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Read stunning photo blogging on your Windows 8 computer or tablet with the official Big Picture app [Windows 8]
The internet is full of many wonderous things, not the least of which is a bevy of photo blogs. Of those photo blogs, however, one stands out: The Big Picture. This photo blog, run by Boston.com, is nothing short of amazing. Each entry they put out is around 40 crisp, [...]
Bring command line package management to Windows with Chocolatey [Windows]
Are you a fan of Linux, and its incredibly easy to use Terminal-based package management? Installing programs on Linux is as easy as a single command. With Chocolatey, you can bring that easy installation to your Windows computer.
With Chocolatey, you just run a few commands:
- clist [program name]. This
[...]
Read More »Play an extremely confusing game of Tetris in 3D with Blockability 3d [Windows 8]
Are you a huge fan of the 2D falling block game also known as “Tetris”? If you are, you probably love that we’ve been covering a lot of Tetris-like games recently. Blockability 3d is yet another one of those: it’s Tetris, in 3D.
Unlike some 3D Tetris games, Blockability 3d [...]
Read More »View local wireless networks in detail with WifiInfoView [Windows]
Are you getting a consistently weak wireless signal? Do you find that there are tons of wireless networks around you? WifiInfoView, the latest tool from NirSoft, is a free tool to view all of the WiFi networks around you, and detailed information about them.
In the main screen, WifiInfoView shows [...]
Read More »Play Tetris on your computer or tablet with Tetriblox [Windows 8]
By this point in life, you must be familiar with the game of Tetris. If you’re not, it’s the game of falling blocks in which one must attempt to stack up a full row of blocks. Doing so causes them to disappear–earning you more time before they reach the top. [...]
Save text and images from your clipboard as files with Paste As File [Windows]
Looking for a way to make cut, copy, and paste more useful? Consider this: when designing Windows, Microsoft completely overlooked pasting clipboard data as a file. This means you can’t paste images or text documents to your desktop, and is quite annoying. Paste As File changes that: now, you can [...]
Predator: Automatically lock and unlock your computer using a thumb drive [Windows]
Tappity-tappity-tappity tap. Wait a few seconds. Is that the process you go through every day to log into your computer? Booooring! Instead, log into your computer with a loud, annoying countdown timer and your favorite thumb drive. Predator can do that, and it can do it entirely free: lock and [...]
Cloud streaming of console-type video games is coming to Windows 8 with Agawi
Formerly known as “iSwifter”, Agawi has made a deal with Microsoft to push out their cloud-based game streaming service along with Windows 8 this October.
Already very popular on the iPad, where it offers “more than 12,000″ Facebook games, Agawi is focused more toward what the company calls “mid-core” and [...]
Read More »HP is moving toward the future with new Windows 8 all-in-one touchscreen PCs
I grew up watching Star Trek. The Next Generation, Voyager, Deep Space Nine – everything with absolutely fantastic futuristic touchscreens, Padds, and other technology that seemed so far beyond the realm of what we could make that I had no doubt I was watching something set hundreds of years in [...]
Read More »Type foreign (non-English) characters easily with Holdkey [Windows]
Do you have to type in a foreign language on an English keyboard? If you do, then you must hate accents with a bü®ñïñg ¶äߧîöñ. I know I would. Before, you’d have to memorize tons of totally intuitive Alt codes, or open up the clunky character map. Holdkey does away [...]
Save and restore desktop icon layouts with DesktopOK [Windows]
Bzzt! The power goes out. That’s OK, you weren’t doing anything too important. Just power back on your computer, and–whaaaa?! Why are your desktop icons all wrong!?
Windows has an annoying habit of resetting your desktop icon layout if a fly lands on your volume key. Or you change screen [...]
Read More »Like Hangman? Bring it to your Windows 8 computer or tablet with Doodle Hangman Free [Windows 8]
Do you remember playing hangman in class instead of learning boring ol’ algebra? Now, you can play against your computer with Doodle Hangman Free! It’s a fun little game that lets you choose the category, so you actually might have a chance to win.
Doodle Hangman Free starts off with [...]
Read More »Verify file downloads by calculating MD5 hashes from the context menu with HashOnClick [Windows]
Are you an avid downloader? You then might have experienced once or twice the annoyance of a supposedly fully downloaded file that actually got messed up while downloading. Some developers combat this by posting MD5 hashes on their websites: these are codes that are unique to each file, and can [...]
Play a fun crossword game on your PC or tablet with Word Search [Windows 8]
Are you a fan of the crossword puzzle? I certainly am, so I was excited when I found Word Search on the Windows Store. It’s a free, singleplayer crossword app that features built-in lists with varying difficulties and a timer to keep you on track.
There are three modes to [...]
Read More »Upgrade your workflow and gain mastery over windows with GridMove [Windows]
Are you a fan of Windows’ Aero Snap, the feature where you can just drag windows to the tops or sides of your screen to maximize them? Many people are, but many others find it too limiting. With GridMove, there are no limits: you can set it up to move [...]
Keep your square in the court for as long as possible in Escapa [Windows 8]
Are you a fan of this free JavaScript game? Apparently someone was, as it’s made its way into a Windows 8 app and onto the Windows Store. There, it’s downloaded by thousands as it’s incredibly fun, high-definition graphics rock the world. Escapa is a free game in which you simply [...]
Encrypt files with open standards (i.e. non-proprietary file format) and ease with EncryptOnClick [Windows]
If you’re familiar with encryption programs, you’re probably also familiar how much of a pain it can be to have special software on every computer you want to access encrypted files on. EncryptOnClick is different: while it requires installation, its encrypted files can be easily decrypted with programs like 7-zip.[...]
Update, uninstall, and manage Java on your computer with JavaRa [Windows]
Are you slightly afraid of having Java on your computer now that it’s been the subject to not just one, but two zero-day exploits of your computer’s security? JavaRa is the tool for you, allowing you to manually update, uninstall, or remove Java from startup.
Java is really annoying. It [...]
Read More »Take and tag notes simply and easily with Resophnotes [Windows]
Are you looking for a plain, bare-bones notes app for Windows? ResophNotes provides a simultaneously clean-looking and featureful notes app that even synchronizes with Simplenote, a free online note synchronization account service.
The integration with Simplenote allows you to access your notes on the go with the official Simplenote app [...]
Read More »Synchronize notes via Dropbox with CintaNotes [Windows]
People don’t generally realize how much they depend on jotting things down until their desks are covered with little pickies of paper with unrecognizably blurred pencil smudges on them.If you’re one of those people, and you’re looking to upgrade to The Cloud, try CintaNotes. Designed to integrate into your installed [...]
Read your Google Reader feeds on your Windows 8 computer with Flux [Windows 8]
Do you enjoy reading your RSS feeds, or feel otherwise compelled to read them? Are you a fan of cloud feed synchronization services, especially Google Reader? Do you absolutely love the color pink? If you answered yes to all of those questions, Flux is no doubt the RSS reader for [...]
Connect the dots on the deceptively challenging game Blueprint [Windows 8]
There are boring, simple puzzle games. Then there are wacky, complicated puzzle games. But probably the most interesting of all is the category of puzzle game that appears to be incredibly simple, but turns out to be extremely devious. Blueprint, a game in which you need to connect all the [...]
Prevent sudden loud noises with Sound Lock [Windows]
You’re watching a movie on your laptop. It’s 3am, so of course you have your headphones in. Suddenly, you realize it’s Transformers, and you just got to the explosion scene! If you didn’t have Sound Lock installed, your ears would probably be dead by now. Luckily, Sound Lock automatically detected [...]
Increase productivity and screen size with nSpaces’ virtual desktops [Windows]
What would you say if I told you I could give you three new monitors… for free? Though it’s not exactly the same thing, nSpaces certainly helps give you more space for windows using the idea of virtual desktops.
If you’re a Linux or Mac OS X user, you probably [...]
Read More »Upload images to Imgur via drag and drop with ImageUP [Windows]
Imgur is definitely the world’s greatest image hoster. However, to upload images to their site, you have to go all the way to your web browser and drag and drop the images onto the page. Don’t you wish it was simpler than that? With ImageUP, it is: just drag and [...]
Get inspired with inspirational quotes from Forismatic [Windows 8]
Are you feeling … uninspired? The folks at Coppertino sure were, so one day they decided to create Forismatic. It’s a free app filled to the brim with inspirational quotes to help get you thinking.
Forismatic is beautiful in its simplicity. When you open it, you’re instantly greeted with a [...]
Read More »Keep track of time with PicoTimer, the tiniest timer ever [Windows]
There are some apps that are giant, ugly processor hogs. They take up huge amounts of disc space, and are all around pains to use. PicoTimer is… different. It’s 132KB, and takes up less than 1500 square pixels. It can time things in hours, minutes, and seconds, and is overall [...]
Kinect for Windows to be updated for Windows 8 on October 8
Microsoft has announced via its Kinect for Windows Roadmap that support for the Windows-targeted variant of the extremely popular camera/sensor device will receive official support for use on Windows 8.
ZDNet reports that the Kinect for Windows runtime upgrade scheduled for October 8 will bring Windows 8 support, and the [...]
Read More »Warn and kick your kids (or you!) off when bedtime comes with Bedtime Help [Windows]
It’s 4 in the afternoon, and you sit down at the computer. You browse dotTech for a bit, then visit Twitter for all of the latest breaking news updates. Unbeknownst to you, it’s actually 2 in the morning now, and you’re going to–look again! Nine in the morning, and you’re [...]
Open apps faster with 7 Taskbar Numberer and built-in Windows shortcuts [Windows]
Are you a fan of keyboard shortcuts? They’re a great tool for speeding up your workflow, but sometimes they can be a bit difficult to use. Windows 7 actually has some built-in shortcuts that open pinned apps, but since they’re not numbered, it can be difficult to remember what buttons [...]
Have fun and paint pictures with Paint 4 Kids [Windows 8]
Are you an avid fan of painting with Windows’ built-in Paint program? If you are, you’re crazy. Most kids aren’t–they’re probably looking for a fun app they can paint and draw in. Paint 4 Kids is that kind of app.
Paint 4 Kids is not the most beautiful app [...]
Read More »Compare your pictures with PictureRelate [Windows]
Are you looking for a new way to organize and look at your photos? PictureRelate is a cool and unique program for comparing photos by similarity, and it actually works quite well.
PictureRelate is simple. You load up a bunch of images, select one, double click, and the rest are [...]
Read More »Convert subtitles formats with BatchSubtitlesConverter [Windows]
Subtitles are tricky beasts. While every major DVD release since ever has subtitles nicely integrated onto the discs, downloaded and ripped movies can be much more complicated. There are dozens of files, and each media player supports different things. BatchSubtitlesConverter is a free tool that’ll automatically change subtitle format, encoding, [...]
Pop balls in the relaxing free game Plop! [Windows 8]
There are literally billions of games in every app download center for every device in which you click on or tap on sets of three or more balls to make them disappear. Invariably, the rest fall down, and you’re left with another set of balls to tap on. Plop! takes [...]
Rename groups of files at once with Solid Renamer [Windows]
Are you in a hurry to rename tons of files? If so, you definitely know that typing in filenames one by one can be both a hassle and not worth it at all. Solid Renamer is probably the simplest batch renamer I’ve come across, and can reduce hours of work [...]