Glorylogic Software has released ISO Workshop 5.0, a major update of its disc image management, conversion and burning tool for Windows PCs. Version 5 comes with a brand new user interface based on the minimalist design found in Windows 8, while it also adds support for burning RAW images as well as other new formats.

The update also adds ISO and UDF settings, promises improved stability and performance across the entire suite and comes with a completely rewritten SDK.

 Ventis Media, Inc has released MediaMonkey 4.1, a major update to its media management tool for Windows. Version 4.1, available in free and Gold editions, provides a powerful set of tools for managing and organizing music and video.

Version 4.1 builds on UPnP/DLNA library sharing introduced in version 4 with a number of improvements, but most notably updates its mobile sync capabilities for both Android and iOS users with some significant enhancements.

MediaMonkey 4.1 now supports wireless sync with the paid-for version of the MediaMonkey app for Android, allowing users to keep their music collection in sync between PC and Android device. Also added is bi-directional sync and support for iOS 7 devices. iOS 7 users were previously forced to install an iTunes plug-in as a workaround to allow MediaMonkey to sync with their devices.

Hornil, creator of the popular StylePix editor, has released Hornil Photo Resizer, a free batch image processing tool.

Despite its name, the program isn’t just about resizing images. It can also rotate and flip them, apply various filters (auto level/ contrast, sharpen, more), add an image watermark, and batch rename them according to various rules.

Chris P.C. has announced the release of ChrisPC DNS Switch, an easy-to-use tool for updating your PC's DNS server.

The program comes with 34 DNS presets – OpenDNS, Google, Comodo, Norton, Yandex, DynDNS and more -- and you can update the settings for one or all of your network adapters in a couple of clicks.

The Low-level PC monitoring utility PowerTool has been updated to version 1.6. This release has significantly enhanced the "force delete" option, allowing it to remove just about anything. Whether a file is locked by something, protected by Windows, malware, even antivirus software, it doesn’t seem to matter -- click File, right-click your file, select "Force Delete" and it'll disappear.

Whether it's really a good idea to delete protected or locked files is another matter, of course. Forcibly deleted files don't go to the Recycle Bin, either, so treat this option with extreme care.

Jigsaw Puzzles Free looks at first much like any other jigsaw game. It presents you with a selection of images; these can be split into 9, 25 or 64 pieces; and you solve the puzzle by dragging and dropping matching pieces next to each other. No surprises there.

Look a little closer, though, and you’ll find the program has some notable extra features to help it stand out from the crowd.

Malwarebytes has released the first public beta of Malwarebytes Anti-Malware 2.00, the latest incarnation of its popular security tool.

The first change you’ll notice is the interface, which has been revamped for a more modern look. An opening "dashboard" displays your protection level, license details, database version, scan and real-time protection status. You can update the program or launch a scan with a click, while "Scan", "Settings" and "History" tabs provide more details and control.

It has been suggested that the people who are still hanging onto Windows XP after all of these years are going to continue to do so once support officially ends in April. Microsoft is obviously keen to herd people towards Windows 8.1, but there is a good deal of resistance. Some have proposed Linux as a viable alternative; to me, this seems like a completely nonsensical "upgrade" path. Brian managed to cause quite some excitement yesterday when he wrote that Windows XP refugees should migrate towards Linux rather than considering the latest version of Windows. Without wanting to fall out with Brian, I think he's plain wrong.

One of the reasons many people cite for not wanting to upgrade to Windows 8 or 8.1 is that they don’t want to have to deal with the Start screen. They have become used to things working in a certain way and, while not perhaps entirely resistant to change, need a little encouragement into seeing the value of things. Brian suggests that one of the reasons to switch to Linux is that "you get to learn something new." If this is supposed to be an attractive element of Linux, then users may as well spend the time getting used to Windows 8.1.

The Document Foundation has announced LibreOffice 4.2, a major release with some significant updates.

The Microsoft Office and OOXML import and export filters have seen a host of improvements, greatly extending document compatibility. There’s new support for OOXML encryption and writing DOT files, while LibreOffice 4.2 also gains import filters for Apple Keynote and AbiWord ABW files.

O&O Software has released O&O Syspectr, a remote PC monitoring and management service.

Install the compact client on your target systems, and a browser-based console allows you to view running processes, installed software, Windows security issues (UAC turned off, missing antivirus software, a failing firewall), connected USB devices, basic hard drive details (space free/ used, S.M.A.R.T. status), and more.

Windows Sysinternals has released Process Explorer 16, a major update which sees the popular system monitoring tool gain full VirusTotal integration.

If you spot a process which looks suspicious, you can now right-click it, and select "Check VirusTotal". Process Explorer then submits the file hash, displays the number of antivirus engines which detect it as a threat ("4/48"), and clicking that figure opens a browser window with the full report.

Piriform Ltd has released Speccy 1.25, a new version of its free Windows system information tool. The headline new feature in version 1.25 -- also available as a standalone portable build -- is its ability to detect ReadyBoost drives.

Version 1.25 also includes a number of networking improvements, better accuracy for disk transfer mode detection and restructured CPU Core data view.

ChrisPC has updated its popular privacy tool with the release of ChrisPC Anonymous Proxy 5.00, which sees the introduction of a paid-for Pro version.

The free build retains the same core functionality as in previous editions, quickly locating proxies from more 50 countries and changing your IP address with a click. An improved interface makes the program easier to use, while full Windows 8.1 and Internet Explorer 11 compatibility should ensure everything runs smoothly.

Some applications can check your spelling as you type -- Firefox, Chrome, Outlook -- but the majority don’t. And that can be a problem, because even spelling champions make typos, just occasionally.

Run tinySpell, though, and this doesn’t have to be a problem. This free portable program runs in the background, monitoring everything you type, and brings simple spell checking to just about any Windows application.

Comodo has announced the first betas of Comodo Internet Security 7, Comodo Antivirus 7 and Comodo Firewall 7.

Top of the "new features" list is the Viruscope, a monitoring layer which not only detects unwanted actions, but can also undo them. Comodo says this provides "more granular control over otherwise legitimate software", for example preventing programs from unnecessarily adding components to the Startup folder.