Spyware Doctor removes and provides real-time protection against just about any threat you can think of including spyware, adware, trojan horses, keyloggers, browser hijackers, phishing attacks and other malware threats. For Internet Explorer users, it also provides a built-in popup blocker and malicious site guard.

Scanning is quick and covers many areas of your PC including Windows registry, file system, processes and tasks, browser, network configuration and cookies. Since the scan is pretty quick, the most effective way to use it is to install it for use on Windows startup to ensure that your system is clean before every use. However, this will make your boot-up time longer and can sometimes be frustrating as you wait for Spyware Doctor to report that there's nothing new to remove since yesterday anyway. You may also find that it conflicts with other anti-virus or anti-spyware programs and you may be prompted to remove them or find that they have been effectively disabled by Spyware Doctor.

It's also important to ensure that Spyware Doctor has constant access to the internet as it is updated daily with the latest threats. However, these threats can sometimes be exaggerated out of proportion such as in the case of keyloggers which Spyware Doctor may warn you is a high threat but in reality, is benign.

Download Spyware Doctor 6.0.0.385 in Softonic

CCleaner is a small utility that will take care of a few of the important maintenance tasks that every computer user should carry out as regularly as possible to keep their systems in top shape. Fast, reliable and easy to use - CCleaner it's one of the best cleaning systems out there.

For me, the beauty of CCleaner is the speed at which it carries out the various scans and fixes. Its main purpose is to clean any unnecessary files from your hard-drive and on opening the program you see the various aspects of Windows that you can search through and clear. CCleaner will also detect your installed applications that may hold on to files which are no longer any use, such as Google Earth histories or Flash Player configurations.

The interface in CCleaner is very easy to navigate and before taking any action, you will always be asked to confirm that you are sure about what you want to do. There is a useful registry checker that will quickly check its integrity, and let you fix bad entries after making a backup. CCleaner uninstall and startup tools are handy to have and simply add to the usability of this very rounded little maintenance assistant.

The most recent release of CCleaner now works on Vista with Admin permissions where available and features various bug fixes and improvements to the translated versions.

CCleaner makes keeping your PC clean easy for beginners and experts alike. It's small, fast, comprehensive, and free to download it - get cleaning now!

Download CCleaner 2.12.660 in Softonic

RemoveIT is a free trojan, adware and spyware scanner that searches and destroys dangerous viruses, trojans and spyware.

However, the effectiveness of it is open to debate. The developers claim that it's so good, it "locates and removes many new dangerous files including spyware, malware, virus, worms, trojans and adware that other popular AV programs do not find." This program therefore is NOT a real-time scanner - it's based on cleaning-up after something has installed itself on your PC rather than real-time protection which I always think is a dangerous approach.

There's nothing flashy about this program - the interface is based on Windows Explorer shell which also includes a slightly more advanced and expanded version of Windows Task Manager (to stop and block illegal processes) and the same with a Service Manager which gives you an overview of the services and program currently running on your PC. With these tools, you have more control over what runs on your PC both during startup and day-to-day operation. The Services Manager is recommended for beginners as you can see clearly the actual names of the programs running while the Process Manager only shows those files that are running as parts of programs and as a result, you may shut something down that you didn't mean to.

For a free and light malware scanner, this is a solid program although it does not seem to detect anything that other scanners (such as Ad-Aware) can't so it's maybe not as effective as the developers claim.

Download RemoveIT Pro 4 SE 25.9.2008 in Softonic

Malware Defender is what is known as an HIPS (Host Intrusion Prevention System) which basically means it protects you from all kinds of malware and spyware that may try to hijack your system.

The key advantage of Malware Defender, however, is that it is very low on resources despite featuring a realtime protection system, process manager, kernel module manager, hooks detector, autostart application manager, file explorer and a registry Editor. Combined, these protect your from viruses, worms, Trojans, adware, spyware, keyloggers and rootkits.

Malware Detector doesn't seem to be the most intuitive program to use. The reason it is so lightweight is that it's very stripped down, meaning that the results are reduced to nothing more than a crude list of its functions and status. It does however run incredibly discreetly which makes you wonder whether it's really having an effect but it seems to pick up everything that Adaware, etc. finds.

Malware Detector is probably not a great starting app for beginners but if you need a lightweight malware scanner, it's a decent option as long as you know what you're doing.

Download Malware Defender 1.1.2 in Softonic

As English speakers, we don't usually have any problems with understanding movies and TV shows in their native language as a great percentage of them is produced in our mother tongue. However there are quite a large number of movies in other languages for which we may need SubDowbloader's help.

This program enables you to search the Internet for subtitle files for any video files you have in your computer. This means it can work the same with movies and series. The search procedure is a bit strange, as you have to select the actual video file you're searching subtitles for - instead of entering the video's title which makes more sense to me.

On the upside, the program lets you search subtitles for several files simultaneously, making the task a lot easier when you need subtitles for a complete season of your favorite TV show. You can also upload your own subtitle files, which keeps the program's database in constant growth thanks to its users.

If you ever need subtitles for your movies or TV shows then give SubDownloader a go: it may be the faster, easier way to find them.

Download SubDownloader 2.0.5.1 in Softonic

Sometimes I prefer watching movies and TV series on the computer rather than doing it on the couch. The image quality in my PC monitor is better and I can handle more formats than just DVD.

Of course, I need a good video player in order to enjoy my favorite movies at their most, and my choice is no other than BSPlayer. This great video player features anything you need to watch movies or any other kind of video on your PC. It supports all popular video formats (and audio as well, in case you were wondering) and though its basic interface is not really the nicest one I've seen, you can easily customize it with skins.

BSPlayer supports video subtitles, takes screenshots of movie currently playing, lets you create bookmarks and chapters to move along videos more easily and has also support for plug-ins. I especially liked the way you can control playback, either by using keyboard shortcuts or simply your mouse: one click to stop the video, two clicks to go full screen, mouse wheel to raise or low the volume…

The only thing I didn't like was the fact that, being a free version, you're obliged to install an adware element on your PC that displays ads from time to time while you're browsing the way. It's a safe app that doesn't compromise your privacy, but still it's not my cup of tea. I guess it's just the price you have to pay for having such a great video player for free.

BSPlayer lets you enjoy your favorite movies on the PC with a wide range of features (subtitles, screenshots, bookmarks and more) provided you're willing to accept some ads on your desktop.

Download BS.Player Free 2.31.974 in Softonic

Sandboxie is an interesting alternative to traditional anti-virus/anti-spyware software. According to the developers, when you run a program on your computer, data flows from the hard disk to the program via read operations. The data is then processed and displayed, and finally flows back from the program to the hard disk via write operations. For example, if you run the Freecell program to play a game, it starts by reading the previously recorded statistics, displaying and altering them as you play the game, and finally writing them back to disk for future reference.

Sandboxie changes the rules such that write operations do not make it back to your hard disk. The key is the transient nature of the sandbox which makes it easy to get rid of everything in it. If you were to throw away the sandbox, by deleting everything in it, the sandboxed statistics would be gone for good, as if they had never been there in the first place. You maye in fact prefer to run your Web browser inside the sandbox most of the time. This way any incoming, unsolicited software (spyware, malware and the like) that you download, will be trapped in the sandbox. Changes made to your list of Favorites or Bookmarks, hijacking of your preferred start page, new and unwanted icons on your desktop - all these, and more, are trapped in and bound to the sandbox.

This is a very original solution to the perennial problems caused by adware, spyware and malware. However, it's dubious as to whether it can deal with the continual sophistication of such programs.

Download Sandboxie 3.30 in Softonic

Getting copyright free desktop wallpaper is sometimes not easy, with those available often having time limits or requiring fees for permanent use.

TyphoonWallpaper, however, is a free tool that offers access to hundreds of high resolution wallpaper images. TyphoonWallpaper allows you to select a range of images that it will later cycle through automatically while you are using your PC so that you'll always have a fresh desktop.

What's particularly nice about TyphoonWallpaper is the fact that the images are not only incredibly high definition but it also supports dual monitors meaning you can have alternative desktops on different monitors attached to your PC. This even extends to three monitors connected - great for video editors. The wallpapers don't contain adware although they do feature links to try and lure you to buy more products from the developers but it's a small price to pay for some great images.

There might not be many images to choose from when compared to other desktop wallpaper sites but TyphoonWallpaper offers great images on as many monitors as you need to cover.

Download TyphoonWallpaper 1.00 in Softonic

Spyware is the most common computer security menace; it impacts more than 80% of all PCs and recent reports show that estimate is probably low. CounterSpy protects your computer from spyware, adware, Trojans and other malware threats. It's the choice of IT Pros and a favorite of technology editors around the globe.

One of the most powerful features of CounterSpy is the History Cleaner which erases the trails you leave on your computer as you surf the Internet. It also features a PC Explorer that allows you to view and modify computer security and Internet browser settings that are normally difficult to change.

Finally, it also has a great Secure File Eraser that ensures the complete elimination of all files you want removed from your computer. Completely removes all traces of any document, image, music, movie, or application you choose.

Download CounterSpy 3.1.2315 in Softonic

Wizz RSS News Reader, is a very simple RSS and Atom news aggregator that helps you keep up to date with your favourite RSS feeds.

Wizz RSS News Reader is an XUL application which means that it integrates into Firefox meaning you never even have to leave your browser. Although Wizz RSS News Reader doesn't contain any adware, it does put quite a strain on the amount of RAM that Firefox uses which aggravtes the memory leak that Firefox already suffers from.

Wizz RSS News Reader features a useful Drag and drop Quick View function for viewing feeds without having to add them and it you van choose whether to store lists centrally to make them easily available from any PC. Adding feeds is a pleasure simply requiring a drag and dropping action into the Wizz RSS News Reader interface. The program can also automatically check for specific news items that you can define by typing specific search terms.

If you rely on Firefox for everything and don't want to leave it to check RSS feeds, Wizz RSS News Reader is a quick and easy solution.

Download Wizz RSS News Reader 3.0.0.1 in Softonic

When analyzing a software application one must praise its virtues, but also look for possible flaws that developers can improve in future versions. However, in the case of Glary Utilities it's really difficult to find anything that we don't like.

This excellent toolkit includes a handful of system utilities that enable you to tweak, repair, optimize and improve your system's performance. Tools are conveniently categorized so that you can quickly find what you're looking for: disk cleaner, uninstall manager, memory optimizer, file shredder, duplicates finder, tracks eraser... just about any tool you need. They're all generally very intuitive and in case they make important changes to the system (like the Registry repairing tool) the program creates a backup copy first.

Not all the tools included in Glary Utilities include configuration settings, something we missed in some of them such as the Disk cleaner. Also, we would like to have a Firefox Assistant, the same way the program includes an Internet Explorer Assistant.

Download Glary Utilities 2.6.1 in Softonic

SPYWAREfighter is an extremely easy to use spyware removal program that's easy to install, administer and use.

SPYWAREfighter also offers real time protection against spyware, adware, and other malicious software. How do you know if you've got spyware in the first place though? Well, if you're computer has been significantly slowing down or you're being plagued with pop ups, then you may be the victim of spyware and after a quick scan, SPYWAREfighter will reveal if there are any problems.

Unlike some spyware removal tools, SPYWAREfighter offers real time monitoring of your entire system which means that you are continually protected against malware and other threats. In addition, it can stop spyware getting into your memory (a very popular target for spyware) by continually searching your system proceses for strange or unusual entries.

There are many other features that go into making SPYWAREfighter. In some ways, it's a little on the overkill side but generally, it's a powerful and effective spyware protector and remover.

Download SPYWAREfighter in Softonic

RemoveAny is a lightweight and simple anti-spyware utility that helps to ridentify dangerous processes on your PC.

If spyware or malware gets rooted on your system, then it can be an absolute nightmare to get it off. Some applications can do more damage than good while others don't seem to have any noticeable effect whatsoever. RemoveAny anti-spyware is not exactly a heavy duty solution but it can pick up malware pretty quickly and will delete it immediately. The program is extremely lightweight and is completely free to use. It works in real time monitoring executable files, drivers, modules and processes as well as displaying additional information about executables. When you start your PC, RemoveAny shows users what processes have started on their PC by seperating modules into three groups - suspicious, unknown and trusted. If you see suspicious modules or processes, you should not immediately delete those files. To decide whether the file is really suspicious or not, it's useful to do a Google search to find out what exactly it is but be careful what you remove!

Although it doesn't identify what each process does, for those in the know, RemoveAny will instantly alert you to illegal or strange processes on your system.

Download RemoveAny 2.13 in Softonic

eMule stands out from most of its rival P2P clients in the fact that it is open source. The great thing about this is that you’re free of pesky spyware and adware, leaving you free to get on with your downloading in peace. What’s more, eMule doesn’t rely on one central server like many older clients. By using a multitude of different servers, eMule's network is virtually impossible to shut down, and proves very robust and secure.

A simple user interface goes a long way to making eMule a cinch to use. This doesn’t mean it lacks depth though, and its features are some of the most advanced we’ve seen in a P2P client. For instance, eMule lets you view all manner of information on machines you’re downloading from, call up charts outlining downloading stats and check download status through an advanced progress bar.

The fact that eMule uses a large network of servers means the search results are abundant, but there’s one major annoyance with the client – it’s very slow at downloading files. This is largely because of the way it handles download priority, which takes into account the number of servers you’re connected to, the connection speed, and size of the file. eMule also relies heavily on a ‘credit scoring’ system, whereby people who use the service a lot are rewarded with faster downloads. While some may champion this as being in the true spirit of file sharing, the system makes it awfully frustrating for users new to eMule who are penalized with ultra slow downloads.

Having said this, it’s not difficult to see why eMule has become the most popular P2P app, and if you’re prepared to break the law and download music over a network it makes for the perfect accomplice. If you love downloading, you'll love eMule.

Download eMule 0.49b Beta 1 in Softonic

StaxRip allows you to easily convert your DVD's, DVB or DV captures, or almost any other source format. As a open source application StaxRip is completely free. The program supports the most popular video formats (DivX, XviD, x264, MPEG-2, MPEG-4), audio formats (MP3, AC3, MP2/MPA, AAC, DTS, WAV) and container formats (AVI, MP4, MPG, MKV, DivX).

Features of StaxRip:

• No spyware, adware or any other form of malware
• No registry bloat, settings are saved in files within the application's directory
• No lost settings after a fresh windows installation
• No awkward setup/installer, no system changes, system bloat and trash
• Easy to use and highly customizable
• Reasonable default values for filters, codecs etc.
• Rich help system including, online help, context sensitive help and forum support
• Rich and convenient cutting facilities e.g. to remove ads
• Batch processing (jobs)
• Rich feature set to manage, integrate and download required third party application
• AviSynth powered to achieve excellent video quality and support of virtually any source format

Download StaxRip 1.1.1.0 in Softonic

While the developers claim that "Free 100% Real-Time Protection" is something that most similar programs charge for may be stretching the truth somewhat, Spyware Terminator & Web Security Guard is very powerful spyware solution.

The program includes all the options you expect to find in such a product including options to manually carry out or schedule scans as well as options to deny or allow access to certain programs to your PC. The program is not just a spyware scanner however as it also includes an antivirus scanner. The developers have also seen fit to include a "Web Security Guard" which carries out the the job that most anti-phishing and pop up blockers in Internet Explorer and Firefox already carry out. This feature also features user generated website reviews along with warnings as to whether the site could be potentially harmful or not. Note that the developers warn that if you are using an unsupported operating system (such as Windows 98 or ME), you it may be better to use version 1.9 which offers the same protection but is much lighter on resources as the one drawback of this program is that it is rather slow to start and close and can hog your memory at peak scanning periods.

This is a comprehensive security solution that has all avenues of attack covered although if you're already using a virus scanner, you may be better to stick with it as it seems the weakest part of what is generally an excellent package.

Download Spyware Terminator & Web Security Guard 2.2.3.444 in Softonic

NewsLeecher is a tool made for fetching and managing articles from Usenet. It downloads Usenet articles in a snap, and uses its inline engine to assemble and decode all the downloads.

It boasts the following features:

NZB download files

NewsLeecher has full support for the NZB file format.

Ultra fast Usenet super search engine

Search *all* the binary usenet groups for a specific keyword or keystring at once

Full privacy - spyware & adware free

NewsLeecher does *not* contain any spyware or adware

Advanced multiserver support

NewsLeecher has advanced support for leeching from multiple servers at the same time

Top tuned yEnc support

Besides supporting the "old" encoding formats, such as uuEncode, NewsLeecher also supports the brand new encoding format called yEnc.

Multithreaded server downloading

Besides being able to download from several servers at the same time, NewsLeecher can also use up to 99 simultaneous download threads per server.

Filter system

Enables one to find certain posts without going through all received headers. Filter by subject, size, age and more.

Automatic downloading

The built-in automatic multipart posts processing removes the hassle from combining binary post parts one by one. NewsLeecher detects and combine parts by itself!

Fastest group caching in the world

Fast group caching enables much faster group viewing by only receiving the latest available post headers and caching the old ones.

Top todern user interface

State of the art user interface with support for XP themes and many options for tweaking the usability and the interface!

Advanced feature support

NewsLeecher supports many advanced features that make it easy to use your usenet membership to the fullest. Such features include smart article highlighting, a built in group noteblock and much much more!

Download NewsLeecher 3.9 in Softonic

Kaspersky® Internet Security 7.0 provides you with the same proven anti-virus protection as Kaspersky Anti-Virus together with additional features including Parental Control, a personal firewall, an anti-spam filter, Privacy Control and more.

Product Highlights

• Integrated protection from all Internet threats
• Integrated antivirus protection: 1) Hourly automated database updates, 2) Preliminary behavior analysis, 3) On-going behavior analysis. New!
• Real-time scanning for email, Internet traffic and files
• Personal firewall with an IDS / IPS system. Improved!
• Protection from leaks of confidential data. New!
• Parental Control. New!
• Protection from spam and phishing
• Automatic database updates

Additional Features

• Protection from viruses, Trojans and worms
• Protection from spyware and adware
• Protection from all types of keyloggers. Improved!
• Detection of all types of rootkits. Improved!
• Protection from viruses when using ICQ and other IM clients
• Rollback of malicious changes on your PC
• Self-defense of the antivirus program from being disabled or stopped
• Tools for creating a Rescue Disk
• Free technical support

Download Kaspersky Internet Security 2009 8.0.0.357 in Softonic

Free anti-virus software can be a mixed bag - sometimes they can do more harm than good while at others, they can save you hundreds of dollars with solid real-time protection.

Avira AntiVir PersonalEdition Classic is the free version of Avira AntiVir PersonalEdition Premium. This doesn't mean that it's any less powerful bit it does mean that many advanced features are unavailable. The program can scan up to 30 different file types and seems to have been designed with a particular focus on Trojans according to the developer blurb. Protection is served in real time and as with all virus scanners, you are immediately given the choice whether to ignore, quarantine or delete the infected file. What's nice about this scanner is that for those viruses that it can't identify or clean, it compiles a report which can then be automatically submitted to Avira's lively user forum where someone, somewhere, should be able to help. The scanner sits in your system tray bit can be expanded to show the current settings and the status of any scans in progress. Scanning is quick and it doesn't slow your machine down significantly. Unfortunately however, it provides no option for scanning incoming and outgoing mail or adware/spyware but if you're just looking for a trojan blocker/remover, it's a very solid product.

A powerful and well organised anti virus scanner that helps you get to the bottom of virus issues rather than hinders your progress.

Download Avira AntiVir PersonalEdition Free Anti-Virus 8.1.0.295 in Softonic

Avira AntiVir Premium is a professional anti-virus package that offers the latest in protection technology.

It covers just about every major threat to your system including viruses and malware, worms, Trojans, adware, Spyware and phishing. The program features real-time on-access
scanning so you can be sure you are protected 24 hours a day. There are also manual options for full system scans and it automatically keeps its virus database updated with the latest threats. The interface also makes available an easy to access POP3 based MailScanner that scans emails before they are stored on your machine. The overall interface is one of the best things about this security centre for me because unlike many, it's not cluttered. It's extremely easy to navigate and read and doesn't leave you wondering whether it's in scan mode, updated or ready to go.

This really is one very solid anti-virus suite that seems to run so well, you'll hardly notice it but when you do need it, you'll find yourself presented with a friendly interface that makes using it a pleasure.

Download Avira AntiVir Premium in Softonic