NOKIA WINDOWS ALLIANCE

Nokia could unveil first-ever Windows tablet on Monday

Is a Nokia & Microsoft collabo the perfect prescription?

The first-ever tablet to feature the rather lovely live tiles of Microsoft’s Windows Phone operating system could make its debut next week, reports suggest.
Monday sees Microsoft hold court at a typically lavish, all-the-bells-and-whistles press call in Los Angeles. And to its credit, so far the Redmond-based tech giant has made a decent fist of keeping a lid on whatever it’s got to unveil to an expectant tech world.
Until now, that is. According to shadowy sources (aren’t they always?) with knowledge of such things cited by All Things D, the mystery event will be all about tablets with a line-up that will include a device manufactured either by Microsoft itself or its closest Windows Phone partner Nokia.
The showcase will also reportedly feature specially created apps. Assuming Nokia gets the nod to bring a tablet to market, you can almost certainly expect some of these to be exclusive to its slate – in much the same way that Nokia Drive and Nokia Music are reserved for its Windows smartphones.
Chatter about the Big M’s plans comes amid analysts’ projections that the iPad will continue to dominate the tablet space for years to come, despite a recent surge from Android.
After a moribund start, Google’s platform has picked up support among slate-buyers over the last six months thanks to the success of the five million-selling, smartphone-slate lovechild that is the Samsung Galaxy Note.

15 of the best apps and utilities which are the best

15 Windows Utilities You Can't Live Without

Despite the move (real or hyped) towards Web-based applications, there are still a few hundred million of us using Windows PCs running actual software. These 15 utilities are little gems of code that will help you get the most out of your Windows system.

 

Contents

• 15 Windows Utilities You Can't Live Without
• ArsClip 3.1.3
• Audacity 1.2
• Autoruns 9
• DualBootPRO 1.0.0
• ImgBurn 2.5
• Iometer
• KeyText 3.13
• NetSurveyor Professional
• Paragon Hard Disk Manager 2010 Suite
• Process Explorer 11
• Process Monitor 2.8
• VLC media player 1.0.5
• Registry Workshop
• Wireshark 1.2.6

Though these days all the talk is about how the future is cloud-based computing—Google Chrome OS will only run Web apps—there is still a real need to run installed applications on Windows systems. In particular, I'm talking about utilities, those helper apps that do just one thing and do it well, whether it be playing or editing a media file or tweaking or peeking at a system function. We've rounded up our 15 newest reviews of our favorite utilities. Check them out—many will cost you no more than the time you'll spend downloading it.

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The first group of our small software gems include functions that you might pay bigger bucks for—I'm talking about watching video with the supremely versatile VLC media player, and editing sound with the open source Audacity, which offers multitrack sound recording and editing with a host of plug-in effects available.
The next group help you see what's going on in your PC system and let you take the temperature of your system and set it right. These include Process Explorer, Process Monitor, Autoruns, and Registry Workshop. All of these give you insights into what's going on with your Windows installation and insights into how to tweak and optimize performance.
If you want to make the most of your PC's hardware, check out the third group: ImgBurn lets you burn disc images with tons of options like making them bootable. DualBootPro lets you run multiple operating systems on one PC. And our Editors' Choice disk utility, Paragon Hard Disk Manager 2010 Suite lets IT pros and serious enthusiasts partition and backup hard drives or any connected external disks, as well as offering numerous other disk-manipulating functions.
A couple of the apps—KeyText 2000 and ArsClip—offer time-saving productivity enhancements. The first lets you record macros, saving you typing the same text or command over and over. ArsClip, can (among other abilities) remember the last 15 entries you copied to the clipboard—a real lifesaver if you've copied a large text block or password and absent-mindedly copied something else before pasting it.
The last group of third party utilities sniffs out networking and WiFi issues. WireShark is a free network packet sniffer that lets you troubleshoot networking issues. NetStumbler performs a similar task for WiFi networks. It's an indispensible tool for anyone with a WiFi router or WiFi capable laptop—i.e., anyone who uses a computer these days. For the IT crowd, there's the professional-level NetSurveyor Professional, measures performance details of Wi-Fi networks. Finally in networking, but not for the faint-of-heart, is Iometer, which checks network performance by testing I/O operations.
But don't stop at these: Check out PCMag's own extensive library of software utilities ranging from AltTabIt, which shows a screenshot of your open apps, to ZipHunter, which lets you search files within ZIP archives without extracting them. Here you'll also find such diverse programs as a world clock, a remote webcam surveillance app, a disk optimization, and a connection speed testers. You're bound to find some utilities you can't live without in our library. For piles more (more than 200) great utilities, check out our 2009 Windows Utility Guide. And, of course, stay tuned for PCMag.com's 2010 Utility Guide, coming later this year. Got a favorite utility you want us to consider? Let us know in the comments to this story.
ArsClip 3.1.3

Free
This utility is a free, powerful, customizable clipboard extender. It stores text strings, pictures, filenames for easy reuse, and basically does everything for cut-and-paste that Windows' own clipboard should do but doesn't.
Audacity 1.2

Free
Audacity is a surprisingly full-featured audio recording and editing software package considering it's free and open source.
Autoruns 9

Free
Autoruns 9 reveals every single program and process that launches automatically on your computer. It's especially useful for detecting malware, since almost every malicious program needs some way to launch automatically. Do be careful disabling startup items; you could destabilize Windows.
DualBootPro 1.0.0

$8.95 - $24.95 Direct
If you dual-boot Windows systems, you need this program now, or you'll need it if anything goes wrong with the Windows boot system. So get a copy now.
ImgBurn 2.5

Free
ImgBurn is one of the most powerful disc-burning and disk-image creating programs around, and if you don't want to delve into all its gory details, you can use it's EZ-mode for care-free operation.
Iometer

Free
If you can wade through the 80+ paged User Guide you can end up an expert at using this sophisticated I/O performance meter.
KeyText 2000

$29.95 direct
KeyText represents the best combination of compactness and power in a keyboard automation utility.

Meraki WiFi Stumbler

Free
A free, lightweight tool to troubleshoot wireless networking performance issues. It's Browser-based, with no software to install, works on both PCs and Macs. It also quickly discovers nearby access points.
NetSurveyor Professional

$34.95 direct
NetSurveyor is a great tool for getting performance metrics for Wi-Fi networks. It's Affordable, easy to use, and informative for troubleshooting, all wrapped up in a nice interface.
Paragon Hard Disk Manager

$49.95 direct
A powerful, mature product for managing hard disks flexibly and safely. An essential tool for any advanced user or IT manager.
Process Explorer 11

Free
Have you ever called up Task Manager to kill a balky program, scope out what's sucking CPU cycles, or scan for a suspicious process? Try Process Explorer instead. It does everything Task Manager can do and more. Best of all, it's free.
Process Monitor 2.8

Free
Wading through the mountains of log information recorded by Process Monitor requires higher-than-average technical skills. If you're up to the challenge, you can use it to find out details about process behavior that no other tool can come close to supplying.
RegistryWorkshop

$29.95 Direct
This is an essential utility for anyone who works with the Windows Registry. It offers powerful, flexible, and safe registry editing, with all the features that Windows's own Regedit.exe should have but doesn't.
VLC media player 1.0.5

Free
A versatile, free media player that supports more video file formats than you can shake a stick at, can record and stream audio and video.
Wireshark 1.2.6

Free
Wireshark is a free tool that provides many of the same troubleshooting and analysis of more expensive packet sniffers.
Editor's Note (3/11/10): By popular demand, here are the links to the direct download pages of each of these utilities.
ArsClip 3.1.3
Audacity 1.2
Autoruns 9
DualBootPRO 1.0.0
ImgBurn 2.5
Iometer
KeyText 3.13
Meraki WiFi Stumbler
NetSurveyor Professional
Paragon Hard Disk Manager 2010 Suite
Process Explorer 11
Process Monitor 2.8
Registry Workshop
VLC media player 1.0.5
Wireshark 1.2.6

Best Games for windows and mobile

The 30 Best Windows Phone Games

Windows Phone is coming into its own as a gaming platform—here are the games you must play now.

 

Contents

• The 30 Best Windows Phone Games
• Adventure
• Arcade
• Arcade (cont.)
• Strategy
• Puzzle
• Racing and Simulation

Don't let anyone tell you otherwise: While virtually no one was looking, Windows Phone 7.5 has fast become a great gaming platform. A few key developers—notably Zynga and OMGPOP, among others—aren't on board yet, but many of the big ones are. Windows Phone is even racking up some exclusives you can't get on Android or iOS. The best part: All the games listed here look great and play smoothly. Don't let Windows Phone's current lack of support for dual-core CPUs get to you.
It's only going to get better from here as well. Thanks in large part to Nokia's buy-in with Windows Phone, both EA and Angry Birds-developer Rovio have committed to accelerated Windows Phone releases that will closely match those of Android and iOS phones. Upcoming titles from EA include Madden NFL, NBA Jam, Tiger Woods PGA Tour, FIFA, and Mirror's Edge, among others.
Then there's the Xbox Live connection, which you can only get on Windows Phone devices. If you've already got an Xbox 360, don't miss Xbox Companion, a free app that lets you search for games, music, TV shows, and movies, and then cue them up on your Xbox from your phone. Several of the games below include the ability to link up the Windows Phone version to the comparable Xbox 360 title in order to unlock additional gameplay options. And recently, Windows Phone Marketplace hit 100,000 total apps. Not all of those are games, but that's a significant milestone, and yet more proof that this platform has legs.

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But all of that is aside from the main point: Gaming. Here are the best 30 games we've found for Windows Phone 7.5 devices. At this point, including Angry Birds ($0.99) is almost like cheating, so we won't. (It's great; just get it if you don't have it.) I tested every game on a Samsung Focus 2 ($79.99, 3 stars), which has a 4-inch screen and a 1.4GHz processor, and runs Windows Phone 7.5 (Mango). Most Windows Phones cluster right around these specs, so yours should be just fine.
Note that you can navigate the story either by clicking through the slideshow, or by reading it as a multipage story, via the Next links or the above table of contents. And feel free to make suggestions in the comments section—we really want to know what you think.—Next: Adventure >

Best Antivirus for windows

The Best Antivirus for Windows 7

There are several significant security improvements in the Windows 7 operating system, including tools that improve network security, privacy, parental controls and even integrated protection from malware. But even with the heightened security, a separate antivirus software or internet security suite is a must-have. Microsoft admits that the built-in OS security is only the first line of defense, and they certainly encourage users to install additional security software from a third-party. So of the scores of security software apps available (almost all of which now support the new OS), which is the best antivirus for Windows 7?

 

In general, the actual level of protection from antivirus software won’t vary across operating systems. A security suite that is equipped with advanced threat detection and stays up-to-date will be sufficient regardless of whether it’s deployed on Windows XP, Vista or Windows 7. So the best antivirus for Windows 7 is also the best antivirus for any modern Windows operating system.
If you are satisfied with your current antivirus software and are planning on updating your OS or purchasing a new computer, chances are that your favorite security software will work well on Windows 7. Of course, if you’re not completely satisfied with your antivirus software, or would like to try something new, now would be a great time to start fresh.
Still, while all the major security software vendors have products that are compatible with Windows 7, they aren’t necessarily optimized equally. Some of the best antivirus software apps have unique tools and features specifically designed for Windows 7. Here are the top 5 best antivirus software for Windows 7, and some of the unique Windows 7 features they have.

The new user interface of BitDefender Antivirus was designed to look right at home in Windows 7. The software is effectively organized and designed in a way that is both aesthetic and easy to use. BitDefender antivirus is rock-solid security software, and it's our preferred antivirus software for Windows 7.

Not only is Kaspersky Antivirus completely compatible with Windows 7, it also has integrated support for the new features and functions of Windows 7. If you’re using Windows 7 you can also take advantage of the unique Kaspersky Desktop Gadget. The small desktop widget gives you an at-a-glance security status and quick access to the main features of the antivirus software.

Webroot AntiVirus is another antivirus software app that’s compatible with Windows 7. It’s got all the right features and solid security. Webroot AntiVirus performed very well in the most recent VB100 test, which specifically tested antivirus software on the Windows 7 operating system. Webroot AntiVirus received high marks in both reactive and proactive detection.

Not only was Norton AntiVirus’ new edition designed from the ground up to be completely optimized for Windows 7, the company has also provided several resources to help users successfully migrate to Windows 7. Particularly on the business front, Symantec has the tools and resources to help businesses quickly and painlessly migrate to Windows 7.

ESET Nod32 Antivirus was developed with help from Microsoft to ensure that the newest versions of ESET Nod32 Antivirus and ESET Smart Security were not just compatible with Windows 7, but optimized for it. ESET Nod32 Antivirus works with both the 32-bit and 64-bit configurations of Windows 7.
Windows 7 is a much better operating system than its predecessor, with better usability, performance and security. To keep your PC running like new you need to install the best antivirus software for Windows 7 to keep your system protected. The best antivirus software for Windows 7 will have proactive protection methods to keep you safe from digital dangers (some specifically designed to compromise Windows 7). But more than just protection, the best antivirus products for Windows 7 are also optimized for performance and usability.
See our side-by-side comparison and comprehensive reviews for more specifics and head-to-head competition of the best antivirus software for Windows 7. At TopTenREVIEWS We Do the Research So You Don’t Have To.™

TOP FREE VIDEO PLAYERS FOR WINDOWS

Home » Cool Windows Apps & Tricks »

Top 5 Free Media Players For Windows

• October 25, 2008

• By Will Mueller

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There is a multitude of software on the web. Of those, some of the coolest are media players.

Today, we will be looking at some of the best media players on the web for Windows. (There have been a couple of MakeUseOf polls on best audio players and video players as well.)

Ready? Let’s go.

1. VLC Media Player

VLC is one, if not the, best media player ever created. It is lightweight, portable, and can play almost any media format out there (incl. videos downloaded from sites like Youtube). VLC can even be used as a streaming media server, can play DVD’s, can be used as an audio decoder, and doesn’t require external, extra codecs to run.

VLC can also accompany customizable skins, as well as nearly every operating system that exists (Mac, Windows and Linux). I highly recommend trying it out.

2. Media Jukebox

Media Jukebox is an all-in-one media player, music collection organizer, iPod connector and music store with extreme tagging techniques. This music player can pretty much do it all. While not as small as VLC, it definitely does have a bunch of features. It can even be used to sync your phone, while finding tags for your newest imported songs, and simultaneously downloading the newest plug-in to customize your user experience. Sweet, right?

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You can further maximize Media Jukebox’s abilities by adding playlists to download automatically and creating or using a custom skin. Media Jukebox deserves to be on this list for sure. For complete feature overview see Organize your Music Collection Effectively With Media JukeBox.

3. Songbird

Songbird is one of the most customizable media players ever created. Besides being created by Mozilla, and being open source, it allows users to create add-ons/plug-ins for added user experience. Built-in options include: Last.fm playback history plug-in, support for the iPod, available for Windows, Mac, and Linux, metadata management, etc.

To get a feel on what can be done with Songbird extensions check out our earlier article on Songbird extensions. Songbird truly shows what media players need to become with regard to customization.

4. Winamp

Many music fanatics are familiar with Winamp as being one of the most widely used media players in the world. It has developed into one of the most feature oriented media players ever created. Features include: lots of customizable skins, built-in internet radio, support for a wide variety of audio and video formats, flash support, customizable plug-ins, support for multiple languages, ability to sync with your iPod, etc.

There is a free version, of course, but you can upgrade to the PRO version for even more features.

(Note: Winamp has been previously talked about on MakeUseOf here.)

5. KMPlayer

KMPlayer, while not as widely used, is one of the best, free, media players. While supporting numerous different formats, languages, skins, etc, it is relatively lightweight and can be used for numerous different media related material.

The application itself is extremely customizable by it’s own settings, but can be further customized to fit your own needs as well. Features include: Compressed album support, multiple file formats, numerous decoders, support for subtitles, plug-ins, etc.

Stay tuned next time for more cool Windows tips and tricks! In the meantime, why don’t you tell us in the comments which media player you have installed on your Windows system and why you prefer it over all others? What features are the deal-clincher for you?