Lucid PowerXtend Software Boosts Android Battery Life While You Game, Surf the Web

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From Laptopmagazine. Product reviews and advice for best reference

TeamViewer 9 review: Remote control software adds several very handy new features

TeamViewer 9 The latest version of TeamViewer's remote control software implements sessions in tabs, transfers all kinds of data via the clipboard, has two-factor mobile authentication and wakes-on-LAN.

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TeamViewer has saved my family and friends a lot of grief, and saved me a lot of gasoline. I just tell them to download and run (or install it), give me the code and password and voilà! Their desktop pops up in a window on mine so I can fix what ails it.

The TeamViewer console (shown with a remote session in the background) is largely the same, but has adopted with Windows 8 2D look.

TeamViewer 9 offers some very welcome improvements. My personal favorite is the ability to cut-and-paste or drag-and-drop files from the host desktop (the computer doing the controlling) to the client (the computer being controlled) and cut-and-paste from the client. It's much handier than opening the file transfer dialog as was required formerly, though that function still exists for working with older TeamViewer clients.

Multiple sessions now show in tabs instead of in separate windows, making things much neater. If a session needs your attention, the tab will light up. Also, you have the option of using secondary authentication (with an authenticator such as Google's) when you're connecting from a mobile device. Another improvement is the ability to send the Wake-on-LAN signal to remote computers so they don't have to be left on all the time. That can save a huge amount of power over time.

TeamViewer 9's appearance is now flattened to match Windows 8, though it maintains TeamViewer's signature color scheme. The other changes are largely for paid Business ($750) and Premium ($1500) subscribers. These include a new API with reporting and user management features, plus custom looks for modules that don't have to be redone with each iteration.

The options dialog shows the breadth of features TeamViewer offers.

The beta version of TeamViewer 9 that I tested seemed as stable and robust as version 8, meaning I had no problems with it. The only issues I've ever experienced with TeamViewer were several versions back and FTP-related. Other than that, it's been a rock.

I love the tabs, drag and drop, and wake-on-LAN. You should upgrade, as it remains free for personal use. Keep the new features coming, Teamviewer!

From PC World. Electronics product reviews and advice for best reference

Final Draft 8 for Windows review: Screenwriting software ready for its close-up

Protip: Before you start rehearsing your acceptance speech for Best Screenplay, you have to actually write the screenplay. You'll have to bring your own brilliant ideas, but Final Draft can help with the format.

Final Draft 8's Elements picklist makes it easy to get started.

Scripts have unique formatting requirements, and a host of specialized word processing packages have sprung up to meet screenwriters' needs. Most studios have strict requirements for script submission, so this is one area where it's wise to start with the industry standard and stick with it. Creativity is prized, but only in the script itself...not in its format.

Keep tabs on your changes with the revision tracker.

Fortunately, Final Draft, the screenwriting industry's tool of choice, is a pleasure to use. Its dialogs may not look glamorous, but this program houses a full-featured script editor, scene navigation tools, voice readback controls with multiple vocal styles, special printing formats, and a collaborative mode that lets you host or join a multi-user writing session with other people working on the same project. There's a Mac edition as well.

While the demo mode does a good job showing what the software is like to use, its limitations mean spending the stiff $250 asking price before any worthwhile commercial work can be accomplished. That's Hollywood, baby.

From PC World. Electronics product reviews and advice for best reference

Celtx review: Professional screenwriting software at starving-artist prices

To dabble in scriptwriting without the full $250 investment for Final Draft, Celtx provides a pared-down set of features at a much more palatable price. The full-featured Celtx Plus package weighs in at a reasonable $15 (often $10 on sale via the Celtx company website, and with a 15-day free trial). A personal-use free edition centers on screenplays, but Celtx Plus allows for storyboards, catalogs, specialized viewing modes and includes clip art and other extras.

Celtx includes many of the features you'll find in screenwriting software Final Draft, but it costs far, far less.

Both free and Plus editions are available for Linux, Mac, and PC.

Celtx also offers mobile versions for Android and iOS and hosts the web-based Celtx Edge, which uses the Google Docs model to provide script and other collaborative media writing tools via browser window.

Note: The download button takes you to the vendor's site, where you must register to download any edition of the software.

From PC World. Electronics product reviews and advice for best reference

Review: DropittoMe offers simple Dropbox sharing without software

DROPitTOme DropittoMe is a free and easy way to allow others to upload content to your Dropbox—and you might find it pretty handy, too.

If you use the online file sharing service Dropbox, you know how easy it is for other users to send you files. But what about people who don't use Dropbox? DROPitTOme (and yes, that is how they capitalize it) is a free service that provides a simple way that people can upload files to your Dropbox account without having to install anything. It's similar to the handy dbinbox.

DropittoMe requires a password before content can be uploaded to your account, which is a nice security feature.

To use DropittoMe, you simply allow the service access to your Dropbox, and it creates a DropittoMe folder in your account. You then claim your username, which will be part of the link DropittoMe creates for you. I was able to claim “Liane” as a username, so my link will be relatively easy for anyone with whom I share it to remember it. With this link, anyone can send me files that then appear in the Dropittome folder in Dropbox.

I like that DropittoMe doesn’t simply assign you a random link. Instead, you get an easy-to-remember URL. What’s also nice is that you get to create a password, which folks who want to upload content to your Dropbox account will need to send files. It’s not the utmost in security—especially when you consider the security pitfalls of how you’re going to share that password with your friends and colleagues—but it is at least a protective barrier to your account.

DropittoMe’s interface is easy to understand, but also slick and attractive.

DropittoMe isn’t just for other folks to use. It’s also a convenient way to upload files to your own Dropbox account. You could use Dropbox’s own Web app when using a computer without Dropbox installed, but DropittoMe’s upload link can be even simpler. It allows you to upload files with fewer clicks. It allows you to place them only in the DropittoMe folder that it’s already created, though. And it limits you to files that are 75MB or smaller. But it’s a free, easy way to allow others to share content with you without them having to sign up for Dropbox.

Note: The Download button takes you to to the vendor's website, where you can sign up to use this Web service.

From PC World. Electronics product reviews and advice for best reference

Must-have software for college students

Another summer has gone by, and students are setting off to college. When faced with the abundance of awesome tools available for students today, part of me wishes I were staking out a library carrel along with them.

If you’re lucky enough to be a student in this golden age of tech, don’t miss these great finds. Most of them are free, and all of them are bound to make the start of the new school year smoother than the last.

For college students, the old “reading, writing, and ’rithmetic” morphs into writing papers, doing basic stats, and creating presentations (and yes, still lots of reading). No matter what you’re studying or where, you’re going to have to perform these tasks from time to time. Even with student discounts, Microsoft Office Suite can cost anywhere between $80 and $140. But if you think there’s no alternative, you have a little research to do.

LibreOffice Writer includes most Microsoft Word features, including track changes and the formatting brush.

With its powerful Writer, Calc, and Impress programs, LibreOffice 4 offers a free and capable alternative to Microsoft’s Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. LibreOffice covers almost every feature you’ll find in Microsoft’s tools, and it can open and save as any Microsoft document with a minimal learning curve. LibreOffice’s free suite also includes Base (an Access alternative), Draw, and Math.

Unless you’re a real Microsoft addict, you’ll be surprised at how easily you can get used to LibreOffice. It’s available in Linux, Mac, and PC editions.

Every student knows the pain of collecting articles, managing a library, and, worst of all, creating citations. Zotero is a veteran (and free) tool that solves all these problems. Originally a Firefox add-on, Zotero has recently become available for Chrome and Safari as well as via its standalone desktop version. It works on Linux, Mac, and PC.

With Zotero’s word processor plug-in, adding citations to your papers is unbelievably easy.

Zotero makes it easy to collect research papers off the Web, attach PDFs, find relevant articles in your library, and sync it across PCs. With the help of a Microsoft Word or LibreOffice plug-in, Zotero takes the pain out of citations and bibliography, doing all the heavy lifting for you, using any of the major citation styles. Zotero helped me complete my graduate degree, and it’s a must-have tool for any higher-education student.

There’s more to your PDF library than organization and citations, though. Students and scholars alike have to skim through dozens of articles, examining figures, highlighting important parts, and adding notes of their own. Ideally, you should also be able to quickly refer back to these articles and notes.

Use the built-in reader to add highlights and comments, as well as to easily find related articles.

ReadCube is a PDF manager with a built-in PDF reader. It makes the job of finding, reading, and collecting articles a breeze. ReadCube identifies your articles, turning them into a searchable database that also includes your notes and highlights. We reviewed the PC edition, but it’s also available for Mac.

Discovering new articles is ReadCube’s forte, with powerful features such as turning all citations into links, getting quick lists of every article that cites the one you’re reading, and presenting a list of related articles you might be interested in. Google Scholar and PubMed searches are also built-in, and are better than ever before. And if you regularly need articles from Nature, ReadCube lets you buy or rent them for very affordable prices.

ReadCube makes it easy to browse your PDF library, with abstracts appearing on the right.

This fall, ReadCube promises a new and simple citation tool, cloud sync capabilities, and a tablet app. We’ll have to wait and see how these new features perform and how they enhance the ReadCube experience.

Renting articles from one publisher is nice, but it’s not enough. If you’re not affiliated with a university or don’t have access to its proxy, getting full-text versions of articles is either expensive or impossible. DeepDyve is an innovative service targeted at individuals and companies alike. It makes the process much more affordable by letting you rent articles from an ever-expanding list of thousands of journals from Auto/Biography Studies to Zoomorphology.

You can read any article available on DeepDyve for free for five minutes per day.

An abstract is not enough to judge an entire paper. A free account with DeepDyve gets you access to full-text articles for five minutes a day. If you deem an article interesting, you can pay $20 for five 30-day rentals, or $40/month for 40 monthly rentals.

DeepDyve's homepage includes your rental history, and an RSS reader for journals.

DeepDyve’s interface is friendly and easy to use, and a browser plug-in for Google Scholar tells you which articles in the results list are available for rent. Your DeepDyve personal homepage is an RSS reader of sorts, so you can use it to follow your favorite journals. Even if you are affiliated with a university, DeepDyve is a great way to preview full-text articles when you don’t have access to the proxy.

An even bigger part of every student’s life is attending lectures and taking notes. Every student knows the ever-present dilemma: listen to the lecture, or try to take notes? Sonocent Audio Notetaker ($150 for a perpetual license for Mac or PC, 30-day free trial) is an ambitious product that brings an end to this plight.

By converting audio into bars, Audio Notetaker makes it easy to attach colors, text, and images to your audio.

Audio Notetaker analyzes recorded audio to create speech bars that are easy to navigate. You can enhance these bars with colors, text, images, screenshots, slides, and PDF documents, and add text and references to boot. Audio Notetaker can record live lectures, interviews, Skype calls, and even online talks. It makes it possible to concentrate on listening while taking minimal notes, and easily go over the recorded material later.

Audio Notetaker is an innovative way to handle recordings, but the current price is a serious hit to a student’s budget. The PC edition I tried also crashed multiple times, causing me to lose my work. It’s a great tool, but not yet one on which to rely completely.

Some note-taking techniques are kludgey: printing out slide decks and writing on them, for instance, or copying and pasting images into a word processor. Notable.ac is another attempt to take on the note-taking problem—in the form of a free-to-use Web app.

Some Notable.ac notes are general, and some relate to certain spots on the slide.

Notable.ac is more than just a note-taking app. It’s a complete course platform for both students and lecturers. Once a course is created in the system, anyone can upload the course’s PDFs, Powerpoint slides, or Microsoft Word docs. The entire class can join in and either collaborate on notes or write their own private ones.

After creating a Notable.ac repository for a course, you can upload PDFs and invite your fellow students to join.

Notable.ac doesn’t currently support highlighting, but you can tie slide notes to certain points on the slide for easier reference. The lecturer panel, currently available only by request, also provides some trends and insights into the class’s behavior. Notable.ac is a great alternative to university-provided platforms, and its features can give classes a boost.

Students of human anatomy know how dizzying it gets with all those different blood vessels, bones, muscles, and nerves...and that’s without getting into the different parts of the brain, heart, and other internal organs. Zygote Body is an amazing 3D simulation of the human body, complete with every layer, organ, and vessel.

Use Zygote Body’s left slider to add or subtract layers of the human body.

Using your keyboard or mouse, you can slowly peel away or add the different parts of the human body, and learn more about them by searching for an organ or clicking the one you’re interested in. Even if you don’t study science, Zygote Body is an excellent way to get the bigger picture of the human body.

The growing abundance of original and useful studying tools makes being a student increasingly enjoyable. Don’t cheat yourself: Check out these tools and make the most of your college days.

Yaara is a foodie, horse-lover, and biologist who enjoys being a geek as a full-time job.
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Review: MuseScore is powerful and free musical notation software

If you thought you had to pay an arm and a leg for a top-notch musical notation editor, think again. MuseScore is powerful, versatile, and free. It may not offer the bells and whistles provided by some of the paid competition, but the core functionality is there: WYSIWYG creation and editing, support for unlimited staves, unlimited score length, a plug-in architecture, and excellent-looking notation.

You can compose intricate music with MuseScore.

The more I played with MuseScore, the more impressed I became. There's finer control over the size and spacing for nearly every object: clef, stave, accidental, performance mark, etc. than most users will need. It has MIDI input, Music XML import and export, its own internal sounds, and support for ASI0 (a low latency audio standard) and JACK MIDI (a free patch bay that works between MIDI programs), though not the more popular Rewire (another patch bay/signal router).

If you're used to Sibelius or Finale, you'll probably feel right at home with MuseScore. I'd prefer a simple left-click to do something other than just drag the page around, but that's me. One area where the program hits the nail on the head is allowing you to drag note modifiers and performance markings directly to the notes they will operate on. Brilliant.

Also brilliant is allowing users to redefine the keyboard shortcuts, though the process could be streamlined a bit. MuseScore is as challenged in the area of mouse editing as the rest of the notation industry, which has never seemed to fully grasp the drag-and-drop concept. But all in all, it's as easy for entering symbols and editing as the competition is.

Most MuseScore features work flawlessly, but I did find a couple of oddities. The program imported a piano MIDI file onto a single treble stave, rather than the usual treble and bass staves. There's a split staff function, but it would be nice to automate the process. Also, playback volume for the internal synthesizer was very low. Other than that, the program seemed stable as a rock.

MuseScore's page settings help you print out sheet music exactly the way you need it.

MuseScore is built on the cross-platform QT library and is also available for both Linux and the Mac. I highly recommend taking it for a test spin if you're in the market for your first notation program, or to see just how powerful free can be. Don't forget to check out the plug-in library which may offer any functionality that you find missing.

Note: The Download button on the Product Information page will download the software to your system.

Jon L. Jacobi has worked with computers since you flipped switches and punched cards to program them. He studied music at Julliard, and now he power mods his car for kicks.
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Review: Get software directly from the vendor with a single click with DDownloads

Setting up a new PC can be a daunting task. Getting it out of the box and plugged in is the easy part. The challenge comes from tracking down all those little patches, utilities, and other minor software that you accumulated through the years on your old PC. Free utility DDownloads (free) helps you out by giving you easy access to hundreds of popular applications, tools, and utilities, directly from official sources.

The Home screen gives you quick access to all the main features.

It is tempting to compare DDownloads to Ninite, an online service that streamlines the installation of nearly 100 apps. What sets DDownloads apart is that has a larger selection of software (500 vs Ninite's 94), and it gives you far more control over the installation because, by default, it does not automate app installation. This can be especially important if your PC has an SSD drive, in which case you may prefer to install applications somewhere other than the default location.

The application opens to a home screen that gives you quick access to basic features, such as the various software categories, and advanced features such as silent installation and batch installation. The Windows Starter Kit provides you with a list of links for very common apps and utilities such as Adobe Flash, Adobe Reader, Microsoft .NET and Silverlight, Oracle Java runtimes, and so on.

When browsing the application databases, clicking the name of an application will show the URL for the download page in the bottom-right corner. Some applications do not allow direct links to the download, so instead DDownloads sends the URL to your Web browser, and your browser will then download the file. If you are the suspicious type, you can right-click the application name and select "Copy Download Link to Clipboard" and manually paste it into your Web browser. If the link is dead, you can use the handy "Copy App Name to Clipboard" function to try to track the app down the old-fashioned way.

DDownloads offers several advanced features as well. While it primarily lists software from a list provided by DDownloads.net, you can also add your own favorites to the list. If an application allows silent installation, DDownloads makes it very simple to do so. Technicians will be pleased to find a list of free testing apps, such as Memtest86+ and WireShark.

The organization of the apps in DDownloads can be a little confusing, and the sparse documentation doesn't help. However, after consulting with the author, I received some clarification.

This screenshot shows a portion of the software categories available in DDownloads.

There are three major download lists: "Get Apps," "Portable Apps," and "Slim Apps." Apps in the "Get Apps" section are general-audience applications. Installers are linked when available, but some apps don't have installers so an archive file (like ZIP) is linked instead. Apps in the "Portable Apps" section are self-contained apps meant to be run directly off a USB thumb drive without needing an installer of any kind. Lastly, apps in the "Slim Apps" section are apps that are not ad-supported in any way, and do not install third-party toolbars.

Besides the sparse documentation, the only other complaint I have is that the advanced features are not very easy to use. As an example, suppose you want to perform a silent install of Exact Audio Copy, a free and easy-to-use CD ripping tool. First, you download the app, which arrives with a filename eac-1.0beta3.exe. Then you move that file to the DInstalls folder in the DDownloads directory. Next you have to rename it to "Exact Audio Copy.exe," and then you can use DDownloads to perform the silent install automatically. These instructions are found in a readme.txt file included with DDownloads, but otherwise are not provided anywhere else. In a recent update, an autodetect feature was added to the Install Manager that eliminates the need to rename the installer filename, but it still has to be done manually.

These rough edges, while potentially frustrating, are pretty common with any new software, and DDownloads is just getting started. The application list grows as more users contribute their suggestions, and the developer is very responsive when it comes to fixing issues. As the project continues to mature, I expect the documentation to improve and the advanced features to become smoother to use; but even in its current state, DDownloads is an excellent tool.

Note: The Download button on the Product Information page takes you to the vendor's site, where you can download the latest version of the software.

Nathanael is a freelance writer who lives with his family in Caldwell, Idaho. Besides writing about software, he also specializes in eBook conversions.
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From PCWorld. Visit Amazon Computer and Notebook Center here

Review: Get software directly from the vendor with a single click with DDownloads

Setting up a new PC can be a daunting task. Getting it out of the box and plugged in is the easy part. The challenge comes from tracking down all those little patches, utilities, and other minor software that you accumulated through the years on your old PC. Free utility DDownloads (free) helps you out by giving you easy access to hundreds of popular applications, tools, and utilities, directly from official sources.

The Home screen gives you quick access to all the main features.

It is tempting to compare DDownloads to Ninite, an online service that streamlines the installation of nearly 100 apps. What sets DDownloads apart is that has a larger selection of software (500 vs Ninite's 94), and it gives you far more control over the installation because, by default, it does not automate app installation. This can be especially important if your PC has an SSD drive, in which case you may prefer to install applications somewhere other than the default location.

The application opens to a home screen that gives you quick access to basic features, such as the various software categories, and advanced features such as silent installation and batch installation. The Windows Starter Kit provides you with a list of links for very common apps and utilities such as Adobe Flash, Adobe Reader, Microsoft .NET and Silverlight, Oracle Java runtimes, and so on.

When browsing the application databases, clicking the name of an application will show the URL for the download page in the bottom-right corner. Some applications do not allow direct links to the download, so instead DDownloads sends the URL to your Web browser, and your browser will then download the file. If you are the suspicious type, you can right-click the application name and select "Copy Download Link to Clipboard" and manually paste it into your Web browser. If the link is dead, you can use the handy "Copy App Name to Clipboard" function to try to track the app down the old-fashioned way.

DDownloads offers several advanced features as well. While it primarily lists software from a list provided by DDownloads.net, you can also add your own favorites to the list. If an application allows silent installation, DDownloads makes it very simple to do so. Technicians will be pleased to find a list of free testing apps, such as Memtest86+ and WireShark.

The organization of the apps in DDownloads can be a little confusing, and the sparse documentation doesn't help. However, after consulting with the author, I received some clarification.

This screenshot shows a portion of the software categories available in DDownloads.

There are three major download lists: "Get Apps," "Portable Apps," and "Slim Apps." Apps in the "Get Apps" section are general-audience applications. Installers are linked when available, but some apps don't have installers so an archive file (like ZIP) is linked instead. Apps in the "Portable Apps" section are self-contained apps meant to be run directly off a USB thumb drive without needing an installer of any kind. Lastly, apps in the "Slim Apps" section are apps that are not ad-supported in any way, and do not install third-party toolbars.

Besides the sparse documentation, the only other complaint I have is that the advanced features are not very easy to use. As an example, suppose you want to perform a silent install of Exact Audio Copy, a free and easy-to-use CD ripping tool. First, you download the app, which arrives with a filename eac-1.0beta3.exe. Then you move that file to the DInstalls folder in the DDownloads directory. Next you have to rename it to "Exact Audio Copy.exe," and then you can use DDownloads to perform the silent install automatically. These instructions are found in a readme.txt file included with DDownloads, but otherwise are not provided anywhere else. In a recent update, an autodetect feature was added to the Install Manager that eliminates the need to rename the installer filename, but it still has to be done manually.

These rough edges, while potentially frustrating, are pretty common with any new software, and DDownloads is just getting started. The application list grows as more users contribute their suggestions, and the developer is very responsive when it comes to fixing issues. As the project continues to mature, I expect the documentation to improve and the advanced features to become smoother to use; but even in its current state, DDownloads is an excellent tool.

Note: The Download button on the Product Information page takes you to the vendor's site, where you can download the latest version of the software.

Nathanael is a freelance writer who lives with his family in Caldwell, Idaho. Besides writing about software, he also specializes in eBook conversions.
More by Nathanael Strong

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Security software showdown! 9 antivirus suites empirically tested

If you’re like a lot of people, when it comes time to renew your security software, you may ask yourself, “Do I really need to upgrade to the latest version?” The answer is yes. Keeping up-to-date is generally a good idea, as new threats surface constantly. And if you value mobile security or use a social network, this year’s crop of security suites is worth paying attention to.

An increasing number of security suites now feature special tools to help protect you on social networks—a growing target for spammers, scammers, and other parties who want to get at your personal information. For example, Trend Micro’s Titanium Internet Security suite comes with a handy tool that highlights any possible areas of concern involving your Facebook privacy settings. Various suites also include tools that will scan links on social networks so that you aren’t duped into clicking a malicious link hidden behind a URL shortener.

If you own a smartphone or tablet, or both, the security class of 2013 has some new tools for you. And some security packages come with a mobile app that provides protection against mobile malware or includes other features such as GPS tracking to help you find your phone should it go missing. These apps often also include remote-wipe capabilities that let you delete the contents of a missing phone or tablet so your private data doesn’t end up falling into the wrong hands.

In addition, Windows 8 has changed the way security software makers design their programs. Many of the suites we looked at this year sport redesigned interfaces that include larger buttons and controls made to be more touch-friendly.

As usual, we teamed up with the fine folks at AV-Test, a respected antivirus testing lab based in Germany. AV-Test ran each suite through a comprehensive battery of tests to find out how well each would stand up to the worst malware currently in existence. AV-Test also performed speed testing to determine whether the suites will slow your PC to a crawl. We analyzed the data that AV-Test provided, and then tried each of the products ourselves to give you an idea of which suites you should go for—and which ones you should pass on.

Here are the suites we tested. You can click on each link to read individual reviews, or simply read this list for quick star ratings and summaries.

1. F-Secure Internet Security 2013 — 4.5 stars (Superior). F-Secure’s latest suite offers excellent protection and a friendly user interface.

2. Norton Internet Security 2013 — 4.5 stars (Superior). With its great detection rate and Windows 8-ready design, Norton’s suite is definitely worth a look.

3. Trend Micro Titanium Internet Security 2013 — 4.5 stars (Superior). This “titanium” suite earned high marks in almost all our detection tests, and it has a nice interface.

4. Bitdefender Internet Security 2013 — 4.5 stars (Superior). Bitdefender has a user-friendly interface that will appeal to people of all experience levels.

5. Kaspersky Internet Security 2013 — 4 stars (Very Good). Kaspersky lets both beginners and advanced users get the most out of its suite, and scored well in our tests.

6. McAfee Internet Security 2013 — 4 stars (Very Good). McAfee didn’t earn top marks, but it’s still a proficient, user-friendly antimalware program.

7. G Data InternetSecurity 2013 — 3.5 stars (Very Good). G Data has an effective suite, but in­­stallation is a hassle, with a settings panel that's more suited to advanced users.

8. AVG Internet Security 2013 — 3.5 stars (Very Good). AVG’s security program is perfectly re­­spectable. But perfectly respectable just doesn’t cut it these days.

9. Avira Internet Security 2013 — 3.5 stars (Very Good). This suite is competent at detecting, disabling, and cleaning up malware, but its user interface is unfriendly.

BEST OVERALL: F-Secure Internet Security 2013 F-Secure's 2013 suite kept our test system free of malware and did a great job of cleaning up infections that made it onto our PC. It's speedy and well designed, too.

BEST PROTECTION: Trend Micro Titanium Internet Security 2013
This suite had the most well rounded protection of all the suites we looked at. It proved effective at keeping malware at bay and at cleaning up infected PCs.

BEST SPEED: Norton Internet Security The days of Norton being ridiculed as slow are long gone: Norton's newest suite had lightning-quick scan times, and its impact on overall PC performance was minimal.

BEST INTERFACE: Norton Internet Security We liked Norton's polished, easy-to-use interface and one-click installation process. It's also designed to be Windows 8-friendly.

The security software market is highly competitive and it showed in our test results. In
our testing, no suite detected less than 97.8 percent of recent known malware samples,
and blocked below around 94.4 percent of new malware in our "real-world" attack-
blocking tests. False positives were also largely a non-issue. But if you look closely,
there are still some notable differences.

We noticed a fairly wide difference in terms of ease of use between the suites we
looked at. While some—like Norton and Trend Micro—were very user friendly and
polished, others—like Avira and G Data—were less so and seemed to be designed with
expert users in mind.

In the end, even the lower-ranked suites performed reasonably well, but simply didn't
stand out enough to claim a higher ranking.

For the sake of this story, we looked at mainstream Internet security suites, but most
security companies also sell more feature-complete "advanced" suites. These suites
include products like Norton 360, Trend Micro Titanium Maximum Security, and AVG
Premium Security.

For the most part, these advanced suites feature the same basic antivirus engine as the
more basic suites, but will also include PC maintenance tools, online backup, additional
parental controls and privacy controls, and more.

What comes in the more advanced packages compared to the more basic suites does
very between manufacturers, though: Some include a mobile app with the basic suite,
while others include it only in their advanced suites. In general, though, the basic suites
contain just about everything you'll need to keep your PC protected.

(by Tony Bradley)

More sophisticated phishing Email and text messages that contain links to malicious websites will improve in quality to the point that they'll be virtually indistinguishable from legitimate communications. The messages will become more polished and professional—no more broken English and poor grammar.

Watering-hole attacks A drive-by download is a twist on the concept of browser-based attacks. In this sort of attack, cybercriminals post malicious content on a Web page, and then try to figure out some way to lure you to visit the website. If the PC you use to visit the website is vulnerable to the exploit used by the attack, malware is downloaded and the system is compromised. In 2013, though, attackers will continue to hone in with more precise attacks known as "watering hole" attacks. Rather than casting a wide net (as attackers do with drive-by downloads), the watering hole attack is more precise.

Data breaches In 2013, attackers will continue to target weak security on Internet-facing database systems to acquire thousands or millions of compromised records at once rather than going after individual users. Unfortunately, there isn't much you can do to prevent this sort of attack, but you can go on the defensive by being vigilant. Monitor your bank and credit card statements and report anything suspicious to your financial institution.

 Note: Click on the chart image below to see a summary of our findings.

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Need Reliable Office Software at a Sub-Microsoft Price? Consider Kingsoft Office Suite

Business still revolves around the Big Three software applications: word processing, spreadsheets, and presentations. And Microsoft still charges an arm and a leg for Office licenses. What's a cash-strapped small shop to do? There are, of course, a number of freebie alternatives to Microsoft Office, most notably OpenOffice.org and LibreOffice. However, OpenOffice faces an uncertain future, and LibreOffice is bogged down by a clumsy, outdated interface and iffy file compatibility. Allow me to suggest a lesser-known alternative: Kingsoft Office Suite 2012. Kingsoft offers Free, Standard (available here), and Professional editions, the latter two priced at $50 and $70, respectively.

Kingsoft's suite consists of three modules: the aptly named Writer, Spreadsheets, and Presentation. They're fully file-compatible with Word, Excel, and PowerPoint; I had no trouble loading my existing documents or saving new ones in Microsoft formats.

On the feature front, it matches up pretty well--though there's one big ace up the Kingsoft suite's sleeve: a tabbed view for documents, something Microsoft Office still lacks. Each open document gets its own tab, just like different Web sites get tabs in your browser. That makes switching between them much easier than in Microsoft Office.

The only question is, which version of the suite should you get? My advice: Start with the free one. Its interface is immediately familiar to anyone fluent in Microsoft Office 2003, and the only significant feature it lacks is macro support. The free version also lacks the ability to save documents in Office 2007/2010 formats, though it can open them.

That said, if your employees are already accustomed to Microsoft's Ribbon interface, consider investing in Kingsoft Standard or Professional. Both give you a choice between the aforementioned Office 2003-style interface or one that looks straight out of Office 2010. In other words, it's a Ribbon knockoff, and a damn good one. (You can actually switch back and forth between the two, a nice touch.)

If you want to learn more, Kingsoft has a page devoted to the differences between Office Free, Standard, and Professional.

For the record, I've been using both the Free and Professional versions on different machines, and I've found both to be excellent. But I prefer Pro, mostly because I like the Ribbon-style interface.

And at $70, Kingsoft Office Suite Professional costs considerably less than Microsoft Office Professional 2010, which starts at $350. Granted, the latter also includes Outlook, Publisher, and Access, so it's not quite an apples-to-apples comparison.

However, if you don't need those tools, but do need the Big Three, I definitely think Kingsoft Office is worth a look.

--Rick Broida

Kingsoft Office Suite Standard 2012 is designed to cater to the office need of users at home, school or company. It consists three parts: Writer, Spreadsheets and Presentation. Using it, users can create, view, edit and save all document formats of Microsoft Office.Whilst, Microsoft Office can open all Kingsoft files even without Kingsoft Office being installed on that computer, so users don't have to worry about the compatibility problem.

The interface of Standard 2012 also adopts the 2012 interface design elements. The multi-tab feature and and sophisticated toolbar facilitate quick and convenient file management. The appearance of this interface is highly similar to Microsoft 2007.

The standard version has all the features which professional version has except the VBA macro function. These features standard version has are enough to match the daily requirements. The installation package of Standard 2012 is small and allow users to easily install and uninstall the software. Secondly, it offers a built-in spell checker to help check the documents. Thirdly, the built-in PDF converter allows convert Word, Excel and PowerPoint files into PDF formats. Lastly, offers a large number of templates in Presentation Standard 2012 that help users to easily and efficiently create slides directly by using these templates.

In addition, Kingsoft Office Suite Standard 2012 added several distinctive functions. The powerful paragraph adjustment tool allows users to edit paragraphs with ease. It supports dropping and dragging the paragraph directly. There is also a table style adjustment function that includes a useful add row or column icon. Simply drop and drag the icon when users need to add a row or column to a table.

With this update, it is now easier to protect documents. An encryption function is offered as part of Office Standard that allows users to better protect their files. There is also an online update function to help download the newest.

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Paragon Software Hard Disk Manager 12 Professional Review: Storage Tools Wrapped in a Middling Interface

Paragon Hard Disk Manager 12 Professional ($100 as of June 1, 2012) is as comprehensive a toolset for hard drives as you'll find. It has full backup, imaging, and partitioning capabilities, and it also supports virtualization software such as VirtualBox and VMware by allowing you to create virtual machines for those programs.

The Paragon Hard Disk Manager 12 Professional interface is relatively straightforward, but the dialogs could stand some improvement.HDM hasn't changed a whole lot since the last version; it was already so comprehensive, however, that Paragon simply didn't have that much to add. The short list of partition functions includes creating, moving, formatting, deleting, backing up, burning to CD, converting the file system, and wiping. You can do the same things with entire disks, as well as convert them from MBR to GPT. You can also back up and restore individual files and folders.

Included in HDM 12 Pro are all the features offered in the company's Virtualization Manager: You can convert a partition to a virtual machine and back, convert a Windows 7 backup image to a VM, and restore from a VM to diverse hardware. The program also handles dynamic disks, merges images, manages multiple backups in archives, and performs a host of other tasks I don't have the room to discuss here. A features list comparison between the professional edition and the less expensive suite version is available at the company's website.

I love the everything-under-one-roof concept of HDM 12's interface. It's far more convenient than jumping around between modules, as with other programs such as Acronis True Image and Disk Director. I also like the fact that you define a series of actions, and then set them in motion using the Apply button. However, I don't see why the program needs to instill even a slight hint of paranoia by asking if you really want to apply the changes when all you're doing is backing up. (On the other hand, you can set several backup jobs to go off consecutively using the define/apply methodology.) On top of that, while the interface is fairly straightforward, I'd rather see standard Windows file dialog boxes, which are to my mind easier to use than Paragon's custom boxes.

For version 12, Paragon is touting a new imaging engine with better performance. Normally I dismiss claims like this as overblown before I've even tested them, and usually I'm correct in my assumptions. In this case, though, I found HDM 12 to be not only fast but also noninterfering. In fact, I wrote the majority of this review with the program humming away in the background, and I forgot that it was running.

One feature that is missing from HDM 12 is the ability to mount an image as a virtual hard drive that you can peruse in Windows Explorer. R-Drive Image and True Image do this, and I've found it to be a handy way to quickly pull a file or two out of a backup. HDM 12 lets you connect to an image to perform partition and other operations on it, but doesn't mount it.

Backup, virtual machines, partitioning, conversion--Hard Drive Manager 12 Professional is a powerful toolkit. At $100, it is a bit pricey for the average user, so be sure to check out the aforementioned $50 suite version to see if that will cover your needs.

Note: The Download button takes you to the vendor's site, where you must register to download the latest version of the software.

--Jon L. Jacobi

The high end, all-in-one solution for hard disk management!

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First Look: Nivio Cloud Software Service Is Promising, but Overly Complicated

Because Nivio is still in by-invitation beta, with elements such as a native iPad app not ready in time for this article, it's a bit premature to develop a formal opinion on Nivio. An ambitious attempt to adapt Windows--and Windows applications--for mobile devices, Nivio could turn into a powerful service, but right now it's just too darn complicated to use.

Even launching Nivio is a hassle. While the developers put the finishing touches on its iPad app (which I'm hoping will streamline the process), beta testers are directed to a third-party virtualization app, Wyse PocketCloud. Once you install it, however, you don't actually run it to use Nivio; rather, you open Safari and navigate to the Nivio website. (Nivio uses the Wyse technology behind the scenes to power its system.) Once you've logged in, Nivio brings you to a home page from which you can launch the Nivio Desktop app (which requires a second login).

Once you finally see Nivio's Windows desktop, you still have to hunt for the Office apps: All that appears on the desktop are shortcuts to nDrive (Nivio's storage service), nApps (a store with virtualized versions of desktop apps), Internet Explorer, the Recycle Bin, and a shortcut to Nivio's online help desk.

This Web page showing your Nivio files is one stop of many on the way to seeing its Windows desktop.

At the bottom of the screen, Nivio has added its own taskbar, with half a dozen icons whose functions aren't particularly intuitive. One icon brings up a pop-up menu linking to a file browser, a desktop-snapshot utility, help, and a disconnect command. An arrow-shaped icon turns into a virtual mouse, which helps you pinpoint small icons on applications (a lot of Office Ribbon icons are pretty tiny). Another icon summons the virtual keyboard, a different one zooms in on an area of the screen, and still another one relates to PocketCloud Companion (which apparently relates to the Wyse technology).

It's all very confusing, and none of it helped me access the Office applications. I finally found them listed in the folder you get when you tap the nApps icon; you can also reach them by tapping on an arrow at the right end of the Nivio taskbar, which brings up the familiar Windows Start button (which in turn lets you summon programs). But Nivio should consider simply putting shortcuts on the default desktop.

Nivio's service offers access to virtualized versions of several dozen Windows applications and applets.

Nivio's navigation tools (particularly the virtual mouse) are its concession to the problem of dealing with the Office Ribbon on a small screen, without a hardware mouse. Once you get used to the arrangement, it's a reasonable compromise, but I prefer CloudOn's decision to tinker with the Ribbon design in order to make icons large enough to use with a fingertip.

Nivio's version of Internet Explorer worked well on static sites--I was able to play a Flash-based bridge game that I couldn't log in to in OnLive Desktop's version of IE. But Nivio engineers say they haven't gotten around to optimizing it for video, and the clips I saw did indeed look jerky.

Admittedly, Nivio offers a larger selection of virtualized applications than the other cloud-based services I looked at; most notably it's the only one to offer the Microsoft Visio diagramming program. Because you can run Nivio on PCs as well as on mobile devices, accessing files on nDrive is easy regardless of what device you're working on.

But price may become an issue, as Nivio will charge subscription fees for the applications you use, on top of a monthly fee for use of nDesktop, its virtualized version of Windows. For example, Office use will run $15 a month, while individual Office apps will go for $7.50 a month. The company is making 10GB of nDrive storage available for free to all comers, but you'll have to pay by the hour for using nDesktop. Individuals can pay $5 per month for 10 hours of nDesktop use or $15 a month for unlimited use.

Until Nivio becomes simpler to use (and eliminates IE video problems), it's a tough sell at any price. But if it solves those problems, its growing application portfolio could make it attractive.

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Nokia Offers $100 Credit for Lumia 900 Software Bug

The Lumia 900 has already zipped to the top of cell phone charts on Amazon, indicating consumers are sitting up and paying attention to Nokia’s bright blue hope. Now, they have more reason than ever to consider grabbing a unit. Since Nokia confirmed the existence of data connection issues with the handset, the company has begun to offer a $100 credit to all Lumia 900 users–whether or not they were affected by the issue.

$100 will automatically be credited to AT&T customer bills, as long as the user purchased the Lumia 900 by April 21. Since it costs $100 to get the phone on a new two-year contract, the deal makes the handset essentially free.

Lumia 900 users began experiencing data connection failure on their phones immediately — a memory management issue related to the software of the handset, not to hardware or to AT&T’s network. In order to rectify the problem, users can swap their phones for a good unit at any AT&T retail store, or download the pertinent software update through Zune on April 16.

Nokia certainly deserves props for their generous method of dealing with this problem. If you’ve already availed of this deal — or are planning to — be sure to check out our Top 25 Windows Phone Apps that’ll surely give you a few ideas about where to spend all that extra credit you’ll soon be enjoying.

via AllThingsD

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Can Your Software Live in the Cloud?

If you've ever tried to work with a Microsoft Office document on a mobile device, you know that the traditional tools--mobile productivity suites such as Documents To Go and Quickoffice, or Web apps such as Google Docs and Zoho Office--are imperfect. They often lack features found in the native applications, or they mess up the document's formatting.

But several new services take a different approach to helping you do real work on tablets and smartphones: They run Microsoft Office or other productivity programs on remote servers, delivering to your mobile device a version of the traditional user interface optimized for the device's capabilities.

In a way, the three services I looked at--CloudOn, Nivio, and OnLive Desktop--are basically updated implementations of the thin-client concept that has been kicking around for years. (Remember Larry Ellison's New Internet Computer?) Though the idea was never a big hit in the past, the time may have finally come for that approach, thanks to the widespread availability of broadband Internet access and the rapid growth of devices that don't run Windows or OS X and have limited computing power.

All three services deliver the popular Office trifecta (Word, Excel, and PowerPoint) to the iPad (some to Android devices as well). And all three have a Web-based storage component so that you can access your files anywhere (Nivio and OnLive offer storage as part of their service, while CloudOn integrates with Box.com and Dropbox).

They differ significantly in other ways, however. CloudOn delivers its applications (in addition to the Office apps, it has just added Adobe Reader and a universal image file viewer) in a spartan user interface of its own design. Nivio and OnLive Desktop, meanwhile, both provide a full-blown virtual Windows desktop, including versions of Internet Explorer that support (in varying degrees) technologies such as Flash and run sites that Safari doesn't.

CloudOn's user interface is the simplest to use. The latest release of CloudOn adds support for Adobe Reader and a universal image-file viewer.

At this writing, OnLive Desktop also offers Windows' Paint and Calculator accessories, plus Microsoft Surface Collage--a touchscreen-optimized app for turning the desktop into a digital photo frame with a slew of customization options. Nivio, which is still in invitation-only beta (you can get on the wait list at Nivio's website), offers a menu of apps to which you can buy monthly access. All three services say they are working to add more applications.

What Device Do You Want to Use Today?

The devices these services support vary. CloudOn, at this writing, runs on Apple's iPad, but the company expects to add Android (2.3 or later) support within a month or so. OnLive supports iPads and Android (2.3 or later) tablets. Nivio can run in any HTML 5-capable browser, but it offers apps for Windows, OS X, iOS, and Android (2.1 or later) devices.

You'll find differences under the hood, too. CloudOn and OnLive Desktop do all the computing on their servers. Enter a number in a cell in Excel, for instance, and the cloud servers crunch your data. The service then sends to your mobile device an interactive image of what you would see if you were running Excel on your desktop, a process that is sometimes referred to as pixel-streaming. The services' respective secret sauces lie in how they optimize the transmission of data, as well as in the adjustments required to operate a point-and-click application on a touchscreen.

Nivio is a bit more complicated. On an application-by-application basis, it determines which functions are more efficiently performed in the cloud and which are better managed by the mobile device, and then hands off processes accordingly. The company believes that this highly customized approach will ultimately enable superior application offerings and performance, but it may take longer to optimize some features. For example, Sachin Duggal, Nivio cofounder and "chief wizard," says that video performance in IE isn't yet what it should be.

Nivio's service offers access to virtualized versions of several dozen Windows apps and applets.

Subscription Fees Vary

Prices for these services, all on a subscription basis, are in flux. OnLive is offering a basic free service with 2GB of file storage and the core Office apps, but you can't run IE or access file attachments in email without upgrading to the $5-a-month Plus service.

Also, Microsoft has said that OnLive's service violates its licensing agreements. OnLive recently replaced the Windows 7 desktop with Windows Terminal Server, a move that Microsoft says is a step in the right direction. Microsoft says that the licensing negotiations continue; OnLive declined to comment on licensing issues. Whether any settlement with Microsoft might affect pricing is unclear.

OnLive Desktop's version of IE lets you see videos on your iPad that you can't view in Safari.

CloudOn and Nivio both say that they have licensing agreements for their hosting of Office apps. CloudOn is free for now, but Milind Gadekar, CEO and cofounder, says he expects to introduce competitive pricing soon. Nivio's website lists several plans that it intends to offer when it comes out of beta, all of which include free access to 10GB of file storage; basic plans start at $2 a month for 10 hours of access to its desktop service, and $15 a month buys you unlimited access. However, on top of that you must also pay subscription fees for the apps you use: For example, Microsoft Office access will cost $15 a month, and individual apps such as Word or Excel will run $7.50 a month.

People who are reasonably content using free Web apps to tinker with Office documents while away from their PCs may decide that they don't want to pay for these services. But if you're hoping to replace a laptop with a tablet (preferably one with a Bluetooth keyboard) without giving up the full functionality of Microsoft's desktop software--and if broadband access isn't a concern for you--these services are well worth a look. If nothing else, they might well prove to be an attractive alternative to commercial mobile office packages.

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Free Mixxx DJ Software Transforms You Into a DJ

Mixxx is DJ mixing software created and maintained by the open source community. It's free, offers great basic capabilities, and supports around 30 external midi DJ controllers. It's where any aspiring DJ should start off, and it's good enough that you may never leave it--unless you're an FX junkie.

Skinnable MIxxx is a rarity in the open source world—good-looking with a super-intuitive interface. It even has tooltips.To describe Mixxx is to describe just about any DJ software. Basically it mimics a two-turntable physical setup with two wave displays, two sets of controls, two digital turntables and a fader control. At the bottom there's a list pane that displays all the files in the library, playlists, iTunes playlists, Crates (user libraries such as rock, techno, trance...), etc. You can also record with Mixxx, and there's a separate list of your recordings.

The best thing about Mixxx is how easy it is to use as well as be musical with it. My favorite feature is the automatic beat looping buttons. Clicking one of these automatically creates a loop (from eighth notes to 16 bars) and starts playing it. Hot cues (markers you jump to) are provided and of course you can reverse playback, as well as scrub (play at high speed) in either direction. There are also three shelving EQ buttons that morph into filters (blocking the frequencies that they normally boost) with the simple press of a button.

Mixxx, as is other DJ software, is too complex to list all the other features here. Important ones include beat matching, Icecast Internet broadcasting, mic controls, pitch change, time code control from external turntables, and four samplers (which play files but lack advanced controls).

Which brings me to Mixxx's only weakness. Other than the flange effect found on the main page, there are no FX or support for DirectX or VST plug-ins. If you love applying reverb, chorus, metallizers, etc. then Mixxx may not your cup of tea. Note: Linux users can leverage a program called JACK Rack to add FX, but that's not as nice as having them integrated. Integrated effects are, however, in the works.

If you're a pro, you're probably using a high-quality sound interface that comes with its own ASIO drivers. If you're not, then installing ASIO4ALL will greatly reduce the latency of Windows audio and make using Mixxx much smoother. Latency is the time between your computer playing a sound file and when you actually hear it. In this instance, it affects the time between using any playback control and when you hear its effect. With the standard WDM audio drivers latency is usually anywhere from 20ms (doable) to 60ms (not doable) depending on the PC. With ASIO4ALL installed I was able to knock my latency down to less than 3ms which feels instantaneous.

There are a lot of open source programs that are usable, but feel clunky and are, to be blunt-- second-rate. Mixxx is not among them. It's exceptionally easy to use, performs well, and is stable. Even rarer for open source, it's fast and good-looking.

--Jon L. Jacobi

Mixxx is a cross-platform DJ program that lets you mix MP3, OGG, WAV and AIFF music files using a crossfader, tri-band equalizer, cue points plus customisable control of knobs and sliders using keyboard shortcuts or hardware MIDI devices such as music keyboards or control surfaces.

The left side of the program has controls for tracks being played on channel 1 and the right side has controls for channel 2. Playback controls are fairly straightforward, with independent track volume sliders and buttons for stop, pause/play, fast forward, rewind, tempo adjustment (slower/faster), and gain (volume boost). Each channel also has controls to adjust the low, mid and high frequencies of the track being played, ideal for smoothly mixing any kind of track.

Each channel displays the waveform of each track as it plays, which helps you gauge if a track is going to go ambient or kick in. This area also displays a track's estimated beats per minute (bpm/tempo), title/artist, current position (in minutes) and estimated beat markers (the blue dots). By right-clicking on the waveform you can zoom in even closer, and left-clicking before dragging the mouse left or right allows you to cycle a track backwards or forwards.

The controls in the middle of the program include a master volume and left/right speaker balance, headphone controls and the trusty cross fader. At full left, the cross fader will play only channel 1. At full right, only channel 2 and anywhere between will mix the two.

--Danny Allen

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Free and Cheap Software for Benchmarking Like a Pro

Whether you're an advanced user or a novice, it's the perfect time to learn about benchmarking. So many easy-to-use, powerful, and inexpensive programs are out there that you’re bound to find one or more that tickle your fancy. Achieving fluency with these tools takes little time, and playing with them is surprisingly fun. Along the way you'll pick up some technical knowledge, and you'll get to know your system's in and outs like a pro.

Benchmarking can be an entertaining way to keep abreast of what's going on in the world of computer hardware, too. Some people enjoy exploring the cutting-edge 3D engines that some gaming benchmarks employ, while others take their custom-painted, liquid-cooled, neon-lit rigs into speed competitions with all the intensity of an actual auto race.

The suites in this roundup are among the most popular you'll see today--you've probably heard of a few. It's a big list, with a little something for everyone.

(For links to all of these downloads in one convenient list, see our "Free and Cheap Software for Benchmarking Like a Pro" collection.)

3D Past, Present, and Futuremark

3DMark has had its ups and downs over the years, but it remains the go-to source for synthetic gaming benchmarks. You can find a separate version for each flavor of DirectX from version 9 onward (3DMark 06, 3DMark Vantage, and 3DMark 11), and each version has its own section in vendor Futuremark's online database. Advanced versions with additional features are available for a price ($10 to $40, depending on the software), but the free Basic versions suffice for most needs.

3DMark 11 looks ahead performance-wise, kneecapping most modern computers (resulting in frame rates in the teens), but I prefer 3DMark 06 from a stylistic standpoint. The older suite feels better crafted than its successors, although its days as a mainstream tool are drawing to close. The three separate sizable installs add up, however. Futuremark buries you in over 1.2GB of data downloads if you want a complete set of numbers, and requires considerably more space fully installed. Sheesh.

For a more reasonably sized, if less complete, set of gaming and DirectX numbers, try Unigine Heaven. Heaven's sandbox nature is a revelation in synthetic benchmarks. It’s a hoot to click out of the preset paths and explore the environment, moving the camera with gaming-standard WASD keyboard controls. On top of that, Heaven may be the best-looking DX11 benchmark around--some of the views are stunning. The basic version is free.

The Company Suits

On the opposite end of the spectrum is the dowdy, bespectacled Prime95 (available in 32-bit and 64-bit versions), which is disguised as an innocent mathematical research program. Don't be fooled: It's nothing less than a cattle prod for your CPU. The free utility is well known in the performance-computing community, as system builders typically test their CPU, memory, and overclock settings with Prime95 by running the built-in stress test for a few cycles. If you have issues with your hardware, or if your cooling isn't up to snuff, you'll find out in short order.

In addition to catering to gamers, Futuremark is appealing to mainstream users with PCMark. Though the previous version had some issues with Windows Vista, PCMark 7 manages to be a credible, modern re-creation of the desktop-performance benchmarks so popular in the '90s. It skirts some of the criticisms leveled at synthetic benchmarks by using code snippets from popular commercial applications, and by timing the execution of prescripted procedures to run through them. As the name implies, though, it's for Windows 7 only. The basic edition is free.

Among system-wide benchmarks, Passmark's Performance Test 7 (for 32-bit and 64-bit systems) is the respectable child of the family--it went to school and got good grades, and it wears a neatly tailored suit. The 3D tests in this tool show you sober models of jets and evergreens, which is something of a relief after all the roaring dragons, battling spaceships, and whatnot featured elsewhere. Conceptwise, it mixes and matches some of the best ideas from all the packages here. You'll find no free version, however; Passmark offers just a free 30-day trial for this $24 program.

On the other hand, SiSoftware's Sandra does have a free version, and it includes all benchmarking features. Although the tool is occasionally obscure, Sandra's long and winding history has led to a pretty useful comprehensive benchmarking and system-information package. If you like your benchmarks with an extra helping of utility, this is the one to pick.

Reminiscent of Sandra but with a more accessible interface, AIDA64 doesn't do quite as much overall, but it does feature an excellent set of focused CPU/memory benchmarks. Take your pick of either package, the $40 AIDA 64 Extreme Edition (for personal use) or the $80 AIDA64 Business Edition (for commercial use)--you won't be disappointed. The free download is only a limited trial, though.

All Things Small and Great

After dealing with the bloat of some of the larger packages, you have to love a benchmark as quick, simple, and tiny as the free CrystalDiskMark. It's the smallest program here. You'll know how to use it the second you set eyes on the interface. No need to wade through menus or 25-minute processing queues, either--a few clicks, a few seconds, and you're done. That's truly refreshing among disk benchmarks. The tool doesn't do anything else, but it doesn't have to.

Fraps was created with the same philosophy. It sits atop any game and displays the frame rate in the upper-right corner of your screen. The free demo is perfectly functional, though the $37 professional version can also take screenshots, record gameplay video, and more. It may sound simple, but Fraps doesn't get half the kudos it deserves. While flashy synthetic benchmarks attract all the attention, Fraps shoulders the workaday burden of providing trusted, real-world results from the actual games that people play, and it has been doing so for years. Even if you use another benchmark, this one is essential if you're a gamer.

Hit the Hardware and Start Benching

If you decide to give some of these suites a try, remember a couple of basics: Don't run any background applications while you're using a benchmark, and try to keep the computing environment consistent between runs. For example, if you're using Fraps to determine your frame rate in a game, stick with the same saved game files for testing, and don't move the mouse after loading.

Still curious about what a benchmark will tell you about your system? Time to take a crack at it. Pick a few apps, and get the ball rolling. You'll be surprised at what you learn.

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