Rainlendar is a lightweight and customizable calendar for your desktop.

When I first launched Rainlendar I was impressed by the widget-like appearance. Widget are small, handy gadgets that can pop up on your screen to show you all types of information, from weather forecasts, to stock charts or the time and date. They are usually small, attractive and very discreetly fit on your desktop. Rainlendar’s elements similarly have that cloud-like feel. The notes, events and calendar windows float around on your desktop and can be moved about your screen and disappear or reappear in a touch.

Rainlendar stands out from classic calendar programs thanks to a highly customizable interface and the possibility to quickly and effortlessly jot down notes and important events. Although it only comes with two different skins, the program offers a link to www.customize.org, where you should find the style which suits your tastes. But Rainlendar doesn’t stop there. You can set up hotkeys to manage Rainlendar at the push of a key and, thanks to various plug-ins present in the program, integrate Rainlendar directly to other utilities like Outlook and iCalendar. Rainlendar is always within reach as a tray icon on your desktop and bringing it up just takes a click of your mouse.

Unfortunately Rainlendar’s real originality is also its weakness. The program offers a wide range of skins but adding these to the program is far from straightforward. You have to drag your downloaded skin into the Skins folder for the Rainlendar program file and then browse to the new skin from the ‘Edit Skin’ option in Rainlendar’s drop down menu.

If you like to keep your calendar on your PC, but find the one offered by Windows too dull, Rainlendar is a good alternative. You’ll enjoy setting your own style and the way it discreetly fits onto your desktop.

Download Rainlendar 2.4 in Softonic

If you're a Windows Vista user you'll no doubt be enjoying all those cool sidebar gadgets. But if you don't you can always make do with tools like Thoosje Vista Sidebar.

With Thoosje Vista Sidebar you can have a completely customizable gadgets sidebar on your desktop even if you have Windows XP. Simply run it and start adding any gadget you want by clicking on the little cross button on the top. The gadgets are quite varied and cover different needs: from the PC resources meter to the photo slideshow, from the RSS mini-reader to the weather gadget. Bear in mind that when you select gadgets for Thoosje Vista Sidebar they appear on your desktop – not on the sidebar itself – and you have to manually drag and drop them on Thoosje Vista Sidebar.

Once ready and customized with all your chosen gadgets, Thoosje Vista Sidebar looks really beautiful on your desktop. Plus, it includes some background skins to make it fit perfectly with the image you have as wallpaper. The downside to this graphical beauty is that it may slow down your system. Also, Thoosje Vista Sidebar seems to be a bit slow when opening menu windows. But the main drawback is undoubtedly the fact that you can't download new gadgets – you must stick to the ones the author provides you with in the program's configuration.

Thoosje Vista Sidebar looks beautiful on your desktop, but it may slow down your system. Also, not being able to download new gadgets is really frustrating.

Download Thoosje Vista Sidebar 2.5 in Softonic

Nero is a mammoth multimedia solution that does just about everything from CD and DVD burning to audio and video editing. This latest version is a bit of a disappointment as it doesn't really bring anything drastically new from version 7. The main improvements are an updated design and reinforced security. Let’s look around at the features available in Nero 8.

This latest version is Windows Vista certified and if you have Microsoft’s latest OS installed you’ll be able to enjoy the Nero sidebar gadget and sleek, clear Vista interface, such as the “Glass” window for StartSmart. Nero Home, the multimedia manager with a DVD menu-like interface, has been slightly improved. Apart from handling all your photos, videos and songs it can also play radio stations and, if you have a TV card set up, play and record TV stations. Furthermore, Nero can stream content to your brand new Xbox 360.

The StartSmart interface is your gateway to all the Nero tools. You can select the individual applications from the left sided menu or choose the file you want to work with (data, audio, photo and video or backup) from the main menu. It’s best to choose the disc type, CD or DVD from the drop-down menu at the top to get the most relevant possibilities. Even though StartSmart gives quick access to all the Nero applications, we found the whole interface too small and cluttered. The window can’t be resized and you need to scroll through to find the tools you need. RSS feeds added to version 8 feel a bit clumsy. They don't show items in a proper feed list and only seem to link back to the Nero help and support pages.

Before it became a full multimedia suite though, Nero was renowned for its burning tools, essentially due to its flagship program, Nero Burning ROM. With it, you can adjust the disc type, set restrictions and control the writing speed. SecurDisc technology has also been added in the latest version to encrypt your CDs or DVDs. If you don’t want to get bogged down in the details, use Nero Express instead to burn your project and design your own disc cover quickly.

Another of the classic Nero apps that has been improved is Nero Showtime. This DVD player boasts support for HD-DVD and Blu-Ray, and will save you from upgrading when these formats become the norm. Just use Nero InfoTool beforehand to check if your system can handle these new formats. The program has also seen the introduction of AVCHD playback and authoring technology used in camcorder videos. Support for Windows Media Format DRM is also part of the deal and you can encode videos to play on your iPod, mobile or PlayStation Portable (PSP) thanks to Nero Recode.

Nero’s strength lies in the wealth of multimedia tools it offers to users. You can do just about everything from managing your media to burning CDs and DVDs or editing and watching high quality videos. The latest release has added a number of significant improvements to handle all the latest technological advances like Windows Vista, iPods or the Xbox 360.

Ironically, Nero´s power also contributes to its downfall. Nero packs so many applications into one package that it’s very easy for the common user to get lost in the menus. The size of the suite(600 MBs) and its draining of PC resources also means that you’ll need a high-spec PC to run it smoothly.

It's a bit surprising that Nero decided to jump to version 8 as there's nothing really that new in this latest outing. Once more, Nero will cater to those users looking for a full multimedia suite and not worried about eating up their PC's resources.

Download Nero 8.3.6.0 in Softonic

If you need to regulate the amount of traffic or data running through your system, then without expensive network administration software, it can be tricky.

DU Meter is a free utility which includes an extensive logging facility, flexible events system, and it works with virtually all types of network connections including phone modems, DSL, cable modem, LAN and satellite. By using DU Meter, you can observe or anticipate unexpected changes and even receive alerts about dangerous or unexpected network activity. From a pretty basic app, DU Meter has now been updated to make it a pretty impressive package that incorporates a much improved Graphical User Interface and a new mini mode in which the program operates extremely discreetly. In addition, the program now uses a real database engine, which allows for much more accurate and detailed alerts regarding unusual network activity. It should be noted that in Windows Vista, DU Meter is even more easily accessibly thanks to a sidebar gadget that unfortunately isn't available in other versions of Windows.

For basic network monitoring and prevention of unexpected internet loss or abnormal activity, DU Meter has it all.

Download DU Meter 4.01 in Softonic

Folder management is something that can easily be improved on in Windows and The Magic Folder aims to do exactly this.

The Magic Folder is basically a utility that helps you categorize and move files. When you drag a file into the utility, it will look at the file extension and place Document files (like DOC, XLS, PPT, etc) in the Documents folder. The same principle works for other file extensions - image files like (JPEG, PNG, TIFF, GIF, etc) are automatically placed into the Pictures folder. It's not fixed in stone however where the files you go. You can add/remove file extensions recognized by The Magic Folder and change where files go or even add your own folder locations. Alternatively, you can configure the program to prompt you for the storage location each time you move a folder.

The program does not operate entirely independently of Windows Explorer - when you click The Magic Folder you can select from the list of folders you want to access and then jump directly to that folder in Windows Explorer. Most recently, the developer has updated the folder graphics to encompass four different folder types.

If you don't have time to manage your folders or check where they've gone, The Magic Folder will ensure that you're desktop stays as tidy as possible.

Download The Magic Folder 2.0 in Softonic

For all football fans this free Vista gadget will be a very interesting tool to have as it resumes in a simple way, rankings of all the major European soccer tournaments.

To install it, just download, extract the file and double click on it in your Windows Vista PC. The application will be installed in the sidebar of your system, without needing to restart it. Select among eight tournaments from Champions League, UEFA Cup, Euro 2008, to the Italian, French, Spanish and English leagues. For each section you immediately see the five best teams with relative scores. If you click on the arrows at the up-right corner you can get the full list, while if you click at the bottom, the 'Fixtures & Results' menu appears. It shows the results of every game played, so you can have a quick glance at scores and winners.

With this real-time updated application you will not miss any of the EURO 2008 result. It also shows all the data you need to know to stand out among your friends and know everything about all the European leagues.

Download UEFA Informer Gadget 1.5.0.0 in Softonic

SofTicker is a free RSS reader which displays feeds in a scrolling bar at the top of your screen. It is not an invasive display mode and you can click on the title which is scrolling in that moment to open a tab or a new web page.

There are fourteen default RSS feeds you can manage and of course you can add your own. The good thing about this reader is that it perfectly integrates into your screen and it doesn't take much space, just a line at the top. The news scrolls very slowly, so it is easy to read, and if you pass the mouse above, you might have a short description according to the web site that originates them. You can even choose the speed of the scrolling and the size of the words, although you can just select between a size 8 and 9. Making the font bold will render the white words more readable as the bar's background is black.

From a usability point of view, I find for example that showing three news sources at a time and changing them at specific intervals would be more effective than scrolling just one news source which you have to follow in order to read. Moreover, having something that moves all the time on the top of your screen can be really annoying after a while.

SofTicker allows you to be always updated with the last news from your favorite website although the display mode chosen is not the most usable one.

Download SofTicker 1.1 in Softonic

If you're on the move constantly, then there's nothing quite like taking your desktop with you.

Ceedo Personal allows you to do this by reducing your desktop to fit on a USB stick. When you plug it into a USB port, it gives you instant access to your PC's desktop as if you were still at home. Your applications run from your portable drive based on your personal language and preferences but it uses resources from the host PC including such things as processing power, internet connection, printers etc. This makes it an excellent solution for anyone who is trying to make something work on a slower machine but isn't having any luck and needs to try it on something faster. At the end of your session, Ceedo Personal saves your work and application settings so that it's ready for your next usage. Note that once you remove your USB device, no trace of your work is left behind on the host PC so it's perfect for those that don't have access to one of their own PCs when they're on the move.

If you're not in a position to synchronize desktops or take your laptop with you, this is the next best thing.

Download Ceedo Personal 2.2.1.23 in Softonic

The Google Toolbar is probably my favourite toolbar on the net and something I've gradually come to rely on everyday.

Now, it's got even better with the latest release which is packed with improvements and updates that Google fans will lap up. These include custom buttons with gadget support, synchronized toolbar settings (so you can synch two toolbars across different computers), Google Notebook integration, a word find function, suggestions for navigation errors and an improved autofiller. It also now features details of your Web History (which is totally unnecessary although very easily searchable compared to Firefox or IE). Apart from the synch feature, I think the best addition is the gadget support. Through these, Google Toolbar now supports live feeds and when you click on any of the gadget icons, the gadget pops down from the Toolbar, no matter what site you are on and close when you are done with it. You can mix and match gadgets as much as you want although the danger is you end up adding so many that the toolbar becomes bloated.

This is the best release of Google Toolbar yet and it creeps even further into territory that formerly was the domain of browsers - check it out now.

Download Google Toolbar Firefox Beta 5 in Softonic

The Google Toolbar is probably my favourite toolbar on the net and something I've gradually come to rely on everyday.

Now, it's got even better with the latest release which is packed with improvements and updates that Google fans will lap up. These include custom buttons with gadget support, synchronized toolbar settings (so you can synch two toolbars across different computers), Google Notebook integration, a word find function, suggestions for navigation errors and an improved autofiller. It also now features details of your Web History (which is totally unnecessary although very easily searchable compared to Firefox or IE). Apart from the synch feature, I think the best addition is the gadget support. Through these, Google Toolbar now supports live feeds and when you click on any of the gadget icons, the gadget pops down from the Toolbar, no matter what site you are on and close when you are done with it. You can mix and match gadgets as much as you want although the danger is you end up adding so many that the toolbar becomes bloated.

This is the best release of Google Toolbar yet and it creeps even further into territory that formerly was the domain of browsers - check it out now.

Download Google Toolbar Internet Explorer Beta 5 in Softonic

Photo Gadget Pro is a shell extension that adds image editing options to Windows Explorer. It can rotate, resize and rename images, add a caption and/or frame and carry out format conversions. To use the program just select images to work with in Explorer's window, right click the selection and choose an action from the context menu.

When adding a caption you can choose between typing in text or using a graphics file. Framing is simple single or double outline where you set the width and colors. Multiple file rename mask is provided with several options including an automatic counter. If you have that kind of camera Photo Gadget Pro can also rotate images based on EXIF information.

Download Photo Gadget Pro 2.4 in Softonic

The PrtScr key is quite useful – it lets you capture the screen without any third-party app. But this simplicity also makes it quite limited.

If you want to get rid of those limitations, use, the PrtScr app instead. In spite of sharing the same name, this capturing tool has nothing to do with Windows standard capturing function. It offers extended functionality, such as the ability to capture user-defined areas or send the captured image by email straightaway, and also features a fairly complete settings menu where you can customize the keyboard shortcut to launch the program and the format in which to save captured images, among others.

When running, PrtScrt displays an icon in the system tray from where you can access the program's tools. I loved the way images are displayed on the desktop right after capturing them – floating in a kind of smooth 3D animation.

On the downside, it took me a while to distinguish between its three main functions - and to find the help file as well, hidden in the "About" window. I also missed some editing tools, at least the most basic ones.

PrtScr lets you capture images in a stylish way and share them by email right away, but lacks documentation and also editing tools.

Download PrtScr 1.0 in Softonic

We've seen quite a few software apps that stream online TV channels right to your computer, but this is probably one of the first TV apps to focus on music TV.

Audials TV delivers more than 50 different music streaming TV channels to your PC, thus providing you with an entertaining background soundtrack while you're working or simply browsing the web. The program can be run as a standalone application – with different interface designs - or be embedded in Vista's sidebar as a gadget.

Don't be fooled by the small number of channels on the left pane of Audalis TV. If you click on the "Sender" button you'll see a complete list of all available channels, among which you'll find popular stations like MTV or Ministry of Sound. Bear in mind, however, that the image and sound quality may vary a lot from one channel to another, and that you may also find the odd channel that doesn't connect at all.

Audalis TV lets you watch streaming music TV channels right in your computer, either on the desktop or as a Vista gadget embedded in the sidebar.

Download Audials TV 1.2 in Softonic

eBay heavy users like you probably spend half of their computer time checking the eBay site to track items, bids, offers or messages. Wouldn't it be nice to have some help in this tiring task?

eBay Desktop is the answer to this whish. This tool, which has been developed under the AIR platform, lets you review and check all the important information in the eBay website. You'll be able to search for special items, bid on any of them and also put the ones that interest you most in your watching list.

The program also features special services (RSS feed readers, outbid alerts and item reminders, among others) that enable you to be ahead of other bidders and have more chances to win auctions.

On the downside, I had problems when trying to list items in certain categories and also when displaying item pictures. Apparently, they were having technical difficulties at the eBay site so it's probably not the program's fault.

Though not always responding as it should, this eBay AIR-based gadget is the perfect companion for all eBay fans who spend too much time on the eBay website.

Download eBay Desktop 1.0.2 in Softonic

The Google Desktop application allows users to search their desktop content quickly and easily. Praised for its ingenuity and criticised for its intrusiveness, Google Desktop brings the power of Google’s search engine technology to your PC.

After installing the application, you’ll have to give it some time to index the files on your PC, including emails, photos, chats, contacts and calendar events. Google Desktop will index the first 10,000 words in the first 100,000 documents on your PC. The application supports the majority of file types and you can decide which ones to index, or omit protected files, using the preferences menu.

In its latest version, which is compatible with Windows Vista, Google Desktop has been given a new transparent look, providing a pretty sleek feel to your PC. Your search results will appear in your browser (in the familiar Google web page format) and a small preview button allows you to view results without actually clicking on the corresponding link. Results are as precise as we’ve come to expect from Google searches, however we were slightly disappointed to learn that the application doesn’t offer logical 'OR' support or substring search. On another note, Google Desktop is not limited to your PC as you can cross index content from multiple machines and share some panel items with your friends.

Google Desktop is not only about search, though. Joining a marketplace already occupied by Apple’s Dashboard Widgets and Yahoo! Widgets, Google Desktop can be fitted with any number of little gadgets. These mini apps perform all kinds of functions, from fetching your mail to jotting down notes or checking up on your local weather. There are hundreds of gadgets to choose from to customize your desktop bar. Our personal favorites are: Google Translate, the Skype plug-in to check your credit and call your contacts, “Am I Blocked” to find out who’s blocked you on IM, Workspace to quickly move between tasks, System Stats to monitor your PC and Games, a selection of Flash games like Tetris and Moonlander.

When running, we found Google Desktop to use up around 30 MBs, but that can quickly increase if you add more gadgets to it. The application is also constantly re-indexing your files to incorporate your modifications and new elements. However you should rarely feel your PC slowing due to indexing.

When you’re dealing with Google, however, you know the main criticism will be about security. Because Google Desktop indexes all your documents, you’re basically opening up your PC and all your personal files to the Moutain View company. What some users fear is that Google could one day take advantage of that access or that a bug in the application would allow malicious users to infiltrate your PC and steal information.

While the intrusiveness of Google Desktop will give some users pause for thought on installing the app, Google Desktop is highly effective and simple to use. The gadgets you can add to its sidebar may not all be essential, but many of them are quite fun and original and let’s face it, the sidebar looks good. Give it a go if you think your PC is a mess and you need quick access to anything.

Download Google Desktop 5.7.802.22438 in Softonic

In Hidden Relics you get to turn yourself into a worldwide explorer hunting for antiques.

Hidden Relics provides an original story, which will take you to very different locations all over the world. The main outline of the game is to hunt for antiques and artifacts in very crowded areas. The game will give you clues along the way to help you out in finding artefacts. The funnest part though is probably all the mini puzzle games that you'll play, which will unlock all sorts of gadgets, like magnifyer goggles or a diamond detector, to help you out uncovering anitques.

However what really makes Hidden Relics enjoyable are the graphics, particularly all the details you'll find when hunting around for antiques.

The game is very fun to play, and finding antiques in crowded scenes is a real challenge. The only real downside though is the lengthy installation process. The game has to go through the Big Fish Games installation engine, which can take some time in downloading the game. Users might also get a little turned off by having to provide their email just to try out the game.

Despite the long installation process, Hidden Relics is a very enjoyable game with great graphics, a good story and lots of mini games to keep you excited. Recommended if you like solving puzzles.

Download Hidden Relics 1.0.1 in Softonic

If you're looking for an easy-to-use video and photo editor, Pinnacle VideoSpin is definitely a good choice.

Don't be mistaken: this is no replacement for big shots like Adobe Premiere or Sony Vegas. However Pinnacle VideoSpin works perfectly well for the average user who wants to create an easy video presentation including video clips, photos, sound effects and background music.

The program features support for the most popular file formats, plus a nicely designed interface that divides the working area into three main sections: the list of material you can add to your presentation, a preview window and a timeline that enables you to organize every element in terms of the position they occupy in the presentation, the amount of time they take and the transition effects between them, among other settings. There's also a special tool to create title screens.

Once your presentation is ready, Pinnacle VideoSpin allows you to save it into a variety of formats and support, including AVI, DivX, iPod compatible video or MPEG.

Pinnacle VideoSpin is an intuitive presentation tool with which average users can easily create their own photo and video shows.

Download Pinnacle VideoSpin 1.0.2.410 in Softonic

TimeShift is not the typical first-person shooter in which you have to kill anything that dares move on your screen. Okay, there's a lot of blood, but there's also one important element that I have never seen in any previous FPS before: time.

Yes, besides big machine guns and other powerful gadgets, time is by far the most important weapon in this game. You're given the ability to control time at your will: make it go slower, stop it or even make it go backwards. Controlling this ability will save your life more than once, so it's important to learn it properly. However, be ready to die a few times before you get the knack of it.

This demo includes some single player in which you play with a team of soldiers. You're assigned a series of objectives that involve exploring ruined scenarios and killing enemies. There are also multiplayer maps, where you play on your own according to the game mode set: all against all, capture the flag, team-based game, etc. In a way, this multiplayer mode reminds me of Unreal Tournament.

TimeShift features jaw-dropping graphics, especially in the rendering of environments. Images are beautifully distorted when your character controls time in order to create an impressive effect. You really feel like Hiro Nakamura!

Excellent first person shooter with loads of action and a very original weapon: time.

Download Timeshift Multiplayer Demo in Softonic

The Vista sidebar was one of the most popular new features included in Microsoft's operating system, and it still remains as a very attractive way to display information bits in the shape of customizable gadgets. Now, with Windows Sidebar Styler, you can customize it even more and take advantage of all its possibilities.

This neat tool includes several skins (called "styles") to change the sidebar's appearance, as long as the ability to freely resize it. It will also allow you to run more gadgets because it supports WPF (Windows Presentation Foundation).

Windows Sidebar Styler is easy to install, but I had some problems while testing it. The styles didn't seem to work, the program displayed a "installation successful" message but nothing changed. After reading the develeoper's blog, I found out that you may have to change permissions in the folder AppData\Windows Sidebar Styler directory and make it writable, or just restart your sidebar completely.

Customize your Vista sidebar with styles and more powerful gadgets.

Download Windows Sidebar Styler 2.0.6 in Softonic

CPUMon is a simple little gadget to monitor CPU performance from your desktop. It displays a real-time graph of CPU performance as well as current usage indicator. The display supports custom colors, alpha-blending, user defined update rates and more. Some of the features: transparency, alpha-blending, customizable colors, layout presets, form locking, constantly updated CPU speed for Mobile processors, plus Tray Icon mode and Statistics, can also display Memory Usage, etc...

Comes with "Carbonsoft cxCpu Processor Detection Toolkit", which provides: CPU Explorer - detailed CPU information, supports multiple CPUs; CPU Features - lists supported CPU features.

Download CPUMon 1.60 in Softonic