With good reason too. Firefox remains an incredibly powerful and customizable browser although persistent memory leakage problems and competition from Google Chrome have dented its popularity.

There are several changes in Firefox 12, but mainly related to developer features. Mozilla claim there are 85 changes in all but the most notable is that Windows users will no longer get pestered by a User Account Control pop-up every time the browser updates. Also, the HTML5 media controls have been updated to provide a full screen button.

The developer console changes include improvement to Web Console, Style Editor, Page Inspector, Style Inspector, and HTML View, as well as the recently introduced Scratchpad and Page Inspector 3D View.

The interface is pretty much the same as Firefox 11, with a minimalist toolbar and there's still no way of removing elements that you may not want such as Java and .Net Framework. The major downside for most users however is that some plug-ins or add-ons won't work with Firefox 12 yet - so if you have a lot installed, prepare to be disappointed.

One major problem that persists is the high usage of RAM when Firefox is displaying Flash videos such as YouTube. Firefox runs an extra "Plugin-container" process for Flash videos that can occasionally consume 100% of your CPU and cause your Mac to freeze.

Mozilla Firefox 12 isn't a revolution in the development of Firefox, but there are some useful improvements that still make it a decent browser.

Download Mozilla Firefox for Mac 12.0 in Softonic

Note that this version is for Intel Macs only. If you don't have an Intel Mac running OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard or later, you can also download Flash for PPC Macs and Flash for OS X 10.4-10.5.

The long awaited Adobe Flash Player 11, introduces a host of new features which make Flash even more potent and powerful than before and it's developers that really have something to cheer about. These include new expressive features and visual performance improvements that allow interactive designers and developers to build even richer and impressive Web videos.

To get a taste of what I mean, once you’ve installed Flash Player 11, view the interactive demos to see the new 3D engine put through its paces. It's the new 3D possibilities that are the most exciting aspect of this release, but that's bolstered by some new custom filters and effects, advanced ways of laying out text and enhanced sound APIs. Indeed, the sound from Adobe Flash Player 11 is one of the most notable improvements resembling something closer to Dolby Surround Sound.

One of the essential accessories for internet browsing and videos, if you haven't installed Adobe Flash Player yet then you're in for a treat.

Download Adobe Flash Player for Intel Macs 11.2.202.235 in Softonic

With Skype you can call other Skype users absolutely free wherever they are in the world thanks to P2P technology. Skype 5 brings together the main functions of talk, chat, video and file sharing in one main window. By default, your contacts list is on the left, the other basic functions are in the main part of the program window making it more streamlined and slicker than previous releases.

New in Skype 5 is the ability to video conference with up to ten participants. Group conferencing has also been made easier thanks to the redesigned call window which means that all distractions (such as other conversations) are minimized and only the names of participants displayed. However, although you can video chat with one contact for free, group video conferencing is now a premium feature which you have to pay for which will disappoint many users.

Skype 5 features a new contacts list sorted by category and you can add favorites to the top of the list. Searching for them has also been made easier by integrating them with your Mac address book. You can also now rename contacts so that you're not stuck with their default username. Finally, accessing Skype is now easier thanks to a mini Skype control bar that sits on top of any web pages, documents or photos you've got open although some may find this a bit intrusive.

Although Skype 5 adds many improvements, some people may miss the smaller and more discreet interface of Skype 2.8. There is a feeling that the developers have gone a bit over the top in expanding Skype and "hiding" certain features and it will take users of the old version some getting used to. The fact that video conferencing is now a premium feature will also annoy many faithful users.

Skype 5 brings video conferencing and a more intelligent user interface that once you've adapted to, should make Skype an even better way to keep in touch while you're away.

Download Skype 5.7.0.1130 Beta in Softonic

Torrent sharing consists of sharing large files, like movies, software, or games with other peers. The file you want to download is cut up into small segments shared by users, creating what is called a swarm, and does not go through a central server, significantly reducing the bulk of file transfers. The Bittorrent client was actually the first P2P application to use this technology and became immensely popular when it was released.

Thanks to a straightforward, uncluttered interface BitTorrent for Mac appears as a friendly torrent client that beginners will feel comfortable with. In fact, the latest version looks uncannily like uTorrent although the functionality is nowhere near as good unfortunately.

Once you’ve found the torrent you want, download it to your Mac, open it up inside BitTorrent for Mac and let the client do its job. The speed at which you download will depend on the number of seeds, that is people who have the complete file and are sharing it. The more seeds there are the quicker files will download. However, a frequent complaint with BitTorrent for Mac is that downloads rarely start and when they do, they can be notoriously unstable.

You can improve things slightly by changing the settings of multiple torrent downloads but there are few diagnostic tools to help you work out the problem. At the very least, you should choose the right port and setting upload and download rate limits to avoid hogging your bandwidth. It’s also good to set your downloads by priority to monitor more precisely how your torrents are doing.

Compared to the exhaustive Azureus, Bittorrent is very simplistic. And compared to uTorrent, it doesn't work half as well despite similarities in appearance. It doesn’t provide many statistics and doesn’t let you customize the interface. Integrating a search box is a great idea, but it limits searches to the BitTorrent website, not considered the most thorough source by torrent aficionados.

Note that BitTorrent gives you access to a huge number of digital files and should only be used for sharing legal P2P content.

BitTorrent for Mac may have once been a good starting point in the P2P world but there are now several other clients which are far more effective.

Download BitTorrent for Mac 7.3.1 Build 27506 in Softonic

A step-by step tutorial launches the first time you run LogMeIn Hamachi and shows you how to use the main functions. At first sight, LogMeIn Hamachi looks very easy to use. Complications arise later on when trying to share files between the computers: you'll need to have a user account with privileges in the target Mac, or so it seemed in our testing, during which we were unable to share files due to right issues. Oh well, at least we could have a chat – a very safe one, of course.

LogMeIn Hamachi is an extremely handy tool especially if you're working in technical support and need to help remote users behind firewalls. It can however be slow sometimes but much will depend on your connection.

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

Download LogMeIn Hamachi 2.0.1.23 in Softonic

The first thing we noticed about Google Chrome for Mac is that it's unbelievably lightweight. While Firefox was consuming anything from an average of 20-30% of a Mac's CPU, Chrome for Mac barely registered on the scale, occasionally touching 1%. For anyone plagued with Firefox memory leaks and crashes, this alone is surely going to be a compelling reason to give Chrome a go.

As you'd expect, Google Chrome for Mac also features tabbed browsing, which visually, is more attractive than Firefox which tends to cram them together somewhat. Extensions and bookmarking (including syncing across machines) are included, as is Adobe Flash.

Chrome for Mac only works on Intel Macs and you might find that some add-ons that you used with previous browsers aren't available for it yet. This is rapidly changing however and most popular add-ons are now available on Chrome.

Perhaps most importantly, Google Chrome for Mac is extremely quick. Surfing the Softonic site, page-loads took less then a second and all images were loaded very quickly. YouTube in particular loaded with lightening speed.

Overall, the handling of sites using JavaScript in particular is mightily impressive and this has been made even better with the implementation of a V8 Crankshaft. Its also nice to know that with Chrome for Mac, even if there is a problem with one of your tabs, that it won't crash the whole browser - just the tab itself. However, sandboxing of Flash still isn't available in the Mac version, even though it is on Windows.

The final version ensures that you'll be able to synchronize not only bookmarks across multiple computers, but also browser preferences - including themes, homepage and startup settings, web content settings, preferred languages, and even page zoom settings. Meanwhile, you can also enable each extension to work in incognito mode through the extensions manager.

With thousands of extensions, super fast browsing and all the intelligence and slickness you expect from a Google product, Chrome for Mac delivers an excellent browsing experience.

Download Google Chrome for Mac 19.0.1084.46 in Softonic

In fact, FrostWire has more than just a few similarities to Limewire although unlike the latter, it does not carry advertising and there are no annoying pop ups. Just as Limewire was, FrostWire is straightforward and easy to use. A simple search bar, divided by category, makes it a breeze to browse for a file, whether it is a video, image, audio, or program. FrostWire also has a What’s New button to check out what popular files users have recently exchanged.

One particularly handy feature of FrostWire is a special direct connect option. If you know the IP address of one of your friends, type it in the box and FrostWire will browse to that user’s files. This is a quick way of sharing files with someone you know although it would be even better if you could enter the username of a user rather than the IP address.

In terms of speed, much will depend on the speed of your own connection. It definitely helps though if you've correctly opened your router’s ports and whether you’re downloading a popular file or not. To avoid the risk of downloading copyrighted or adult material, FrostWire also allows you to apply content filters. Another handy feature of FrostWire is a built-in media player. Video and audio can be tested using Frostwire’s media player which gives you an immediate preview of your file.

However, one major annoyance with Frostwire is the number of fake files on it. Many songs and files look genuine but are in fact either completely fake or in the worst case scenarios, malicious. You should be very careful when opening files. It should also be noted that FrostWire is basically a stripped-down version of Limewire, but is a not-for-profit project. The developers claim it will never support Digital Rights Management (DRM) or any type of advertising. However, the demise of Limewire due to legal issues mean that FrostWire may well be targeted in the future for closure.

FrostWire for Mac is a hugely popular alternative for anyone who misses Limewire but there are a lot of fake files and it doesn't quite measure up to the latter in most areas.

Download FrostWire 5.3.6 in Softonic

Open Facetime and you'll immediately see yourself on screen, and you have to sign in with your Apple account to get started. Once done, FaceTime will sync with your address book, allowing you to immediately call anyone who has the capability.

Calling an iPhone 4 or iPod Touch is easy, once you have your contacts. Image quality is excellent, and the display is pleasantly free of distractions. If the iPhone is rotated, the image also changes on FaceTime for Mac, from landscape to portrait and back. It's a very smooth, simple and comfortable video call experience.

FaceTime is not perfect though. While integration with your contacts on the iPhone makes perfect sense, on the Mac it's less useful. You can't add contacts to FaceTime directly, but have to do it via Address Book. If you don't use Address Book, you have to start. Hopefully integrating contacts will improve in later versions, and perhaps include other services like Facebook. It would also be nice to have FaceTime open without constantly seeing video of yourself!

FaceTime is a very promising video chat application that's certainly the best option between Apple users who are able to use it. However, it still needs more development, and will struggle to knock Skype off its perch unless a Windows version is produced.

Download FaceTime for Mac 1.0.2 in Softonic

uTorrent for Windows has been a big success on PCs for years and uTorrent for Mac includes all the same features that made it such a success. It's lightweight, extremely easy to use, very fast, requires no configuration and generally just makes downloading torrents very easy. If you have used the Windows version, the main difference you'll notice is that uTorrent for Mac is slightly stripped down compared to the Windows version.

For example, down the left hand side of uTorrent you have all the same menus that you have in Windows that allow you to select exactly what you see in the uTorrent window. You can choose to view only those downloads that have completed, those that are currently downloading, those that are active and finally those that are inactive. Of course, you can also choose to view all of these at the same time too.

However, along the top of the interface, some of the controls that you find in Windows have been removed such as the button for RSS downloads, the create your own torrent wizard button and a preferences button. Preferences can be accessed via the menu bar although there is no RSS downloader or create your own torrent wizard unfortunately.

Everything else is the same as you get in uTorrent 's Windows version including a detailed stats windows giving you details of your download which you can toggle on and off via the info symbol on the top right of the interface. You'll also find the search box which simply takes you to a Google search results page.

The preferences dialog offers the same controls as in Windows with options to limit the bandwidth uTorrent uses, network settings and BitTorrent settings. Most importantly, downloads in uTorrent for Mac are lightening quick (if you have plenty of seeds for your file) although of course, this will also depend on how fast your internet connection is. It takes little more than a few seconds for uTorrent to start finding seeds and get on with downloading your files.

Finally, the uTorrent website offers you several different skins to choose from, an extensive FAQ and a full guide to using uTorrent for beginners. There are few drawbacks to uTorrent but one problem is that there is no way to add or remove torrent components once they have started.

Note that uTorrent provides access to a huge number of files but should only be used for sharing legal digital content.

If you've used uTorrent in Windows, you won't be disappointed by uTorrent for Mac. If you've never used it, then give it a go and you may never go back to your old torrent client again.

Download uTorrent for Mac 1.5.14 in Softonic

Video DownloadHelper installs discretely - in fact, the only time you'll see it is when you look under the Tools menu, or browse a site with video. When it you see the little icon - usually in the top left corner - clicking downloads the video directly. Alternatively, click on the little triangle, and choose from other options, such as Copy URL, Convert file or Download as hidden file. This simple extension downloads anything from YouTube, to MySpace, Google Video, DailyMotion and more.

One of the great things about Video DownloadHelper is how many options it has. It's pretty impressive for a free browser add-on, and we'd really recommend checking them all out. From tweaking Video DownloadHelper's appearance and including and excluding video types to download, to sharing your videos and converting your files, Video DownloadHelper is a really slick app. Most people will be happy to use the app's default settings, but if you want a little more control over your downloads, this is most definitely an app you'll want to check out.

Video DownloadHelper is a video download app for Firefox that just gets stronger with every new version.

Download Video DownloadHelper 4.9.8 in Softonic

Firstly, like the latest version of Messenger for Mac, you should know that it doesn't work with webcams. This seems criminal I know, but Microsoft has seen fit only to allow those willing to upgrade to the corporate edition to use a webcam with it. However, the rest of it is pretty much as you'd expect. It is fitted with all the basic functions you'd want from Messenger and the application lets you organize your contacts into different groups, set your status, and use emoticons, etc. New conversations open up in a new window, which you can be moved around anywhere on the screen.

While it's fairly easy to check your Hotmail account thanks to the Mail button at the top of the interface, sending files and images to other users can be a bit slow. MSN Messenger is sufficient as a basic IM client, but we'd recommend upgrading your version of OS X and updating to the latest version of Messenger for Mac. Not only is it more secure, but it will also offer more features and a sleeker interface.

MSN Messenger is a decent if basic IM client for anyone with a Mac OS under 10.3.9 but the lack of webcam function is a major drawback

Download MSN Messenger 4.0.1 in Softonic

The client handles FTP, SFP, Webdav and Amazon S3 transfers. Adding a new connection is very simple and only takes a couple of seconds. You can also drag and drop bookmarks to and from your Finder. The interface is easy to use and will probably be well suited to first time users. You'll also find that Cyberduck is compatible with most external editors like BBEdit, TextWrangler or TextMate.

One major complaint coming from Cyberduck users is that FTP login and transfers can be a little slow. Obviously this is a bit of a drawback, since transfer speed is one of the main benchmarks of FTP clients. However, many of the fixes introduced in the latest version compensate somewhat for this. The CPU hogging issue after completed downloads has been fixed as has the option to connect to services such as Dropbox.

Overall, Cyberduck is an efficient and elegant open source FTP client.

Download Cyberduck 4.2.1 in Softonic

The harsh truth is, Microsoft Silverlight has already fallen considerably behind Adobe Air and typical for a Microsoft product on Mac, it's prone to bugs. In typically Microsoft style, the software giant has surely missed the boat by aiming at a replacement for Adobe Flash when the web world was already shifting towards interactive Web 2.0 platforms such as Adobe Air.

Microsoft Silverlight is a lightweight plug-in that allows you to watch Silverlight-based content in your browser. It works with most major browsers, including Firefox and Safari. There is no prompt to restart the browser after installation but I recommend you do so because the first site of Silverlight content I accessed after installation simply crashed the browser.

The most important improvements to the latest version of Microsoft Silverlight are smoother streaming, DRM management, and an out-of browser player. The out-of browser player however is dependent on developers embracing it and as yet, there are few examples available. The smooth streaming feature will iron out many of the streaming problems that have plagued Silverlight in the past. If your bandwidth drops below 3Mbps, smooth streaming will kick-in so that your video isn't affected.

Microsoft Silverlight can stream high-resolution video well and supports HD-quality videos. If you want to create content for Silverlight, you'll need Expression Studio and Visual Studio. In fact, this latest release is is of particular interest to developers because it adds 60 customizable controls, new layout containers, 'deep linking' for page bookmarking, search engine optimization, and enhanced data support.

The signs are, however, that Microsoft has already realized that the battle for web content is being won by the much slicker and more stable Adobe Air platform, and is therefore aiming Silverlight at business users. The Silverlight homepage boasts: 'Learn how Silverlight is right for your business'. It points out that companies such as Continental Airlines have adopted Microsoft Silverlight for use in their reservation system showing that Microsoft knows which side its bread is buttered on.

Microsoft Silverlight has probably missed the boat as far as Web 2.0 goes, although there's probably no way Mac users can avoid it since there will always be some websites that opt to stream content with Silverlight rather than Flash.

Download Microsoft Silverlight 5.1.10411.0 in Softonic

There's no doubt that Vuze offers some spectacularly fast download times but this comes at a price. Mainly the fact that Vuze is extremely bloated and tries to install two toolbars when you install it. On the upside, because Vuze is an open source project, there is a large community of programmers, designers and users who are continually testing and improving it and there's an excellent FAQ.

You receive comprehensive stats about every file that's downloaded with Vuze (most of which will mean nothing to you though) but most importantly it gives you the all important Estimated Time of Arrival and Share Ratio which tells you how much of a particular file you have uploaded or given back to the community. Apparently, in a perfect world, every file should have a share ratio of two which means for each file you download, two users download it from you.

Possibly the most notable feature of Vuze, however, is the media website that's embedded into the application. It looks like an entertainment website and that's pretty much what it is only the entertainment can be downloaded via Vuze. These include gameshows, user generated content, sports and more.

Vuze has a rather overwhelming interface as a result. It's far more bloated than other P2P clients such as uTorrent and Transmission. It takes some getting used to at first the upside is that it is much more customisable than most Mac P2P apps. For example, if you want to configure Vuze to work only with a VPN, you can do unlike uTorrent and Transmission.

Vuze is generally an excellent P2P application that may be a bit more bloated than most but works well and has plenty to offer.

Download Vuze (Azureus) 4.7.0.0 in Softonic

This new version doesn't support OS X 10.4.11 anymore (although you can download the 10.4.11 version here) but brings many more improvements to an already solid release. You can set different priority levels for torrents and establish stall limit times. Transmission's speed limit mode, represented by a turtle icon at the bottom of the interface, is extremely useful if you're looking to control the amount of bandwidth you use for uploads and downloads. The option for anonymous connections has been removed in this latest version however.

Transmission has consistently improved over time, offering many more options to view your torrents. You can now filter your torrent list according to downloading, seeding, or paused. The client can also organize transfers by queue order, date added, name, process. Transmission also allows you to label, filter and sort torrents by groups and total activity. You can also encrypt your torrent activity in case you want it to stay private.

We really like the new interface, which blends in perfectly to the new Mac OS X Leopard. Transmission manages to display all the essential information without actually seeming crowded, which is no easy feat. The only little nag we'd have with it is that it doesn't offer as many advanced statistics as you'd find in Vuze.

Despite no advanced statistics, Transmission is a beautiful and incredibly intuitive torrent client for Mac.

Download Transmission 2.52 in Softonic

However, if neither of these are particularly important to you then version 7 might still be useful to you. Of course, whichever version you choose, you still have to sign in using your Hotmail or Windows Live account. Once installed, the first thing you'll see is that Microsoft Messenger 7 offers a slightly updated interface to version 6.

Messenger 7 offers Bonjour support, so you can detect and connect with users on the same local network as you. Features like sending files, displaying a picture or emoticons are unchanged. You can change your display name and add a personal message just by clicking on them.

One new feature is that you can give nicknames to your friends. Just click on their display name and start typing. We also liked the search feature, which is really handy to quickly find a contact or email address.

It's obvious that this upgrade is aimed at corporate users as they get the most significant updates though. The highly touted audio and video feature, with which you can have video conferences with your contacts, is only available to them.

The same goes with detailed presence information, as you'll need a version of Office Communications Server 2007 to use it.

Corporate users will love the new features in Messenger for Mac 7, like Bonjour Support, detailed presence information and especially audio and video. General users will find barely anything different from version 6 and should download Microsoft Messenger 8.0.

Download Messenger for Mac 7.0.3 in Softonic

CamTwist is a little difficult to set up, but once installed it works with most video chat services, such as Skype, Yahoo! Messenger and uStream. You can also stream from the desktop, or Flickr, for example. CamTwist includes a Studio section, which will allow you to do a bit of live mixing, like adding overlays, switching cameras, or creating a live slideshow. The more technically gifted can also create your own special effects!

This, coupled with the more than 50 effects available by default, let you really get creative without having to dish out a single cent, simply because CamTwist is completely free! If you like tweaking around with your Mac, you'll also be glad to know that CamTwist offers AppleScript support, which opens the application up to all sorts of customization.

Despite being a little complicated at the get-go, CamTwist is a very good free tool to add fun effects to your video chats.

Download CamTwist 2.2 in Softonic

MP3 Rocket is very similar to FrostWire and the now-defunct LimeWire, so if you are familiar with them, using the app will be a piece of cake. Even if you are not, it’s an easy-to-use application and suitable for anyone who wants to start downloading movies, music and other content – as long as there are no copyright issues, of course!

MP3 Rocket is based on tabs that allow you to quickly access the search engine, lists of popular files and torrents, your library of shared files and even online TV, radio, games and chat. MP3 Rocket can also be used as an audio and video player, but judged on these features it’s not very interesting and offers nothing that really make it stand out.

However, the main problem with MP3 Rocket is that it simply doesn't work properly. Although it installs fine in Lion, searches fail to return any results with a message informing users that a Firewall may be blocking communication with the server.

MP3 Rocket is a rather outdated way to get your music but still remains a popular app on Windows, although the Mac version doesn't seem to work properly.

Download MP3 Rocket 5.1.9 in Softonic

Version 2 also contains some decent additions to the previous version, most notably its webcam facilities. This means you can now watch your buddies as you chat to them and let them see you if you want.

You can use the program to chat with other Skype users anywhere in the world for free either via telephone or the built-in chat feature. However, some overly optimistic users may be disappointed to learn that you still need to pay for credits to make calls to landlines and mobiles with Skype, through the SkypeOut function. Luckily, this is a very painless process, and Skype has recently added a plethora of different ways to pay.

The program is perhaps even easier to use than ever, with streamlined new tools such as the ability to add a contact from the main Skype window and contact grouping for arranging your friends, family and colleagues into categories. You can even import contacts from Outlook, and find out if any of these use Skype. The changes to the interface and its icons may confuse existing users for a while, but once you get used to it, the new GUI is arguably more intuitive than ever.

As we’ve come to expect there’s plenty you can do other than just having a two-way conversation with a friend, including inviting other users into a conference, setting up chatrooms, exchanging files, and viewing the history of your contacts. You can even set up customized voicemail to record messages while you’re away from base.

Skype 2 remains a slimmed down version of Skype that may have been replaced by Skype 5 but still somehow feels simpler and more straightforward than the latter.

Download Skype 2.8.0.866 in Softonic

If you're intending on downloading a lot of content, then Flash Video Downloader 2 is an easy-to-use and powerful solution that downloads from just about any Flash streaming site. The only requisite is that the site sets the video to Autoplay (i.e. it starts playing as soon as the video starts downloading).

Flash Video Downloader 2 can even download videos from sites that require a user log-in, and even those that first play an advertisement. For the content hungry, the maximum batch download rate is five videos at once, although I'd prefer this to be unlimited, even if it would hog bandwidth.

One other handy aspect of Flash Video Downloader 2 is that it can be set to shut down once you've finished downloading a batch of videos. I also liked the fact that Flash Video Downloader 2 supports Growl alerts, so that you know when videos have completed downloading while you're doing other things.

However, it would have been better if you could choose the format you'd like to download to. As it is, you can only download in FLV format which is all very well but not much use if you want to edit the footage afterward.

All in all however, Flash Video Downloader 2 is a handy downloading solution for those users that don't need to download more than five videos at any one time.

Download Flash Video Downloader 2.1.3 in Softonic