Entries Tagged as 'Software Reviews'

download Google, Youtube, myspace and dailymotion videos

Didnt you ever want to have a easier way to download that favorite youtube video on your hard disk or that favorite  myspace Tv video on your harddisk and you had to use those complicated softwares which were often loaded with spywares and malwares. Well, thanks to get2pc.com we have a simpler alternative.

You can download the videos using get2pc.com. Just copy paste the URL into a textbox provided and you get a download link where in you can download the video. As simple as that, no software to download and hence no spywares and malwares.

The image of this website is as shown.

Download youtube, Google Video, ifilm and dailymotion videosThe service supports a variety of online video sharing services like youtube, Google Video, iFilm, myspace and Dailymotion.

Although this service is very handy the legality of this service is in doubt and I dont think its allowed to provide what this service provides. However, I am no law expert so I cant comment anything about that. But i certainly think that the copyright issues will certainly be more aggravated since more downloading by the users means more re-distribution and sharing.

So, I hope the users use this service sensibly and hence although this is one of those things on the internet which is great to have but should be used sensibly.

orkut introduces Photo albums!

Orkut recently introduced photo albums where in users can organize their photos in albums and describe the albums separately. I think it was about time orkut did that because the simple photos that orkut had all this while was getting a little messier and therefore this is a good thing that they have finally added this feature.

However, one thing that keeps me wondering is that Google has an excellent service for Photo sharing and organization called as Picasa and Picasa web. I think the next step in improving Orkut photos is integration of Picasa into orkut as well as posting of images from the Picasa software directly into an orkut profile. That would be pretty cool.

Hope Orkut and Google incorporate these features in the near future.

live documents is here!

Sabeer Bhatia, Co-Founder of Hotmail, which later he sold to Microsoft has launched a office productivity online and offline software suite that rivals other big players in the business like Microsoft with its Microsoft Office Live and Google with Google Docs. Live document prides itself as a “suite of online office productivity applications offering functionality equivalent to Word, Excel and PowerPoint”. It also contains a “optional desktop client application that wraps around Microsoft Office and embeds collaborative capabilities into these hitherto standalone software applications - Live Documents converts Microsoft Office applications from static standalone software to smart clients that are connected to the Internet and facilitate in-context document sharing (multiple people can edit a document at the same time) and management (security, access control and revision control) without requiring users to give up their familiar user interfaces. The Live Documents desktop client also ensures offline access to documents - a key failing of current online Office applications.”

Thus, with the advent of live documents the overall online documents niche is getting hotter and lets hope that live documents reach up to its expectations. Currently live documents is available only to a limited people and I have applied to it and lets see if I get a login. You can also apply to live documents here.

You can visit the live documents website to know more about it!

Orkut introduces new privacy features!

Orkut introduces new Privacy Features

Finally orkut has introduced a new set of privacy features that were much needed by the community especially in the wake of the latest crimes that we hear coming out of orkut! So, finally orkut has taken the initiative and has introduced privacy for scrapbook access, album(i.e Images) access as well as Video access. You can do this by going to the settings link in the left corner of your screen and then going to the “Privacy Tab”.

Another good thing that orkut has introduced is the Ask questions feature where in your friends can answer to questions that you have asked. Another thing that is noteworthy is the updates feature, where in you know the latest updates about your friends! This is very effective especially when your friends list goes into hundreds;)

I personally feel that orkut is standing up to the stiff competition from MySpace and Facebook as well as linkedIn when it comes to professional networking and the only thing that orkut should actively work upon is the  OpenSocial API which is still in Beta and takes limited developers. I hope they open it for public as soon as possible.

best communication software for linux

Best Communication software for Linux

Linux, for long has been thought to be a geeky affair and was widely believed that people with extra ordinary computer expertise can operate and work on Linux sufficiently. However, things are changing these days. Linux is getting strong support in the section of users who have stayed away from Linux for a long time-“The home users”. This has been made possible by very user friendly linux distributions like Ubuntu. Therefore, since a lot of users are working on Linux even at home it is essential that they should know the software that should be present on a linux based computer so that all its users can work with efficiently.

The good thing about linux is that many useful and essential and useful software come bundled with Linux and its large software repositories. These softwares are usually open source and therefore there is no licensing cost what so ever. However, I do feel that in order for users who need the similar set of softwares like they are accustomed to working on Windows, I think there is a need to explain a few softwares which I feel are essential to work efficiently and effectively on Linux. Hence I am giving a list of software that a user should download or have while using Linux. Remember, these software are for the “Layman” and doesn’t include any technical or development software.

  • Yahoo Messenger: We all use Yahoo Messenger for chatting, Video conferencing and chat rooms. Yahoo Messenger can also be used on Linux based systems. Yahoo Messenger in Linux comes in three versions- For the REDHAT Linux, For the Debian Linux and the third one for the FreeBSD Linux. The redhat version of yahoo messenger works on Redhat versions 6.x, 7.x,8.0 and 9.
  • Gtalk: We all also use gtalk quite a while and love to chat with friends who have gmail account especially the ones who are on Orkut because of Gtalk’s seemless integration with orkut. Howver, currently there is no GTalk implementation on Linux and therefore you can nevertheless use the GAIM client to text chat with your friends on Gtalk.
  • Picasa Photo Organiser: Picasa is another product from google which is getting a strong customer base these days. Picasa is available in Linux. Picasa allows its uses to find all the photos on a computer as well as share the photos on the web. It also allows the users to make changes to photos with the help of few and simple clicks. Picasa is also bundled with google pack which includes all the required software in a computer.
  • Skype: Skype is the world leader in voice communication over the internet with the customer base of 200 million users. It is a very popular service and people can use skype to freely talk when both the users are online over the internet, or using the subscription services like Skypein and skypeout as well as skype Pro. Skype is available in 7 linux distributions including Ubuntu, Fedora, opensuse, debian and Mandriva. you can download Skype here

The softwares discussed above describe the best communication software available on Linux and the best thing is yahoo messenger is integrated with MSN so you can chat with MSN users using Yahoo messenger from Linux. That’s interoperatibility in its true meaning.

Next up, we will discuss the best system software that we should have for linux. So, I would just say STAY TUNED.

Templates for website

How many times have you wanted to have an awesome website or a group of websites, but didnt know how to make graphics for the website or didnt have the resources to hire a professional graphics designer’s services. In such time of crisis where you need to have a good design so as to attract maximum number of users and prospective clients to maximize the income from your website a website templates website comes in handy. There are probably millions of such websites, some offer templates for free, some for a price and some who offer website templates for free but want a link back to their website. In this new section of our website, where i manage to conquer all the aspects and different avenues of technology, this category addresses the templates providers which form an efficient part of the web designing and developing industry.

One, such templates providing website is DreamTemplate

Let us learn a little more about dream template.

DreamTemplate is a premium template subscription provider with over 1800 professionally designed templates available for members. We serve Website Templates, Flash Templates, Office Templates, Word Templates, Powerpoint Templates, Corporate Identity packages and logo designs. Every month, they are adding over a hundred new designs. Unlike most template sites that charge per template, DreamTemplate works differently. We charge a one-time fee and then give members full download access to our premium template collection.

I have worked with Premium Web Templates extensively and they have been very effective and have satisfied almost all of my clients. So, according to me DreamTemplate  is the best service around, although in the coming days I will be reviewing a lot of other website template providers and will definately give my readers some alternatives to choose from, so check back this page soon.

use windows and mac without rebooting

Run Windows on Mac OS X without rebooting!

How many times did you want to run windows and Linux or windows and MAC at the same time or without rebooting, just flipping between operating systems as you flip between windows on a desktop. Well, now this is a reality with the Parallels Desk 3.0 for MAC.

Key Features:

  • Use Windows and Mac OS X at the same time…without rebooting
  • Run Windows programs like native Mac applications with Parallels Coherence
  • Open Windows files with Mac programs and Mac files in Windows programs with Parallels SmartSelect
  • Share files and folders between Windows and Mac OS X
  • Browse through Windows folders and access files without launching Windows with Parallels Explorer
  • Run today’s most popular PC games on a Mac with support for 3D graphics
  • Achieve maximum performance by leveraging Intel® Virtualization Technology
  • Protect your Windows with Parallels Snapshots
  • Migrate your entire existing PC to your Mac with Parallels Transporter

So, if you are migrating to MAC or switch to MAC,Parallels Desktop for Mac
is a must!

Virtual PC and multiple OS solutions

Virtual PC, multiple Operating System Software:

How often have you wondered that can i run a windows Operating System and the Linux based operating system at the same time, or a MAC and Windows at the same time possibly without even rebooting the system. I mean i have always wanted to do this, that is to switch between operating systems, just like i switch between windows on my desktop.

Well, there have been products which provided this feature, but none of the products have been exceptional enough until i found out the Run Windows and Mac OS X simultaneously!
product.

Later when i searched about this company, i found of that this firm deals with products that very few other companies offer and some of the products are exclusive to this firm.

Below is a list of products that Parallels offers:

Now lets learn more about these two great products:

Parallels Workstation:

Parallels Workstation is the most powerful, easiest-to-use, cost-effective desktop virtual PC solution available today. It empowers any user, from experienced professional developers to sales executives to casual home users, with the ability to create completely networked, totally secure independent, maximally stable virtual machines on a single physical machine.

Key Features:

  • Hypervisor Technology for Stronger, More Stable Virtual Machines:
    Parallels Workstation is the first desktop virtualization solution to include a lightweight hypervisor that directly controls some of the host computer’s hardware resources. The inclusion of this trusted, mature technology ensures that virtual PCs built using Parallels Workstation are the most stable and efficient available.
  • Optimized for Hardware Virtualization: Parallels Workstation’s lightweight hypervisor fully supports the benefits of next-generation CPUs built on Intel’s VT architecture, and will support AMD Pacifica architecture when it is released to the general public.
  • Strong OS Support: A sophisticated virtual machine engine that offers the broadest support of x86-based operating systems, including:
    • The entire Windows family - 3.1, 3.11, 95, 98, Me, 2000, XP and 2003
    • Linux distributions from popular distributors like Red Hat, SuSE, Mandriva, Debian and Fedora Core
    • FreeBSD
    • “Legacy” operating systems like OS/2, eComStation and MS-DOS.
  • Easy to Install, Easy to Use: A powerful wizard enables users to create virtual machines in seconds. The industry’s cleanest, most user-friendly management console ensures hassle free control of all virtual machines.
  • Highly Efficient: A small program footprint and trusted hypervisor technology maximizes the efficiency of both the primary and guest OSes.
  • Lowest TCO: At only $49.99 per license, Parallels Workstation is the most cost effective virtual PC solution available today. Its ease of use, high-efficiency, quick startup time and responsive technical support program maximize value and significantly reduce TCO.

So, if you want to Run multiple operating systems on your Windows or Linux workstation simultaneously i highly recommend this software.

CoGen Anti Virus

CoGen Anti-Virus:

so, as promised this is the second part(read the first part here) in the series of anti virus software reviews that we analyze to decide upon the best alternative to norton anti-virus! So, today we analyze and see Cogen Anti-virus, a little heard of an anti-virus and a company Cogen Media, atleast for me has pleasantly surprised me with the quality and the efficiency of the anti virus software that they provide. Cogen Media surely is a though competition for norton anti-virus as well as Anti-Virus 2007 from CA!

So, here are some of the features of the Cogen AntiVirus software:
Virtual machine Unpacking Engine (VUE)
Virtual machine Unpacking Engine (VUE) is new innovative technology featured in CoGen Anti-virus 2007. This new technology detects viruses even when disguised under multiple layers designed to evade detection by many of the anti-virus solutions in the market today.

What is packing? Packing is the process of placing layers over viruses to disguise them from being detected by many anti-virus software applications. Viruses may be packed with many layers and anti-virus software without strong unpacking capability cannot detect the virus, Trojan, or malware. As a result, the packed viruses are identified as new viruses and the anti-virus software vendors are required to update their database of virus definitions in order to remove the packed viruses.

VUE was developed to provide a fast and effective solution to detecting and removing packed viruses. In order for packed viruses to infect a computer system, they must first remove the many layers that have helped the viruses evade detection. VUE creates a virtual machine system environment for viruses to automatically remove their layers which are then detected and removed by CoGen Anti-virus.

Unknown Virus scan and Clean technology

Unknown Virus Scan Technology scans unknown DOS, email, script, macro and Windows viruses, keeping you one step ahead of unknown future viruses.

Pre-Login Scan

This feature allows you to scan your computer system before logging into Windows. Some viruses are difficult to remove once you have logged into Windows, hence this feature allows you to perform a virus scan and remove those viruses.

File Monitor

This feature scans all files before you open them, thereby eliminating the opportunity for viruses to be opened and destroying them before they can infect your computer system.

File Monitor Whitelist

File Monitor Whitelist is a feature that includes files and directories that are skipped and not scanned by CoGen Anti-virus. By adding trusted files and directories to the File Monitor Whitelist, you can improve the amount of time that it takes CoGen Anti-virus to scan your computer system.

Memory Monitor

This feature monitors all running application programs for viruses. Once a virus is detected Memory Monitor will clean the virus and prevent it from infecting your computer system.

E-mail Scan

Incoming emails (POP3) and outgoing emails (SMTP) are scanned for viruses and CoGen Anti-Virus will alert you of any potential virus threats. CoGen Anti-virus currently only supports POP3 incoming and SMTP outgoing email protocols. The Email Scan feature helps to prevent certain Trojans from stealing your passwords and scans and cleans any outgoing emails before they are sent to ensure that you don’t infect other computer users.

Script Blocking

This feature helps to protect your computer system when you are browsing the Internet by blocking certain malicious web scripts. If you visit a web site that contains high-risk web scripts, you will be alerted by CoGen Anti-virus and prompted for action.

Boot Record Monitor

This feature scans for viruses and other malicious files that reside in the boot records of floppy disks, CD-ROMs, or USB storage devices and blocks them from infecting your computer system.

Registry Protect

This feature monitors your system registry for any modifications. If an application program attempts to modify your system registry, you will be alerted and prompted for action. Registry Protect will inform you of the name and location of the application attempting to modify your system registry and how it will be modified.

Vulnerability Defence

If Windows updates are not installed and system vulnerabilities exist, Vulnerability Defense can help protect your computer system by alerting you of any potential attacks on any system vulnerabilities.(This is another major advantage over norton )

File Shredder

File Shredder allows you to protect your privacy by permanently deleting unwanted sensitive files through Windows Explorer. To permanently delete a file, simply right-click on the file and select File Shredder. Any files deleted by File Shredder cannot be recovered.

Network Blacklist

When the Auto-Protect feature detects that a network computer is attempting to spread a virus, Network Blacklist will intercept the virus and record the name and IP address of that computer. Other computers can be manually added to the Network Blacklist. Once a computer has been added to the Network Blacklist, that computer will not be able to copy of modify the shared directory of your computer.

Embedded Scan for other Programs

CoGen Anti-virus can provide added virus protection for third party applications such as instant messaging programs, download management tools, and compression tools. The following thirty party applications are supported by CoGen Anti-Virus:

Cogen Media

  • Microsoft Office 2000 and 2003
  • Internet Explorer 5.0 and higher
  • MSN Messenger
  • Yahoo! Messenger
  • AOL Instant Messenger
  • FlashGet
  • NetAnts
  • Net Vampire
  • WinZip
  • WellGet
  • WinRAR

Once Embedded Scan has been applied to these third party application programs, CoGen Anti-virus can automatically scan all files received through these programs for viruses and other malicious files.

Thus, Cogen Anti-Virus is definately an anti virus from the big league with many features that are not even present in norton, so i would suggest giving cogen anti-virus a try, atleast download a trial version and have a look.

My review, best alternative for Norton Anti-virus, it is either a CoGen AntiVirus 2007
or an Anti-Virus 2007 from CA!

Coming up in the next section, 10 features to look for when buying any anti-virus software.


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Norton Anti-virus alternatives!

So, you have all heard of virus programs and the havoc that they cause when they attack your system and almost lets your system useless. You also know how viruses can work in stealth mode and can steal the information about the data you enter into your computer via keyloggers and that information can be used later to give you heavy financial losses.

So, what do we do to tackle with such viruses and malicious software programs who’s only intent is destruction and sabotage and maybe most of the times these days to steal your financial data. Some of the viruses are also known to consolidate your system for further damage, that is chain propogation. So, what do you do?

You use an Anti-Virus Software?

And when you think of an anti virus software, what is the name that comes to your mind ?

“Norton Anti-Virus”

No doubt the software is good and symentec has spent a lot of development and efforts to get the software to where it is today? But, for those who are looking for alternatives, here are a few!

Computer Associates Anti-Virus 2007:

  • Secure Now: Provides proactive protection by monitoring critical program functions and settings, and reminding you to keep your security at an optimal level.
  • Quick Tips: provide you with helpful, at-your-fingertips answers to commonly asked questions, easing the burden of searching the Help file or contacting Support for assistance.
  • Threat Outbreak Warning System provides real-time content feeds from the CA Security Advisor, giving you detailed, up-to-the-minute information on the most recent and most prevalent virus threats.
  • Complete Home Protection. CA Anti-Virus 2007 protects up to three PCs with a single subscription. You no longer need to buy three separate subscriptions to protect your household PC’s.
  • Improved! User Interface offers simplicity and superior ease-of-use, helping you quickly and easily set preferences, check program status, and maintain a secure PC.
  • Daily, Fully Automatic Updates easily and effectively address the #1 reason PC users suffer attacks: out-of-date signature files.
  • Continuous Protection to keep your computer protected from the latest internet risks by automatically renewing your subscription at the then current renewal price (plus applicable tax), so you don’t have to.
  • Low System Overhead with a total install of only 25 MB and low usage of system resources, CA Anti-Virus installs quickly, saves hard drive space, and scans efficiently. This is the most important advantage over Norton Anti-Virus.
  • Certified by Independent Testing Organizations including ICSA Labs and West Coast Labs, and certified by Virus Bulletin to detect 100% of viruses “in the wild”.
  • Automatic Email Scanning protects against viruses that arrive via email, before they can cause damage.
  • Scheduled and On-Demand Scanning allow you to run a virus scan at any time, or schedule scans at pre-selected intervals to meet your needs.
  • Real-time Scanning proactively stops viruses by scanning files when they are opened, closed or saved to your PC.
  • Advanced Heuristic Scanning detects new threats even before computer virus protection updates are created.
  • Interactive Virus Detection Messages provide links to helpful resources in the CA Virus Information Center when threats are detected.
  • File Quarantine removes threats from their current location to a secure quarantine area to allow you to further review the file.
  • File Exclusion List allows you to exclude specific files and folders from virus scans.
  • Archive Scanning allows you to scan compressed files in a variety of formats.

So, Computer Associates anti-virus software is as good as any of those softwares in the market; and resonably priced for all these features, Computer Associates Anti-virus is a good alternative to Norton Anti-virus and more than an alternative i think it is better!

And most importantly they are also giving guarantee that if it software doesnt get rid of all the viruses then you get a compensation of more than $1000, so they are real serious folks and any software vendor would give this kind of guarantee when he belives in his product and the product is good enough.

So, my review says if you are about to buy an Anti-virus software, get over Norton and get a Anti-Virus 2007 from CA!

Coming up in the next part a review for CoGen AntiVirus 2007


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