Quick fixes to make your computer faster

Make your PC run fasterThere’s nothing more exasperating than waiting for Windows to launch, or for Firefox to load up, or even for the Add/Remove tool to show the program list. If you’re tired of waiting for too long every time you use your computer, take a look at this list and you may find the solution, either as a quick system tip or in the shape or a convenient software tool.

1. If Windows takes too long to launch it’s probably because you have too many apps running at startup. Most of them will have added themselves to that list without asking you first and aren’t really that necessary. Take a look at this post on how to remove them with an easy Windows trick, or try any of the startup managers we have listed on Softonic.

2. If context menus don’t display fast enough you may want to edit them with Mmm. This free app enables you to remove all the unwanted items that software tools add to context menus in order to be more accessible – but most of which you really never get to use.

3. If Firefox takes ages to load you have two options to fix it. One is performing some basic maintenance tasks on a regular basis (such as cleaning temporary files and remove extensions you don’t use anymore) and the other is trying extensions that have been specifically designed to improve the browser’s performance: FireTune, FasterFox and Firefox Ultimate Optimizer are some of them.

4. If Windows defragmentation never seems to end, you may want to try alternate tools such as Auslogics Disk Defrag, a much quicker app, or Defraggler, a free defrag tool from the creators of CCleaner.

5. If the Add/Remove tool is too slow, there are also several alternatives. We already covered some of them in this post, but be sure to take a look at the Uninstallers category at Softonic to see a wider selection.

6. If the My PC window takes a while to show there’s a little trick you can make to fix it. Open any Windows Explorer window and on the Tools menu, click on Folder Options. Then click on the View tab and uncheck the box that says ‘Automatically search for network folders and printers’. This should speed up My PC quite considerably.

Tools to transfer your podcasts

podcast-logo.pngPodcasts are one of the best ways of communicating with large audiences very cheaply but the problem is that most people want to listen to them while they are on the move rather than on their desktop PC. Unless you are downloading Podcasts directly onto your mobile device, you’ll need to transfer them regularly from your PC. To help you do this, you can use a number of utilities dedicated to the task.

Probably the best of them all is PodPlus which is designed especially for transfers to iPods. In actual fact, this is the ultimate iPod management tool because it transfers everything from e-mails to images to your iPod but the Podcast manager allows you to easily see what you’ve downloaded, what genre it is and whether you’ve listened to it yet or not. Of course, the ideal scenario would be to have Podcasts delivered directy to your mobile device. jsiPodFetch doesn’t exactly fulfill this role but it comes close. It automatically downloads Podcasts that you’ve added to it’s RSS lists and then as soon as you connect your mobile device, it transfers them automatically without prompting – this includes devices other than the iPod too.

For something simple, although not as automated as jsiPodFetch, take a look at Juice (iPodder) which again, focuses on the iPod by automatically downloading Podcasts but requires you to manually transfer them once done. Finally, iPod2PC is designed with iTunes in mind. It enables you to transfer and replace Podcasts downloaded in iTunes in a slightly more sophisiticated way than iTunes itself allowing you to sort Podcasts by many different criteria and batch transferring several at once.

Software to get you through Lent

Get 'em down you while you still can!Today is pancake day, which means it’s time to gorge yourself silly on sweet, sweet fat. It also means that tomorrow is the start of Lent, when all good Christians make an oath to give something up for 40 days. It’s an honourable thing to do, though obviously it can be difficult to quit something you enjoy for such a long time. You can give yourself a bit of a helping hand though, and as far as I’m aware it doesn’t say anything in the Bible about not using computer applications to assist you in your fasting. Here are a selection of tools to help rid yourself of your vice of choice:

  • AntiSmoke – Stub out the ciggies with this nicotine-busting aid
  • Sober Time – Monitor your progress in your battle to lay off the grog
  • Calorie Balance Tracker – Fast in safety with this nutritional guide
  • UsefulRest – Are you a workaholic? This program helps you take time out
  • ConnTroll – Why not restrict your Internet access for the duration of Lent?

Yahoo! acquires FoxyTunes

FoxyTunesWith Yahoo! currently at the top of tech headlines because of Microsoft’s proposed takeover, and rumors of Google or Apple waiting in the dark to jump on any opportunity, Yahoo! has still managed to acquire the Firefox FoxyTunes extension. It’s nothing compared to the main story but it goes to show that Yahoo! Music is still very much active.

FoxyTunes is a really cool little extension that lets you control any media player straight from Firefox, the Mozilla Suite or Thunderbird. It is skinnable, localizable and can work with all sorts of keyboard shortcuts. In all, if you keep your music playing all the time, you’ll find it’s great help and works really well. FoxyTunes has gone through a lot of improvements and now incorporates Last.FM, Amazon, Yahoo! News and Yahoo! Music content related to the song you’re playing. It seems the ties between the FoxyTunes team and Yahoo! have been around for some time and hopefully now being part of Yahoo! Music will bring much more player integration, music sites and services to the extension.

[Via: Mozilla Links]

Software to sail away to

SailingSailing has never been a particularly popular sport with developers which is why there isn’t much out there in terms of games and sailing related apps. However, if you look hard enough, there are a few titles available for devotees or those who don’t want to get their feet wet.

Pick of the bunch has to be Virtual Skipper 4 which sees you take full control of a regatta as seen in the Americas Cup. As with the real thing, it’s incredibly tricky to master the controls requiring you to control the art of navigation and dealing with the elements. On another tack, one of the best screen-savers I’ve seen continues the maritime theme. Sea Voyage 3D Screensaver basically takes you on board Magellan’s Victoria galleon as it circumnavigates the globe. The sound effects and weather conditions vary from session to session and it kicks-in where it left off last time so you’re not tempted to just sit there and watch the voyage in its entirety!

If it’s something a bit more fun you’re looking for, then take to the high seas with the pirates in the combined puzzle/sailing game Yohoho! Puzzle Pirates. If on the other hand you’re looking for something a bit more sedentary, then Dream Vacation Solitaire features 30 games that take you round the world, as if on a cruise, with each level you move up. Or if you fancy something a bit more edgy, Atlantic Roulette sees you gamble your chips on a sunken ship!

Today’s downloads for Windows, Mac and Mobile

Download Conflict: Denied OpsGet ready to join dangerous missions across the globe while you try to prevent a cruel dictator from obtaining nuclear weapons. In Conflict: Denied Ops you control two characters, which enables you to enjoy the game in two ways: choose the sniper for a stealthy style or pick the heavy gunner if you prefer a more destructive gameplay. Either way, you’ll have loads of fun!

SenteAcademics and scholars rejoice, you won’t have to spend hours in the library looking for references and quotes ever again! Sente is a very handy tool for Mac, which lets you view and use hundreds of references. It features a very powerful search function and filtering. You’ll also be able to build bibliographies and insert citations anywhere in a snap.

A new way of interacting on your mobileMost of us belong to some sort of online community these days, but how many people have tried mobile social networking? iMobicue is hoping to kick-start a new phenomenon with its free mobile sharing community, which allows users to build a new network of friends, sharing images, videos and sending instant messages from their mobiles.

5 programs to spice-up your ICQ

ICQ logoICQ was one of the original IM clients on the block although it never really took off in the way that more user friendly clients such as MSN Live Messenger or Yahoo Messenger did. Not that ICQ is hard to use but since it was one of the pioneers, it blazed the way while others learnt from it’s mistakes. Today it still attracts a dedicated following and perhaps that’s because it’s one of the most feature-rich and customisable IM clients out there. There are tons of inbuilt features in the Xtraz add-on but there are also some interesting downloads to enhance your ICQ experience.

The best free online games for work breaks

Free online gamesAs we’ve already mentioned a couple of times, you should take frequent breaks while working with the PC if you don’t want to end up suffering from some sort of RSI. However, I guess most of us not only forget about these necessary pauses, but also stay in front of the computer while having a 5-minute break from work. And what’s the best way to enjoy these short breaks? That’s right: playing a game.

There are hundreds of free online mini-games, most of which are precisely intended to be played during work pauses. They’re usually programmed in Flash, so you can play them right in your browser without installing any third-party application – except an updated Flash browser plugin. Though not as healthy as stretching exercises, these games are definitely a fun way to switch off from work for a while.

Free online gamesThere’s a huge variety of free games all over the Web, from the traditional Tetris-style puzzles like Blockles (an online multiplayer Tetris) and Tetrical (a tricky 3D Tetris) to more strategic titles like Water Supply, where you have to build a water pipe in the middle of a desert before the water stream reaches the end. There are also games you play with something as simple as color balls: Mass Attacks and Filler are two good examples, the first one challenging you to balance weights and the second one to fill in a square with bouncing balls.

Some other games will test your abilities at building a skyscraper (Tower Bloxx), throwing a projectile as far as possible (Throw me) or landing your mini-spaceship on a platform after completing a track full of obstacles (Mini-Racers). Others will involve a lot of mouse clicking, such as Valo and Cursor*10. And in case you’re not in the gaming mood, you can always release some stress by destroying a few websites.

Turn your PC into a virtual nurse

Let your PC look after your healthAfter hearing that a lab mouse may have found the key to curing the common cold, I was hoping to invite him round to mine to sort out the bout of flu that I’ve been suffering from. Unfortunately, it looks like the scientists have to work with him a while longer before they can come up with the miracle remedy. Nevertheless there are plenty of software programs that can help ease illnesses and diseases, providing you with all manner of information on symptons, causes and treatments for a range of ailments. Install these apps and let you computer ease you on the path to recovery:

  • Natural Healing Introduction – Guide to the basics of alternative therapy
  • HeyDoc! – Keep a record of all your health information and get medical help
  • Wellness – Learn how natural healing methods can nurse you back to health
  • HealthEngage Diabetes – Take control of Diabetes with this helpful app
  • TinnitusTamer – Got ringing in yours? Get this software
  • Homeopathy – Find out how to treat conditions using alternative medecine
  • Psychiatric Diagnosis – Discover if you have a psychiatric disorder
  • Cancer – Professional help and advice for Cancer sufferers and their helpers

BBC’s iPlayer now supports Firefox

BBC iplayerThe controversial iPlayer, which we covered back in July, has only recently added Firefox support. Built by the BBC to allow users to catch up with programs from the past seven days, the iPlayer was released only last year. It works with all BBC channels and programs.

The immediate criticism launched out at the program was it’s lack of support for the open source community, with Linux users spearheading the protests. Back in July, an e-petition with more than 11,000 signatures was passed around in the hopes that it would pressure the BBC into releasing a Linux version of the iPlayer. To calm the debate down, the BBC assured users that it would at least release a Mac version of the iPlayer in Autumn. However, we’re now in February and there are still no signs of a downloadable iPlayer for Mac or Linux. The help page of the iPlayer website still says, “We are aware of demand to expand this to other operating systems, please check at a later date for any further news.” However users should note that streaming itself works for PC, Mac and Linux as the player is based on Flash, which all three systems support.
Firefox support for the iPlayer is a positive move towards the open source community. As Anthony Rose, head of iPlayer development since September, says, “It’s good because it’s the first real non-Microsoft thing we’ve been able to do with the download iPlayer.” Hopefully it won’t be the last if the BBC wants to reach as many users as possible.

[Via: Afterdawn]