Application Install Guide

PerfectDisk 2008 Professional

For years, the only high-power defragmenting alternative to Windows' own Disk Defragmenter was Diskeeper, but times have changed. PerfectDisk offers most of Diskeeper's options and functionality, and it even has what may be better optimization routines, a Free Space explorer (to help track down what files and folders are taking up the most space on your drives), and a nicer interface. The clincher is a lower price, along with different versions for VMware and other specialized situations...

WinZip

We have mixed feelings about WinZip. The latest version has the ability to work properly with RAR files, and its ability to perform automatic backups (even to optical discs) is easy to use yet powerful. Yet its price for the Pro version increased, and it would love to install unnecessary software if you don't uncheck various options at installation. Still, WinZip is the compression utility all others are measured against, and its familiar interface always feels like home. WinZip 11...

Noise Ninja 2

Digital cameras let us capture images that would be nothing but dark shadows in front of a black curtain, but most of the time those images have a lot of digital noise. When you zoom in to a dark area, ever wonder what those multicolored pixels are? That’s digital noise. Noise Ninja 2 magically eliminates digital noise from your photos, either with a standalone program and a handy batch mode, or via a Photoshop plug-in. It's no wonder Noise Ninja is used at seven of the 10 largest U.S. ne...

SplashData

Are you still writing down your passwords on slips of paper and Post-it notes? You know you shouldn't be doing that, so SplashID is an easy sell. SplashID stores your passwords, credit card numbers, and other personal data within an encrypted filestore. It also syncs with your Windows Mobile, Palm, or Blackberry handhelds, and stores your data within an encrypted filestore in your portable device, too. There’s no longer a need to be without your passwords.

Eset NOD32 Antivirus

There are three top-notch antivirus programs available, and this year it's NOD32's turn to shine. Its detection rates are every bit as good as Norton AV 2008 and Kaspersky, but its memory and CPU footprint are basically negligible compared to the competition. It isn't quite as comprehensive as its competition, but if you need to protect a gaming machine or older computer from today's viruses and want to keep those PCs fast, NOD32 is your best choice. NOD32 Antivirus System 3.0 Flat Pa...