Ashampoo UnInstaller 5 cleans better than ever
Removing unwanted software from your hard drive should be easy, but there are countless reasons why the process may prove problematic -- even if this just boils down to a badly written uninstaller. This is the very reason there are so many dedicated software uninstaller tools available, and one of the biggest names in the field is Ashampoo. The company has just released Ashampoo UnInstaller 5, which expands on its predecessor by improving the removal of apps that are no longer required.
While the program can be used to uninstall any program on your hard drive, it works best when used to remove those that have been installed after Ashampoo UnInstaller 5 itself. The latest version of the software includes an improved installation monitor which checks precisely what changes an installed program makes to your computer so they can be easily reversed when the time comes to remove it.
HTC's new Windows Phone 8 smartphones mimic Microsoft's tile interface
Wednesday, longtime Windows smartphone maker HTC debuted two new flagship Windows Phone devices which were designed to showcase Microsoft's latest mobile OS Windows Phone 8. The new smartphones, called the Windows Phone 8X and 8S, carry the same bright external colors of Nokia's Lumia series Windows Phones, but use HTC's technology and design prowess to make the devices stand out on their own.
Similar to the HTC One X in the speed and power department (dual-core 1.5GHz processor, 1 GB RAM, 8 megapixel camera), the Windows Phone 8X has a 4.3-inch Super LCD 2 display with Corning's Gorilla Glass 2, 16 GB of internal storage, and an improved 2.1 megapixel forward-facing camera with 1080p video capture and an 88 degree wide-angle lens.
What do you think of iOS 6?
Today, two days before iPhone 5 launches, Apple releases iOS 6. We'd like to know what you think of the software, particularly compared to the previous version. Several features are sure to cause reaction, with Facebook integration and Apple's new maps app, which replaces the one from Google, being high among them.
To be honest, given my Apple boycott and iPhone-toting daughter going off to college, I have no iOS device for testing. I can't review, and my best Apple-using writers are in Europe and likely won't blast out anything until tomorrow. But we need reaction today, particularly if iOS 6 turns out to be the update some of you won't want to apply. Judging from some of the reaction on Twitter, many of you should wait -- lest Apple Maps directs you to the river bank instead of your local financial institution.
O&O Defrag 16 improves SSD support, runs 40% faster
O&O Defrag 16, the latest incarnation of the company’s ultra-configurable defrag tool, is now available. And the new feature O&O highlights in particular is a new Time View, which the company says helps you understand which of your defrag actions have delivered particular performance optimisations.
The idea here seems reasonable. The more specific feedback you get from the program, the better you should understand how it’s working, which should in theory help you to make better defrag choices in future.
Acrobat alternative Nitro Pro 8 drops version, adds more OCR
Nitro PDF Pty Ltd has just released Nitro Pro 8, the latest version of its self-titled “Acrobat alternative” tool for creating, editing and converting PDFs. Version 8, also available as a dedicated 64-bit build, promises faster conversion times, smaller PDF files, automatic OCR implementation and auto-save and recovery technology.
Nitro Pro 8 also sees the product drop its two-tier pricing structure, losing the non-OCR release in favor of a single option incorporating IRIS’s OCR engine for $119.99. The launch also coincides with details of a new partnership with PC manufacturer Lenovo, which will see Nitro Pro bundled with new Lenovo computers going forward.
Emsisoft Anti-Malware 7 boasts two scanning engines
The threat from viruses and malware is one that not only continues, but shows no signs of slowly down. The need for protective software has not gone away, and what could be better than install an anti-malware tool to help keep yourself safe? How about a security tool that boasts not one but two scanning engines? Take a look at Emsisoft Anti-Malware 7 -- in addition to Emsisoft’s own malware scanner, there is now a new second scanning engine from BitDefender.
There is a strong focus on performance with this release. Emsisoft has optimized its own scanning engine, and new settings have been added that enable users to configure how the software should make use of processors. What this amounts to is being able to choose how many cores should be used to run the scanner as well as increasing or decreasing the number of active threads, increasing program priority and making use of advanced caching techniques to help speed things up.
CyberLink PhotoDirector 4 Ultra makes Mac debut
CyberLink has continued rapid development of its photo management and editing tool with the release of CyberLink PhotoDirector 4 Ultra. PhotoDirector 4, which appears on Mac OS X for the first time in addition to Windows, retails for $50 less than rival product Adobe Photoshop Lightroom.
Despite coming just six months after version 3 was released, PhotoDirector 4 adds a number of notable new features to its roster: facial recognition and content-aware removal tools, plus new HDR (High Dynamic Range) effects on single photos, and a Body Shaper tool for reshaping arms, face and body.
CyberLink PowerDirector 11 helps you edit video like a pro
CyberLink Corporation has unveiled PowerDirector 11, the latest version of its feature-packed consumer video editor.
And our favorite addition so far has to be its content-aware editing, a time-saving tool that sees the program automatically identify the major scenes in a movie, so that you can then import them in a flash.
Make September a time to remember with these software sales
Everyone loves to save a little money here and there, but when the timely bargains result in an alliteratively name month -- September savings -- so much the better!
Brand new to the store this month is the much-anticipated TuneUp Utilities 2013. You can save 50 percent from TuneUp Utilities 2013 [3-PC], ideal for installing on three home computers. If you have a single PC, save even more with TuneUp Utilities 2013 [1-PC]. There is also TuneUp Utilities 2013 [UPGRADE] designed to enable previous users to upgrade, at a discount. Finally, a TuneUp Utilities 2013 + AVG Internet Security 2013 [1-PC] bundle will safeguard and maintain a single computer.
SkyDrive files get redundant protection from your stupid self
Microsoft on Tuesday announced it has added recycle bin functionality to its SkyDrive cloud storage and collaboration suite, adding yet another layer of redundancy to the service to make sure the unthinkable doesn't happen and you actually delete a document.
I've "accidentally installed" plenty of things that have made me want to punch my own teeth out, and plenty of my work files have become corrupted, or have crashed before I could save changes…but I can say with some degree of confidence that I've never accidentally deleted a file. Maybe I'm some kind of keystroke wizard or something, because Microsoft likes to make extra sure people don't mistakenly delete something they need.
Public cloud spending reaches $109B, tops $206B by 2016
The public cloud is undergoing dramatic changes as spending soars. Gartner forecasts a $109 billion market this year, up 19.6 percent from 2011. While Business Process as a Service (BPaaS) dominates the market today, public cloud spending rapidly shifts to Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) looking ahead.
"The total public cloud services market size in 2011 was $91.4 billion, and it will grow to $206.6 billion in 2016", Ed Anderson, Gartner research director, says. "As the market grows, IaaS will become a larger part of the overall market, while the market share of cloud management and security services will grow as well".
Moving to the cloud is about aligning expectations with realistic outcomes
Kent Christensen, Datalink's Virtualization practice manager, spoke to me recently and offered some tips for any companies thinking about moving to the cloud.
Datalink provides datacenter services and solutions for mid-sized to enterprise organizations and consults, designs, integrates, implements, and supports and manages solutions from leading manufacturers like Cisco, EMC, NetApp, VMware and others. This encompasses both private cloud solutions and public/hybrid cloud solutions.
Has Microsoft lost the tablet war before it begins?
Asus' Windows 8 tablet roadmap leaked a few days ago, revealing the company's intention to launch three tablets powered by Microsoft's soon to be released Windows 8 operating system. Bloggers and journalists have used the roadmap to argue that the pricing is too high to compete effectively against Apple iPads and Android tablets. Taken aside that the pricing may not be final, it seems like they are right, if you only compare price and nothing else.
Asus' entry model, the Vivo Tab RT, for instance, lists with a starting price of $599. That's $100 more than Apple's cheapest new iPad model, and $300 more than Google's Nexus 7 tablet. But can you really make that comparison?
Internet Explorer zero-day exploit threatens huge chunk of IE users
Security researchers this week uncovered a bug in Microsoft's Internet Explorer that is actively being exploited in targeted attacks and remote code execution. Microsoft responded by launching its own investigation of the vulnerability, but has no solution yet.
The vulnerability has been observed in Internet Explorer 6 through Internet Explorer 9 on Windows XP SP3, Vista, and Windows 7, and users can be infected simply by visiting a malicious website.
Friendly advice to a fellow post-PC traveller
You do even better! That's what I'd say to fellow BetaNews contributor Mihaita Bamburic if I ran into him in a hallway somewhere. As I watch with amusement, his "existential struggle" with the post-PC question, I have to chuckle a bit at his naïveté. Like most PC veterans, Mihaita tries to squeeze a square peg (tablet) into a round hole (desktop-centric thinking). He'll need to leave those preconceptions behind if he ever hopes to do more than scratch the post-PC surface.
For starters, reset your purchasing criteria. You need to forget about those expensive "clamshell" tablet/dock combos and start off with a simple, cheap Android tab. I picked up a dozen Acer Iconia A200s on eBay for use at the new school my wife and I are building. Prices ranged from $170-200 for refurbished units with 8GB or 16GB of onboard SD storage. At that price point, you can pretty much experiment to your heart's content without worrying about trashing some "transforming" device that costs more than a decent laptop.
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