When I was younger I used to spend hours hanging around in chat rooms and meeting new people from all over the world.

Today I've had the chance to chat again, but in a slightly different way. I've used Weblin, a very original software app that works together with your web browser, enabling you to chat with the people who are visiting the same webpage as you. Also, your chat personality is more than just a plain nickname: it's a fully animated avatar that walks around the bottom bar of your browser window.

At the beginning it may be difficult to find people to chat with, but you can start by the program's "topcloud": a list of the most populated webpages that you can access from Weblin's icon in the system tray. Following this method I soon met some nice people on Youtube and had a short chat with them. Conversations can be held via text balloons or standard chat window, but I wasn't sure which one to use. On the one hand balloons behave in a strange way, as the text you send is not erased and you have to delete it before writing again; on the other hand, the chat window takes way too much space and it doesn't let me read webpages properly.

After chatting for a while, I started browsing Weblin's website and I was surprised to discover a highly detailed customization menu for your personal profile and avatar, which can't be found on the program's settings. So once you've registered your account, be sure to visit the site and explore it for yourself.

Generally speaking, I found Weblin a very original chat app where you can have fun and make friends. On the downside, having a dozen avatars sitting on a certain webpage really disturbs your web browsing.

An original way to chat with other people in your web browser, although certainly difficult to combine with actual web browsing.

Download Weblin 2.7.9 in Softonic

With DVD video recorders and video camera becoming increasingly popular, there's a growing demand for user friendly video editing software that can handle footage from a variety of sources. With MAGIX Movie Edit Pro you can import videos from DVDs that you have recorded directly with your DVD camcorder or TV recordings on your living room DVD recorder. This offers exciting new possibilities to create your own DVDs with your own menus and extras.

The program makes maximum use of your processor cutting and arranging DVD, MPEG, and even HDV recordings. Both the picture composition, and video compression ratios are calculated in the background whilst you get on with some seamless editing. Note however that you'll need a processor of at least 3 GHz or more to reap these benefits in HDV mode.

This program also makes soundtracks a priority with an integrated Soundtrack Maker that enables you to produce your own individual background music. You simply select a style, from classical to action and the music will intelligently follow the "tension curve" that you define. This is a massive bonus in that you don't have to search for suitable music to fit every mood represented in your film although that said, nothing can beat a human touch in that area.

This is an excellent video editor that can handle the demands of even HDV but in a way that makes it fairly simple for all.

Download MAGIX Movie Edit Pro 12 (US) in Softonic

Have you ever wanted to be able to design computer games, but didn't want to spend countless hours learning how to become a programmer? Then you've come to the right place. Game Maker is a program that allows you to make exciting computer games, without the need to write a single line of code. Making games with Game Maker is a lot of fun. Using easy to learn drag-and-drop actions, you can create professional looking games within very little time.

You can make games with backgrounds, animated graphics, music and sound effects, and even 3d games! And when you've become more experienced, there is a built-in programming language, which gives you the full flexibility of creating games with Game Maker.

Download Game Maker 7.0 in Softonic

Animoids are 3D characters that can be built from scratch and used in movies. With this library of characters, behaviors, props, sets, sounds and textures, you can direct your own movie scenes. Animoids has the ability to build 3D models from standard components or work with node points.

Simple tools to animate models are present, and you can create QuickTime Movies of animations.Import work from other 3D programs - 3D-Studio, Lightwave and Wavefront.HAve integration with online art gallery and create own sounds or use our Sound Library to bring animations to life.

Download Animoids 3D Movie Maker 2.2.10 SE in Softonic

3D Sci-fi Movie maker is a real-time rendering studio, capable of impoting 3DS model files for animation and 3D scene development. There are many types of effects to choose from in order to create many kinds of animated sequences.

Once you have made an animation, you can then write it to an AVI which will be compatible with a whole host of video editing packages, including Microsoft Movie Maker, where you will be able to add sound and music to it.

Download 3D Sci-FI Movie Maker 2.0.4 in Softonic

Create professional looking banner ads, buttons, logos, and web graphics quickly with Banner Maker Pro. By using a wizard like interface, you can create great looking web graphics in just minutes. Simply follow the tabs at the top of the program to go step-by-step in the graphic making process. Many options are available including one step animation, 3d text effects, gradients, and more.

Download Banner Maker Pro 6.0.6 in Softonic