Thursday, October 23, 2008

Top 10 free software for your laptop, netbook or PC

We know there's hundreds of these Top 10 'free software' lists all over the 'net but often they contain 'free to try' (expensive to buy) software or applications that you simply won't use or that will nag you until you either buy it or uninstall it.

This however, is a list of truly great, completely free, software that all of us here at MobileBroadbandInfo use on our PC's and laptops every day. These 10 applications are all you need and they won't cost you a bean!

Enjoy...


1. NetSetMan 2.5.1

Are you tired of changing your network configuration on your laptop or computer every day...

Then NetSetMan is your solution; it's a powerful, easy-to-use interface to manage all your network settings at a glance. Give it a try and you'll never want to be without it again.



2. Smart Defrag

The World’s Most Efficient Defragmenter...

What's the primary cause of slow/unstable PC performance? It's disk fragmentation. Smart Defrag helps defragment your hard drives more efficiently than any other product on the market – free or not.



3. AVG Free

Do you want Fast, effective security that is kind on resources...

AVG Free provides you with antivirus and antispyware protection for Windows and is available to download for free. It provides Protection against viruses and spyware (antivirus and antispyware) and is the most downloaded software on CNET's Download.com.



4. Ad-Aware Free

Need efficient, reliable and effective spy-ware removal...

Ad-Aware 2007 Free is a popular anti-spyware product for computer users around the world, with nearly one million downloads every week. This free anti-spyware version provides you with advanced protection against spyware that secretly attaches and takes control of your computer, resulting in aggressive advertising pop-ups, sluggish computer activity, even identity theft through stolen bank details, passwords, and credit card account numbers.



5. CCleaner

PC getting clogged up after all those programmes you installed but never used...

CCleaner is a freeware system optimization, privacy and cleaning tool. It removes unused files from your system - allowing Windows to run faster and freeing up valuable hard disk space. It also cleans traces of your online activities such as your Internet history. Additionally it contains a fully featured registry cleaner. But the best part is that it's fast (normally taking less than a second to run) and contains NO Spyware or Adware!



6. Winamp

Fed up of iTunes...

Nullsoft Winamp is a fast, flexible, high-fidelity music player for Windows. Winamp supports MP3, CD, WMA, Audiosoft, Mjuice, MOD, WAV and other audio formats, custom appearances called skins and audio visualization and audio effect plug-ins. Download and enjoy it free of charge, free of guilt. A great alternative to iTunes with full iPod support.



7. Openoffice

Don't want to pay Mr Gates for all your software...

OpenOffice.org 3 is the leading open-source office software suite for word processing, spreadsheets, presentations, graphics, databases and more. It is available in many languages and works on all common computers. It stores all your data in an international open standard format and can also read and write files from other common office software packages. It can be downloaded and used completely free of charge for any purpose.



8. Picasa

Need to organise your photos...

Organize - manage your photos in one place, and find photos you forgot you had. Edit - eliminate scratches & blemishes, fix red-eye, crop and more. Create - turn photos into movies, collages, slideshows and more. Share - upload seamlessly to Picasa Web Albums to share with friends, family & the world.



9. Zone Alarm

Keep the baddies out...

Keep hackers and data thieves out of your computer with ZoneAlarm, the PC firewall that protects against Internet-borne threats like worms, Trojan horses, and spyware. ZoneAlarm provides the basic protection individuals need to secure their PC and keep their valuable information private. ZoneAlarm barricades your PC with immediate and complete port blocking. And, then runs in Stealth Mode to make your PC invisible on the Internet - if you can´t be seen, you can´t be attacked.



10. GMail

Proper email...

Not strictly software but we've tried them all and there truly is only one email worth having - honestly!



Bonus entry! K9 Web Protection

We couldn't leave this one out; it's excellent...

If you're like most of us, parenting in the age of the Internet has you facing a new set of challenges. Blue Coat is committed to helping you and all communities through this 'First Generation of Internet Parenting'.

K9 Web Protection is a free Internet filtering and control solution for the home. K9 puts YOU in control of the Internet so you can protect your kids from inappropriate sites and content.

Labels: ,

posted by MobileBroadbandInfo @ 6:09 PM 1 Comments

Orange extends free broadband to Business customers

Orange today announced it has launched an offer for small business customers to take advantage of free broadband when they join Orange on a Solo plan, which is designed for people who work for themselves.

The move builds on Orange's earlier launch of free broadband for consumer customers following a series of improvements to its broadband network. These improvements have made faster speeds possible, with speeds of up to 8 Meg now the standard across all of Orange's fixed broadband products.

Business customers who sign up to a new Solo mobile plan, which costs from £30 per month, will receive free Broadband for Business, and benefit from a free wireless router plus unlimited downloads (subject to fair use policy), speeds of up to 8 Meg, free customer support and a single bill for their voice and broadband use.

Labels: ,

posted by MobileBroadbandInfo @ 1:18 PM 0 Comments

Consumers prefer a mobile device to the PC

IBM has released new survey results which claims that over 50 percent of consumers would substitute their Internet usage on a PC for a mobile device. IBM surveyed 600 consumers in the USA, China and the UK on their preferences regarding the mobile Internet and found that communication, travel and navigation applications, as well as news and information services, are expected to increase significantly in popularity and usage over the mobile Internet.

With the world's population of mobile-phone users expected to increase from the current 50 percent to 80 percent in 2013, which translates to a staggering 5.8 billion people, the availability of IP wireless broadband and more affordable devices will change the way companies around the world operate and relate to their customers, employees and partners.

"Worldwide adoption of the mobile phone as the preferred device for accessing the Internet is just around the corner," said Dr. Sungyoul Lee, Global Consulting Leader, Electronics Industry, IBM. "With 70 percent of consumers worldwide who believe that the mobile Internet has the potential to add significant to moderate value to their day-to-day lives, the time is now for companies to develop intuitive applications and services that allow people of all ages to effortlessly access and use the Internet while on the go -- anytime, and anywhere."

By 2011, 39 percent of respondents said they expect to increase Internet use on their mobile device by at least 40 percent. The Chinese consumers polled lead the world as the fastest adopting society of the mobile web. This finding is in synch with IBM's previous hypothesis that within emerging and leading edge markets, the mobile platform will be the primary way of interacting with businesses and institutions. These countries have in many cases leapfrogged the PC era and are routinely using their mobile devices for a variety of consumer services.

71 percent of respondents acknowledged that they expect to increase their usage of communication services such as obtaining maps and directions, instant messaging, social networking, emailing and reading the news from their mobile device. Growth markets like China and India are leading this adoption at a rapid pace and are proving to be the most open towards mobile internet than the mature markets. The survey found that consumers still prefer to execute services such as banking, stock trading, shopping and general search on the PC rather than a mobile device.

Labels: ,

posted by MobileBroadbandInfo @ 11:07 AM 0 Comments