Everybody needs to uninstall programs every now and then, but some worry that Windows' traditional tool just doesn't do the job properly. If that applies to you, you should try Ashampoo Uninstaller, a powerful and multi-functional tool to help keep your uninstallation activity as streamlined as possible.

Ashampoo Uninstaller has a user-friendly and intuitive interface. It uses tabbed browsing, and everything is accompanied by interactive guides that are activated by rolling over the name of the tool. Given that Ashampoo Uninstaller has lots of extra system functions in addition to the basic uninstallation tools, this is very useful.

The program performs its basic function with ease, giving you two options for uninstallations - either doing the job manually, as you would normally, or by following a wizard, which is helpful for beginners or those who want some guidance in the slightly more advanced installation and uninstallation options, such as saving configurations and creating log files.

Ashampoo Uninstaller also has a wealth of secondary tools, which range from duplicate and invalid link managers to a registry cleaner and restore point manager. Ashampoo Uninstaller is complemented by a comprehensive help file and the option to extend the test period by registering on their website.

Ashampoo Uninstaller will easily manage all of your installation and uninstallation needs.

Download Ashampoo Uninstaller 5.0.3 in Softonic

Defraggler is easy to install and gets straight to the point. One of the features we liked most about this app is the ability to defragment individual folders and files in the Action menu. It also includes two defrag modes, Quick and Standard, with the Quick one focusing only on certain file types.

Another good thing about Defraggler is its customization options. You can set your own rules for Quick defrag, customize the Drive Map by choosing a design and setting the blocks' color and size. You can also create a personal list of all the files and folders that should be excluded from the analysis.

Defraggler can be set to turn the computer off once the disk has been defragmented, and also lets you schedule new analyses in the future. One little detail missing, however, was the ability to minimize it to the system tray.

Overall Defraggler is a great alternative to Windows' built-in defrag tool, with great customization tools - though it can be a bit slow.

Defraggler lets you analyze and defragment either individual files and folders, or the whole computer hard drive, all in a nicely designed user interface.

Download Defraggler 2.14.706 in Softonic

Portable Defraggler is easy to install and gets straight to the point. One of the features we liked most about this app is the ability to defragment individual folders and files in the Action menu. It also includes two defrag modes, Quick and Standard, with the Quick one focusing only on certain file types.

Another good thing about Portable Defraggler is its customization options. You can set your own rules for Quick defrag, customize the Drive Map by choosing a design and setting the blocks' color and size. You can also create a personal list of all the files and folders that should be excluded from the analysis.

Portable Defraggler can be set to turn the computer off once the disk has been defragmented, and also lets you schedule new analyses in the future. One little detail missing, however, was the ability to minimize it to the system tray.

Overall Portable Defraggler is a great alternative to Windows' built-in defrag tool, with great customization tools - though it can be a bit slow.

Portable Defraggler lets you analyze and defragment either individual files and folders, or the whole computer hard drive, all in a nicely designed user interface.

Download Portable Defraggler 2.14.706 in Softonic

In most cases when Windows is running slower, faulty driver installations are to blame. The problem is that Windows automatically stores versions of older drivers just in case you want to roll back, but sometimes it these conflict with the new ones.

DriverMax basically backs-up and restores driver in a very attractive and well presented interface. It has a powerful export wizard to help you export the drivers you need to back up by copying the required files to a folder or compressed ZIP file. After reinstalling Windows, DriverMax can ensure that all drivers are reinstalled.

While the process is nowhere near this quick - or straightforward because many drivers may not work properly first time round - it is on the whole very easy to use and efficient. DriverMax certainly saves you the hours of searching and installing that you'd usually have to go through.

DriverMax also allows you to keep all your drivers up to date. The scanning and download process is straightforward (although it can take a while), and installing new versions of drivers is very simple. It's also worth pointing out that for a free driver app, DriverMax certainly offers more features than rival programs.

DriverMax is a powerful driver installation and restore tool that's easy enough for beginners and does the job in decent time.

Download DriverMax 7 in Softonic

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. Most recently, it's been updated with a slick tabbed interface to make managing your e-mail easier.

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 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 17.0.4 (en-US) in Softonic

WinSCP Portable doesn't require installation and though is quite easy to use, its interface may appear a bit overwhelming at first due to the extra security options.

Besides the standard FTP protocol, WinSCP Portable also supports both SFTP and SCP over SSH-1(Secure Shell) and SSH-2, which make your file transfers secure and avoids third-party interception.

Another handy feature in WinSCP Portable is the possibility to save sessions, so that you can pause file transfers at any point and resume them later on.

WinSCP may not be the easiest FTP client, but it's definitely one of the most secure. If you're concerned about your file transfers, this is what you need.

Download WinSCP Portable 5.1.4 in Softonic

Avira Server Security shields your network’s central receiving and distributing points against security breaches. Whether you need to protect a single central file server, or a mix of Windows or Unix servers across multiple sites, choose Avira and consider it done.

Avira Server Security - Powerful, efficient virus protection for servers. Avira Server Security scans files and archives in real time, using minimal processing power.

Download Avira Server Security 13.0.0.2935 in Softonic

RoboForm2Go is a very convenient tool that not only takes care of all your login names and passwords for different sites, but also enables you to carry them around in your USB memory stick.

The program is installed in the USB memory device and then appears integrated as a toolbar in your web browser. From this moment on, every time you log into a given website, RoboForm2Go will offer you the possibility to save that information as a new entry in its database. Then, the next time you try to log into that website, a single click on the program's toolbar will be enough to get you through.

Besides the password management functionality, RoboForm2Go features a small notepad for private notes and a password generator. All the program's functions can be accessed either the aforementioned toolbar or a small icon in the system tray. As for security, there's no need to worry: the program uses the AES algorithm and a master password to protect all your stored data.

Despite being a really useful app, especially because you can take it with you anywhere, there are still some points I didn't like about RoboForm2Go. First, it's difficult to create new entries without visiting the actual website. I think it would have been much easier to let users add new entries on the fly, without having to visit every single webpage. Also, the password manager is quite limited, allowing you to create only one password at a time.

RoboForm2Go is a convenient, safe way to store all your passwords and have them with you at all times.

Download RoboForm2Go 7.8.4.5 in Softonic

Power users often find the standard Windows File Explorer too limited and need a more complete file manager to suit their needs. If you're among them look no further because we've got the right app for you with Q-Dir.

Q-Dir is a multi-pane file manager for Windows that makes file management more convenient and above all, far more comfortable for you. Having several windows pointing to different locations on your hard drive makes it much easier to move or copy data from one folder to another, and also makes browsing faster. Q-Dir supports different layouts with 2, 3 o 4 panes and each one of them can be configured separately.

Q-Dir doesn't really add any extra function to the ones already featured in Windows Explorer, but there's one special feature I did like: the possibility to show files in different colors according to the file type, such as blue for images, red for music and so on. Plus, this color code is totally customizable.

Q-Dir doesn't require installation and can even been run from a USB stick.

Though it doesn't feature any special tool, Q-Dir is still a more complete file manager with multiple panes and customizable color codes for file types.

Download Q-Dir 5.41 in Softonic

VideoMach features:

* Suports popular video and image formats (mpeg, avi, divx, flc, jpeg, png, tif, gif, bmp and more)
* Reads and writes standard Linux and UN*X image formats (xpm, pnm, sgi, ras and more)
* Supports most popular audio formats (mp3, mp2, ogg, wav, ac3)
* Imports the output of high-speed imagers and time-lapse cameras (bayer, cine)
* World's fastest image sequence detection, more than 50,000 images per second
* Professional-quality MPEG, AVI and Bayer readers, video is decoded at highest quality unlike in most media players
* Fastest software MPEG encoder, more then 120 frames per second
* Can read or write very large MPEG files, up to million terabytes
* Creates industry standard VideoCD MPEGs by NTSC and PAL / SECAM video specs
* Connects to both Video For Windows (VFW) and DirectShow (DS) interfaces ensuring support for vaste number of AVI codecs / subformats
* Easy to navigate but powerful AVI output video / audio codecs selection dialog
* Integrated media player
* Fast, compact and reliable installer with built-in anti-virus check

Download VideoMach 5.9.10 in Softonic

With Eazel Compressor 3 you will be able to: - Compress in ZIP, 7Z, TAR, and WIM formats. - Unzip file format ZIP, RAR, ARJ, CAB, DEB, DMG, FAT, HFS, ISO, LZH, LZMA, MBR, MSI, NSIS, NTFS, Z and many others. - Add ZipCrypto and AES-256 encryption passwords, which ensures maximum safety.

The most strong point of Eazel Compressor 3 is its compression algorithm. Thanks to him, you will reduce the size of all files dramatically. In this way, you will free up space on your hard disk at the time you gain in portability.

Eazel Compressor 3 is perfect for users who want a simple but yet powerful compressor. In addition, is multilingual and totally free.

Download Eazel 3.06 in Softonic

This software could be run totally portable without installation to your computer. It is also quite powerful software for making analysis of all running processes on your system as well as those that look suspicious. The program offers an option to display details about all connections and closing individual connection or entire process.

The software is meant for any user regardless his expertise in computer knowledge. SterJo NetStalker was designed to be as simple as possible so any user could understand its functions and use.

Download SterJo NetStalker 1 in Softonic

Adobe Audition is a multi-track recording studio that offers all the refinement you expect in Adobe products but may leave beginners floundering in technical jargon.

After the initial installation, Adobe Audition searches for compatible audio formats on your hard drive but asks you which file types you want to associate with it. Otherwise the program would detect every single sound file on your hard drive meaning your Adobe Audition library would be a jumbled mess.

Adobe Audition's interface is clean, with the active window highlighted by a red border. Each window is separated by tabs to keep the File, Effects, Main and Mixer sections separate and easy to revert to. If you don’t like the layout then Adobe has provided an Unlock Panel option which allows you to detach and move these windows to a position of your choosing. You can save your own rearrangements as workplace templates according to the type of project you are working on.

To really get the most out of Adobe Audition, you’ll need a pretty good sound card. For those concerned with MIDI support, Adobe Audition doesn’t offer a great deal in this area and many users report this as one of the most confusing aspects of the program to configure.

To describe all the editing possibilities of Adobe Audition would involve going into the minute technicalities of audio composition and compression but there are four main modes to get to grips with. The first is Waveform Display which displays the wave in graphical form. Second is Spectral Frequency Display which graphically displays the frequency range with colors. Logarithmic Display does exactly the same but obviously displays the wave as a Logarithm. For producing stereo-sound, there’s also Spectral Pan Display and Spectral Phase Display which enable you to get stereo sound perfectly synced.

Editing is performed using the time-honored cut and paste functions common to most audio and video editing programs. You simply mark an in and out point and cut and paste the audio until it’s as you want it. However, the Adobe Audition is much more advanced than this as it's able to detect beat patterns and rhythms and set in and out points accordingly. To use this function though, you’ll have to spend a long time studying the Help guide (which fortunately is very clear and detailed). You can also use a relatively new function in the audio editing field called Frequency Space Editing which means you can edit certain frequencies of the sound rather than the wave as a whole. There are also of course a heap of effects that you can apply to sounds ranging from complex distortions to pitch bending specific frequencies.

Adobe Audition has been updated with a host of new features. Pick of the bunch is probably the way Adobe have improved multitrack editing, added new effects and enhanced noise reduction. They've also added phase correction tools plus VSTi virtual instrument support and native 5.1 surround support. The multi-track editing suite has been improved to save time and maintain consistency by grouping clips into a Multitrack View. From here you can trim and fade much more easily. You can also batch save all audio files applying specific file formats, locations, filename templates, and more.

Adobe Audition is a very advanced program designed only for those who are serious about multi-track audio production. If you are looking for a simple sound editor, then this is way too advanced and will only leave you frustrated. If however you want to take your first few steps into professional editing, the extensive Adobe help guide will ensure that you get the most out of this rich and complex program.

Download Adobe Audition 5.0 in Softonic

The painful speed of Windows searches is something that seems a relic from the days when computers were as big as rooms and ran on magnetic tape. As any Apple user will tell you, it shouldn't be that way in the 21st century.

Locate32 is a great little freeware app that makes searching your PC fast and easy. Setup of the program is easier than it first appears - the zip folder has four different .exe files in it, and the readme instructions are probably over complicated. However, it's actually simple! Just extract the zip file then double click 'locate32.exe' and it will run. To get it working, open File and click the 'Update Databases' option. Locate32 will then scan the hard drive, making a database to search from. This is remarkably quick - it won't take more than a few seconds.

Once your database it updated, searching is easy, super fast and completely flexible. Locate32 is both easy to use for the general user, and deep and complex for the power user. As well as file name, you can refine your search by extension, where to look (although it's so fast there's no point usually), date added and size and so on.

There are an intimidating number of settings, although most people won't need to fear them, as they won't be necessary. One nice option is 'Delete Private Data', which makes it easy to search without leaving a trace. Locate32 can also function as a portable app, as it doesn't require installation

While some users might be scared by the number of options available in Locate 32, it really is a simple and efficient search app that you will quickly learn to rely on.

Download Locate32 3.1.11.7100 in Softonic

Installation and overview

Installing BitDefender Antivirus Plus 2013 is a long, somewhat arduous process that requires the removal of other security apps. Once you get over this, BitDefender Antivirus Plus 2013 updates the database and performs an immediate check of your system for viruses, worms, Trojan horses and spyware. The program also features anti-phishing protection to stop you getting sucked in by malicious sites.

Features

Two strong points in BitDefender Antivirus are its special Game and Laptop modes. Game mode opens the firewall to prevent connection issues and disables any resource-intensive processes, while maintaining a safe, fun gaming experience. Laptop mode temporarily tweaks security settings to prevent the antivirus from draining your computer's battery.

Besides BitDefender Antivirus Plus 2013's functionality, the app also features a nicely designed interface with three different views (Basic, Intermediate and Expert) so that you can make the most of it no matter what your level of expertise is.

BitDefender Antivirus Plus 2013 is a complete antivirus system that's constantly updated and features handy modes for gamers and laptop users.

Download BitDefender Antivirus Plus 2013 16.18.0 in Softonic

Chess 2012 is equipped with a multi-threaded artificial intelligence algorithm that fully utilizes the power of multi-core processors (single-core processors also supported). Hence, it can compute quality moves in a short time.

No adware. No Spyware. No unwanted software. Just chess. Chess 2012 follows a fair and simple model. You get a functional game at no cost and with no time limit. If you like it and want to get more, upgrade to the Pro Edition.

Chess 2012 is designed for recreational as well as chess club players. Both beginners and advanced players will get into the game in no time. The application is targeted at users who require easy to install and easy to use applications.

Download Chess 2012 Free Edition 2012.6a in Softonic

ACDSee Pro Photo Manager includes a useful set of tools that allow you to classify images according to self-created categories, ratings and "auto categories" that are based on the image's EXIF data. A nice search tool is also included - simply enter the first few letters of the file's name and ACDSee Pro Photo Manager will find it in seconds. This is quite a useful feature, as is the ACDSee Pro Photo Manager Help system, which seems fairly complete.

Among some of ACDSee Pro Photo Manager's strong points are the ability to perform batch operations and an interesting develop option that allows you to safely tweak your photos' specifications. ACDSee Pro Photo Manager is also configured to make the most of internet functionality, with good email and online sharing options, including the ability to upload directly to Flickr.

The developers of ACDSee Pro Photo Manager have vastly improved the installation process in this newest version. Unfortunately, you still have to enter your email address to receive an unlock access code to the trial version, which might annoy some users. The interface is a bit cluttered too, and can be confusing when you first get started. The interface includes directory tree structure on the left, the selected folder's contents in the central pane and a handy options menu on the right to categorize, tag and rate your pictures.

ACDSee Pro Photo Manager may appear a bit overwhelming at first, but it is actually a very comprehensive photo management option.

Download ACDSee Pro Photo Manager 5.3.168 in Softonic

This program has a simple interface and global features such as an option to choose between standalone, network or web installation. APS Stock control also lets the user freely manage his work, export it to Excel and use a remote database connection.

Other added features are a Skinnable user Interface, a centralized database control tool, menu security, live update wizard, backup restore utility, language editor and an import or export wizard.

This program can also run as central stock control software with the multi currency feature. It can be set to retrieve exchange rates and data maintenance on a daily basis.

Data entry operators, managers or people who run a small to midsized firm will find APS Stock Control useful in managing their different transactions.

Download APS Stock Control 4.3.1.0 in Softonic

Stellarium is a popular open source astronomy application that enables you to gaze at stars from the comfort of your own home. And now with Stellarium Portable you can put the whole universe in your pocket.

Stellarium Portable offers the same tools, options and functionality as its desktop version, only with this one you can install it on any USB device and use it on any PC without leaving traces on the system. The only requirement is that the host PC needs to be powerful enough to render the maximum quality.

With Stellarium Portable you'll be able to look at the sky from any location in the World, which means you can check the different star constellations visible from different areas in the world. Stellarium Portable also lets you add extra information to the image, such as a grid with parallels and meridians, constellation art based on mythological figures and cardinal points, among others.

While Stellarium Portable doesn't include highly-detailed imagery and makes traveling from one point to another a bit confusing sometimes, it's also a very interesting app – as long as you like astronomy. And if not, it also works great as an entertainment for coffee break.

Stellarium Portable is a pocket-sized free planetarium that will please all astronomy fans out there.

Download Stellarium Portable 0.11.2 in Softonic

Easy to use

Using Revo Uninstaller is very simple. As soon as its installed, the main interface displays which programs are installed. Right click on the icon for options and information, or simply select the one you want to remove and Revo Uninstaller performs a very through removal process, including making a backup point in case anything goes wrong or it removes something you don't want it to.

Revo Uninstaller delves deep into your Registry to remove all entries and other temporary files that most other uninstallers leave behind. It uses a wizard approach - at each step, Revo Uninstaller prompts you to select which files you want to remove. The app also has two alternative ways of removing programs - Hunter and Drag and Drop.

Very stubborn apps

Hunter Mode is perfect for those programs that really don't want to make a move. You take the little target icon that appears on your desktop, and place it over the program you want to remove. It could be the desktop icon, the start page entry or even the folder on your C: drive and is perfect for those irritating apps that don't show up in the installed programs list. Revo Uninstaller's Drag and Drop mode is similar, but instead you drag the program item to the icon - amusingly designed as a burning fire!

There is very little to fault with Revo Uninstaller - it's a great uninstaller, and free. What more could you ask for?!

Download Revo Uninstaller 1.94 in Softonic