Features

KMPlayer has a small desktop footprint and its minimalist interface makes video playback quick and hassle-free. The player's interface is fully skinable, and there are some nice aesthetic touches, such as the changing of colour on the player with every new track.

There are all sorts of options to help you pimp and customize KMPlayer, such as visualizations, plug-ins and playback options. But the beauty of KMPlayer is that these are turned on at your request rather than being forced upon you at the outset.

Quality

KMPlayer handles both audio and video, and supports a wide range of different formats, meaning that once installed, you should never need to touch another player.

Video playback is particularly impressive thanks to the range of processing tools available that allow you to sharpen, change picture properties, apply filters and even make video captures from within the program.

Conclusion

If you're looking for a customizable, light yet powerful video player, KMPlayer is exactly what you need.

What's new

Supports 3D Formats. (Side-By-Side, Top-and-Bottom) to (Anaglyph, Interlaced)
Supports 10-bit H.264. (Libcodec.dll)
Supports Intel Widi
Added video codec "DV5P"
Add new function album art (Thumnail image extraction from FLAC file)
Thumbnail image display enhancement when playing audio files. (MP3, FLAC, WMA)
Fixed ColorSpace bug
Fixed Intel Codec H.264
Fixed Winamp plugin
Error correction of images infected with malicious codes. (EIP register Corruption Vulnerability. Provided: KISA)
Fixed view as a desktop mode in Windows 7
Fixed improper load of Album Art bug
Correction of screen display error when using EVR(C/A) - if you skip from the WMV file.
Fixed KMP HTTP Reader
AAC codec Parser error correction from MOV file
MKV Skip Problem

Download KMPlayer 3.6.0.87 in Softonic

Features

Version 2 ("Twoflower") brings a new interface, faster decoding, support for more formats and the ability to play HD and BluRay. It still remains however the most stable, flexible and lightweight audio and video player around today. While other media players will play unusual formats after downloading a codec, or simply refuse to play things,

VLC media player handles tons of formats, from MPEG to FLV and RMBV files. Version 2 has seen some important additions too such as support for 10 bit codes plus multi-threaded decoding for H.264, MPEG-4/Xvid and WebM.

Also useful is the fact that you can use VLC media player to preview files you are downloading since it plays incomplete parts of video files. VLC media player is not just for video playback however. It also offers superb integration with video channel streaming services such as Channels.com giving you access to channels such as ESPN, Reuters and National Geographic. Just right-click or CMD-click on the playlist, select Services Discovery and Channels.com.

Channels.com will then appear in your VLC media player playlist. Click on it to reveal the the different categories of channels available. Click on the category you want and a drop down list of all available channels appears in VLC media player. Just click on the channel you want to watch and streaming should begin almost immediately.

Usability

VLC media player also has great hotkey support and if you take the time to learn the shortcuts so it can be controlled without touching your mouse. If you're watching DVDs or video files through it, this is not an issue. For music, it plays more or less any file and features an equalizer and playlist creation. VLC media player isn't as intuitive as iTunes as a media manager, but it's a much more flexible player in terms of file formats. You can even use VLC to convert your files, and on top of all the formats and physical media it will play, many streaming protocols and TV capture cards are supported.

VLC media player makes it easy to add subtitles to your video files too - just add the SRT file to the folder where your video is kept, and it will automatically play with subtitles.

Finally, the interface in VLC media player has been somewhat improved in version 2 although it remains strictly functional. However, you can download skins to completely change VLC media player's appearance. The preferences menu is comprehensive without being overwhelming, and there is extensive documentation online.

Conclusion

VLC Media Player is quite simply the best multimedia application for Windows and Mac. It plays just about anything, hassle free - what more could you need?

What's new

Rework and fixes of the Mac OS X interface

Fix Pulseaudio initial synchronization

Fix MKV, SWF, AIFF and subtitles demuxer crashes

Translations updates and new Welsh translation

DVB-S delivery system detection

Fix audio and video track selection through libVLC

Fix system sleep issue on Mac OS X 10.5

Download VLC media player 2.0.6 in Softonic

Features

With Skype you can not only have voice chats on your computer – just like telephone, only for free – but also make real phone calls at much lower rates, using the SkypeOut service and paying with Skype credit. Besides voice chats, Skype also includes standard IM functionalities (written conversations, emoticons, user avatars and so on) and also lets you have group video conferences and share screens.

Usability

These video calls are precisely the main focus on Skype's latest version. The program's interface has been completely redesigned with video conferences on mind. This means it's been made wider so that video fits in perfectly with your written chat, your contact list and a toolbar to manage conversation.

The new interface is transformed when you make a call, getting rid of all the clutter, so you just see the video images, and controls. Group video is still being tested in this version, and it's pretty cool.

The other major development is Facebook integration. This is a pretty big thing, as not only does it give you your news feed in the app - anyone can do that - but adds call and sms buttons to any of your friends who share their contact numbers.

If you’ve paid for Skype minutes, you can call your Facebook friends, and if they’re also signed in to Skype you can call them for free. One of the best new features is the automatic call recovery - drop a call and it’s put in pause. Restarting it is now really easy.

Quality

The sound quality during our testing was perfect: loud and clear. Video sometimes appeared a bit pixelated, but nothing we couldn't really deal with. There was also one nice detail, and that's the ability to see your own video image built-in on your contact's video, and the option to take a snapshot of your own image.

Conclusion

Skype 6 features a complete interface overhaul that now focuses more on video chats, and also adds some handy improvements to the way you communicate online.

What's new

Log in with your Microsoft account
Select and pin your favorite contacts
Facebook and Skype contacts combined into one Contacts list
Easier to understand premium subscription notices
Possibility to control Skype video rendering technology for backward compatibility for people who have trouble with video calls

Download Skype 6.3.60.105 in Softonic

Full of features

Photoscape includes just about everything you need to view, optimize, edit, print and have fun with your photos. In fact, it's so complete that many would call it a free Photoshop alternative. Sure, it's not quite up to the level of Photoshop, but it's truly a great alternative to Adobe's big shot - and it makes photo editing a lot more fun!

Easy to use

From the program's main window you can choose what you want to do: view pictures, optimize those that didn't come out so well, print several photos on a single page collage-style or perhaps add any of the dozens of filters and special effects included in the program.

Smart interface

One of the first striking elements in Photoscape is its uncommon interface design. The application is very striking and in many ways it's easier on the eye than Photoshop.

Conclusion

There's really nothing negative to say about Photoscape. Just download it, test it, love it and keep it forever. It's free!

Download Photoscape 3.6.3 in Softonic

LINE is a Japanese based app that allows you to make free calls and send free messages to iPhone, Android, Windows and Blackberry phones as well as other Macs and PCs. LINE is also available for Mac meaning PC users can communicate with friends and family that use PCs as well as Macs. However, LINE doesn't feature video calling yet although you can send short video and audio messages.

Call quality using LINE is pretty good though although this will depend on your internet connection and 3G network. LINE is also jam packed with emoticons (and with the option to purchase more elaborate "stickers") to make messaging more fun. This latter feature is particularly popular in Japan and has helped make it one of the most successful apps on the market.

In the first 7 months of its release in Japan, the developers claim LINE gained over 100 million users which is pretty impressive. Until now, many iPhone and Android users have resorted to using WhatsApp to keep in touch with friends and family but unlike LINE, WhatsApp has never been released for PC or Mac.

If you're a PC user with friends using PCs and different mobile devices, LINE is definitely worth checking out.

Download LINE 3.1.6.0 in Softonic

Features

Format Factory's supported formats include WMV, AVI, MPG, MP3, WMA, AAC, JPG, PNG, GIF, and many more. Better still, Format Factory supports media formats used by most major portable devices, including PSP and iPhone.

Usability

The app is very easy to use, although it does have a slightly unintuitive interface. Format Factory's file browser doesn't appear until you select the target format, which is a bit weird, but as long as you know this it's no problem. You can select individual files to convert, or complete folders, and also tweak some basic conversion settings.

Quality

Format Factory isn't particularly original but what makes it really useful is that it handles images as well as audio and video. Most converters like this only handle audio and video, so adding images to the mix gives it an edge, especially considering it's free. We also like the Audio Joiner in Format Factory, which allows you to take two separate clips, join them together and then convert them. It would've been nice to have preset profiles for mobile conversions, but you can't always have it all in a free app!

What's new

Adjust GUI to support Win8 pad
Adjust some profiles of video.
Fixed a bug of default bitrate and resolution algorithm
Fixed a bug of subtitle.
Fixed problems of MP4 muxer

Download Format Factory 3.0.1 in Softonic

What can you do with HotSpot Shield?

To secure your internet connection, Hotspot Shield creates a Virtual Private Network (a secure connection, usually abbreviated to VPN) between your computer and the Hotspot Shield developer's website, Anchorfree, based in the USA. This connection makes websites think that you are based in the US.

The major reason why users are flocking to Hotspot Shield is because it allows you to view US websites that are usually restricted to people who don't live there. This is particularly useful for video sites such as Hulu or region-restricted restricted videos on YouTube.

Hotspot Shield now includes malware protection meaning that while using it, you shouldn't get infected by anything that may damage your system.

Is it easy to use?

Everything is done in an extra tab open in your browser, so there's no need to configure anything. A green and red shield in your system tray indicates when Hotspot Shield is or is not connected. The VPN is encrypted with 128 bit SSL encryption so you can surf safely without worrying about others intercepting your data.

Does it work?

Hotspot Shield generally works very well. It is ad-supported, however, and be warned that it tries to install a toolbar, although you can opt out of this. If you've got Expat Shield installed, you'll also need to remove it before installing Hotspot Shield. Bear in mind that surfing with Hotspot Shield is noticeably slower than normal, but it's fine for streaming video from video sites such as Hulu.

If you'd like an app that allows you to access other types of blocked and banned sites, check out the rest of our VPNs and access apps here.

Conclusion

Hotspot Shield is easy to install and a useful way of accessing sites and protecting your privacy.

Download Hotspot Shield 2.88 in Softonic

Features

Mozilla Firefox 18 is the latest version of the popular web browser and brings with it a few key and welcome new features. First among them is the company's claim to a speedier, safer browsing experience. Tests reveal that this newest version of Mozilla Firefox is certainly quick to load even the most graphics intense pages.

Firefox 18 also now features secure connections when performing Google searches to improve privacy and there's an updated site identity indicator in the URL bar. Windows users also now get silent updates while Mac users on Lion or above can use Firefox in full-screen mode.

Mozilla Firefox's new tab layout itself is a pretty noticeable new feature. Quite similar to Google's Chrome browser, instead of seeing a blank page whenever a new tab is opened Firefox users will now be treated to icons that offer quick access to everything from bookmarks to most recently accessed and most frequently visited sites.

These icons are fully customizable in Mozilla Firefox as well. You can click and drag them to any spot you like on your name tab's page. If you're not a fan, you can also go to the grid icon on the upper right side of your browser and erase them entirely.

Something completely new to Mozilla Firefox is Facebook integration. Firefox now supports Facebook's social API so you can have dedicated buttons for Facebook in your browser. Mozilla Firefox supports Facebook's Messenger within Firefox, giving users desktop notifications as well as a persistent friends list and activity feed on the right. Conversations will open up as overlays on top of whatever website you're on so you can multitask while you chat.

Usability

Mozilla Firefox really changed the way people browse the web when it originally burst onto the scene. Today Firefox remains an incredibly powerful and customizable browser, although competition from Google Chrome has given it a definite run for its money.

Conclusion

Mozilla Firefox 20's interface isn't much different from previous versions, but the features it has added certainly make for a nicer, more enjoyable browsing experience overall.

What's new

For full release notes, please visit https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/20.0/releasenotes/

Download Mozilla Firefox 21 in Softonic

Chrome's outstanding features, like its download manager, incognito browsing mode and bookmark syncing, already make it a stand out app. In version 20, it adds a more new features, as well some tweaks that make it even more user-friendly.

New features

Being able to search directly from the address bar is one of the great things about Google Chrome. Now Omnibox, Google Chrome's address bar, will offer you various suggestions as you type. Depending on how accurate it thinks its results are, Chrome may even begin to pre-load a chosen page. Popular sites like Facebook and Twitter are now sure to load almost instantaneously.

You'll now also receive warnings when Google Chrome thinks a downloading file that might contain malware or something harmful to your PC. It does this by tracing the download's originating server and comparing it to sites on its blacklist. If you're concerned about privacy when it comes to Google looking at your downloads for potential malware, you can disable this feature within your browser preferences.

Updates and tweaks

Google Chrome introduces several smaller updates designed to improve the user experience. First, Google Chrome has improved page zooming to make it more consistent with other browsers - you can now zoom up to 500%. In addition, Print Preview no longer shows up in its own tab but rather appears in a highly-configurable modal window - this improves your workflow and makes printing even quicker. Google Chrome's History tab has also undergone a redesign. It now allows users to filter out or even remove specific domains you don't want showing up there.

There's also been an update to the V8 JavaScript engine and more than a dozen security fixes. In short, these changes make browsing even quicker - and using the internet even safer.

In addition, version 20 helps with vulnerability greatly, in that it covers patches for quite a few security-related bugs. Google Chrome's latest update will consequently help make your browsing experience even safer.

Chrome extensions

Last, but not least, there are also changes for extensions - not only can you now count on a range of Google Chrome extensions that rivals (and in many cases betters) Firefox's, but those of you with a more technical bent can take advantage of improved extension APIs, so if you've got an idea, it's even easier to make it into an extension yourself.

If you're considering making the switch from old favorites like Firefox or Internet Explorer, we'd wholeheartedly recommend Google Chrome as the browser of the future!

Google Chrome, Google's browser, mixes a clean, minimalist interface with a variety of powerful tools, making it a great browser.

Download Google Chrome 27.0.1453.93 in Softonic

Features of uTorrent

uTorrent includes everything you would expect from a complete, reliable torrent downloader: highly detailed stats, support for RSS feeds, automatic shutdown, download scheduler and more. There are a couple things that uTorrent is missing though: a full torrent search tool and a built-in player to preview your downloads.

uTorrent 3 lets you play media in streaming as you download, rate and comment torrent files, drag and drop files to share them, and disable the UDP tracker.

Ideal for all user levels

Since version 3 uTorrent has sported a totally redesigned interface: more usable, easier to use and a perfect match for uTorrent’s web interface.

Just like previous versions, uTorrent 3 is easy enough to use for everyone no matter what their level of computer expertise is, but it also includes dozens of configuration settings that will please the most tech-savvy users. Also, this new version includes several beginner-oriented guides to make sure everybody can make the most of it.

Light on system resources

After a quick installation process (although there are quite a few prompts to install browser add-ons etc) and a handy built-in speed test to make the initial setting much easier, uTorrent is ready. The program takes up minimal hard drive and PC resources, which enables you to have a good amount of torrents downloading and still be able to use your computer without any lag.

Conclusion

If you're searching for a reliable, fast and lightweight torrent client, look no further: uTorrent is what you need.

Download uTorrent (µTorrent) 3.3.0.29677 in Softonic

Windows Live Messenger previously known as MSN Messenger, was renamed as part of Microsoft's move away from Hotmail, towards the Live online community. Now the most popular IM app in the world has finally reached version 2009.

Features

Windows Live Messenger offers plenty of emoticons and winks to cheer up your conversations. You can expand both collections easily by adding new sets which you'll find by the hundred on the Internet. Customization possibilities include changing the chat window background or even adding a personal message to your nickname, but not creating custom status messages. Also, Windows Live Messenger status messages have now been reduced to "online", "away" or "busy" – so no more "on the phone" or "out to lunch", for example.

Chat conversations are not the only thing you can do with Windows Live Messenger. There is also the possibility of having video chats using your webcam, and also make VoIP calls. Another great feature in Windows Live Messenger is the possibility to view and share pictures within the chat window, without having to send files over to your contact.

Regarding contact lists, the new Windows Live Messenger lets you create specific groups of users, different from the ones previously known as "groups" and which have now been renamed to Categories. These groups allow you to have multiple simultaneous chats with several contacts. Another new feature in the contact management system in Windows Live Messenger is Favorites, a special category that enables you to have the people you talk to most always to hand.

Usability

Windows Live Messenger 2009 includes many interesting new features, all conveniently built into a nice interface. I'm not sure that this handful of new functions is the reason why the program weighs in at almost 70 MB.

Quality

The most striking feature in the new Windows Live Messenger is an all-new interface with a colorful design, far from the traditional Windows application structure. You can customize it by choosing your own theme and color scheme.

In order to maintain the neatness of this design, the menu bar in Windows Live Messenger has been hidden under a few buttons on the top-right corner – though you can temporarily make the standard menu bar visible by pressing the Alt key. While I understand the reason why they did this, it makes menu options a bit uncomfortable to browse.

Conclusion

Windows Live Messenger reaches version 2009 with a renewed interface, loads of new features and a bit of extra weight.

Context

Windows Live Messenger will be discontinued on April 8. 2013.

Users will have to use Skype with imported contacts to continue messaging Windows Live Messenger contacts.

Download Windows Live Messenger 2009 Build 14.0.8117.416 in Softonic

Usability

Complications arise later on when trying to share files between computers: you'll have to do it through network sharing on Windows because it's not a feature Hamachi itself supports. In the end, I have to admit we were unable to share files over Hamachi during our tests – you know how stubborn Windows folder sharing configuration can get. Oh well, at least we could have a chat – a very safe one, of course.

Quality

Hamachi features a simple interface that enables you to create personal safe networks in just a couple of steps. At first sight, it all looks very easy to use. Plus your connection is conveniently protected by an AES-256 encryption algorithm.

Conclusion

Hamachi is a great solution to establish safe, private P2P connections between two computers; unfortunately it's not as easy to use as it seems at first sight.

Download Hamachi 2.1.0.362 in Softonic

Features

avast! Free Antivirus is loaded with tons of features. From the home tab you can gain quick access to your system status, virus scan, software updater, stats, and the market. Features like the firewall and SafeZone require a premium subscription.

The software updater that's included with avast! Free Antivirus alerts users about outdated applications that are installed but only offers a link to the program page to download the latest update. Paying for a premium subscription will allow you to update your apps within the application. There's even an option to update automatically in the paid versions of avast!

avast! Free Antivirus offers more than just virus protection. The application also includes "cloud services," which gathers information from other avast! users to compare the reputation of similar files. These updates are constantly streamed to and from avast! so users don't have to worry about downloading updates.

New to avast! Free Antivirus is the Market where you can purchase additional features and services. The app itself is very good at reminding users how many features are missing so the Market makes it even more tempting to upgrade. Purchases can be made directly inside the application.

Usability

Using avast! Free Antivirus is very straightforward. Features and sections of the application are clearly marked with short explanations about what each feature does.

Like with many other antivirus applications, the amount of options and features is a little overwhelming. There are icons in the Security tab that are clearly marked with a green status light indicating everything is working as it should. This makes it easy to see what parts of the application require user action.

For the most part, avast! Free Antivirus is an application that you can configure and forget about. The program will display a popup if anything needs your action.

Quality

avast! Free Antivirus is well designed with tons of features. While it's not as simple as it could be, it works well and is completely free. It's nice that avast! Free Antivirus doesn't include an annoying tool bar, but it does install a web extension to monitor malicious links while you're browsing.

While avast! Free Antivirus excels as an antivirus application, it doesn't do much in the way of being a one-stop-shop for all your computer maintenance needs. Other apps like IObit's Advanced Systemcare with Antivirus offer more features that will make sure your computer is running its fastest.

Scans were performed quickly but not the best we've seen. This really depends on your hardware and how many files you have on your computer.

Conclusion

At the end of the day, it's easy to see what avast! Free Antivirus remains at the top of our download charts. The amount of features that free users have access to is amazing. While it's annoying that the app nags you to upgrade to a paid subscription, it's a small price to pay for a well designed antivirus solution that's completely free. Now if only avast! could include some computer maintence features.

What's new

Download avast! Free Antivirus 8.0.1489 in Softonic

Available everywhere

Not only does Google Talk support Google accounts, it also supports a variety of other protocols and apps. In other words, you can log in with accounts from Jabber, Pidgin, Miranda, Psiand Trillian.

As well as supporting lots of protocols, Google Talk is also available for lots of devices, so even if you are chatting on your desktop, you'll be able to keep in touch with your friends on Android, iPhone and Blackberry. Even though not explicitly supported, you'll also be able to use Google Talk on Mac and Linux, as long as you use the browser version.

Simple but effective

Google Talk is an attractive app and very easy to use, although its bright, almost childlike appearance is looking a bit old-fashioned these days. There are various themes available from the Settings options, although they have more impact on the window layout and are not strictly "skins". You'll also be able to choose your status, picking from Available, Busy, and Idle, as well as custom messages and the option to show your current music track. Google Talk also notifies you when you receive new emails.

Adding and chatting with contacts with Google Talk couldn't be easier. Double click a name to start a conversation, and a new chat window will appear. If you see a little telephone or video camera icon beside the contact's name, they are also available for phone or video chats, but you'll need the Video and voice plug-in to do this.

Works, but it's neglected

Google Talk has many of the features that you'd expect from an IM client. You can add, block, rename and remove contacts, send smileys, and customize the way you see your friends online. If you look under the more technical settings, you'll also be able modify notifications and connect to the service using a proxy. It's not overrun with options, but most people seem to appreciate the resulting simplicity and light resource use.

Even though Google Talk is the go-to IM app for thousands of people, long term users can't help feeling that Google Talk is pretty low on Google's list of priorities. It works perfectly and is a great app, but that's because it was well made and ahead of its time when it first came out.

Overall

Google Talk hasn't been updated in what seems like years and, with the exception of the VoiP features added in recent times, the program feels a little bit forgotten. This has no impact on usability for Gmail users, but it does feel like Google Talk could do with a little more loving care.

If you're a Google User who wants to IM, you'd be mad to use anything but Google Talk.

Download Google Talk 1.0.0.104 in Softonic

Video converters - there's more of them on the market that almost any other type of software, but very few of them impress. How does 4Free Video Converter hold up against accepted leaders, like
Format Factory and GOM Video Converter? Well, in short, 4Free Video Converter is good, but not great, like a good many of its contemporaries.

For a start, 4Free Video Converter is ugly. Really ugly. Whoever decided that sludge green made a good interface color was wrong - and there's no option to change it! That said, the color doesn't impact on the usability, so it's pretty easy to load videos up, decide where to save them, and pick the format you want to convert to.

The good thing about picking a format is that 4Free Video Converter has all of the options nicely arranged by both format and device compatibility, which makes it easier to choose. It also allows you to customize formats for your own specifications, but this feature seemed buggy, didn't always work, and wouldn't let us save any presets for future use.

On the upside, 4Free Video Converter does allow you to convert batches of videos, but it doesn't have an automatic shutdown feature, so you'll have to wait until they're finished before you go to bed. Also bear in mind that although it's called "4Free" Video Converter, this is a limited "freemium" app, and so some of the features you can see on the interface are not actually available.

4Free Video Converter - it's good, but not great, and misses all the nice touches that make the perfect conversion app.

Download 4Free Video Converter 3.3 in Softonic

What's new in Picasa 3

The latest version of Picasa includes sharing on Google+, including sharing of name tags. You'll enjoy the range of new effects that have been added, allowing you to quickly make stylish changes to your photos. Side by side editing means you can keep an original copy of your photo for reference while you're making experiementing with effects and levels.

What's inside Picasa

Google Picasa features enriching options to manage, edit, and show off your photos in an even more comfortable way, both offline and online – thanks to the Picasa Web Album syncing tool.

It includes Picasa Photo Viewer, which you can configure to replace the original Windows default image viewer. It offers more tools and displays photos on a much nicer interface when viewing them directly in Windows Explorer, so when Picasa asks you if you want to use it, don't hesitate!

How Picasa works

Picasa displays all your indexed photos in a handy folder structure. You can let the program scan the whole drive in search for pictures or select specific directories. A double click on any image will display it in full screen and let you access to a handful of basic editing tools: cropping, straightening, adjusting color and light or fixing red eye, among others.

The possibilities are endless

But Picasa is not only about viewing and fixing images. You can also give free rein to your imagination with its tools to create posters, collages, screensavers and even movies. The greatest thing about these tools is not only the fact that they give you the ability to create something unique and original with your photos; it's also that they're surprisingly easy to use, and don't require any tech abilities or photo editing skills at all.

Conclusion

The all-new Picasa has successfully completed what seemed a difficult task: improving a software app that was already very good.

Download Picasa 3.9.136.12 in Softonic

Adobe Flash Player is an essential plugin for your browser that allows you to view everything from video to games and animation on the web.

Features

Adobe Flash Player 10 includes a range of interesting additions and improvements when compared to previous versions. Top of that list is the inclusion of support for the H.264 video codec and the HE-AAC audio codec, which together offer a much richer, higher-definition picture along with crystal-clear sound. Introducing these capabilities in Adobe Flash Player with only slightly reduced performance looks set to trigger another revolution in web video, as HD movies are already an important element on YouTube - and they look and sound great!

Quality

Adobe Flash Player 10 irons out some of the problems that previous versions have suffered from (like security and stability issues), as well including support for ActionScript 3.0. It also makes fantastic 3D graphics possible. This makes for more dynamic and interesting navigation, games and interactivity on websites.

Conclusion

Adobe Flash Player 10 represents a leap forward in terms of quality as well as stability and security. It's therefore a highly recommended download for all users.

Download Adobe Flash Player Firefox, Safari, Opera 11.8.800.42 (Firefox) in Softonic

If you're a huge fan of everything Grand Theft Auto IV, you're going to love GTA IV San Andreas. It aims to port the epic Grand Theft Auto San Andreas game to the Rockstar Advanced Game Engine (RAGE).

Grand Theft Auto San Andreas is currently the first game in the GTA series to use the Rockstar Advanced Game Engine. To make GTA IV San Andreas work, you need to have Grand Theft Auto already installed on your computer. GTA IV San Andreas can be installed like any other program at that point.

GTA IV San Andreas will provide access to some of the new and advanced features of the Rockstar Advanced Game Engine. This includes enhanced HD graphics and sound, improved physics and also advanced replay, among other features.

As an import mod still in beta mode, it's possible that GTA IV San Andreas will crash on occasion. A FAQ is included in a text file of the program in the event that this happens. The most common stability issues relate to saved games or GTA IV San Andreas clashing with other installed mods.

GTA IV San Andreas is a great way to enhance graphics and other features in Grand Theft Auto San Andreas.

Download GTA IV San Andreas (GTAIVSA) 0.5.4 Beta 3 in Softonic

What it does

Samsung Kies also allows you to receive and install Firmware updates for your Samsung mobile and is regularly updated to be compatible with the latest Samsung mobile releases. In addition, Samsung Kies also works for transferring and managing contacts and calendar events between your mobile device and Mac.

If you're a Microsoft Office user, Samsung Kies also allows you to synchronize your Microsoft Outlook content on your computer with a Samsung mobile device. It's also very useful as a backup solution because it can backup data localized data on mobile device including bookmarks, settings (such as general settings, Wi-Fi lists) alarms, contacts, music, videos, or photos. Note that it does not backup DRM protected multimedia.

Buggy

While it's full of features, Samsung Kies can be unreliable. It sometimes fails to detect connected Samsung devices, can be difficult to sync and can be extremely slow.

Quality

Samsung Kies feels like a work in progress. It does not make managing your phone's content as easy as Apple do with iTunes.

Conclusion

Samsung Kies is an essential tool for any PC user with Samsung Android devices, but is pretty flawed.

Download Samsung Kies 2.5.3.13043.14 in Softonic

Similar to WhatsApp Messenger and Skype, Tango is primarily used on your PC to connect with Android and iPhone users. If your friends have Tango on their smartphones with data plans or Wi-Fi, you can call their phone for free without leaving your computer.

Tango's PC version interface is identical to the mobile version, with a default skin made to look like an iPhone. If that isn't to your preference, you can change this skin in the options.

Using Tango is simple. Add your phone number and the numbers of the friends you want to call. From there, you're just one simple click away from chatting.

Video and sound quality in Tango is impressive, although it might vary by device and connection. Tango's controls are also very simple. The options let you specify how you sort your contacts, let you set up the webcam, change Tango's skin and look for updates. Unfortunately, you can't do much more beyond that by way of customization.

With the ability to video and audio chat with friends' smartphones from the comfort of your PC, Tango is a welcome addition to communication apps.

Download Tango 1.6.14117 in Softonic