Although Microsoft's Silverlight was originally conceived as a competitor to Adobe Flash, it now finds itself competing with Abobe's Web 2.0 platform, Adobe Air.

The harsh truth is, Microsoft Silverlight has already fallen considerably behind Adobe Air and typical for a Microsoft product on Mac, it's prone to bugs. In typically Microsoft style, the software giant has surely missed the boat by aiming at a replacement for Adobe Flash when the web world was already shifting towards interactive Web 2.0 platforms such as Adobe Air.

Microsoft Silverlight is a lightweight plug-in that allows you to watch Silverlight-based content in your browser. It works with most major browsers, including Firefox and Safari. There is no prompt to restart the browser after installation but I recommend you do so because the first site of Silverlight content I accessed after installation simply crashed the browser.

The most important improvements to the latest version of Microsoft Silverlight are smoother streaming, DRM management, and an out-of browser player. The out-of browser player however is dependent on developers embracing it and as yet, there are few examples available. The smooth streaming feature will iron out many of the streaming problems that have plagued Silverlight in the past. If your bandwidth drops below 3Mbps, smooth streaming will kick-in so that your video isn't affected.

Microsoft Silverlight can stream high-resolution video well and supports HD-quality videos. If you want to create content for Silverlight, you'll need Expression Studio and Visual Studio. In fact, this latest release is is of particular interest to developers because it adds 60 customizable controls, new layout containers, 'deep linking' for page bookmarking, search engine optimization, and enhanced data support.

The signs are, however, that Microsoft has already realized that the battle for web content is being won by the much slicker and more stable Adobe Air platform, and is therefore aiming Silverlight at business users. The Silverlight homepage boasts: 'Learn how Silverlight is right for your business'. It points out that companies such as Continental Airlines have adopted Microsoft Silverlight for use in their reservation system showing that Microsoft knows which side its bread is buttered on.

Microsoft Silverlight has probably missed the boat as far as Web 2.0 goes, although there's probably no way Mac users can avoid it since there will always be some websites that opt to stream content with Silverlight rather than Flash.

Download Microsoft Silverlight 5.1.20125.0 in Softonic

The first thing you notice from this version if you've ever used CCleaner for Windows is how many features are missing. The Uninstaller, the Drive Wiper and Tools section are all missing. Of course, some of these, such as The Registry Cleaner, aren't relevant to Macs anyway but its clear from the start that Mac users have a much reduced version.

In terms of browsers, CCleaner for Mac is strictly limited to cleaning Safari and Firefox - Chrome and Opera are not supported. It does, however, allow you to select exactly which parts of the browsers you want to clean (i.e. include or exclude, cookies, history, download history, etc.) In terms of hard drive cleaning, CCleaner for Mac supports cleaning trash, recent files and servers, cleaning of temporary folders and recent applications.

That's about it for functionality. There is a Preference option under File but its not accessible yet for some reason.

When it comes to actually cleaning, CCleaner is fast like the Windows version. There's no progress bar to tell you how things are going though if you Analyze or Clean - just a short pause and then a report of what's been done.

CCleaner for Mac is nowhere near as complete as the Windows version but as a one-stop cleaning tool for anyone that's familiar with the Windows version, it's worth installing.

Download CCleaner 1.07.233 in Softonic

We've already given you a lowdown on the most important changes in Mountain Lion most of which are features taken from iOS. Here we will take a more in depth look at the features OS X 10.8.2 Mountain Lion has to offer.

A universal share button has been added to Safari's URL bar for reading later, add to bookmarks, e-mail, or Twitter. Facebook sharing has also been integrated into OS X 10.8.2 Mountain Lion, as anticipated.

Password Tabs allows you to see passwords saved in Safari.

Omnibar is an added feature to Google Chrome in Mountain Lion. It integrates the address bar and search box including Google searches, favorites and history.

Messages replaces iChat. Lion users can try the beta version of Messages which is the same as iMessage on iOS but the final stable version only works on Mountain Lion. Amongst other things, Messages offers unlimited free iMessages, video conferencing with Facetime and photo/file sending.

Time Machine now allows you to select more than one hard drive to save backups. Time Machine can now also run in PowerNap mode, which allows the operating system to update itself while the computer is sleeping.

Software updates are now fully integrated with the Mac App Store and can be downloaded directly.

Game Center is the same as on iOS. Gaming is becoming increasingly important on OS X and Game Center allows you to download games, play against friends and save your progress. AirPlay will allow Mac and iOS users to play against one another. You can also share your scores on Facebook, Twitter, Mail, or Messages in OS X 10.8.2 Mountain Lion. Additional integration with Facebook includes being able to "like" individual games and challenge friends to beat your high scores.

iCloud Synchronization is far more extensive in Mountain Lion than Lion where synchronization is limited to favorites and history. Mountain Lion extends the capabilities of Mountain Lion allowing the synchronization of documents too. iCloud will also sync settings, tabs, and bookmarks between Mac and iOS devices.

Mail. Contacts and Calender are all in sync thanks to iCloud in Mountain Lion and you can now configure it Microsoft Exchange, Gmail and Yahoo!, Twitter, Flickr, Vimeo and AOL accounts. In addition, your Facebook friends' contact information and profile pictures will now appear in Contacts as well.

Other surprises in Mountain Lion

- The screensaver now includes the option to create iPhoto style presentations

- Screen Sharing allows you to easily share your screen with other Mountain Lion users.

- Printing has been simplified.

- Searching for words in the dictionary is simpler. Three clicks have been replaced by one.

- Launchpad and Dashboard include a search tool, making launching apps quicker.

- Mail includes a Safari style search tool but ditches support for RSS feeds.

- X11 goes the same way as Java: you have to install it separately.

- AirPlay now support mirroring to an AppleTV with up to 1080p resolution but only stereo sound. Users can now give presentations or watch video on a TV from their Macs using AirPlay.

Final thoughts

The last major change to OS X was OS X 10.5 Leopard. It was followed by a faster and more subtly improved Snow Leopard 10.6. OS X 10.7 Lion was then released in summer 2011 with most major changes related to how you control OS X via a Trackpad to create a more iOS experience. Everything then points towards the fact that Apple are likely to release a new OS X once a year, the same as iOS for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch with OS X moving closer and closer to iOS with each release. Considering that the price of each OS X update has come down too, it’s foreseeable that future versions of OS X will be downloaded for free like iOS.

Naturally, this increasing move towards iOS will delight those that love using their iPhone and iPad. Those that prefer their mobile device and Mac to be treated as mainly separate user experiences, may not be so enthusiastic but Mountain Lion provides some great new functionality and is well worth the upgrade from Lion.

Download OS X Mountain Lion 10.8.3 in Softonic

Every now and then you need clean your Mac and get rid of cookies, logs or history. It'll ensure that your Mac isn't clogged with obsolete files and runs smoothly.

Mac Cleanse is a shareware program mainly focused on cleaning internet applications, like browsers. It provides a list of the applications you can clean, and clicking on a a name will open up a drop down menu of the elements you can check for deletion, such as cookies, downloads, or recent searches. The right side of the interface features an information panel with a description for the selected application, something which isn't really necessary.

We were a little confused by the way Mac Cleanse worked. The + and - buttons on the left won't let you add more applications to the cleanse list. Instead these let you create or remove custom selections of the applications in the list. The 'cleanse' button isn't very apparent either. You'll find it on the bottom right of the interface.

The good thing about Mac Cleanse though is that it lets you select and clean multiple applications quickly and safely, saving you lots of time.

Despite the slightly counterintuitive interface, Mac Cleanse is efficient at cleaning up multiple internet applications at once.

Download MacCleanse 3.3.1 in Softonic

Airfoil is one of those standout applications you come across sometimes.

What it does is allow you to send any audio from your computer via wireless to any other computer (PC or Mac), Apple TV or Airport Express. It works with any application that plays music in your computer.

Syncing is both easy and fast. The clear GUI will list up all the devices that you can sync to, and all you have to do is activate them and set the volume and equalizer. That means you can pretty much listen to your music anywhere. Rogue Amoeba have really succeeded in making a program which is efficient, useful and very easy to use.

The download also includes Airfoil Speakers, which basically turns any PC or Mac into an Airport Express unit which can then receive audio from the Airfoil of another computer.

On the help side, the Rogue Amoeba team is known to offer great support and respond quickly to user queries.

Naturally though, if your wireless connection is poor, then Airfoil will perform poorly, so make sure your WiFi is well set.

Airfoil is a smart and intuitive program, to sync music wirelessly to any computer, Airport Express or Apple TV.

Download Airfoil 4.7.5 in Softonic

Accidentally deleted data? Have a broken iPhone or even lost your iDevice? No matter why your data’s in jeopardy, <b>Wondershare Dr.Fone gets it all back on iPhone, iPad and iPod touch(Supported iPhone 5 and iOS 6).</b> Retrieve data directly from your device or via its iTunes backup file. You can clearly preview all contacts, text messages, photos,etc. before recovery - something you can't do with iTunes! When disaster strikes, don't panic! Wondershare Dr.Fone is your reliable choice.

Recover 12 file types like Camera Roll, Photo Stream, Photo Library, Contacts, SMS, Message Attachments, Call History, Calendar, Notes, Voice Memos, Reminders and Safari Bookmarks; For all iDevices, including iPhone 5, iPod touch 5, iPad Mini.

Download Wondershare Dr Fone Mac 1.2.1 in Softonic

Ask anyone who's used a Mac for a long period of time and they'll tell you that Cocktail still remains one of the best all round admin tools out there.

Cocktail can do all your essential maintenance tasks from clearing your cache to controlling sleep times. There's nothing new in Cocktail that you can't do in Terminal but Cocktail makes it so much easier through its GUI. Many of it's functions and tweaks will remain a mystery to basic users though - options such as whether to switch on or switch of journaling and the network options are aimed more at power users.

Nevertheless, for those that want more control over how their dock works, their startup sequence and other OS interface related issues, Cocktail gives you immense control. The Interface options are perhaps the most useful allowing you to select a range of different features such as Finder, Safari and Mail and tweak them to your own liking.

Some users will complain that what Cocktail does for a modest fee, other apps do for nothing but as an all round system maintenance tool, especially for power users, it's one of the best out there.

Download Cocktail 6.3.1 in Softonic

2. Preview &amp;amp;amp; Check Backup Contents: Check photos and videos in camera roll and photo stream; Preview contacts in details, including addresses, job title, etc. Read SMS contents including iMessages, photos, videos, etc. Preview and check other files by file category in original quality 3. Recover Your Files: 1-click to retrieve all files with zero quality loss; Recover files one at a time or in batch; Recover all the contacts, SMS, notes, calendar events, call records, reminders, voice memos and Safari bookmark.

One Click Gets Back Your Media, Memos, Messages and More Lost or broken your iPhone or iPad? Deleted something important? Or failed update? iTunes Data Recovery can recover any photos &amp;amp;amp; videos shot with your iDevice, contacts, SMS, call records, memos and calendars as long as you synced your device with iTunes before, so that you can get on with your digital life. How does it work? Simply click Scan, select files and Recover and you’re back—like that.

Lost or broken your iPhone or iPad? Deleted something important? iTunes Data Recovery can recover any photos &amp;amp;amp; videos shot with your iDevice, contacts, SMS, call records, memos and calendars as long as you synced your device with iTunes b

Download Wondershare Data Recovery for iTunes 2.2.0 in Softonic

Powered by jQuery, the created slider can work all modern devices and web browsers, including iPhone, iPad, Android, Windows Phone, Tablet, Firefox, Chrome, Safari, Internet Explorer 7, 8, 9 and 10. Not just jQuery Image Sliders, you can also use Amazing Slider to create YouTube Video Galleries. Or you can combine images and YouTube videos in one slider! The created slider resizes automatically according to the screen size or web browser size which lets you easily create mobile friendly websites. Designed and developed for cross-platform, Amazing Slider will give you a seamless user experience between Windows and Mac.

Cross-platform, works on Windows and Mac; Fancy effects and professional pre-made templates; Created Sliders work on all modern devices and web browsers; The sliders are fully responsive; Support images and YouTube Videos.

Amazing Slider is a handy tool for web designer, web developer, WordPress blogger to create beautiful, professional image and YouTube video slideshows.

Download Amazing Slider for Mac 1 in Softonic

Adobe introduced the PDF format to the world via Adobe Reader and although there are many competitors now, it's still the reference point for most PDF reading software.

However, its development from simple reader to bloated PDF tool hasn't been without drawbacks. One result is that it is now so overloaded with plugins and extensions that it's frequently criticized as being bloated and slow. Adobe have tried to address many of these speed issues and the memory footprint has been improved although there's no doubt that many users, especially on older Macs, will find it too slow still.

Of course, the main job of Adobe Reader is to open PDF documents which it eventually does. When opened however, Adobe Reader is probably the best tool out there for allowing you to navigate pages either manually or via search terms. The amount of preferences is absolutely mind boggling - Adobe Reader certainly can't be criticized for lack of customization options - and you can now upload files for sharing instantly at Acrobat.com.

However, for some reason there are many issues with 64-bit machines. One of them is that the PDF viewer plug-in is not compatible with Safari running in 64-bit mode. Another problem is that it does tend to mess-up fonts in Word documents that have been converted to PDF when opening them.

Adobe Reader is one of those applications that started off well but now has many enemies, especially on Mac. However, it's still a decent tool if all you want to do is view PDFs and don't mind hanging around for them to open.

Download Adobe Reader X 11.0.1 in Softonic

RollerCoasterTycoon 3 Platinum is a special version of RollerCoaster Tycoon which combines the theme park fun of Roller Coaster Tycoon 3 with two expansion packs: RollerCoaster Tycoon 3 Soaked! and RollerCoaster Tycoon 3 Wild! These expansion packs allow you to go beyond building your own water slide such as creating your own safari park with real animals that your customers can interact with.

You can play RollerCoasterTycoon 3 either as a profit making business or in sandbox mode with unlimited funds. The graphics are adequate although are one area where the game could be improved. Compared to other similar sim creation games such as The Sims, they're quite poor. However, the real fun is designing the theme park of your dreams and creating some truly spectacular rides.

For any Mac users that have waited for RollerCoasterTycoon to be released on Mac, RollerCoasterTycoon 3 will not disappoint.

Download RollerCoasterTycoon 3 Platinum in Softonic

TinkerTool is one of the best tools around for tweaking and changing the preferences on your Mac.

The reason for this is that TinkerTool assumes no prior expert knowledge providing you with a simple interface from which to modify a number of Mac settings such as the Dock, fonts and Safari. Simply check or uncheck the options you wish to keep or not from the different menus. In the Dock for example, you can choose to show system files and animation effects when opening. Just pressing the 'Relaunch' button at the bottom will bring changes into effect. In this latest version, you can also block the Expose feature in the Dock on Snow Leopard.

Many of the features you will find in TinkerTool are however duplicated in free applications such as Onyx but there's no doubt that this app does go a bit deeper and offers more at the end of the day. For example, the uninstaller is useful because it removes associated files for all users on a system whereas free removal tools such as AppDelete only usually remove files for the logged-on user.

Snow Leopard users are at a slight advantage because TinkerTool will recognize what version of Mac you have and show only the preferences that your version supports which are considerably more in Snow Leopard than Leopard for example. Be aware though that changing too many settings can have all sorts of adverse effects on your Mac. Fortunately, TinkerTool includes a 'reset' button on the right of the interface to return to default settings.

The only thing that some existing users may complain about is the fact that no discount is offered for upgrades but for the modest price the developer asks for such a great app, it's a small price pay.

TinkerTool is a powerful and well designed application which will give you far greater control over the look and functionality of OS X.

Download TinkerTool 4.95 in Softonic

Once installed, you'll be surprised at how much tracking you're subjected to and how much DoNotTrackMe blocks. DoNotTrackMe claims it can stop more than 600 trackers and it is compatible with Mac or PC for Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Internet Explorer. It's constantly updated to keep ahead of the latest trackers. Benefits of DoNotTrackMe include more privacy, vastly increased control over what can track your activity and faster browsing speeds.

It's also very discreet. A small green icon appears in your browser toolbar with a number in it indicating the number of tracking cookies that the site you are currently browsing is trying to leave on your computer. If you click on the number, a drop down menu displays information about the tracking cookies which usually consist of anything from social media trackers to advertising trackers. If there's something in there that you don't want blocked, just click on it and DoNotTrackMe will immediately allow it to track you.

If you want more information on exactly what is tracking you, just click on the block counts and a drop down menu shows you the names of the companies (usually big ad networks such as Doubleclick, Omniture and Comscore). There is an additional information link "Who are these companies?" although it doesn't give any specific information - just a useful general description of why these companies are tracking you.

Finally, there's an "All Time Block Counter" which keeps track of the total number of trackers that are blocked which can easily run into the thousands in just one day.

If you're concerned about targeted advertising or how much websites seem to know about you, DoNotTrackMe is a powerful yet simple solution.

Download DoNotTrackMe for Safari 2.2.5.1205 in Softonic

Once installed, you'll be surprised at how much tracking you're subjected to and how much DoNotTrackMe blocks. DoNotTrackMe claims it can stop more than 600 trackers and it is compatible with Mac or PC for Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Internet Explorer. It's constantly updated to keep ahead of the latest trackers. Benefits of DoNotTrackMe include more privacy, vastly increased control over what can track your activity and faster browsing speeds.

It's also very discreet. A small green icon appears in your browser toolbar with a number in it indicating the number of tracking cookies that the site you are currently browsing is trying to leave on your computer. If you click on the number, a drop down menu displays information about the tracking cookies which usually consist of anything from social media trackers to advertising trackers. If there's something in there that you don't want blocked, just click on it and DoNotTrackMe will immediately allow it to track you.

If you want more information on exactly what is tracking you, just click on the block counts and a drop down menu shows you the names of the companies (usually big ad networks such as Doubleclick, Omniture and Comscore). There is an additional information link "Who are these companies?" although it doesn't give any specific information - just a useful general description of why these companies are tracking you.

Finally, there's an "All Time Block Counter" which keeps track of the total number of trackers that are blocked which can easily run into the thousands in just one day.

If you're concerned about targeted advertising or how much websites seem to know about you, DoNotTrackMe is a powerful yet simple solution.

Download DoNotTrackMe for Firefox 2.2.5.1205 in Softonic

Once installed, you'll be surprised at how much tracking you're subjected to and how much DoNotTrackMe blocks. DoNotTrackMe claims it can stop more than 600 trackers and it is compatible with Mac or PC for Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Internet Explorer. It's constantly updated to keep ahead of the latest trackers. Benefits of DoNotTrackMe include more privacy, vastly increased control over what can track your activity and faster browsing speeds.

It's also very discreet. A small green icon appears in your browser toolbar with a number in it indicating the number of tracking cookies that the site you are currently browsing is trying to leave on your computer. If you click on the number, a drop down menu displays information about the tracking cookies which usually consist of anything from social media trackers to advertising trackers. If there's something in there that you don't want blocked, just click on it and DoNotTrackMe will immediately allow it to track you.

If you want more information on exactly what is tracking you, just click on the block counts and a drop down menu shows you the names of the companies (usually big ad networks such as Doubleclick, Omniture and Comscore). There is an additional information link "Who are these companies?" although it doesn't give any specific information - just a useful general description of why these companies are tracking you.

Finally, there's an "All Time Block Counter" which keeps track of the total number of trackers that are blocked which can easily run into the thousands in just one day.

If you're concerned about targeted advertising or how much websites seem to know about you, DoNotTrackMe is a powerful yet simple solution.

Download DoNotTrackMe for Chrome 2.2.5.1205 in Softonic

- Automatically run at Mac startup stealthily - Monitor all user accounts with one click - Log typed keystrokes such as account names - Log chats from Skype/AIM/iChat/Adium/MSN - Record websites in Safari/Firefox/Chrome - Take periodical high-quality screenshots - Log typed Passwords (Professional only) - Log the IP address of monitored Macintosh - Send logs to Email/FTP at preset interval - Password protection for keylogger access - Customizable hot key for keylogger access

Parents: Watch your Kids Online Spouses: Catch a Cheating Spouse Employers: Monitor Employees on Macs

Download Amac Keylogger Standard 2.2 in Softonic

1. The most complete iPhone backup file viewer for Mac. It will automatically read all the backup files and extract content from it. 2. All your iPhone backup data will be much better organised: contact list, monthly or list view of calendar, inbox/sent/conversation view of SMS, in-place player for videos. 3. Flexible exporting options: contacts to vCard, Addressbook or as text, calendar to iCal or text, export inbox, sent or conversation of SMS as text, all your apps' data can be exported too

Users who have trouble restoring their iPhone backup files can use iBackupCare to recover the data. They can also use iBackupCare as a powerful iPhone data viewer & manager on Mac.

Download iBackupCare 1 in Softonic

Note that RoboForm for Mac only works in the Safari and Firefox browsers. Roboform for Mac can however sync with RoboForm Everywhere for use on other platforms or devices.

The first time you launch Roboform, you're offered the chance to signup immediately for an online account which syncs across all devices or just use it on your Mac. It's wise to set it up just on your Mac to be sure that you're comfortable with RoboForm before going any further. It allows you to enter information like phone numbers, address, company, bank account details and Social Security Number and passport details. Once it’s all stored in RoboForm, you’ll be able to fill in online forms in a click. This makes it easy to fill in web forms that require private data although it may not work with all secure fields, especially when using banking websites.

When browsing the web, logins will probably be the item you use most. Every time you enter a user name and password for a website, RoboForm will offer to store it. From then on, you won’t have to worry about entering those details when accessing the page, as RoboForm will handle it automatically. To protect against phishing, RoboForm will always compare a website URL to the one corresponding to your password.

If you’re having trouble defining a strong password you can use the password generator found in tools. Not only can you choose the number and types of characters, but also exclude similar characters (such as 1 and I or O and 0) or limit to hexadecimals. For any element you create, RoboForm offers five known encryption algorithms to choose from for your entries: Blowfish, AES, RC6, 1DES and 3DES.

There are of course security concerns with any kind of password manager such as Roboform but as an extra security feature, you can choose to have RoboForm automatically log off after a certain amount of minutes or when you lock your workstation. If you use Roboform's syncing feature, the developers assure that their servers fully encrypt your data.

Although 1Password is still probably the best password manager for Macs, Roboform is a very competitive alternative but it is limited to Safari and Firefox users. There is a 1Password import tool if you want to try it out or migrate all of your data across.

RoboForm is a slick and well organized password manager and form filler for Macs.

Download Roboform for Mac 1.2.9 in Softonic

Download Bookdog 5.3.21 in Softonic