Thunderbird is Mozilla's award winning and free solution to manage your mail more efficiently. And there are many advantages of switching to it too. Unlike Mail for example, it can handle virtual identities and create on-the-fly addresses and it's widely regarded as having one of the best spam filters out there. The fact that like Firefox, Mozilla Thunderbird can be beefed up with all manner of extensions makes it an extremely competitive mail client. It's also now much faster and more stable than before due to the new Gecko 5 engine.

Getting going

Setting up Mozilla Thunderbird is painless. You can quickly import your mail and contacts from your Outlook or Mail account and set up POP3, IMAP or SMTP accounts in a flash. To stay well organized, Mozilla Thunderbird offers filters to deliver your mail into separate folders and inboxes. And of course, there's a built-in spell checker to make sure that your mails are professionally crafted.

What makes Mozilla Thunderbird slightly more unusual is the fact that it comes with an integrated RSS reader. Nowadays, this is a little outdated because many people use a separate application - or even Firefox itself - to follow RSS feeds but it may be useful if you only want to mail and follow RSS feeds at the same time when composing mails.

Searching your mail

The search tool in Thunderbird is excellent and searches happen in real time as you type. Search results are displayed in a separate tab. Tabs in general are a very big part of Thunderbird and like Firefox, you can have multiple messages open in separate tabs. This is a fantastic feature of Thunderbird although does tempt you to have too many mails open at once. Archiving is also another handy feature for those that don't want to delete messages but want to clear space in their inbox.

So what about security? You might think an open-source mail client would inherently be less secure than a paid one but Thunderbird is surprisingly secure with a fairly bulletproof spam filter. The reason being is that Thunderbird is regularly updated and crafted by volunteers who's main interest is making a better product rather than profiting from an end-product. Security updates are regular but small so as not to slow-down Thunderbird.

Exchange support

One of the biggest selling points of Mozilla Thunderbird is that it offers Microsoft Exchange support, meaning it will appeal to Office users who previously discounted it.

On the downside, the app is lacking some finesse in certain areas. Thunderbird still doesn't have conversation style email views like in Gmail (although an extension to do this can be downloaded separately) and there aren't many options for managing attachments and photos. There's also no calendar but again, this can be downloaded separately in the form of "Lightning".

Overall, Thunderbird is an excellent free alternative to Microsoft Outlook.

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Download Mozilla Thunderbird 10.0.1 in Softonic

Let’s quickly go through what you can do with GIMP. The painting function has the essential clone, airbrush and pencil tools and a powerful gradient and blend tool. You can also create and save your own brushes and patterns for later use. GIMP lets you manipulate your photos, adding layers, doing Bezier and polygonal selections or setting text. Load and save animations in a frame-as-layer format and batch process all your photos for quick editing. The multi-windowed interface can be moved around to fit your needs and resized according to your desktop space

What’s more, GIMP can be expanded with over 100 different plug-ins and extensions available on the GIMP’s website. These apply in majority for layer effects such as render, distort or blur and make a great addition to the ones already present in the program. The website is also home to a variety of GIMP tutorials for people who want to brush up on their skills.

While GIMP is user-friendly, the installation process can be a bit scary. Because the application works under the GTK Runtime Environment, you will have to install this kit to successfully launch the program. The process is fairly lengthy and some error messages tend to pop up. If you persist, however, you will be able to install Gimp properly on your PC

Despite this fairly hazardous installation process, GIMP is a program we recommend. Whether you’re out of dough or are looking for a free alternative to Photoshop, GIMP is excellent image manipulation software with all the tools you’d expect. The friendly interface and expandability make this a program of choice.

GIMP - the reference in open-source image manipulation.

Download GIMP 2.6.12 in Softonic

Get ahead of the pack and make sure your Timeline looks better than the rest with this excellent pack of 20 Facebook Timeline Covers.

Once the Timeline has been activated, people looking at your profile will have a new, chronological way of viewing your profile. The scrolldown design makes it very easy to view your information and photos. Since the timeline cover goes across the top of the page, and not forgetting the overlapping, smaller space offered by your profile picture, these Facebook Timeline Covers are a really good chance to get creative!

To make these Facebook Timeline Covers to decorate your new Facebook profile, Softonic has taken inspiration from not only the hottest games around, but also other funny or unusual images. That means your only a step away from creating some really cool GTA, Angry Birds or even Hitman covers for your timeline.

How to upload the new Facebook Timeline Covers

To import your new Facebook Timeline Covers, just unzip the file and connect to Facebook. Once you're logged in, you'll see an ad for the Timeline, so just click. Move your mouse over the cover area and you'll see "Change Cover". Click on the little triangle and pick "Upload Photo". Then just add the image of your choice, and you're set to go. As these Facebook Timeline Covers have been specifically designed for the Facebook Timeline, you won't even need to edit them!

Make your Facebook Timeline look its best with Softonic's Facebook Timeline Covers!

Download Facebook Timeline Covers in Softonic

4Sync is similar to other file storage services like Dropbox and iCloud in that it gives you a way to store files and access them across multiple devices. This includes on a Windows PC, Mac or mobile devices such as Android and iPhone, among others.

Share photos, music, videos and other files with 4Sync. Setting up an account comes with 10GB of free storage space. It's as simple and dragging and dropping files into the 4Sync folder on your computer. If you're new to this type of service, 4Sync very conveniently explains how to use the desktop app by providing a basic wizard with the download file.

During the registration process through 4Sync's desktop application, you'll be asked to create an account by providing an email address and password. Your email address acts as your username to access the web app version of 4Sync. If you want an additional 5GB of free space, you'll want to log into the web-based version of 4Sync via the email account you registered on the desktop app. On the bottom left of your account's main screen, simply click the blue button with the white plus sign that says "Get 5GB free." A verification link will be sent to the email address you provided. It's a little tedious, but definitely worth it for fifty percent more space to make use of.

Syncing occurs immediately across devices that have an internet connection. 4Sync also makes sharing certain files with friends easy by providing you with a shareable link whenever you want to make files public or selectively viewable to others.

If you're looking for an alternative to Dropbox or iCloud to store files and sync across devices, 4Sync is a great alternative.

Download 4Sync 1.0.2 in Softonic

Mo-Search is very easy to use in that it simply requires you to enter your search terms and hit the search button. You can refine searches to specific folders, dates, file sizes etc. One particularly useful function of this program is that it can also search network drives which is something that Windows search can't. It's also very useful if your drive has been clogged with duplicate files - it has a duplicate file searcher which cleans-up your system. Programmers may find Mo-Search of interest too because it searches source code including ASP, C, C++, C#, Java, Javascript, Lex, Oracle, NSIS, XML and many more.

This is a powerful search tool which can't really compare with Google Desktop but at least it doesn't have the potential security holes of the former.

Download Mo-Search 4.0.13 in Softonic

Photoscape is an amazing free photo editor. It includes so many filters, tools and special effects you'll find it hard to believe it's actually free.

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

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

Other extra tools featured in Photoscape are a file renamer, a color picker, a screen capture tool and even a RAW converter.

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

Download Photoscape 3.6 in Softonic

Like the basic version, the interface of Contenta Converter Premium is very simple. The toolbar across the top gives you access to the program’s main features, all of which are available in the Premium version. These include advanced features such as read/write of JPEG 2000 files, reading of RAW formats, PSD formats etc.

You can convert photos between formats (both popular and less common ones), reduce the size of images and automatically rename them and sort them into subfolders according to their metadata. Contenta Converter also lets you preview images and check the amount of space you save when optimizing their size.

In the Premium version, there are additional features such as the ability to flip and crop images, converting multiple PDFs to images and adding special effects.

However, the main problem with Contenta Converter Premium is the same as the Basic i.e. if your metadata for images is very generic or inaccurate, it doesn't work very well as it uses this information to identify files.

Overall though, Contenta Converter Premium is a very powerful tool for sorting, renaming, converting and manipulating images that have the correct metadata attached.

Download Contenta Converter Premium 5.8 in Softonic

So what will virtualization do for you? Well, many people use it as a way of maximizing space and efficiency while undertaking multiple tasks at once. Dexpot does this by allowing you to create various virtual desktops – clones of your normal desktop that are accessed with a simple click.

Dexpot allows you to create up to 20 desktops, making it particularly suitable for power users. Imagine you’re trying to edit photos and copy files at the same time. Simply use Dexpot’s configuration to create 2 virtual desktops, do the editing in one, and neatly “file away” the copying to the second, which will be maintained out of sight.

This virtualization app has some great configuration options that make sure each desktop is tweaked just to your liking. You can change the desktop’s resolution, set a notification for when you come in or out, password-protect it and even customize each desktop’s appearance. Dexpot also lets you tweak overall options, like how to control and visualize switching between desktops and creating rules for automated behaviors.

A lot of thought and attention has obviously gone into Dexpot, meaning that an app that is obviously very useful is also a pleasure to use. We recommend taking a look at the configuration options before you start, and always bear in mind that apps like Dexpot maximize your space, not your memory, so don’t expect it to facilitate any multi-app miracles!

Looking for a desktop virtualization app? Download Dexpot without delay – it’s fantastic!

Download Dexpot 1.5.14 in Softonic

So what will virtualization do for you? Well, many people use it as a way of maximizing space and efficiency while undertaking multiple tasks at once. Dexpot Portable does this by allowing you to create various virtual desktops – clones of your normal desktop that are accessed with a simple click.

Dexpot Portable allows you to create up to 20 desktops, making it particularly suitable for power users. Imagine you’re trying to edit photos and copy files at the same time. Simply use Dexpot Portable’s configuration to create 2 virtual desktops, do the editing in one, and neatly “file away” the copying to the second, which will be maintained out of sight.

This virtualization app has some great configuration options that make sure each desktop is tweaked just to your liking. You can change the desktop’s resolution, set a notification for when you come in or out, password-protect it and even customize each desktop’s appearance. Dexpot Portable also lets you tweak overall options, like how to control and visualize switching between desktops and creating rules for automated behaviors.

A lot of thought and attention has obviously gone into Dexpot Portable, meaning that an app that is obviously very useful is also a pleasure to use. We recommend taking a look at the configuration options before you start, and always bear in mind that apps like Dexpot Portable maximize your space, not your memory, so don’t expect it to facilitate any multi-app miracles!

Looking for a desktop virtualization app? Download Dexpot Portable without delay – it’s fantastic!

Download Dexpot Portable 1.5.14 in Softonic

This screen saver shows useful information about the computer instead of just pictures or fun things. Each element is customizable, and also includes additional phases to prevent LCD burn-in.

This screensaver is targeted at power users who want to monitor their computer and see what's going on at all times.

Download UsefulSaver 1 in Softonic

Now that you're back from summer holidays, it's time to share all the pictures you took with your friends and family. But before punishing them with an endless slideshow after lunch, why don't you create a web album?

You don't need any HTML or programming knowledge: Glenlay Gallery does the job for you. Simply select the pictures you want to add, choose a template and upload everything to your FTP space with the program's built-in client. The only drawback is that the program only allows selecting entire folders.

Glenlay Gallery is perfect for novice users thanks to its ease of use. It enables you to have a ready-to-visit web album in just a few minutes.However, I found the included templates a bit dull and I also missed having some more customization options.

Download Glenlay Gallery 2.4 in Softonic

The theory is great - iOS is a very closed system compared to a traditional operating system - and many users would love to have more control. When your device is plugged in, a traditional file tree will appear on the left panel of iPhone Explorer. You can then browse content at your leisure.

iPhone Explorer also allows you to create folders on your iPhone, and drag files in and out of them as if it was a normal storage space. That is the theory, though, unfortunately, iPhone Explorer is riddled with problems.

Browsing your iPhone's file tree is really awkward, as files are named in odd ways. Your music library, for example will be unrecognizable. Photos too are hidden in such a way that you can't use iPhone Explorer to access them. The application is also unstable, and has a tendency to crash if you attempt to move files. Lastly, of course, changing the file tree could damage the functionality of you device.

If you want to use your iOS device as storage, something like USB Disk is perfectly functional, and much more stable. iPhone Explorer is a good example of a nice idea that doesn't work well in practice.

Download iPhone Explorer 2.2 in Softonic

The Universe acts much like a giant photocopier - bringing you more and more of what you already claim to have. Gratitude is becoming consciously aware of all that is there for us in life, and then acknowledging the gift.

Gratitude releases a dynamic current of energy flow of the highest vibrations into the universe, which magically returns to you in physical form, more of what you are grateful for.

-- http://www. theiamgratefulproject. orgGratitudeJournal is a database program that you can use to record your daily expressions of gratitude.

To protect your privacy, this program has two levels of protection. First, access to the program is password protected and, second, the gratitude journal entry stored in the program's database file is encrypted.

About this Program1. In the program's main window, you can choose to display an image file. Choose a photo file from your computer's folder that helps you get into the appreciative mood.

You can change the image at any time. The program remembers which image you have selected and will display it whenever you run the program. The image file formats supported are: Jpeg, GIF, PNG, PhotoCD, PhotoShop.

psd files, PCX, TGA, TIF, DDS and BMP. 2. You can easily add new entries. There are only two input textboxes for you to enter. The others are automatically filled.

You only enter the Subject and the Gratitude Journal entry. Note that the gratitude journal entry is encrypted before it is stored in the database.

3. Searching for entries by subject is also very easy and fast. You can enter partial search strings and click the Go button. The list of matching subjects found will be listed in the listbox.

To view the details, click the listbox item. 4. You can easily browse entries. When in the program's Browse mode, the program automatically retrieves all the subjects and fills the listbox.

The first item in the listbox is then displayed. You can use the arrow up and arrow down keys to navigate through the entire database. 5. Editing of existing entries is very easy and flexible.

You can edit any record either in Search mode or in Browse mode. After making the changes, click the Save button and your edited record will be saved.

6. It is also easy to delete any entry. You can delete any record when you are either in Search mode or in Browse mode. To delete any record, first select the item in the listbox, then view the details to confirm that you really want to delete it.

If you are sure, click the Delete button. To protect against accidental deletion, the program will ask you to confirm the deletion. 7. This program uses a very fast and efficient embedded SQL engine.

It also has a menu option for you to compact its database so as to reclaim unused space after the deletion of many records. 8. This program is fast.

The main program is coded completely in assembly language. Note. This program automatically stores all program settings, i. e. your selected image file's location as well as user preferences.

Download GratitudeJournal in Softonic

Key features:More than 150 types of units, 43 missions in two large campaigns for the Wehrmacht and the Red Army. The game missions were recreated from tactical maps and air photography materials.

Historical buildings reconstructed from archive photos. Accurate reconstruction of historical events. Full-scale battles on the city territory.

Original soundtrack by the band 'SkaFandr'. Minimum System Requirements:Operating System: Windows 98/ME/2000/XP. Processor: Pentium III 1 GHz.

Memory: 256 MB. Video card: 32 MB, DirectX-compatible. Sound card: DirectX- compatible. Hard disc: 2 GB Hard Disk Space. Recommended System Requirements:Operating System: Windows 98/ME/2000/XP.

Processor: Pentium IV 1,8 GHz. Memory: 512 MB. Video card: 128 MB, DirectX-compatible. Sound card: DirectX- compatible. Hard disc: 2 GB Hard Disk Space

Hard disc: 2 GB Hard Disk Space

Download Stalingrad in Softonic

Will you be asked to stay or leave. Mission: Runway. ? Take on the fashion challenge? Compete in 10 different design challenges including To the Stars and Fashion of the Opera.

Make-Up 411. Complete your outfit with make-up and choose from foundations, blush, lipsticks, eye shadows, eyeliners, and more. Accessories Complete the Outfit.

From Handbags and jewelry to eyewear and hats, your possibilities are limitless!. Can you WOW the Judges? - Dress your models in stunning ensembles with vibrant colors and bold accessories that are the latest trends this season!

. It's Design Time - Turn your ideas into outfits using the Design Studio and choose from 100+ combinations of outfits. Photoshoot! - Take a few snaps of the model in your creations with the Photo Shoot Screen and choose your backdrop for the perfect shots.

System Requirements:Windows‚ XP/Vista. Pentium‚ III 1. 4 GHz or greater. 512 MB RAM. 1. 2 GB hard drive space. 64 MB DirectX‚ 9 compliant video card -ATI Radeon 8500, Geforce 5200, Intel 945 or higher.

Mouse.

Download Mission: Runway in Softonic

Expand your influence on the world stage. Two game modes are available. Competition Mode:Play solo or with other players(up to 16 internet players).

Confront one another or allywith other heads of state. Armed conflicts, economicwars, attacks, spying, treason and alliances. anythingcould happen between computer and human players.

. Simulation Mode: Choose a Head of State amongthe 170 proposed nations. Plunge into each of the 20contextual scenarios included, such as "Get out of theWorld Crisis" or "Afghanistan: The New Vietnam?

" orIran, the next nuclear power ?. The world's only simulation engine of its kind. With a new engine that includes thousands of updated values for 2011, players have access to more than 1,000 different actionsand can interact with 3D characters with over 6 hours of dialogue.

Several integrated options:Online and real-time player rankings. Choice of secret objectives. Integration of your own photos or 3D faces, logos, and.

names, to make the game even more realistic. Interactive world map with more than 100 types of units. (buildings, military units, industry plants,.

) in realtime 3D. Interactive and realtime tutorial to easily learn main game. mechanisms. Original quiz game test your knowledge with over 3,000.

questions. Various thematics, multiplayer and ranking. options: a good way to learn by playing!. We recommend the following minimum configuration:PC Windows XP / VISTA / 7.

2 GHz Processor. 2 Gb RAM. 2 Gb Hard Drive Space. 128MB DirectX 9. 0-compatible video card. DirectX 9. 0 compatible sound card. ESRB: TEEN. PEGI: 12+

PEGI: 12+

Download Rulers of Nations - Geo-Political Simulator 2 in Softonic

Chances are that not very many people have heard of Stellarium although it is very similar to one of the most popular pieces of software available today – Google Earth. While Google’s software allows you to focus on the earth from a starting point in outer space, Stellarium reverses your perspective and places you at any point on the earth’s surface, staring up and out into deep space.

An interesting feature in Stellarium is that as time passes, the virtual star system will evolve, with the sun setting and the various constellations becoming more prominent in the dark night sky. You have a selection of visual effects that you can switch on or off such as the atmosphere, or trace lines for the star systems. Impressive stuff for a few minutes, but once you’ve got the general gist of what Stellarium entails, you’ll quickly tire of zooming out to distant stars and watching as they slowly move across the screen.

While Google Earth brings you detailed photos of our planet’s surface, Stellarium can only achieve a much lower resolution representation of the solar system’s planets, without mentioning the fact that stars are limited to simple white dots zipping through the sky. With over 120,000 stars accurately plotted out in this virtual planetarium, it’s obvious that a lot of work has gone in to its creation. However, Stellarium's excruciating level of detail is likely only to appeal to the real die-hard star gazers.

The idea behind Stellarium is a good one in theory, but when it comes down to it most people will see it as little more than a smart, interactive screensaver. That said, if you have an affinity for astronomy, would like to learn the constellations, or simply enjoy watching beautiful sunsets, then Stellarium is for you.

Download Stellarium 0.11.0 in Softonic

The horse's behaviour is thereby depicted in a lifelike way in real-time. All competitions in the riding world such as dressage, show jumping and cross country are shown realistically.

A gripping story really at-tracts the player to the screen and allows him to experience many differing tasks in a wide range of varied locations.

Deep Silver managed to successfully establish its own 'Horse Life' brand for Nintendo DS in 2007 within a very a short space of time. The game, which was released under the company's own games label Deep Silver, reached the 2nd or 3rd place respectively behind the competitive products that had been introduced long before in the individual markets in Europe.

Features:Easy, fun and intuitive gameplay: Replicate true to life moves and watch your horse perform like a true champion. 7 breeds of horse to choose from and a huge choice of accessories for your horse and its rider.

Swap photos and accessories with friends.

Download Ellen Whitaker's Horse Life in Softonic

Workers are created without cost to the player but must be trained for fighting and other special skills. This experience and fighting efficiency carry over as levels are defeated.

General Features. Twelve huge levels with: photo realistic landscapes, located in mountains, deserts, forests, etc. Hundreds of high-polygon models of animals, people, buildings, etc with smooth skeletal animation.

All-encompassing damage model. Burn or blow to chips every tree, destroy houses and more. Cinematographic camera with several convenient modes of control.

Multi-user games on LAN and internet with up to 16 people on one server. A lot of multiplayer modes: deathmatch, capture the flag, cooperative, hold artifact, king of the hill, free for all.

Minimum Requirements. 1GHz CPU. 256MB RAM. 32MB 3D card. 1. 5GB hard drive space. Recommended Requirements. 1. 6GHz P4 or 1600+ Athlon XP. 64MB 3D card.

64MB 3D card.

Download Besieger in Softonic

IDPhotoStudio is a program that will create and print passport sized photos for you in a snap.

Featuring only the bare necessities, IDPhotoStudio, will handle the job in seconds, allowing you to drag and drop your picture onto the interface. You can then select between three ID Photo sizes: US, Canada or France. Because you often need a certain number of photos printed out, IDPhotoStudio has a little drag meter to let you select how many photos you’ll need, from 1 to 15. Click on the print button to get the paper copies of your photo.

IDPhotoStudio is an original idea, and it’s good to see someone come up with a program to quickly print out ID photos. However, the application left us disappointed for a number of reasons. First of all, it doesn’t respect the aspect ratio of photos, so if you drag a large image there’s a risk it’ll appear distorted. Also, when it comes to editing functions, IDPhotoStudio only includes the option to apply sepia or monochrome color filters. We would have preferred if it included tools like a red-eye remover, cropping or contrasting, which are much more useful for improving the quality of pictures. IDPhotoStudio doesn't even include an undo feature, meaning that if you accidentally set your image to greyscale when you'd prefer it in color, you'll need to start over.

If you have a good mug shot of yourself and want to quickly print out a set of passport sized photos, IDPhotoStudio will probably suit you. However, the lack of advanced editing features means you’ll never really be guaranteed with a high quality image of yourself.

Download IDPhotoStudio 2.7.5.25 in Softonic