Nick Peers

Once upon a time the notion of having access to a free image-editing tool that rivalled commercial packages was nonsensical. If you wanted to edit your photos, you had to pay for the privilege. The GIMP was one of the first to break this mold, but despite a powerful feature set it can be off-putting to the beginner.

In recent years Paint.NET has made a powerful case of being the best free image-editing tool for Windows, boasting powerful features and a relatively accessible interface. But now there’s a new kid in town, a tool that resembles Paint.NET but adds some clever features of its own. A tool that once cost money, but is now free. That image editor is PixBuilder Studio.

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Foxit Software has updated its free PDF tool, Foxit Reader to version 5.1. This new release adds tools for sharing content from PDF files with Facebook and Twitter, and adds a Read Out Loud feature that uses speech synthesis to read any text embedded into the current PDF file.

Version 5.1 also introduces a new Reading Mode that helps to maximize the reading area via options that help to provide a full-screen view of the current document. The program can be updated through its own updater or downloaded separately and installed over the top of the existing verson.

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Google has updated its web browser, Google Chrome, to version 15. As expected, changes are evolutionary rather than revolutionary, and some features that were present in the beta version have yet to be migrated across to this stable release.

The only notable change is an extremely visible one: a redesigned new tab/window page. This splits apps, bookmarks and most visited sites into separate sections, accessible via a series of buttons at the bottom of the page. There’s also a Recently Closed page, making it easier for users to open the window of their choice.

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Think Portable Document Format, and you might be forgiven for thinking it’s a closed standard that requires you to install software from Adobe to both create and view PDFs. You’d be missing a trick if you did restrict yourself to Adobe software though, because there are many other PDF tools out there equally as capable, often cheaper and sometimes offer unique features of their own.

Take Nitro PDF Professional, for example. About to be released in its seventh major incarnation, the rebranded Nitro Pro offers professionals all the tools they need for creating, editing and collaborating on PDFs for a significantly smaller outlay than Adobe’s own Acrobat range. With prices starting from $99 -- a saving of $200 over Adobe Acrobat Standard -- you’d be crazy not to take a closer look.

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Dolphin HD 7.0 for Android has been released by its developer, Mobotap. Version 7.0 showcases a new browser sync feature called Dolphin Connect along with enhanced Webzine functionality. In a move that may anger some Android users, Dolphin HD 7.0 will exclusively be available only through the GetJar App store until Sunday (October 23).

Initially available only on Android, Dolphin Connect will eventually be rolled out in a future version of Dolphin Browser for iOS, making it possible for Dolphin users to keep bookmarks, passwords and gestures synchronised across both Android and iPhone, iPad and iPod touch devices.

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CloudStorageExplorer.com has released a major update of its paid-for Windows Live SkyDrive Explorer extension, SD Explorer Advanced.  The tool allows users to access their SkyDrive accounts via a drive in Windows Explorer.

SD Explorer Advanced 3.5 introduces a new Background Uploader Module, which simplifies the task of uploading large batches of files to SkyDrive accounts. It also includes a new Tune Up Tool for advanced users wishing to tweak hidden program settings, and an improved MUI (Multilingual User Interface).

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Comodo has launched the 2012 range of its free security products. Standalone antivirus and firewall products Comodo Antivirus and Comodo Firewall are joined by Comodo Internet Security 2012 Premium, which combines both products in one app.

The products, which sport a relatively minor version number (5.8), promise to be faster, lighter and stronger than previous releases, sporting revamped user interfaces alongside bug fixes and a handful of new options.

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Comodo has launched its online backup solution -- releasing a new dedicated desktop client, Comodo Online Storage, as well as updating its desktop backup tool, Comodo Backup, to version 4.0.6.

Comodo Backup 4.0.6, which had been split into separate free and paid-for versions during its beta testing phase, has been released as a single, free tool in the same manner as its predecessor, version 3 was, which will please those who had championed it as one of the best free backup tools available for Windows.

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San Francisco-based Nitro PDF has released version 2.1 of its freeware Portable Document Format viewing and creation tool. Nitro PDF Reader 2.1, which is also available as a separate 64-bit build, is a feature-rich PDF viewer with built-in PDF creation functionality, including the ability to directly convert over 300 document formats if the document’s parent application is installed.

Version 2.1 introduces a number of notable new features, including a new 64-bit build of Thumbnail Preview, the standalone tool that generate navigable thumbnail previews of PDFs in Windows Explorer, that works in 64-bit versions of Windows 7 and Vista. Previously the tool only worked in 32-bit versions of Windows.

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Mozilla has unveiled the next two pre-releases of its messaging client. Thunderbird 8 Beta follows sibling browser Firefox 8 Beta in changing the way it handles add-ons. Other changes are less noticeable. Attachment lists are said to be more accessible, while a number of unspecified platform fixes and user interface tweaks have also been implemented.

The key change in Thunderbird 8 is how it handles add-ons. Like Firefox 8, add-ons installed by third-party programs will now be disabled by default -- the user will be prompted to review and enable the add-on manually the first time Thunderbird runs after it’s installed. The add-on can also be managed from the Add-ons section of the program.

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Paramount Software (UK) Ltd has updated Macrium Reflect Free Edition, its free-for-personal-use drive imaging tool, to version 5.

Macrium Reflect Free Edition 5.0.4033 sports a completely redesigned drag-and-drop user interface, plus adds a number of new features, including the ability to clone drives, set alternate backup locations and create WinPE-based recovery media, allowing users to recover from USB 3.0 drives outside of Windows.

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Adobe Flash is a platform that is loved and hated in equal measure. Whether used to deliver video content or interactive games, Flash can be used to deliver a uniform experience across a range of platforms, providing it’s not iOS. The Flash player is a browser plugin that allows for the deployment of this content online and the move to version 11 has a strong focus on performance.

Also updated is Adobe AIR, the company’s solution to freeing Flash, JavaScript and HTML app from the constraints of web browsers. The app has now hit version 3, and both releases offer greatly improved rendering to allow for smooth animations at a high frame rate.

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LaCie’s online backup service Wuala has been updated to build 368, codenamed Hirslanden. The biggest change of note is the removal of storage trading, which previously allowed users to give up free space on their hard drive in return for free online storage.

This news, which has angered many Wuala users, appears to be caused by a switch from UDP to TCP networking, a move Wuala claims will make the service more stable, but which makes trading storage impossible for security reasons. Anticipating a backlash, LaCie has announced that any earned storage through trading will remain free for 12 months, at which point it promises a “generous rebate” for those who wish to keep this storage.

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Mozilla has started the Firefox development merry-go-round again, updating its Beta, Aurora and Nightly builds to versions 8, 9 and 10, respectively.

The most significant changes between all three versions can be found in Firefox 8 Beta, which includes a number of notable improvements and new features. But there’s also an alternative Nightly build, called Firefox 10.0a1 UX. What is it, and what sets it apart from other releases? Which version should you install? Read on for our updated guide to what’s happening with Firefox.

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Mozilla has updated its popular email tool, Thunderbird, to version 7. Thunderbird 7.0 Final follows Firefox 7 out of the door, while Mozilla SeaMonkey 2.4, its all-in-one suite, comprising functionality from Firefox and Thunderbird, has also been released, incorporating the improvements in Firefox 7 into its own build.

Unlike its better-known sibling, Thunderbird 7 features few noticeable changes over previous releases, with highlights including the fact it’s based on the Mozilla Gecko 7 engine, various user interface tweaks, fixes to attachment handling and unspecified platform improvements to the Address Book. Version 7 also promises improved security, speed, performance and stability through various security and platform fixes.

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