OnlyOffice 8.0 provides a slick, yet lightweight, alternative to Microsoft Office and LibreOffice
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.
Birdfont, for Windows, macOS, and Linux, unveils a faster, more responsive user interface and snap-to-guides for point-editing tools
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.
LibreOffice 24.2 unveils new features and improvements alongside switch to date-based version numbering
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.
Directory Opus 13 finally released -- unveils facelift and dozens of further improvements
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'.
PortableApps Platform 29.0 adds new license filter for app store
The best portable apps launcher just got a major upgrade with the release of PortableApps Platform 29.0. This latest release -- the third major update in as many months -- continues to refine the platform’s app selection tool with the addition of a user-specified filter to target apps by license type.
Users can access the new license filter via the Platform’s Options screen -- switch to the App Store tab where a new 'Freeware Apps' section is available. Users can opt to show all apps (Personal Use) or apply one of three filters: Educational, Business and Open Source Only.
Betterbird 115.6.1 -- the email client Thunderbird could have been
The troubled history of Mozilla’s Thunderbird could fill a book, from an extensive period on life support to its shift away from non-profit ownership. Even as development has resumed on the once moribund email client, criticisms remain over its stability and features.
For those frustrated by Thunderbird’s continuing issues, there may be a solution: Betterbird, which as its name implies, is a fork of the main Thunderbird client.
Vivaldi 6.5 adds new Sessions Panel, adds full browsing history to device sync
Vivaldi Technologies has unveiled Vivaldi 6.5 for Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS and Android, a pre-holiday release stuffed with useful new features for both desktop and mobile platforms.
Chief highlights include a new Sessions Panel for organizing saved groups of tabs, plus the added ability to sync the user’s full browsing history across all devices.
AIDA64 Extreme Edition 7.0 unveils customizable toolbar and updated support for latest AMD and Intel chipsets
Budapest-based FinalWire Ltd has released a major new version of its Windows diagnostic and benchmarking tool with the release of AIDA64 Extreme Edition 7.00 and AIDA64 Business Edition 7.00.
The landmark release is marked with a revamped user interface offering configurable toolbar. Users can navigate the various parts of the program using the left-hand pane, with sections spanning hardware, software and OS.
Foxit PDF Reader 2023.3 and Foxit PDF Editor 2023.3 embrace AI with new chatbot integrations
Foxit Software has unveiled major new features in its flagship PDF products with the release of Foxit PDF Reader 2023.3.23028 and Foxit PDF Editor 2023.3.23028.
Both tools -- available for Windows and Mac -- sport enhanced integration with ChatGPT with additional new features including translation, Q&A and content explanations. They also unveil the Foxit AI Chatbot, designed to answer users' questions about using the program.
O&O DiskImage 19 Pro improves migration, recovery and virtual machine tools
Berlin developer O&O Software has rolled out O&O DiskImage 19 Pro, a major new release of its Windows imaging and file backup tool. Version 19 builds on previous releases by refining its virtual machine capabilities as well as further improving its recovery tools.
O&O DiskImage 19 Pro, which offers a complete set of backup tools covering everything from backing up individual files to full system images, focuses on two specific areas in this new release.
Blender 4.0 comes with revamped BSDF tool and a wealth of new features
The Blender Foundation has unveiled its next major release with the launch of Blender 4.0, its renowned open-source, cross-platform 3D creation suite.
Highlights include more realistic shading effects, the ability to control the effect of lighting sources on specific objects in images and support for running Geometry Nodes without having Python installed.
OBS Studio 30.0 improves web-streaming capabilities, adds fallback Safe Mode
Open-source video broadcasting, recording and streaming tool OBS Studio 30.0 has been released for Windows, macOS and Linux.
The new release highlights include support for WebRTC output and improved YouTube integration. There’s also a new Safe Mode to help troubleshoot problems with plugins, scripts and other elements among a slew of another new features and other improvements.
Firefox 119 starts to roll out improved Firefox View feature, ramps up privacy and security
Mozilla has rolled out Firefox 119.0, the latest version of its open-source, Gecko-powered web browser for Windows, Mac, Linux and Android.
The new release offers two notable new features -- a major expansion of its Firefox View tab’s content, plus additional PDF editing tools along with a slew of security and privacy enhancements.
IObit Advanced SystemCare 17 unveils new one-click health check tool alongside redesigned UI
IObit has released a brand new version of its all-in-one PC maintenance and optimization tool. IObit Advanced SystemCare 17.0, available in both free and paid-for versions for Windows PCs,
The new version opens with the now almost-obligatory user interface refresh, with the promise of improved visual effects and, more usefully, a better user experience.
Krita 5.2 improves options for animations and text alongside more drawing-based improvements
The independent non-profit Krita Foundation has released Krita 5.2, a major point release of its open-source digital painting application for Windows, macOS and Linux.
The new release aims to focus on tackling what the developers describe as some of Krita’s "biggest pain points" in areas including animation, text and the program’s various tools.
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