If you're looking for a good undelete program then there are plenty of freeware programs to choose from. Recuva, from the CCleaner authors, is a particular favorite of ours -- fast, capable and very easy to use -- and it's tempting to assume that you don't need anything else. Are freeware data recovery tools really up to the standards of the commercial competition, though? O&O Software says no, pointing to its latest release, DiskRecovery 7, as evidence. A look at the program's feature list suggests they O&O have a point.

DiskRecovery combines multiple scanning methods to improve the chances of recovery, for instance, allowing it to locate files even on formatted or damaged partitions. There's direct support for locating and restoring more than 350 common file types. DiskRecovery can be installed on a removable drive, which means it won't overwrite the data you're trying to recover -- and it works with all Windows-compatible storage devices: hard drives, removable drives, memory cards, digital cameras, MP3 players and more.

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Used for business or pleasure, Skype provides a great cross platform means of keeping in touch with your contacts anywhere in the world. While many people use the messaging tool merely to send text based instant messages, it can also be used to conduct Internet based phone calls and conference calls. Skype Voice Changer is a free add-on that enables you to do exactly what you might assume from the name.

Once granted permission to access Skype, the program can be used to change the sound of your voice during VoIP conversations in real time. Using the application is simple enough, simply select from one of a number of predefined special effects that are included and start a voice chat in Skype. It really is that simple.

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If you need to diagnose some complicated low-level PC problem then there are few better places to start looking than Windows Sysinternals. It's absolutely packed with essential free tools that are a must-have for every PC owners troubleshooting toolkit.

The sheer volume of great utilities can cause problems in itself, though. It takes a while to download what you need, and keeping your favorite tools updated also requires a little work -- unless you get some third-party assistance.

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As well as being a useful tool for carrying out work and accessing the internet, many home computers are used as storage for large music collections. While the likes of iTunes and Windows Media Player include music management options, they can be cumbersome to use, and this is something that MAGIX MP3 deluxe 17 aims to help with. Covering everything from importing music from CDs and adjusting tags and album art to creating playlists and recording online radio stations, this burgeoning suite of tools has almost every MP3 related base covered.

The main program has an easy to use interface that can be used to extract music from CDs and import folders full of music files into your library. If you have already spent time working with iTunes and have therefore created a music library in Apple's software, this can be quickly imported into MAGIX MP3 deluxe 17 to help save time. Of course, the program can also be used to play back music, and there are a number of options available in this area.

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Creating a modern, professional website can be a complex business, requiring a host of skills: design, HTML, scripting, Flash, graphics optimisation -- the list goes on. Which, if you've yet to master any of these, may seem just a little intimidating.

Fortunately Xara Web Designer 7 offers a much simpler alternative. It's a WYSIWYG web editor that includes a host of attractive web templates to get you started, and makes it easy to customize them with all kinds of content, even if you've no web development experience at all.

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Firefox 4 is finally here, and while those familiar with how web browsers have evolved won't be surprised to see the streamlined new interface, it can come as a culture shock to those used to plodding along with Firefox 3 for the past few years. With that in mind, we've compiled 10 tips showcasing the best new features in Firefox 4.

Better still, we don't just explain what's new in Firefox 4, we'll reveal how the functionality works, so you can start using and benefiting from it too. Except where specifically stated, the tips should work on all platforms: Windows, Mac and Linux.

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There are many reasons why your Internet connection or web-related Windows components might start misbehaving, and diagnosing the problem for yourself can be difficult. So it's often easier not to try: just resetting a few key Windows settings could be enough to get your system working again.

Doing this manually isn't always straightforward, either, but fortunately Complete Internet Repair offers a simpler alternative. Just choose the fix you'd like to try, click the "Go!" button and it'll make the necessary tweaks for you.

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There's little doubt that solid-state drives (SSDs) are the future for hard disk-based storage. They're quicker, quieter and cooler than the drives we've come to rely on over the past few decades. But with SSDs now entering the mainstream as prices fall within the reach of consumers, there's one potential performance hurdle to overcome.

TRIM is a command designed to fix a problem whereby over time the write performance of a SSD starts to degrade to as little as 50 per cent of its original speed. Unfortunately, TRIM isn't supported on a lot of operating systems, and while newer drives boast their own technologies to combat this problem with relying on the OS, older drives rely on TRIM being supported. Apple plans to rectify this with the upcoming release of Mac OS X Lion (and possibly in the next update for Snow Leopard too), but there's still no guarantee it'll support TRIM on non-Apple SSDs. But now there's a possible solution that's small, free and quick. It's called TRIM Support Enabler.

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Non-profit organization VideoLAN has released a minor update to its open-source and acclaimed cross-platform media player, VLC Media Player 1.1.8. This release is notable largely for the fact the Mac OS X version sports a subtly redesigned interface, but also includes various codec, demuxer and language updates, some new encoder packages and various fixes that apply to all platforms.

VLC Media Player is renowned for being able to handle most video formats without requiring the installation of additional codec packs. All major formats -- including Windows Media Video, QuickTime, Real and Flash -- are supported by VLC, which is also capable of capturing, playing and even streaming video from external sources. These include online streams, DVD, DVB and supported MPEG encoding devices, making it a popular one-stop solution for video playback.

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There are numerous reasons why anyone would like to browse the Internet anonymously, and there are various programs available that can clean up traces of Internet activity after the fact. There are also great concerns about IP addresses, which can be used to track users and even restrict access to web sites. CyberGhost 2011 is a free VPN tool that can be used to route web traffic through anonymous servers, hiding users' real IP addresses.

The main purpose of the program would appear to be ensuring that you remain anonymous online, but the 'Video portal' section of the software interface reveals that the tool can also be used to watch online videos that might ordinarily be subject to regional restrictions. With various servers in use around the world, CyberGhost can make it appear as if users are actually located in different countries.

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It is fair to say that there is no shortage of to-do list apps and services, but finding one that is genuinely useful and easy to use means working with a much smaller list. One of the best known apps is Things, but weighing at $49.99 (and additional costs for the iPhone and iPad editions), the price tag is off-putting to many potential users. By comparison, Springpad is a comprehensive data management tool that can be used on iOS and Android devices, as well as on desktop computers -- thanks to a browser extension. Best of all, it is completely free of charge.

Despite its popularity, Things is actually much more limited than Springpad. The service can be used in a number of ways, from creating basic shopping lists or to-do reminders, to gathering information for a project you are working on. One of the major advantages of using Springpad is the fact that any data added to the mobile app is automatically synchronized online so it can be accessed through the Springpad web site or synchronized with another device.

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Diskeeper Corporation has released a brand new version of its commercial defragmentation utility. Diskeeper 2011 comes in three editions for home users depending on computer use: Home for light users, Pro for everyday use and ProPremier for high-end, heavy users. All three editions feature two major new features -- IntelliWrite fragmentation-prevention technology and InstantDefrag, which anticipates which files are about to be accessed and defrags them if necessary.

Also new in Diskeeper 2011 is a Performance Report for each drive that clearly states how much gains have been made by the program's optimization, while Pro and ProPremier users also get two additional features: Efficient Mode, which cuts overheads by prioritizing "problem" files that require urgent fragmentation, plus a new engine for consolidating free space.

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It's no secret that good hard drive management is a vital part of PC maintenance, and this is just as true with virtual machines. But a lack of compatible tools means it can be difficult to get your virtual disks in order.

There is an easy solution, though, in Paragon Software's Partition Manager 10 for Virtual Machines. It's a full stand-alone version of Partition Manager, optimized for virtual disks, that includes all the drive management features you'll need: partition tools, defrag, backup and restore, a host of essential troubleshooting and disaster recovery tools and much, much more. Best of all, it's free.

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Viewing PDF files in your web browser can be a troublesome experience. Your PDF viewer (typically Adobe Reader) might have trouble accessing certain web-hosted PDF files, causing your browser to hang and force you to quit and start again. Then there's the question of sharing or archiving web pages on your computer. PDF is a quick and convenient format for both purposes, but your existing PDF creation tool (typically a free solution that installs as a basic PDF printer driver) is unlikely to be able to do a reasonable job of retaining the original web page's layout and content.

PDF Download is a plug-in for Firefox and Internet Explorer that aims to fix all of these problems and more besides. Once installed, it can be used to display web-hosted PDFs in your browser without the need for a third-party viewer (configure this from the Opening PDF tab of the plug-in's Options dialog). You can also opt to convert a PDF file into a HTML file -- use the Viewing PDF tab to set this up -- when attempting to view it.

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If you have a large number of images to work with, perhaps in readiness for use on a website, it can be an arduous task performing the same editing process to image after image. XnConvert is a free batch converter and image editing tool, available for Windows, Mac and Linux, that helps to automate the process by making it possible to edit and convert images in groups rather than have to work with files individually.

With support for over 400 image formats, XnConvert will handle almost any file you can think of, and while the program can be used on single images, the real benefits come from importing entire folders of image files and processing them all simultaneously.

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