: The Living Dead
www.thelivingdead.com
Min requirements: Windows XP / Vista / 7
File size: 64.6MB

Survivor: The Living Dead finds you trapped in a two-storey house, fighting for your life. The aim of the game is to fend off an invading zombie hord using whatever weaponry you can lay your hands on. These include a knife, a poker, guns and even a disturbingly satisfying chainsaw. Some items are available right away, while others need to be unlocked. Aside from simply getting eaten, there are a host of other problems to worry about: weapons break after a time your character becomes tired and less able if you overuse the sprint feature and getting bitten means you will slowly become infected and turn into a zombie yourself.

True System Security Tweaker - System tool



SYSTEM TOOL
True System Security Tweakre
www.securitytweakre.com
Min requirements: Windows XP / Vista / 7
File size: 1.2MB

This portable system tool lets you make changes to 470 security-related Windows settings. Just select a user restiction on the left - including Control Panel, Desktop and Explorer, Internet Explorer, Taskbar and Start Menu - then tick any options you want to apply in the box on the right. Choose Drives Restrictions, for example and you will be able to hide hard disk in My Computer and prevent access to their content. The Internet Explorer option lets you disable features, remove toolbar buttons, automatically clear the temporary files cache on exit and lots more. You can undo changes from the Edit menu.

Friday, October 28, 2011

PeaZip - Compression tool



COMPRESSION TOOL
PeaZip
www.peazip.org
Min requirements: Windows XP / Vista / 7 or Linux
File size: 7MB

PeaZip can recognise and extract nearly 130 archive types. The program also offers its own native PEA ( Pack Encrypt Authenticate ) format that includes built-in encryption, split-volume support and other functions.

ZipGenius - Compression tool



COMPRESSION TOOL
ZipGenius
www.zipgenius.com
Min requirements: Windows XP / Vista / 7
File size: 12.5MB

There are Standard and Suite Editions of compression tool ZipGenius. The latter offers various extra features including a file splitter and FTP program. It supports most major archive formats.

Thursday, October 27, 2011

The Extractor - Compression tool



COMPRESSION TOOL
The Extractor
http://theextractor.org
Min requirements: Windows XP / Vista / 7
File size: 2.4MB

The Extractor can unpack multiple ZIP and RAR archives. Just drag the various files to the program window and specify an output directory if different from the source location. You can create your own preset options.

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

SolarMax - Astronomy tool



ASTRONOMY TOOL
SolarMax
www.solar-max.org
Min requirements: Windows Vista / 7
File size: 1.98MB

Animed at anyone with an interest in astronomy, SolarMax provides an accurate and detailed simulation of the solar system, including all planets and major moons all visible stars ( more than 8.000 of them ) and constellations. The program offers four different views - Ecliptic, Planet Surface, Top-Down and Following. You can use your mouse to look around or navigate using the many keyboard shortcuts.

Rainmeter 2.0 - Desktop tool



DESKTOP TOOL
Rainmeter 2.0
http://rainmeter.net/RainCMS
Min requirements: Windows XP / Vista / 7
File size: 3.1MB

The latest version of this excellent Desktop-customisation tool fixes some bugs and introduces plug-ins to create your own skins. There's a single installer to cover 32-bit, 64-bit and portable versions and the original bundled skins - Enigma and Gnometer - have been replaced with a new illustro one.

Monday, October 24, 2011

Balloon Diaspora - Game



GAME
Balloon Diaspora
www.balloondiaspora.com
Min requirements: Windows XP / Vista / 7, Mac OS X
File size: 57.9MB

Balloon Diaspora is a short 3D point-and-click adventure game that requires you to patch up your deflated hot air balloon. You will need to collect six pieces of cloth, which cna be obtained by chatting to the people you meet on your travels and answering their questions or doing them favours.

GParted - Partition tool



PARTITION TOOL
GParted
http://gparted.sourceforge.net/
Min requirements: Windows XP / Vista / 7, Mac OS X or Linux
File size: 116MB

The GNOME Partition Editor (GParted) is a useful tool for creating, managing and deleting disk partitions. Just burn the program to CD, boot from the disc and choose the options you want. The latest version can recover data from lost partitions making it a lifesaver in the event of serious problems.

Immunet 3.0 - Anti virus tool



ANTI-VIRUS TOOL
Immunet 3.0
www.immunet.com
Min requirements: Windows XP / Vista / 7
File size: 9.49MB

Most anti-virus tools need updating on a daily basic to ensure they are able to protect you from the very latest threats. Immunet gets its definitions directly from the cloud so it is always up to date. As soon as someone using the program encounters a new threat all other users will be protected from it in real-time. The integrated Community feature lets you extend this protection to your friends and family and view their safety status online. Unlike traditional anti-virus tools, Immunet is exceptionally lightweight. The software takes up a relatively small amount of hard-disk space and requires very little memory to run. This makes it ideal for use on slower computers and netbooks. It can also be run alongside any existing anti-virus software, providing a second layer of security for free. As well as real-time protection Immunet offers a choice of on-demand scans - Full, Custom (specific files and folders) and Flash (processes and the Registry). The program integrate with the right-click context menu, so you can scan individual items on demand. Because Immunet relies on your PC being connected to the internet for its definition files, previous versions offered only limited protection when offline. This latest release changes that by giving letting you install ClamAV offline protection during the set-up process. Another new feature is the ability to specify how the software works. It is a worthy and interesting inclusion that should please advanced users and system administrators. Immunet was recently endorsed by Google, which has added it to the Google Pack (http://pack.google.com) of essential free software.

Sunday, October 23, 2011

WinMend Auto Shutdown- System tool



SYSTEM TOOL
WinMend Auto Shutdown
www.winmend.com/auto-shutdown
Min requirements: Windows XP / Vista / 7
File size: 1.6MB

As its name suggests, this free tool will automatically power down PC at a scheduled time. Just select a task (Shut Down, Log Off, Sleep or Hibernate) and set a date time and frequency. You can also set a countdown and have the computer turn off after period has elapsed.

FG Photo Album Creator- Photo sharing tool



PHOTO-SHARING TOOL
FG Photo Album Creator
www.freegrounds.webs.com
Min requirements: Windows XP / Vista / 7, Mac OS X or Linux
File size: 608KB

FG Photo Album Creator turns your digital images into customised albums that you can share with friends. Choose your photos, then add some comments or captions and an optional soundtrack. When you have finished, click the 'Make the Photo Album' button and the program will produce the album as an EXE file that you can zip up and email. Your friends will be able to step through the images watch a slideshow save copies of the photos and print them.

Sprint - King of the Jungle - Game


 GAME
Sprint - King of the Jungle
http://lionsoftvideogames.blogspot.com
Min requirements: Windows XP / Vista / 7
File size: 2.2MB

Controlling a lion called Sprint, you have to collect all the red gems and open a gateway to the next level. Sprint can move, jump and -once you have collected three fruits - roar. This last ability is used to scare away other animals and make invisible platforms appear and disappear. Sprint - King of the Jungle is straightforward and fun to play, with colourful backgrounds and a pleasantly retro feel.

Hamster Free Zip Archiver - Compression tool



COMPRESSION TOOL
Hamster Free Zip Archiver
http://ziparchiver.hamstersoft.com
Min requirements: Windows XP / Vista / 7
File size: 312KB (installer)

Hamster Free Zip Archiver is a very simple compression tool based on the 7z-engine. To create  an archive in Zip or 7zformat, drag your files to the program window and choose a compression level. You can split the file into sections and/or password-protect it. To extract an archive double-click it or drag the file to the other side of the program window. A stack of files will appear and you can either click these and select a save location or drag them onto your Desktop or another folder. When installing the software make sure you select the custom option to prevent it from changing your homepage and search provider.

Kestrel GX - photo organiser



PHOTO ORGANISER
Kestrel GX
www.kestrelfly.com
Min requirements: Windows XP / Vista / 7
File size: 17.5MB

Kestrel GX is a powerful photo organiser and editor that lets you rename rate tag and convert images and perform various batch operations such as rotating resizing and watermarking. The built-in editor lets you fix and improve your picture and offers a range of simple tools including controls for colour and saturation cropping and red-eye removal. You can also link it to external editors, including Photoshop Elements or Paint.net. You can view edit and save EXIF and IPTC information from your photos and export GPS data. Images can be dosplayed in a slideshow, turned into PDFs and printed using custom templates.

Saturday, October 22, 2011

YoWindow - Weather program



WEATHER PROGRAM
YoWindow
http://repkasoft.com
Min requirements: Windows XP / Vista / 7, Adobe Flash Player
File size: 4MB

This program displays an animated picture that changes according to the local time and weather and includes a three-day forecast. YoWindow also comes with an optional screensaver.

AniWeather for Firefox - Weather program



WEATHER PROGRAM
AniWeather for Firefox
www.aniweather.com
Min requirements: Windows XP / Vista / 7 or Mac OS X, Firefox
File size: 193KB

AniWeather delivers weather information directly through Firefox. You can set multiple locations to monitor and customise which icons appear in the status bar. By default it shows current weather conditions every time you launch the browser.

The Weather Channel Desktop - Weather program



WEATHER PROGRAM
The Weather Channel Desktop
www.weather.com
Min requirements: Windows XP / Vista / 7
File size: 299KB

This tool provides Desktop access to local forecasts from The Weather Channel as well as interactive maps and driving conditions. Make sure you decline the additional software offered with it.

OpenOffice.org - Office suite



OFFICE SUITE
OpenOffice.org
www.openoffice.org
Min requirements: Windows XP / Vista / 7, Mac OS X or Linux
File size: 151MB

Popular open-source office suite OpenOffice.org has been update. It now boasts a Find toolbar to search a document's text, a revamped print interface support for adding lines and shapes to charts and increased document protection. Slide-layout handling has been improved in presentation-tool impress and the Clac spreadsheet now supports a whopping one million rows.

Tonido - File sharing tool



FILE-SHARING TOOL
Tonido
www.tonido.com
Min requirements: Windows Xp / Vista / 7, Mac OS X or Linux
File size: 15.9MB

This program lets you turn your PC into a web server so you can securely access your files from anywhere share documents and large media files and stream music over the internet. Install the software and sign up for a free Tonido account to generate a unique web address that gives remote access to your files. There are also free apps for iPhone, BlackBerry and Android.

Photo Vacuum Packer - Photo tool



PHOTO TOOL
Photo Vacuum Packer
http://gromade.com/vacuum
Min requirements: Windows XP / Vista / 7
File size: 1.1MB

This wizard-based program creates optimised copies of your photos, saving valuable disk space. The tool can repack your pictures so they have a smaller file size (but the same dimensions) resize them and save them in a different format. Photo Vacuum Packer can also spot and remove duplicate images.

Nega Kon - Game



GAME
Nega Kon
www.multiupload.com/CAPITFA65C
Min requirements: Windows XP / Vista / 7
File size: 6.1MB

Nega Kon is a simple game with a clever premise. The idea is to move around the level until you reach the point at which a flat object appears three-dimensional. Hitting X when the perspective is just right will change the object into a solid shape and you will be able to collect a star and continue. It is quite a short game as there are only a handful of levels at the moment.

Avast 6 - Anti-virus software



ANTI - VIRUS SOFTWARE
Avast 6
www.avast.com
Min requirements: Windows XP / Vista / 7
File size: 55.2MB

Avast is already one of the best free anti-virus programs around and the latest version introduces some powerful features from the paid-for edition. The Script Shield intercepts all scripts executed on your system (both local and remote) while the Site Blocking page lets you stop access to specific web addresses. The new WebRep module displays reputation ratings next to search-engine results and for any sites you visit. To activate it you need to install a plug-in for your browser. At the moment only internet Explorer and firefox are supported but a version for Chrome is in development. A Desktop Avast gadget is available for Vista and Windows 7 that shows the status of your system and lets you open the program interface, update the software and run a scan. Another welcome new addition is the AutoSandbox feature. This automatically isolates suspicious programs as soon as they are lunched preventing malware from infecting or damaging Windows. As in previous versions you can toggle any of the real-time shields (File System, Web, P2P, Script and Behaviour) on or off and configure the program in various ways. A new Restore Factory Defaults button lets you roll things back to how the program was when you first installed it.

Starfare - Game



GAME
Starfare
www.starfare.eu
Min requirements: Windows XP / Vista / 7
File size: 26.9MB

Starfare is a classy space-based real-time strategy (RTS) game that involves capturingand mining asteroids, constructingbu ildings and various types of ship, and battlingr ival nations for supremacy. There’s a tutorial level available, but anyone who has played an RTS game before will feel right at home. It’s great fun, if a little bugg y at times.

EmailTray - Email tool



EMAIL TOOL
EmailTray
www.emailtray.com
Min requirements: Windows XP / Vista / 7
File size: 9.8MB

This smart email-notification tool can check multiple webmail and Outlook accounts and alert you when messag es arrive. You can prioritise emails, so you’re only told about ones you care about, and it will let you send quick replies without needing to open your email client or browser. If you sign up for a free EmailTray account, you’ll enjoy extra benefits, such as improved mail sorting .

Lazyscope - Twitter tool



TWITTER TOOL
Lazyscope
www.lazyscope.com
Min requirements: Windows XP / Vista / 7, Mac OS X or Linux
File size: 1.5MB

This Adobe AIR-based app is a combined Twitter client and RSS feed reader. Lazyscope lets you view links and photos contained in tweets without leaving the stream. You can also reply, repost, retweet and star updates. The program flashes up a System Tray notification whenever a new tweet arrives, although you can turn this feature off if it gets annoying. You can import and view feeds fromGoogle Reader, and subscribe to new sites. If you connect your browser to Lazyscope, you’ll be able to save pages for reading or tweeting later.

Task Coach - task manager



TASK MANAGER
Task Coach
www.taskcoach.org
Min requirements: Windows XP / Vista / Mac OS X or Linux
File size: 9.3MB

Task Coach is a simple but effective opensource to- do tool that lets you keep track of ongoing projects and forthcoming events. Usefully, you can create sub-tasks – for example ‘buy card’, ‘buy present’ and ‘send text message’ within a birthday task – so that the main tasks can be marked as being partially completed where necessary. Task Coach colour-codes entries for easy reference, lets you specify a date, time and priority for each task, and offers categories for speedy organisation. You can even enter budget details and set up reminder alarms. Task Coach is also available in a portable version and as an iPhone app.

Lightworks - Video editing tool



VIDEO - EDITING TOOL
Lightworks
Min requierments: Windows XP / Vista / 7
File size: 15.3MB

This powerful video- editing tool has an impressive pedigree – it’s won Academy and Emmy awards and has been used to cut hundreds of Hollywood films including Shutter Island, The Departed and Pulp Fiction. Now available for free, the software is packed with professional features, such as advanced trimming and media management, real-time audio and video effects, timeline sync, stereoscopic support and more. As you’d expect from such an advanced program, learning how to use Lightworks takes a little time and application, but the software is reasonably intuitive and the end result is certainly worth the effort.
webuser

Friday, October 21, 2011

Cortex - Chrome extensions



CHROME EXTENSIONS
Cortex
http://cortexapp.com
Min requirements: Windows XP / Vista / 7
File size: 1.31MB

Cortex provides a simple means of sharing links, videos images and more with friends via social-networking sites. Just hold down your mouse button and select a sharing option from the circle that pops up.

Disconnect - Chrome extensions



CHROME EXTENSIONS
Disconnect
www.disconnect.com
Min requirements: Windows XP / Vista / 7
File size: 80KB

Disconnect prevents websites including Facebook, Google and Twitter from tracking your activities. The add-on blocks cookies and requests from thirid parties and shows you the results in real time.

Boomerang for Gmail - chrome extensions



CHROME EXTENSIONS
Boomerang for Gmail
http://boomeranggmail.com
Min requirements: Windows XP / Vista / 7 or Mac OS X
File size: 95.5KB

This add-on lets you delay and schedule the sending of emails through Gmail, as well as  redelivering ('boomeranging') messages back into your inbox for whenever you actually need them.

Spoon - Cloud computing tool



CLOUD-COMPUTING TOOL
Spoon
http://spoon.net
Min requirements: Windows XP / Vista / 7
File size: 3.7MB

Install the Spoon plug-in and you will be able to run many popular applications directly from the cloud, without needing to have them installed on your hard disk. The apps available include Firefox, chrome, VLC media Player, Thunderbird and TweetDeck. The process is seamless and although Spoon can take a little while to load a program once the software is up and running you really won't be able to tell that it is being 'virualised'.

Save as WWF - Pdf alternative program



PDF - ALTERNATIVE PROGRAM
Save as WWF
www.saveaswwf.com/en
Min requirements: Windows XP / Vista / 7 or Mac OS X
File size: 6.7MB

The official WWF format is an environmentally friendly alternative to PDF that has deen launched by the Wildlife Fund. Files saved in the format can be viewed on screen, emailed and shared but not printed - thereby avoiding paper waste. WWF documents can be opened using any standard PDF reader.

Thursday, October 20, 2011

VirtualDJ Home - Audio-mixing tool



AUDIO-MIXING TOOL
VirtualDJ Home
www.virtualdj.com
Min requirements: Windows XP / Vista / 7 or Mac OS X
File size: 28.6MB

VirtualDJ is a very polished audio-mixing program that lets you combine tracks add effects samples and loops and save the finished results in MP3 format. To get started simply drag your tracks onto the turntables. As well as mixing audio the software can now handle videos.

Invanders: Corruption - Game



GAME
Invaders: Corruption
http://invaders.manuelvandyck.com
Min requirements: Windows XP / Vista / 7 or Mac OS X
File size: 10.6MB

Before you can begin playing this game you will need to enter a combination of letters and/or numbers to act as a 'core-seed'. This is used to generate the look of your ship and the incoming invaders and also to determine their attack patterns. The object is simply to survive for as long as you can, defeating swarm after swarm of alien invaders with the aid of power-ups you collect along the way.

Microsoft Security Essentials 2 - Security

SECURITY
Microsoft Security Essentials 2
www.microsoft.com/security_essentials
Min requirements: Windows XP / Vista / 7
File size: 9.5MB

Microsoft's excellent free anti-virus program has been update to make it even better at detecting and removing threats. While the previous release focused on recognised viruses the addition of a heuristics-scanning engine means Microsoft Security Essentials can now identify unknown malware by its behaviour. The software offers real-time, on-demand and scheduled scanning and is a lot lighter on resources than many similar programs. In the unlikely event that MSE dose sause your PC to slow to a crawl during a scan, you can manually lower its maximum processor usage to solve the problem. The Advanced settings let you configure the program to include removable drives when running a full sweep and you can create a restore point before removing any potential threats. By default all users can view quarantined items but you can limit this to just those with administrator accounts if you prefer. The software now integrates with Windows features to provide a greater degree of security. When you first install it you will be prompted to turn on the Windows Firewall if it is not alredy active and a PC running Internet Explorer will benefit from improved protection against web-based threats. The new network-inspection feature can detect and block network-based exploits but you will need to be running Windows 7 or Vista to use the feature because it requires the Windows Filtering Platform (WFP) and this isn't available in XP. If you are looking for a reliable free anti-virus program, Microsoft Security Essentials should deinitely be somewhere near the top of your list.

Wunderlist - Task manager



TASK MANAGER
Wunderlist
www.6wunderkinder.com/wunderlist
Min requirements: Windows XP / Vista / 7 or Mac OS X
File size: 7.7MB

Wunderlist is a simple task manger that lets you add jobs set when they are due and cross them out when done. You can 'star' tasks create list and filter items by date. When you search for a task by name results are refined as you type. Best of all if you create an account, your tasks will be automatically synced online and across all your computers that have Wunderlist installed.

Crystal Wave - Game



GAME
Crystal Wave
http://lazybraingames.wordpress.com/crystal-wave
Min requirements: Windows XP / Vista / 7
File size: 4.2MB

The object of this game is to collect as many green gems as possible to advance your score while blasting away at the enemies. When the bomb gauge is full you can right-click it to destroy any foes on screen. This also pulls all the gems towards your ship.
webuser

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

AeroWeather - Desktop tool



DESKTOP TOOL
AeroWeather
http://spikex.net
Min requirements: Windows XP / Vista / 7 with Aero enabled
File size: 958KB

This clever little tool automatically changes the colour of Windows Aero based on the Temperature and weather conditions where you are. When it is set to Temperatures purple indicates that it is very cold outside while bright red is for hot, whit blues and oranges in between. Setting AeroWeather to Conditions will cause Windows to assume a dark grey hue when it is raining, white when snowing and so on. The optional Night Mode dims the Aero colors when the sun set and brightens them again when it rises the next day.

Octodad - Game



GAME
Octodad
http://octodadgame.com
Min requirements: Windows XP / Vista / 7
File size: 336MB

Octodad has a secret he's desperate to keep from his wife and children - he's an octopus masquerading as a human. As you can imagine keeping up this charade is pretty difficult. Controlling him is no picnic, either - the left and right mouse buttons, combined with some dragging move his 'leg' or 'arm' tentacles, but managing any kind of accurate control is extremely tricky. Just moving from one location to another or preforming an apparently simple task such as picking up an object is likely to result in you trashing everything around you in a genuinely amusing manner. It is a frustrating game but great fun at the same time.

SE-DesktopConstructor



DESKTOP TOOL
SE-DesktopConstructor
http://se-soft.com/en
Min requirements: Windows XP / Vista / 7
File size: 1MB

This simple customisation tool lets you give your Desktop a makeover with an embedded clock, calendar and coloured backdrops for your icons. SE-DesktopConstructor can also change your wallpaper at pre-set intervals. You can adjust the size, position and colour of objects to suit your background and choose from a decent selection of clock styles which range from basic digital displays to some fairly outlandish analogue options. Although the program is very easy to use, getting the size, positioning and transparency of boxes just right takes a little practice because you can't see how they will look on the Desktop until you apply the changes.

CDisplayEx - Comic book reader



COMIC BOOK READER
CDisplayEx
http://sourceforge.net/projects/cdisplayex/
Min requirements: Windows XP / Vista / 7
File size: 5.2MB

CDiplayEx is a simple but easy-to-use reader that lets you change the viewing options improve the quality of the display and save or print comics. The program supports all popular formats including PDF, JPG, CBR and 7z.