You’ve found some text you need on a web page, and so you copy it to the clipboard, paste it into a document. But now there’s a problem. Not only have you got the text, but it’s also come with links, colors, and a host of other formatting you really didn’t want at all.

If this only happens occasionally then there are a few tedious workarounds you could try (copy the text into Notepad, select and copy the converted plain text to the clipboard). But ClipboardFusion will strip formatting entirely automatically -- and it comes with some other interesting clipboard options, too.

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Most Windows programs are controlled by "messages", signals which keep it up-to-date with what’s happening (you’ve moved the mouse) or tell it what to do: close down, perhaps.

If you’re thinking "so what?", then you may have a point. The typical PC user doesn’t have to know anything about this at all. If you’d like to automate common tasks via scripts or shortcuts, though, it may be worth looking at how this system can work for you.

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ROX Player is a compact, lightweight and entirely free media player, which supports all the main audio and video formats, without having to clutter your system with codecs, filters or anything else.

Yes, we know -- that’s not the most compelling of program descriptions. ROX Player does stand out rather more in its web support, though, with the ability to stream files via HTTP, IPTV, and even BitTorrent.

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When you need to send confidential documents to someone else steganography can be an effective technique. Use SteganPEG to embed your files inside JPEGs, say, then just email them as normal, and casual observers will see only normal pictures. They’ll never realize your hidden data is inside.

And at first glance, DeepSound seems to carry out much the same function, but with audio files. Point the program at a WAV or FLAC file, hide a few personal documents inside, and you’re done: the audio files will still play just as before, and only someone who knows the secret will be able to extract your hidden content.

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IObit has launched IObit Driver Booster 1.0 FINAL for PCs running Windows XP or later. The driver update tool exits beta and splits into two editions: the Free build allows users to check for and update their drivers, but throttles download speeds.

Upgrading to the PRO version comes with the promise of up to 300 per cent faster update speeds as well as better technical support.

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Evernote Corporation has finally released Evernote 5.0 for Windows Desktop, adding a new look and features that have already appeared in the program’s Mac build.

The cloud-based note-taking tool opens with a brand new redesign, the first since its initial release on the Windows desktop platform. Evernote claims the new look -- a flatter, stripped back one -- makes it easier to both browse and create notes by removing distracting on-screen elements. The new look is also designed to work better across different Windows platforms.

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Cross-platform open-source archiving tool PeaZip 5.1 is here. Also available as a standalone 64-bit build and in portable format for Windows users, the latest version adds a new Schedule tab in machines running Windows Vista or later.

The new tab, which is fully integrated with the Windows Task Scheduler, makes it easier to create scheduled archiving and extracting tasks, such as backing up or restoring data from an archive at set intervals.

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Photo collages can be a very effective way to present a group of your favorite digital images. They’re also very time-consuming to produce manually, though, so if you’re interested in collage creation then you might prefer the free Collagerator.

The program starts with some basic configuration options, like choosing your preferred collage design (background color, how the images will be arranged), its size and orientation (portrait or landscape). Add a few images and they’ll immediately be organized according to your rules.

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IObit has released the second public beta of Advanced SystemCare 7.0, its flagship PC maintenance suite, with even more new tools and options.

The package comes bundled with IObit Uninstaller 3, for example, which now supports listing and removing browser plugins.

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Anti-malware developer Bitdefender has released Bitdefender Antivirus Free Edition 1.0.20, a minor refresh of its free Windows anti-malware tool. Version 1.0.20 is notable for adding support for the upcoming Windows 8.1 release, due October 18.

Version 1.0.20 also squashes a few bugs and improves compatibility with Outpost Firewall Pro 8.1 too, resolving an issue with slow boot when both apps were installed alongside each other.

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The Windows Explorer Preview pane can be a convenient way to display the currently selected image without launching a separate viewer. This also consumes a large chunk of screen space, though, which is why many people prefer to leave it turned off.

You could still preview graphics files by turning on a folder’s icon view, of course. But if that’s rather less than convenient, FastPreview (from the author of the popular Firefox add-on DownThemAll) offers a simpler and more lightweight approach: just right-click any image and you’ll find a thumbnail embedded in its context menu.

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If a malicious program wants to hide objects from you, then the simplest approach is to mark those files or folders as "hidden". By default they won’t be visible in Explorer, and even if you’ve changed that setting (see Folder Options in Explorer) they’ll still be just a few files out of many. You may never notice their existence.

When you’re checking a PC for malware or similar issues, then, it makes sense to highlight hidden content, and Hidden File Finder makes that very easy indeed.

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Finding free public proxy servers isn’t difficult, at least in theory. A few seconds at Google will reveal plenty of useful resources to point you in the right direction.

You’ll still have to locate a reliable site, though; find a proxy; check its type, confirm it’s still working, and that you can use it. Tedious? Absolutely, which is why you might prefer some automated assistance from Burd’s Proxy Searcher.

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German multimedia specialist MAGIX has revealed the next generation of its flagship audio editor, MAGIX Music Maker 2014. As before, it comes in both standard and Premium editions, each of which sees some worthwhile gains with the new release.

If you like Music Maker’s loops, for example, you’ll love the extra choice you get this time around: there are 2,000 new loops and sounds with the regular edition, 5,000 if you opt for the Premium.

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Opera Software today announces the release of Opera 16.0 FINAL.

As you might expect, the new rapid release cycle means that major changes are in short supply, but look closely and there are one or two interesting additions to be found.

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