It's really unbelievable to find free software applications as amazing as Photoscape. But as they say, truth is stranger than fiction. Here you have a really excellent photo editing tool that includes just about everything you need to view, optimize, edit, print and have fun with your photos, all for free.

Photoscape strikes us from the very beginning with an uncommon interface design from which 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.

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

Download Photoscape 3.2 in Softonic

For anyone involved in software reviewing like the team at Softonic, annotations of screenshots and other data are essential in day-to-day work.

The same goes for anyone who regularly has to use presentations and other graphical displays to share information. ZoomIt aims to make presentations and annotations easy enough for anyone to illustrate and add comments and annotations to their presentations and screenshots. The first time you run ZoomIt, you're presented with a configuration dialog that gives you some tips on what the program can do and how it should be used. During this time, you're also offered the chance to specify alternate hotkeys for zooming in and out and for entering drawing mode without zooming. In addition, you can customise the drawing pen color and size although this is one aspect where ZoomIt could do with some work as both the sizes and colour palette is rather limited. There's also what the program calls a "break timer" that remains active even when you tab away from the timer window but then allows you to return to the timer window by clicking on the ZoomIt tray icon.

This is by no means the most advanced screen annotation utility you'll ever use but for simple arrow pointing and circling of certain facts and figures, it does a quick and efficient job.

Download ZoomIt 2.11 in Softonic

If you are a design professional or need to manipulate images in a very detailed way, then you'll need a program which can zoom in on your images in high definition detail.

Normally, if you try to reveal details in highlighted or shadowed areas using exposure correction (such as levels) you may spoil the parts of the image that you want to leave unchanged. However, the idea behind AKVIS Enhancer is that it intensifies color transition. and strengthens the difference between adjacent pixels having different color gradations. In this way, you can reveal not only details in the shadow but even details in the overexposed and mid tone areas. The program improves detail on an image, no matter what the cause of the blurring as it can detect in detail the underexposed, overexposed and mid tone areas of a photo with uneven exposure. It can bring into focus blurred images and now even supports HDRI technology. The program has three modes - Enhancer, Focus, and HDRI. In the Enhancer and Focus modes you can improve a picture using one single shot; in the HDR mode you need a series of shots but you'll be surprised at how much you can improve your images.

This program can't turn your photos into a work of art but it can certainly improve those images that have been blurred or are out of focus.

Download AKVIS Enhancer 9.5 in Softonic

PicPerk is an image viewer and editor that supports most common graphic formats, including JPEG, GIF, TIFF, BMP, PCX, WMF, and TGA. The application enables you to open a specific image file and also enables you to open a folder and easily view and edit it. Along with the usual assortment of file operations, such as convert, copy, move, rename, delete, and print, PicPerk features thumbnails and full-screen viewing, zoom functions, and 33 image-edition effects, including crop, resize, and red-eye removal. In addition, PicPerk features tools to display slide shows, to set and remove the desktop wallpaper, and to associate file types with it.

Download PicPerk 7.0 in Softonic

If you worked with scanned drawings and regularly need to turn them into vectored images, then you'll find RasterVect a Godsend.

It's pretty much essential for anyone that works with scanned drawings and can transform raster drawings into vector format. Drawings can be imported by vector formats in DXF, WMF, EMF, EPS and AI. Most CAD applications support this format such as AutoCAD, Corel Draw so you can go on to further edit them in those programs. Options include zooming, scrolling and color selection. RasterVect also features TWAIN support for importing from any scanners; the ability to automatically recognize orthogonal and inclined lines, as well as arcs and circles. You can also maintain the scale of the initial paper drawing and transform grey and colored images into black-and-white. For those that have to work with complex shapes and angles, there is also support for lines, arcs and circles alignment.

An easy to use vectorising program that simplifies the whole process and is enough to deal with even the most complex shapes.

Download RasterVect 13.9 in Softonic

Finally you can create fully navigable online versions of your PDF files in a very stylish way. It’s like turning the page of a book but with the possibility of zooming in, so as not to stress your eyes.

3D Issue Manager is very easy to use, although the graphics could have been nicer. All it requires is that you select a PDF file, choose the orientation of the output document as portrait, landscape or a mix of both, and select the image resolution together with its quality. The program automatically creates the virtual booklet, which is optimized for search engines.

In the main window there are some interesting options you can choose from which allow you to personalise the zoom navigation to either click and drag, or mouse movements, and allow users to download an offline edition of your virtual glossy magazine. These are just two examples, but there is a whole feature list on offer. Strangely enough, the program’s windows are not resizable, which can be annoying if you have to work with different windows open.

With 3D Issue Manager you can easily and efficiently convert your PDF files into fully accessible online 3D booklets, so as to present documents in a stylish, glossy way - and save paper along the way.

Download 3D Issue Manager 3.1 in Softonic

Acoo Browser is a powerful multi-tabbed Internet browser based on the Internet Explorer engine (IE 5 or greater required). Acoo Browser provides a user-friendly GUI interface, including tabbed document windows, dockable panel groups and customizable toolbars.

Acoo Browser allows user to surf multiple Web sites within one browser window. It also includes many advanced features such as Mouse Gestures, built-in syntax highlighted HTML source viewer, powerful built-in Web page analyzer, recoverable Popup Blocker, Ads Filter, script error suppression, Cleaner, external tools, web page zooming, URL Alias, Integrated search engine support, and much more...

Acoo Browser can block annoying pop-ups, banner Ads, flash Ads and other Internet Ad annoyances automatically without interfering your surfing. There is also detailed logging record in Acoo Browser, and you may know the Ads sites killed by Acoo Browser so as to improve your setting. Acoo Browser makes your surfing experience easier, quicker and more comfortable.

Download Acoo Browser 1.89.690 in Softonic

PixFiler is a program that makes it quick and easy to keep your digital photos organized. The program is designed to be easy to use. It will locate and display your photo in just seconds. It will read most image formats, even raw files from most digital cameras, no matter if they are stored on your hard disk or on a CD or DVD. And it doesn't slow down as your image collection grows. Several 10,000s is no problem for PixFiler.

Benefits of PixFinder:

• Fast and easy to use
• Powerful tools makes it easy to categorize and annotate the photos
• Will let you browse photos on CD/DVD without having to insert the CD/DVD
• Make reports, prints, and contact sheets
• Make auto-run CDs and DVDs
• Supports many file formats, including RAW for most digital cameras
• Full screen viewing and zooming
• Get information from EXIF and IPTC meta data
• Users can share the same data on a network

Download PixFiler 5.2.6 in Softonic

This utility, which has the most comprehensive knowledge of auto-starting locations of any startup monitor (A starting list of auto-run locations was obtained from David Solomon's "Windows Internals" seminar), shows you what programs are configured to run during system bootup or login, and shows you the entries in the order Windows processes them.

These programs include ones in your startup folder, Run, RunOnce, and other Registry keys. You can configure Autoruns to show other locations, including Explorer shell extensions, toolbars, browser helper objects, Winlogon notifications, auto-start services, and much more. Autoruns goes way beyond the MSConfig utility bundled with Windows Me and XP.

Autoruns' Hide Signed Microsoft Entries option helps you to zoom in on third-party auto-starting images that have been added to your system and it has support for looking at the auto-starting images configured for other accounts configured on a system. Also included in the download package is a command-line equivalent that can output in CSV format, Autorunsc.

Download AutoRuns 9.34 in Softonic

If you often have to plot graphs, then this program allows you to produce high quality 3D graphs with relative simplicity. Graphs can be shaded with custom gradual colors along the X, Y or Z axis. In 3D graphs, the lighting is enabled to demonstrate the depth of the surface through shades and shadows. The Graphing Calculator performs mathematical calculations and then illustrates the results in 3D drawings.

The interface is divided into three sections. The first represents written equations. The second is a keypad to enter into all kinds of mathematical elements. Finally you have the graphics screen that can be customized with colors. You can also manipulate graphics by rotating them into any position.

For scientists, mathematicians and teachers, this program gives an extra touch of class to presentations or teaching material.

Download Graphing Calculator 3D 2.3 in Softonic

Wavosaur is a powerful free audio editor for editing, processing and recording sounds. Wavosaur has all the features to edit audio (cut, copy, paste, etc.) produce music loops, analyze and record.

Wavosaur supports VST plugins, ASIO drivers, multichannel wav files and features real time effects processing.

It also includes a Multiple Document Interface for working with many files in one session and
many processing options: mute, channel convert (stereo->mono, mono->stereo), insert silence, change volume, normalize level, fade in/out, invert/flip, undo.

It has accurate waveform representation, fast zoom in/out, clean easy to use interface Right mouse to scroll/display context menu.

Download Wavosaur 1.0.3.0 in Softonic

If you've ever wanted more information about the photos that you've transferred from your camera to your PC then PIE is for you. It shows you the exposure information relating to each picture and can improve your understanding of your digital camera and improve your photo skills.

The exposure information saved in the JPG file (the meta data) remains as long as the file is not modified. Any modification to the JPG file will destroy this data but PIE works by preserving exposure information in standard text files which also may be imported into a spreadsheet or database. It gives your photos more user friendly file names than just generic numbers and always displays your photos in chronological order. It also allows you to rotate JPG pictures without any loss of quality and this is done without any decompression/compression so there's no loss of quality.

For serious photographers, this is a fantastic little tool. For those that don't need specific information regarding the details of their photo files, it's not really essential.

Download PIE Picture Information Extractor 4.27 in Softonic

One of the worst problems with Adobe's Acrobat reader is that it often takes about a week to load PDFs. OK, maybe not quite that long, but it is very slow.

SumatraPDF is one of several apps knocking around that are designed to simplify your PDF viewing - and it doesn't do a bad job either. Opening files in the program is virtually as quick as opening and closing your eyes and it doesn't take a genius to find your way around the interface.

Options are a little thin on the ground but SumatraPDF provides a very comfortable environment for reading PDFs and you can print documents without much hassle. Give me this over Acrobat any day for looking at eBooks.

Download Sumatra PDF 0.9 in Softonic

One of the things that drew most people to Firefox in the first place was its wonderful tabs feature, which, for many, revolutionised the way they navigate the Web. Of course, most browsers these days now have this feature. Despite the convenience of a tabbed interface, it can still be a little tricky to figure out what's what in terms of the pages you have on each of your tabs. Tab Catalog gives you the power to take control of your tabs by managing them all from one screen.

With the click of a single button this neat extension allows you to view thumbnails of all the tabs you have open at once. The default shortcut key is F8, but this can be customised to your choosing. Once the tabs are in view, you can open a page simply by clicking on its thumbnail image. There are a few other nice options, such as the ability to zoom in on or close a tab with a single click.

Download Tab Catalog 1.4.2008050271 in Softonic

Google's satellite imagery software has truly changed the way we look at the globe. The application lets you zoom in on any part of the world and for some places, observe from a few meters away.

Google Earth not only displaces satellite images but it also includes terrains and sometimes 3D reconstruction of buildings. You can look for directions and businesses, just like in Google Maps and pinpoint areas or draw on maps straight in Google Earth.

Google Earth includes a very wide, and constantly increasing library of layers, which you can add to the map to enrich your experience. You'll find all sorts of information, from historical landscapes to national parks, regions where you can find endangered species or tourist spots. Google Earth will also showcase more news related information such as forest fires or tsunamis.

If stars is what you are into, turn to the Space mode and navigate among the constellations.

Moving around in Google Earth is incredibly intuitive thanks to the multiple navigation tools. Some areas will show less information than others, and Google Earth is known to use up a substantial amount of bandwidth, but it remains a fascinating piece of software

Google Earth is as of yet an unequalled application. Browse around the world, zoom into streets or go up and gaze at the stars. Millions of possibilities.

Download Google Earth 4.3 Beta in Softonic

pdfFactory products offer a unique approach to PDF creation that is simpler, more effective and less expensive than that offered by other programs.

Create PDF or print to paper

Only pdfFactory allows printing to paper or PDF without printing twice. Acrobat is not needed for printing.

Combines multiple documents into a single PDF

Increases the convenience of document delivery by having a single PDF that contains material from different sources. Just keep printing documents to pdfFactory and they will automatically be concatenated.

Preview

Allows quick, accurate previewing of the PDF, including up to 400% zoom, without saving the file first and without opening Acrobat.

Font embedding

Ensures that the original fonts used in a document are displayed even if the reader of the PDF does not have the fonts installed on his or her computer.

Page insertion and deletion

Allows unwanted material to be deleted before the PDF is created. This is especially useful when creating PDFs from long reports, email and web pages.

Send via email

One mouse click sends PDFs through your default email program. Also copies PDF to clipboard for pasting into existing email.

AutoSave

Saves entire contents of pdfFactory sessions automatically so you can retrieve previously compiled PDFs.

Live URL Links

Customize links by line type, thickness and color to open Web pages and email addresses with a click of your mouse.

Security

Encrypt and control access to PDF files

Bookmarks and Table of Contents

Automatically or manually create bookmarks to organize and easily navigate complex documents.

Integrated Jobs Tab

Shows all jobs and allows you to rearrange them.

Custom Drivers

Save your settings to multiple print drivers so you can quickly select them for specific tasks.

Set Initial Acrobat Display Properties

Such as zoom factor, layout and tab configuration.

Download PdfFactory Pro 3.35 in Softonic

If you're looking for a plainly simple image viewer, you've come to the right place: here's VJPEG, a photo viewer that displays images right on your desktop.

After installing it, VJPEG takes over the native Windows image viewer and opens all JPG, BMP and GIF files on the desktop. Images are opened as is, in other words, without any additional frames, windows or interface: just the image itself.

So without any interface, how do you manage images in VJPEG? Easy: with mouse and keyboard combinations. VJPEG lets you drag and move images around the desktop with the mouse and close them with a right click. If you want to resize them (just for viewing purposes, no actual size changes are applied) stick the image to the left screen edge and drag it. Other tools available in VJPEG are rotating, zooming in and out, adjusting levels and even sending by email.

VJPEG is a good solution for those who want just a simple photo viewer without all the bells and whistles of other programs. I miss having some kind of documentation though, as well as having a nicer icon for my graphic files, which lose their standard icon as soon as they're associated with VJPEG. Other extra options, like being able to minimize or tile images, would be nice too.

VJPEG replaces Windows default image viewer with a dead simple app that displays pictures right on the desktop and lets you drag and resize them with the mouse.

Download VJPEG 2 in Softonic

Notepad++ is a free source code editor (and Notepad replacement), which supports several programming languages, running under the MS Windows environment.

This project, based on the Scintilla edit component (a very powerful editor component), written in C++ with pure win32 api and STL (that ensures the higher execution speed and smaller size of the program), is under the GPL Licence.

This is what Notepad++ has to offer:

• Syntax Highlighting and Syntax Folding
• WYSIWYG
• User Defined Syntax Highlighting
• Auto-completion
• Multi-Document
• Multi-View
• Regular Expression Search/Replace supported
• Full Drag ‘N' Drop supported
• Dynamic position of Views
• File Status Auto-detection
• Zoom in and zoom out
• Multi-Language environment supported
• Bookmarks
• Brace and Indent guideline Highlighting
• Macro recording and playback

Download Notepad++ 5.0.2 in Softonic

Your webcam can be much more than just a communication device - it can help protect your property while you are away.

Webcam Monitor provides you with email notification along with a photo directly into your mailbox as soon as a motion or noise intrusion is detected by your webcam. You can customize alerts so that you can even receive video and audio recordings, snapshots with date and time, alarms and SMS notifications. In addition, you can automatically upload recorded video, audio, and snaps to an FTP server of your choice. It goes far beyond just monitoring small areas though - you can also monitor large areas using multiple cameras with recording sessions set to start and end at any time of the day.

All movement and any monitored activity is recorded in an event log for quick reference later. On the other hand, if you want your security cam images to be broadcasted live on the internet, you can set up a web site where the images are constantly updated by WebCam Monitor. In addition, limited enhancement is possible as you can digitally zoom any camera up to 200 and configure one or several cameras to focus on one particular area.

Webcam Monitor can turn your webcam into a powerful security monitoring device that you can control from any location.

Download Webcam Monitor 5.05 in Softonic

With the increasing popularity of digital cameras, the need for programs that help us share our pictures is also growing. As digital photos cannot be stuck onto the pages of traditional albums, the perfect solution is creating a digital album, something you can do very easily with MemoriesOnTV. Even if you're not the computer-savvy type, you'll find yourself very comfortable when using this application and the results are really attractive.

MemoriesOnTV divides the process of creating a digital photo album into five easy steps, represented in the menu bar located between both panes: import, music, effects, menu and burn. To begin with, simply drag and drop files from the bottom pane onto the top one to add content to your photo album. The only downside would be the fact that you cannot resize the bottom pane, so if you have a large directory structure you're going to be scrolling a lot. After choosing pictures, you can work on selected photos individually: double click on any of them and the photo will be displayed in a separate window, along with a complete editing menu. You'll be able to fix colors and brightness, add a caption, change background color or apply any of the many special effects featured in the program. You may move to the next photo and continue working this way. However, unless you want to personalize every single detail of every single image it's not really worth it, as it's going to take a huge amount of time. Besides, the program can do it automatically! Just keep on reading and we'll show you.

The next step in the process consists of adding a soundtrack to your album. You'll be able to choose the music files you want to use in your project by just dragging and dropping them on the program's interface or clicking on the button with the plus sign. Don't worry about calculating the song's length; MemoriesOnTV features an excellent sync tool that will adjust the duration of both music and photos, making them fit perfectly.

Now it's time to add special effects to your pictures. This is where you can set the program to choose the effects for you (if you select the "random" option) and also apply them automatically to all pictures, instead of having to edit them one by one. You can choose both photo effects and transition effects. The amount of options available for each of them is certainly gorgeous.

The last step before actually finishing the project is choosing a menu template, that is, the image you will see when viewing your photo album on your PC or TV. Once again, you have a wide range of options to choose from, though the preview pane is so narrow they're hard to see. Fortunately, you have the possibility to preview the whole project as you work your way through the different steps. Once you've created the menu screen, end your project by saving it as a video file or burning it to a disc directly from the application itself.

MemoriesOnTV is definitely one of the best choices to create digital photo albums for novice users as it doesn't require any special knowledge. You'll be amazed to see how well your pictures look on your TV, with the appropriate background music and some smashing visual effects.

Download MemoriesOnTV 4.1.0 in Softonic