From time immemorial Windows has come with it’s classic Notepad app.  Few users bother with it anymore, thanks to the proliferation of Microsoft Word and the free alternatives, both desktop and web based.  There are also countless competitors to Notepad itself that provide the simple text editing, but a better interface and a few more options.  When Microsoft introduced the ribbon interface to Office 2007, and now Office 2010, the original Notepad started to feel a bit dated.

Windows Notepad isn’t going away, though.  There are still enough users who favor it’s simple design and interface to keep it around.  There are also those Notepad users who want to get that more up-to-date feeling, and for them we found Notepad 7.

Notepad 7 brings the Office feel to the app with the ribbon interface that was introduced in Office and is now proliferating in Windows 8.  It offers the same great functionality that was a part of the original app, including the ability to save files with a simple .TXT extension.  Users can also customize the toolbar or move it around,  and add the date and time to documents.

Notepad 7 is available for Windows versions, including Vista SP2 and 7.  It requires .NET framework 4.0 to be installed on your PC.  It doesn’t replace the Windows version of Notepad, but is a stand-alone app.  To open a document  with it, simply choose the “open with” option.  It’s a free download from SkyForU.

Alan

Alan is the owner and editor of Making Windows Easy. In addition to writing about technology he is also an avid distance runner and hiker. Read More

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You may not encounter disc image files, generally known as .ISO files, on a  regular basis, but they are a common way to distribute files on the internet.  The files associated with a disc image, or .ISO, are rips of CD’s or DVD’s.  Yes, they are most frequently images of…shall we say less-than-legal content.  It’s a common way for file sharers to distribute and download software and movies, but it’s also used for other purposes like distributing beta software.  The Windows 8 Developer Preview, for example, was an .ISO file that users could download, burn to a DVD and then install on a PC.  I frequently rip DVD’s we buy to .ISO files in order to put them in the movie library of our living room  Media Center computer.  I use the .ISO format to get the complete disc, menus, extras, and all.

There are many free and paid programs out there for working with image files, but ISOBuddy is one of the better free ones that I have used.  It breaks everything down into the simplest terms and it can work with multiple image formats such as Roxio (gi), Nero (nrg), Padus Discjuggler (cdi), Alcohol 120% (mdf), IMG (img), Blindwrite (b5i, b6i), Macs (dmg), Pinnacle Instant CD/DVD (pdi), CDRWin (bin) and CloneCD (ccd).

Just start up ISOBuddy, click Open and choose a file, and then click Save As.  When it’s done converting your image it can then burn the resulting .ISO file to a disc for you, which eliminates the need for a separate program.

ISOBuddy is free to download and use, just visit DVD Ranger to get a copy.  It’s compatible with Windows XP, Vista, and 7 and both 32 and 64-bit versions of each.  It is currently only available in English.

Alan

Alan is the owner and editor of Making Windows Easy. In addition to writing about technology he is also an avid distance runner and hiker. Read More

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Not many people these days keep audio CD’s.  For most of us, all of the CD’s we owned have been ripped to our computers, stored on backups, and/or moved to cloud storage.  In our house we began ripping all of our CD’s years ago and then selling the discs to a music shop that dealt in used discs.  It saved us a lot of shelf space and made listening to our music a lot easier as well.   However, in the early days, I elected to use WMA (Windows Media Audio) as my format of choice, although I wave since switched to MP3.  Nothing wrong with that, it’s a great format for music.  However, it’s also not compatible with all services, like Amazon Cloud Player.  So, what do you do if you have a large bunch of music that needs to be converted to another audio type?

One solution is a free program called Switch, from NCH Software.  That’s what we’re going to be trying out here today.  Once you have downloaded the app and begun the installation you will be asked if you would like to install any of the extras that come along with it.  This isn’t anything nefarious, but a couple of them are checked by default (like the Ask.com toolbar) so be careful here.

The user interface is pretty spartan by today’s software standards, and that’s a good thing.  You can add files or folders, play songs to get a sample or make sure it’s the file you wanted, and choose from a few options.  At the bottom of the screen you can choose the audio format you want to output and the folder where you want the new files sent to.

Select your music, or a folder full of it, by browsing your PC or network and then choose what format you would like it converted to.  Now choose the folder that you want your new files placed in and click the big “Convert” button at the bottom right of the screen.

The conversion goes fairly quickly and I am testing it with Switch installed on a Laptop (on 802.11n) and the files I converted were on a computer with an ethernet connection to the the router.

You can choose, in the options, to delete the source file upon conversion (this isn’t set by default), but I would recommend making sure your new files are good and then using them to replace the old format ones.

In my tests Switch worked flawlessly.   It’s a small file and doesn’t come with bloatware, although as I said earlier, watch the installation to make sure you only get what you want.  It handles a LOT of audio file formats and converts music quickly.  The interface is straight-forward to use.  The app is free as well, although there is a paid version that adds a few more features.  You can get a copy by visiting NCH Software.

Alan

Alan is the owner and editor of Making Windows Easy. In addition to writing about technology he is also an avid distance runner and hiker. Read More

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The right-click context menu in Windows 7 is handy, but it has obvious limitations.  It only displays a handful of the options that are actually available when you right-click an item, leaving out many options that users may actually want.  There are solutions that can fix this.  For instance you can hold down the Shift key while right-clicking or you can modify the menu displayed, which isn’t particularly complicated, but still a hassle and not something you want to explain to a computer novice.

Now an app for Windows 7 called “Full Context Menu” will enable all of the options in the right-click menu without need to hold down the Shift key or modify Windows 7.  Best of all it’s a portable app so you can stick it on a USB drive and take it with you wherever you go.  Full Context Menu enables the full context menu in Windows Explorer, and displays the extra items including the explorer window, Downloads, Favorites, Links, My Documents, My Pictures, Desktop and other options.

You can launch the app the from the system tray when your USB drive is plugged in and you can right-click the app to pause it if you have any reason to do so.  The first time you launch the app on a new system it will give you the option to always launch it on startup – of course, the drive needs to be plugged in for this to work.

The app has been fully tested to work on Windows 7 and Windows Vista.  You can download the app, and the source script if it interests you, from the programmer’s website.  It’s a free app, but if you like it you can make a donation.

Alan

Alan is the owner and editor of Making Windows Easy. In addition to writing about technology he is also an avid distance runner and hiker. Read More

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Today Evernote for Windows updated to version 4.5.3.  The update was for Evernote’s PDF functionality, for users who prefer to store their PDF files in the app, which then makes them available on multiple platforms.  Evernote, in their announcement, made the bold statement that, “Everything about the way PDFs work in Evernote for Windows is better than ever.”

New functionality includes the ability to see search results inside PDF files, the ability to drag PDF files out of Evernote, copy text, and a new toolbar.  All of this hinges on the new toolbar, which allows users searching for text to scan left or right through highlighted results.  The right-side of the new toolbar contains a PDF icon which you can click and drag to move the file to your desktop or into another app, such as your PDF reader or editor.

If you upgrade to Evernote Premium then you will receive such extra features as automatic OCR performed on all scanned documents, which also becomes even more useful with the addition of the search for PDF.

All of this functionality, except OCR, is available for users of the Evernote for Windows free app.  Evernote mobile apps are available on all major platforms of smartphones.  To find out more you can visit Evernote.

Alan

Alan is the owner and editor of Making Windows Easy. In addition to writing about technology he is also an avid distance runner and hiker. Read More

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For those who worry about computer security more than the average user the USB drive must present a real nightmare.  After all, malware has become a major threat with the advent of these tiny devices.  The common USB drive has been the culprit in the cases of many public computers found to be compromised.  The bad guy shows up at the library, plugs in his drive and executes a program, then returns several days later and plugs in the same drive to gather all of the personal information of all of the unsuspecting users that came along in between.  Of course there isn’t much you can do about that, but on your own PC you can now take measures to protect yourself.  If your computer is in a public location in your home or office and you want to see if anyone has compromised it, or just see what others have been up to on it, there is USBLogView.

USBLogView tracks all USB activity on a computer.  It’s not just for the USB Drive, but any device that has been plugged in, from tablets to smartphones to MP3 players.  USBLogView runs in the background and records the details of any USB device that is plugged in or unplugged from your computer.  The details are recorded in a log,which you can view any time.

USBLogView is available for any version of Windows from Windows 2000 forward.  It’s available in English, Dutch, French, German, Greek, Polish, Romanian, Russian, Spanish, and Chinese.  It’s a free download from NirSoft.  While the USB Drive may be the biggest threat to the safety of your computer, it’s also be nice to know what the new roommate may be up to with your PC when you’re not around.  In the screenshot below you can see that it tracks a USB Drive, Bluetooth device, and another device.

Alan

Alan is the owner and editor of Making Windows Easy. In addition to writing about technology he is also an avid distance runner and hiker. Read More

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When it comes to audio programs there are no shortage of free ones and paid ones on the internet.  Many of those will convert your audio files from one format to another, but the good free ones can be hard to find (not to mention you have to be careful of malware and programs that install other things with them, like browser toolbars) and the best ones are usually paid apps.  Worse, they are all, for the most part, complicated to use for the average PC person.

Now a company named MediaHuman has an app that can convert your audio files with a minimum of fuss.  They have come up with a simple click and drag file system that makes you wonder why nobody has done this before (if someone has then let us know because we haven’t seen it).

Once you have installed the app and started it up then you can begin converting your audio right away, no learning curve here.  The main screen is the simple drag and drop interface that you put next to your Windows Explorer pane to drag your audio files over.

Across the top of the screen are a few simple options.  You can click the “plus” button to browse for audio files on your computer or network.  The “broom” icon button will clear the list.  The “minus” button removes an item from your list.  There is a button that brings up drop-down lists to choose the format you would like to convert your audio files to and the bitrate you prefer.  There’s also buttons to begin your conversion and to change your settings.

The program handles audio in  AAC, AIFF, ALAC, FLAC, MP3, OGG, WAV, and WMA file formats.  It’s compatible with both Windows and Mac computers.  They list the following system requirements on their site.

• Windows 7 32bit/64bit, Windows Vista 32bit/64bit, Windows 2003 32bit/64bit, Windows XP 32bit/64bit for PC systems
• Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard) Intel only, Mac OS X 10.6 (Snow Leopard) or Mac OS X 10.7 (Lion)
• About 60Mb of free hard drive space

You can get the program for free by visiting the MediaHuman site.  Audio has become one of the most popular file types on today’s computers and sooner or later everyone has a need for a good, simple conversion tool.

Alan

Alan is the owner and editor of Making Windows Easy. In addition to writing about technology he is also an avid distance runner and hiker. Read More

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If you use Google Docs, and many of you probably do, then being able to access your docs offline is a real need.  WiFi is widespread, but there are still plenty of times when you are out of range.  Ideally, you need a way to download and sync your Google Docs so you can have offline access from your desktop, laptop, or tablet no matter where in the world you happen to be.  Not long ago we discovered SyncDocs, but now we have found Insync, so let’s see how it works as well.

Insync is best described as Dropbox for Google Docs.  It regulates synchronization between your Google Docs account and a local storage folder.  Insync supports two-way synchronization, allowing users to sync files either up or down.  It also allows users to connect all of their Google Apps accounts to it , making it a repository for a lot of your Google data.

Insync works a bit differently from SyncDocs.  First you will need to download and install the connector app, an 8.2 MB file that is compatible with 32-bit and 64-bit version of both Windows (XP, Vista, and 7) and Mac (Leopard, Snow Leopard, and Lion), with Linux “coming soon”.  The setup process will ask you to click “ok” to restart Explorer, but don’t worry, that’s not a problem.  Once completed, a new icon will appear in your system tray.  Right-click that icon and you will get a menu of options.

Now you will need to set up Insync with your Google account.  The web page should have opened on setup, but if it didn’t then right-click the icon in your system tray and choose “Link machine”.  Now enter in your Insync user ID and password.

The system tray icon provides all of your interaction with Insync.  You can click “Recent Activities” to see what has recently been synced up and/or down.  Click “Open Insync Folder” to view all of the files that are stored locally on your computer.  This folder resides within your computer’s “My Documents” folder.  Inside the Insync folder, you will find all of the files that have been synced with the Insync server.  If you have files you want to add to Google Docs, like Office documents, you can put them in this folder.  The sync will take place instantly, just like it does in Dropbox.

Currently InSync is available by invitation only.  You can sign up to receive an invitation by visiting their website.  Right now it’s free to use and I assume that it will remain that way after it’s final release.  While you’re waiting for your invite you can check out a video below that shows off some the features.

Alan

Alan is the owner and editor of Making Windows Easy. In addition to writing about technology he is also an avid distance runner and hiker. Read More

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We are getting very close to Windows 8.  Microsoft plans to show off the Beta at CES next week during CEO Steve Ballmer’s keynote address.  A public Beta is expected sometime in February.  Now it seems that software makers are starting to get on the ball with updating their products for the future operating system.  Today Laplink announced that they would be releasing their PCmover software with new enhancements that make it compatible with for forthcoming Windows 8 Beta.

PCmover is an app designed to automatically move files, settings, user accounts, applications, and a lot more from one PC to another or even one OS to another.  The maker, Laplink, announced that it will be releasing a new version that is compatible with Windows 8 tomorrow, January 5th.  The new program isn’t actually called PCmover, but is based on it, and will be called Windows 8 Beta Assistant.

The new program will make life a lot easier for IT pros and users who just want to test the new Windows 8 Beta by upgrading from Windows 7.  The app will be available beginning January 5th and you can use it for an unlimited number of moves to Windows 8 for no charge until July of 2012.

Alan

Alan is the owner and editor of Making Windows Easy. In addition to writing about technology he is also an avid distance runner and hiker. Read More

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You may have at least seen screenshots of the next version of Windows Explorer, even if you haven’t tried out the Windows 8 Developer Preview.  The next version of Windows Explorer will have the ribbon interface that was debuted in Microsoft Office and, while many users didn’t initially like it, has become popular over the past couple of years.  It’s something that may initially seem too different, but once you get some experience with it you will find it much more useful.

Better Explorer brings the ribbon interface, and several other features, to Windows as a replacement for Windows Explorer.  Other features include tabs and extra jumplist options.  The program doesn’t replace Windows Explorer, and it’s not an add-on, but it’s a completely separate stand-alone program.  It’s an open-source project hosted over at Codeplex.

Features of the latest version, include:

The main goals of this project are:

The program is compatible with Windows 7 and is still in Alpha release, but is very stable.  If you want more functionality out of Windows Explorer than it currently has, and you like the ribbon interface for Windows 8 and the current Office, then you may want to try this out.  It’s a free download, but appears to only work with Windows 7.

Download: Codeplex Better Explorer

Alan

Alan is the owner and editor of Making Windows Easy. In addition to writing about technology he is also an avid distance runner and hiker. Read More

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