Laplink PCmover Updates for Windows 8
Last Updated on Wednesday, 4 January 2012 09:58 Written by Alan Wednesday, 4 January 2012 09:58
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.
Our 6 Favorite Tech Products of 2011 (Software)
Last Updated on Sunday, 1 January 2012 12:57 Written by Alan Sunday, 1 January 2012 12:00
We listed our favorite hardware of 2011, and now it’s time to tell you which software we liked best. While we do get to play with a fair amount of hardware, we test a ton of software and we are probably missing some good ones in this list, but we wanted to point out the ones that really stood out to us. These are the apps we use the most, the ones that are always open on the computers here.
While these are predominantly Windows apps, some work on other operating systems and one brings two of them together. So, without further ado, here is our favorite software from the year that was, 2011.
Windows 8 Developer Preview
In all likelihood this will make the list again in 2012, but the Windows 8 Developer Preview became available to the public in 2011 and created quite a stir. While news and enthusiasm has died down recently, mostly because of the lack of updates, the OS is still solid for such an early build. It’s also a whole lot different from Windows 7 and Vista. There is a lot to explore and play with and try out. The Beta is coming in February and the final release in the Fall of 2012. Windows 8 News.
Syncdocs
Syncdocs is a simple app that ties your local computer to your Google Docs. It will download documents created with Google Docs to a folder on your PC, and you can copy local files created with Office or a similar program to the folder and they will be uploaded to your Docs. It’s a tiny software program that can make a big difference by keeping your documents in sync and making them available when you are offline. Review.
Google Music
Google Music was one the big news stories in the tech world this year. It was in public Beta for several months and I was one of the lucky few to be a part of it. When the app and cloud service was released to the public, Google made the 20,000 song free storage a part of it. They also added music to the to the Android Market and have free songs available every day. Early review. Final release.
Easy Tether
Easy Tether allows you to hook your Android smartphone to a Windows Computer and use it to give the PC internet access over 3G. Word is that Verizon has been trying to crack down on this, but mine still works fine, although I may be flying under their radar due to my rare need for this app. Review.
SDExplorer
The app formerly known as SkyDrive Explorer rebranded itself as SDExplorer in 2011. It also gained a lot more functionality. Like Syncdocs it allows you to sync files between the cloud and your computer. In this case it’s your SkyDrive files that it tracks and syncs. Review.
AVG Live Kive
There are lots of cloud storage services out there, and many of them are pretty good, like Amazon S3, Mozy, and Carbonite. This year the anti-virus maker AVG threw their app into the ring with Live Kive. I have just recently started using it on of our PC’s, but it’s also available for Mac for those with mixed offices and households. A review will be coming soon.
So there are our top tech apps of 2011. Let us know what yours were in the comments below.
Got a New Windows 7 PC Today? 5 Free Apps You Should Install
Last Updated on Thursday, 22 December 2011 07:54 Written by Alan Sunday, 25 December 2011 07:00
So this morning you awoke to find that brand new Windows 7 computer you have been wanting and now you’re wondering what to do first. Well, aside from the usual setup process that a first boot-up puts you through – setting a user name, password, internet access, etc, there are some apps I consider to be my top priority on every new computer. Of course there are things like Office, which most all of us need at least from time to time, but let’s look at free apps, because not everyone wants to, or can, shell out money for this stuff. And besides, there’s a free alternative to that piece of Microsoft flagship software as well.
Let’s focus on apps that are free, easy to install and use, and will make your new PC more functional in your everyday life. We will also make sure that these are hardware-independent, meaning they have a low minimum hardware requirement and that they are just as useful on a desktop or laptop computer. With that in mind here are five apps to take a look at.
Since I brought up the Microsoft product back there this is the top free alternative. There are others available, but Open Office seems to do the best job as a stand-in for the Microsoft version. It’s free and it’s not a resource hog. Best of all, files are compatible between the two programs.
Yes, Microsoft makes it on a list of free software as well. Actually, stay tuned, they make it twice. Windows Live is a suite of apps, many of which used to come pre-installed in Windows back in the XP days. There’s Windows Live Mail (basically Hotmail, but this replaces the outdated Outlook Express), Messenger, Movie Maker (vastly improved over the old, useless version), Photo Gallery, Live Mesh, and Live Writer.
There is no better way to share, sync, and store your files than with a Dropbox account. They provide free storage, or reasonably priced upgrades to higher amounts of storage if you need it. All of your files, regardless of file type, can be stored in their cloud, shared with friends, and synced between computers.
Yes, Microsoft makes the list a second time. Before you pay for that copy of Norton or McAfee that came pre-installed on your computer, stop! This free security suite will do every bit as much to protect your PC as those over-blown, over-priced apps can do. It doesn’t use up as much system resources and, because it’s made by the people who also made your operating system, it integrates better and has less chance of hitting a false positive.
Okay, this may be a bit of a cop out to name two web browsers, but both are good and either one will work great for you. I honestly prefer, and mostly use, Firefox, but I have both installed on every PC. Firefox feels more customizable with it’s massive add-on library and it’s personas. On the other hand, Chrome has a minimalist look and super-fast speed. This one is up to the individual user.
