Keep all your apps up to date with FileHippo Updater
February 11, 2011 32
Email article | Print article 
Most people here know that updating software means having less bugs and having more security. Unfortunately, most software titles have their own custom-built updaters that are easily ignored and only show up once you open a program. This can make a person annoyed at a piece of software for crashing, or worse yet actually leave a computer open to viruses or malware.
Image credit: Wikipedia, Locutus
FileHippo Update Checker: a well-designed update checker
Luckily, there are a few updaters that allow someone to easily update a majority of their software with just a few clicks. From those updaters, FileHippo stands out over its competitors because it has a much better user interface, it lacks false positives, and it’s extremely tiny–under 300KB!
After downloading, just open the updater. It will immediately launch a no-nonsense scanning window:
In just a matter of seconds, a new browsing window will open. It’ll have a list of all of your updates, from stable releases to beta software:
As you can see, I haven’t updated CCleaner in a while.
To download the updates, just hit the green arrows next to the software name. You’ll be linked to the installer, which in the case of the CCleaner installer, was the version without the toolbar–no need to watch for toolbars!
Conclusion
Unfortunately, updaters aren’t perfect, and there is no way to detect all software and all updates. For instance, I had v1.1.4 of VLC Media Player installed; v1.1.7 was released last night (and FileHippo even has v1.1.7 on their site). However, it did find updates for most of the software that needed updates, and one out of ~60 pieces of software isn’t bad at all.
Version reviewed: v1.038 portable
Download size: 247kb
Supported OS: Windows 7/Vista/XP/2003/2000/ME/98 with .NET 2.0
FileHippo.com Update Checker download page | installer | portable
Bonus points to anyone who can name the software titles the versions in the lead picture are.
VLC and GOM Player are my 2 favorite media viewers on Windows and Linux. Check the mod sites to find portable versions.
FIBER0PTIC
I don’t mean to jam a stick into any one’s spokes but I have read that SUMo (Software Update Manager) has now surpassed File Hippo as the best software update checking program. Has nobody read/heard that as well?
Personally I don’t care for update checking software because 90% of the software I own are from giveaways and contests that don’t provide free updates. I bet most of you are in the same boat. Nevertheless, I would love to get some input as to a comparison of File Hippo and SUMo.
I just found out that Gizmo has a newly updated (how appropriate) article of his own on this subject, but his site is going down tonight for a software update (of all things!), so you may want to check into it later. I don’t necessarily agree, but apparently he really likes Sumo (Software Update MOnitor, btw). However that may be, the last time I used Sumo it produced nearly as many errors as it did results. Plus, it has an export feature, in lieu of print I guess, that works but seems to have no real formatting other than font as far as I can tell. Very crude in comparison to CNET’s web page output, I must say. Which reminds me, he doesn’t even seem to recognize the existence of its TechTracker, which I find very strange, indeed, since it’s probably the most widely used of all of these products. Also, he has no mention of Magix, even though he has a list of excluded products that is longer than the number of products he reviewed. Of course, the Magix product is a multi-purpose utility, so I suppose it could be kicked out on that basis, but I was able to turn off everything else in it and just use it as an manual updater for redundancy reasons. Anyway, FWIW, anyone interested in this subject may want to check out what he has to say about the selected list of products that he has decided to write about. For any newbies or others who don’t know, Gizmo’s site is http://www.TechSupportAlert.com.
@FIBER0PTIC:
Add SMPlayer for Linux 2 the above list.
I have been using the linux and win version, saves tons of time, thank you again 4 keeping this current/active.
VLC 2.2 Night Build – Maddog on H33T.com seeds.
TeraCopy 2.32 released.
XPlorer 9.90
EnhanceMy7 (EnhanceMySeven)
EnhanceMyXP
uTorrent 3 Beta
Watch list :
Autopatcher.com, private Win7 builds were leaked(Internal), nothing close to the XP following and
Daz loader for Win7 has been next 2 flawless.
B00Table:
UltimateBootCD 51a3 Beta (tks Victor for the M0Dz I suggested).
YUMI 0.0.1.1 – Pendrivelinux.
HIREN 13.2 official
HIREN 13.6 Protous = network card detect and us key fixed. MiniXP works
HawkPE cd dvd 43 I still get bsod when loading WinXP
Falcon 4 MiniXP works
Falcon 4.5 gives bsod
MRI – Geek Squad 5.5.0 works perfect – Soldier
MRI 5.5.1 gives bsod – Soldier (final) release
Linux Builds:
RIP Linux 11.8
NAS:
FreeNAS 8.0beta
Browser:
Opera 11.10
C64: Shamus update Handy-Term/H-Modem, It’s only been 26 years and Jumpman jr. needs some new levels…. msg thru irc.Spidernet.org #pre and #warez
Maybe those keywords give a top 10 link in google and Dave will see this…
Wiki liveISO/bootable iso list was updated-I will compile an official list with all the url’s and full descriptions this week.
My current project “M0NSTER MultiB00T – Upgrade & Update” will be ready for public beta later this month, its over 14gig (16gig usb drives at frys.com $20.00) pulling out the seriously dated apps and duplicates.
A weekend project going on 4 months, after talking 2 many users on sites just like this I will now make 2 versions… Full will include all help files and history, and a Slim version that will allow you to checkbox what you want on the dvd/usb. both will allow custom backgrounds and edit the text/logos however you want (download/post themes via my site, uncensored-read warnings).
only 7,200+ bookmarks going to quality content… I need a good program that will auto sort/filter before I reverify. LinkMaster Pro (ver7ish) is overkill but useful.
Ever collect baseball/basketball trading cards… buy a gross or two, get 2 4×8 sheets of plywood and start breaking them down by sport/company/number/value/sub-sets – Bookmarks could work the same – custom Icons and stacking/piles.
Maybe a Poker Dealer type view for those into gfx or the (apple/mac users).
Tks again 4 all the pre/post comments.
Keywords/Google bait : FileHippo Updater Multi-use App Upgrade Update FREE Linux FREE Windows dotTech Reviews Downloads Cloud File URL Links Content.
@FIBER0PTIC:
My Notes Keeper – another great tool for saving content from multiple formats.
@computersexplore: Gizmo (old Napalm Member) – very respected lists – great site – good post.