Nick Peers

Italian developer Incomedia has released Website X5 Evo 2024.2 Evo and Website X5 Pro 2024.2, the second major update of the year of its user-friendly, wizard-driven website builder for Windows.

Version 2024.2 continues a recent focus on updating and optimizing the program’s underlying engine but includes several new features while removing all shop-building capabilities from the lower-end Evo product.

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Michigan-based TechSmith has launched Camtasia 2024, a major new release of its professional screen recording and video editing tool for Mac and Windows.

The new release aims to streamline video creation and production through several new AI-powered features, including dynamic captions. The addition of these features has also seen the package split into three product tiers, with AI features restricted to Create and Pro plans only.

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Astonsoft Ltd has released EssentialPIM 12.0, a major new version of its email client and organizer for Windows. Available in free and Pro versions, the latest release focuses on improving its contact management section and email tools.

There are two notable improvements to EssentialPIM’s Contact Management tool. The first is the implementation of a new default view displaying user initials or a photo next to each contact entry to aid finding the right contact. In addition, contact details have been redesigned so that a complete overview of each contact can be found in a single location.

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Berlin-based O&O Software GmbH has launched O&O SafeErase 19, a new release of its Windows data-shredding tool. Version 19 unveils a new feature -- Fortress Mode -- alongside a completely revised user interface.

When enabled, Fortress Mode provides O&O SafeErase with its own completely isolated Windows environment. The tool effectively "locks" the system, preventing other processes from accessing the user’s data. This ensures data shredding is safer while also speeding up the process.

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Vivaldi Technologies has released the latest version of its free, highly customizable browser with the launch of Vivaldi 6.7 for Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS and Android.

The new release focuses on improving performance through a new Memory Saver feature, but also finds time to add new and improved features to continue its rapid evolution.

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Muse Group has released a major new version of its free, open-source audio editor for Windows, macOS and Linux. Audacity 3.5 adds cloud project saving support, plus adds automatic tempo detection, pitch shifting and more.

The headline new feature in Audacity 3.5 is a new cloud-saving feature, which works in tandem with Muse Group’s free audio hosting platform at audio.com. Users simply select 'File > Save to Cloud…' to save the current project. On first use, they will be prompted to link Audacity to a free audio.com account -- which can be created during the linking process.

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Zoom Video Communications has rolled out a major update and rebrand of its video-conferencing tool for Windows and Mac with the release of Zoom Workspace 6.0. The new name reflects the app’s new function -- as a single collaborative platform for all its AI-powered features, including the new Zoom AI companion.

The rebranded app is accompanied with a visual overhaul, but more notable are the sheer number of new and improved features on show.

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Italian developer Incomedia has released Website X5 Evo 2024.1 Evo and Website X5 Pro 2024.1, a major new release of its wizard-driven, user-friendly Windows website building package.

Version 24.1 unveils a new, faster graphics engine and speeds up its FTP transfers. There’s also wider support for payment types via the program’s ecommerce platform, user interface tweaks and new style options.

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Burnaware has released PDF Shaper 14.0, a major new release of its freemium PDF toolkit for Windows PCs. In addition to changing the Professional edition title to Ultimate edition, PDF Shaper 14.0 adds a couple of new features to its paid-for tiers.  

The big change in PDF Shaper Free 14.0 -- replicated across the suite -- is the updated user interface and translations. There’s also new preview mode added to the built-in PDF viewer.

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Malwarebytes is quietly rolling out a major new version of its eponymous anti-malware tool with the release of Malwarebytes 5.0. The tool is available in both free and premium versions for desktop and mobile.

MBAM 5.0 is released almost five years after version 4.0 made its bow in May 2019. Like its predecessor, the major change is a sleek new user interface, although this latest effort packs in improved navigation and user-friendliness to go with the modern look.

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German developer win.rar GmbH has released WinRAR 7.0, a major new update to its powerful archiving tool for Windows.

Capable of opening a wide range of archive file types, from ZIP to CAB, GZip and ISO, WinRAR 7.0 focuses on introducing several improvements to its primary RAR format.

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Does the world need another alternative to the almost ubiquitous Microsoft Office? While LibreOffice is its most recognizable rival, it does suffer a little from a dated user interface. Enter, stage left, OnlyOffice 8.0, an open-source rival to both that offers enough unique functionality to make it stand apart.

OnlyOffice’s first unique feature is that it contains its main features -- document editor, spreadsheet, presentations, PDF viewer/annotator and recently added forms creator -- within a single, streamlined app.

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Johan Mattsson has released BirdFont 6.0.1, a major new release of his cross-platform tool for creating fonts. Free for personal use (users must release fonts under the SIL Open Font License), the tool provides users with a means of creating and editing fonts.

Version 6 unveils what it describes as a 'new' (but visually similar) interface, accompanied by performance improvements and a handful of changes.

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The latest version of popular open-source office suite LibreOffice is here, but its release number may surprise those expecting to see LibreOffice 7.7. Instead, LibreOffice 24.2 makes its bow as developer The Document Foundation switches to a new date-based version numbering system.

Going forward, LibreOffice version numbers will follow the YYYY.MM method, hence 2024.2 (February 2024) for the new release. Adding to the confusion, LibreOffice 7.6.4 remains in existence for those looking for a more stable, older release.

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After a seven-year gap between major releases, Directory Opus 13.1 makes its bow on Windows PCs. The File Explorer replacement launches with a new licensing model and retires the old Light build to accompany the dozens of changes, improvements and tweaks.

The new release comes with no fewer than six pages of highlights, proving the developers haven’t been resting on their laurels for the past seven years. Directory Opus 13 opens with a facelift that comes with Dark and Light Modes, plus an 'Any Colors You Like' mode, where users can customize any aspect of the program via 'Settings > Preferences > Colors and Fonts'.

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