Windows: Do you need to convert any audio or video file? Oxelon Media Converter is the perfect tool for the task. This simple app can convert multiple media files simultaneously, and it works surprisingly fast! Oxelon Media Converter supports dozens of formats and is perfectly embedded with Windows Explorer, which enables you to convert files with one click.

iPhone: Halloween is upon us once again, but if you haven’t got the money or the inclination to go trick or treating this year then check out Spooky Photo Free. This app allows you to make scary scenes out of your photographs. For example, you could put a zombie into a wedding picture, make bats appear in the sky above your house, or add a menacing pumpkin head onto an image of your dog.

Mac: Keychain on Mac does a pretty good job of managing passwords but once you’ve tried 1Password you’ll probably never look back. If you’re tired of making up passwords to access sites or worried that your passwords are not secure enough, it really is invaluable. 1Password creates strong, unique passwords for you, then remembers and restores them all within your web browser.

Google are taking over the world! We’re entrusting our data with a faceless corporation!

Some people worry about that, anyway, though I’m not one of them. I think Google offer a great range of free services that greatly enhance my online life - even if sometimes I feel left out as a European.

Today Google announced on their blog a great new service that should help make people much more comfortable with using Google - Google Dashboard. This can also be found through your Google account settings. What it gives you is a single page summarizing all the Google products you use, and what is kept on them.

So, I can see how many conversations I have stored in my Gmail, how many albums in Picasa, what’s in my Google Docs and so on. It covers over 20 products, including the aforementioned, Calendar, Web History, Orkut, YouTube, Talk, Reader, Alerts, Latitude and more. From here you can control all of that data too.

Perhaps the data that’s most eye opening is your search history - searching while signed in is associated with your account, and it’s all there! There’s even a calendar that shows your levels of search activity. It’s fascinating, in a narcissistic way, but even better you are put in control of it all. If you want to delete it, that’s easy. You can delete bits, or everything and “pause” history collection.

I think this Google Dashboard really makes you feel in control of your online life, and I would love to see sites like Facebook and MySpace follow suit. Cynics and conspiracy theorists probably won’t be convinced, but it certainly takes some of the wind out of their sails.

*Apparently there are some issues with data collection for Google Apps for Domains.

Windows: The most annoying part of getting a new computer is backing up and import browser bookmarks, but now there’s a tool that can make the task much easier! Recently updated FavBackup 2.0.0 backs up and imports bookmarks and user preferences in the most popular web browsers. The new version features a ribbon-style interface, support multiple profiles and consumes less RAM memory.

Mac: Do you hate watching dubbed movies? Prefer to enjoy films in original language with subtitles? Then install Submerge, which does a great job at merging subtitle files with your movies. It handles most of the subtitle formats, like SubRip or MicroDVD and automatically syncs them to your videos, with very little work on your part.

iPhone: Facebook has grown very quickly to become one of the most popular sites on the Web. Now you can access the service from your Apple mobile thanks to Facebook for iPhone. Adding pictures, comments and mood states can all be done easily through Facebook for iPhone. The application provides four different views of your essential data, namely: your own profile, your friends, recent changes in friends’ status and recently received messages.

One of the new features introduced in Windows 7 is the use of themes to customize the system’s appearance in a very easy way. Themes enable you to personalize wallpaper, screensaver, window color and system sounds in just one click. Then, if you want, you can change small details inside the selected theme and create a new custom version of it.

Themes can be selected from the Personalization window, which you can open by right clicking anywhere on the desktop and selecting Personalize. Switching to a new theme is as easy as clicking the theme’s thumbnail. The theme will be immediately applied to your system, so you get the full preview before formally applying it. You can then click on any of the customizable elements at the bottom of the window (desktop background, window color, sounds and screensaver) and change them to suit your taste. Read the rest of this entry »

There are several ways to create a collage with your digital pictures: doing it yourself from scratch with Photoshop (which obviously requires a certain Photoshop knowledge), using an automated Photoshop action that does almost all the hard work for you or simply turning to easier, more specific collage-oriented tools like Shape Collage.

This awesome program lets you create completely customizable photo collages in just a few minutes, and without any artistic or technical skill required. As long as you know how to select photos from your hard drive, and tweak a few simple configuration settings, you’re good to go. Shape Collage is completely free for personal use, and works on Windows, Mac and Linux.

But if you’re the kind of person who prefers not to install software if there’s a web app that does the same job, we’ve got good news for you: Shape Collage has just launched an online version! Shape Collage Online is a stripped-down version of the desktop app, with less options and reduced functionality, but it works perfectly fine for the occasional photo collage. Just select the photos you want to use in your collage (they must be all online, either as standalone photos or photo galleries), pick a shape for your collage and hit ‘Create’. After a few seconds, your collage will be ready!

Windows: Do you like Skype? Then you’re going to love Skype Portable! This is a special version of the popular VoIP client that doesn’t require installation and can be taken anywhere on a USB pendrive. Skype Portable works just like its desktop brother, features great audio and video quality, and has everything you need to keep in touch with your beloved ones!

iPhone: It’s been a long time coming but iPhone gamers at last got a decent driving sim. Firemint Real Racing GTI is a Volkswagen-sponsored racing game which makes wonderful use of the iPhone’s hardware to deliver a high-octane, realistic driving experience. The control system is probably the most refined, yet simple you’ll find anywhere on the iPhone platform.

Mac: The ability to run Windows on Macs has massively increased the reach and popularity of Apple computers. But you need a virtual environment to do so and the choice usually comes down to either Parallels or VMware Fusion. For developers this ability is absolutely essential, allowing you to run Ubuntu, WinXP and now even Windows 7 (in fact this latest release 3.0 has been optimized for it) all at the same time.

Windows: Are you planning to upgrade to Windows 7 from Windows XP? Microsoft has developed a special tool to make this process much easier. It’s called Windows 7 Easy Transfer for Windows XP and lets you copy all your documents, music, photos, user settings, bookmarks and more to a new computer with Windows 7. Oh, and there’s also a version for Vista!

Mac: If you think Macs don’t need a virus checker then think again. Although the risk of virus attack is very small compared to Windows, Mac viruses are on the increase and this will continue as Macs become more popular. Kaspersky Anti-Virus for Mac offers quick and thorough scanning options as well as real-time scanning of files download from the internet, via email, etc.

Phones: Hangman Classic Free is an iPhone version of the classic game, in which you need to figure out what a word is by guessing letters. Simply tap a letter on the screen and if it’s in the word it will be displayed, if it’s not then another body part will be drawn onto the hanging stickman. Guess the word before the drawing is complete and you win, or else you die. It’s that simple.

iPhone: What do the three comedy greats Homer Simpson, Fred Flintstone and The Dude from The Big Lebowski have in common? The answer, of course, is that they all love bowling. Guys, if any of you are reading this and have an iPhone then make sure you check out iBowl. This game is perhaps the closest you’re going to get to bowling without actually getting out of the house and going to the lanes.

Windows: If you already have uTorrent as your favorite torrent client, wait until you see its portable version! uTorrent Portable features the same characteristics as its desktop counterpart (clean interface, fast connection, easy to use), only that it doesn’t require installation and you can take it anywhere with you on a USB memory device.

Mac: Grappling hooks have often played a big part in comic book fiction and games like Bionic Commando, but they have never caught on in real life. Grappling Hook is a novel 3D first person game where the excellent device is essential. It starts with little explanation, but a computer communicates to you along the way that you are in some kind of test, and all you have to do if find the right teleporter to finish.

We’ve just had a plea in from OnSoftware reader for some help with a problem she’s having with Windows Live Messenger. Shirley writes:

I have MSN Messenger Live 8 (or it might be 8.5) and I have a problem when I try to do video chats with my granddaughter. Sometimes when we both can see each other, but others she will not be able to see me, even though I can see her. Do you have any suggestions for me on how to correct this problem?

This isn’t an uncommon problem, Shirley, and unfortunately there is no straight answer because the cause of the problem could be one of a number of things, related to your webcam hardware or software, or to Live Messenger. Here’s what I’d recommend you try to do, in chronological order, until you find the solution:

1. Check your hardware - It might sound obvious but you should make sure that your webcam is plugged in correctly and switched on. You should be able to see the device from the ‘My Computer’ panel the Windows Start menu. If it’s not showing up then try reinstalling the driver software that came with your webcam.
2. Update Live Messenger - It sounds like you’re using an old version of Windows Live Messenger there, Shirley. Download the latest build of the program from here and install it. It could be that there are some compatibility issues with the version your granddaughter is using.
3. Try Trillian - If you’re still having no luck with the Live Messenger program, try switching to Trillian Astra instead. This is a free application that lets you make video conferences over a range of different instant messaging networks, including Windows Live. It’s a great program, and I find it a lot more streamlined than Live Messenger (note, that your granddaughter wouldn’t have to switch to using Trillian as well).
4. Switch to Skype - If all else fails, you could always both switch to using Skype as your means of video chatting. The video features of Skype are second to none, and the call quality is excellent. This is the solution I always use for chatting with my friends - even with my buddies who I normally text chat with on Live!

Halloween is just around the corner, and while we start carving pumpkins and buying tons of sweets for our usual trick-or-treat visitors, we thought it would a nice idea to make our computers share the spirit of this celebration. After all, we spend a lot of time together so it’s only fair we help them get into the mood for the upcoming event with these Halloween wallpapers.

Click on the image to download the full-sized wallpaper. Some of them are available in various resolutions.

Read the rest of this entry »

Windows 7 is a fast, stable operating system that already includes high quality software by default. But that doesn’t mean you aren’t allowed to enjoy the advantages of  third-party apps.

Common tasks such as downloading files, chatting with your friends, creating documents or editing photos require tools that you won’t find built into Windows 7. Also, some of the tools you used before may not be compatible with Microsoft’s new operating system. This is why we’ve put together this list of 20 top free apps that work with Windows 7, with which you’ll be able to take full advantage of your brand new system.

Security comes first. There are many antivirus apps that work with Windows 7, but Microsoft Security Essentials is the one that best integrates with the system. Plus it also protects you from spyware!

Stability is another key issue. While we wait for the new Windows 7 compatible version of TuneUp Utilities, CCleaner can also do a great job cleaning, tweaking and optimizing your system.

Don’t be ashamed: we all have deleted files by mistake at some point in our lives. Fortunately we can count on this great tool called Recuva to get them back - and it works like a breeze on Windows 7 as well.

Need a password manager to deal with all your usernames, passwords, secret numbers and personal codes? Keepass is a great choice, and is also perfectly embedded in Microsoft’s new operating system.

Browsing the Web is the main activity for most computer users. Windows 7 already features the new Internet Explorer 8, but I’m sure most of you will only use it to download Firefox. Another excellent alternative is Opera. Read the rest of this entry »

Gretel and Hansel is a surprisingly macabre and grizzly take on the classic Brothers Grimm tale. You play Gretel, who becomes alarmed after overhearing her mother planning to send the children away into the dangerous forest!

Presented in really pretty water-colors, with a perfect soundtrack, Gretel and Hansel isn’t particularly complicated (and there’s a walkthrough linked on the game page if you get stuck). It does feature achievements, and some of them feature very dark humor! It’s not a cute kids game, this one.

Check out Gretel and Hansel here.

[Via: IndieGames.com]

Windows: It’s finally here. Windows 7 has hit shelves worldwide! Generally considered as the true heir to XP, Windows 7 brings many new features and enhancements to your computer that make it faster, more stable and easier to use. Take a look at our review and video, and follow our full coverage on the blog about Windows 7.

iPhone: Boulder Dash is one of the oldest franchises around, and surprisingly the basic format hasn’t changed for 25 years! Boulder Dash - ROCKS! is the latest addition to the family, this time on your iPhone. This Lite version only has 8 levels, but is fun never the less. You control Rockwell as always, and he’s trying to collect all the jewels he can find.

Mac: It’s no surprise then that Altitude has been developed by two self confessed nostalgics for the good old days of computer games when everything was so much simpler. Altitude is a beautifully put together shoot ‘em up where you take control of World War II biplanes and blow the enemy out of the skies. It’s a frenetic game with lots of levels and a breakneck pace.

Windows: Are you worried about spyware and rootkits entering your computer? Ad-Aware Free 8.1 is here to protect your system from unwanted malware. This new version features faster scans, improved detection technology, a community-based defense against the most recent online threats and a new Simple/Advanced interface to suit everyone’s tech skills.

iPhone: Tired of your old music collection? With Spotify (new version 0.3.20) you can have access to thousands of songs, bands and music styles anywhere, anytime. This awesome app streams high quality music to your computer for free, includes bio data about your favorite bands and lets you share playlists online with your friends.

Mac: If you’re looking for a twitter client with a distinctly Mac feel, then look no further than Tweetie (new version 1.2.4). Tweetie features a delicious interface and the overall presentation throughout is first class. All of Tweetie’s main functions can be found in the navigation bar along the left-hand side. This includes the search box, personal mail and a shortcut to your timeline.

NaNoWriMo - no, it’s not an amazing new Apple product or a delightful beach resort in Italy, it’s National Novel Writing Month, a slightly crazy but totally fun international writing initiative that runs from November 1st - 31st 2009. The general idea is this: you write a novel (50,000 words) in just one month. At the end of it all, you upload your work of art to the NaNoWriMo website to be validated and sit back, basking in the knowledge that you’ve just written a novel!

So, why exactly would you want to do this? Well, some people do it for charity, while others really want to set themselves a challenge. Apart from anything though, at the end of it all you’ll be able to tell everyone that you’ve written a novel - how cool would that be?! So why is a software blog telling you all this? Well, we have the perfect program to help you, of course. Write Attack! is the ideal tool, and a very efficient way of dealing with the dreaded writer’s block. What’s more, it has a feature that is specifically designed to overcome the challenges of National Novel Writing Month - the NaNoWriMo function! Just hit the NaNoWriMo button, and the program will automatically set you a target of 1,600 words - precisely what you need to do every day to churn that novel out within the month. Come on, we all know there’s a writer hiding inside you - show us what you’ve got!