Azureus

Azureus is a Java based BitTorrent client, with support for I2P and Tor anonymous communication protocols. It currently supports Windows, Mac OS X, Linux and Unix. Azureus was started at Sourceforge.net mostly to experiment with the Standard Widget Toolkit from Eclipse, in June 2003. It is possibly the most popular of all BitTorrent clients.

Azureus allows the user to download multiple files in a single graphical user interface (GUI). The program also features detailed statistics and a large number of user-configurable settings. While downloading a torrent, the user can view many different statistics.

Features include:

• Multiple torrent downloads
  
• Upload and download speed limiting, both globally and per torrent
  
• Advanced seeding rules
  
• Adjustable disk cache
  
• Only uses one port for all the torrents
  
• UPnP sets the forward on your router
  
• Can use a proxy, for both tracker and peer communications
  
• Fast resume
  
• Can set a default download directory and move completed files
  
• Can import torrents automatically from a set directory
  
• Highly customizable interface
  
• IRC plugin included for quick help
  
• Embedded tracker, host your own torrents, automate your shares
  
• Distributed Hash Table: host on it a completely decentralized torrent and/or benefit from it when the tracker is offline.

Google Chrome

Google Chrome is the lightweight, fast, secure, free web browser from Google with a whole host of features such as the incognito browsing feature so that when you finish surfing the internet and close the browser all history and cookies are immediately deleted; the browser comes with a clean and simple UI as well a range of themes to customize the interface.

Publicly released as a beta in September 2008 for Windows XP it came in 43 languages and was initially intended for public feedback rather than general use. Google Chrome 5.0 released in December 2009 was the first stable cross-platform release supporting Mac OS X, Linux as well as Windows operating systems. Up until the official stable release Chrome went through many bug fixing stages and updates due to the feedback received while under beta; Google Chrome 6.0 updated the UI and improved the Omnibox feature which allows users to type both web addresses and searches in the address bar. Version 8.0 came with an update to the synchronization feature expanded to include web applications as well improved plug-in handling.

Leading up to the latest stable release of Google Chrome 17.0, features include a task manager for all open websites within Chrome which shows you how much physical memory is used by each website, visual browser history which shows a list of thumbnails of the web pages visited in the history results; more importantly security and privacy updates which make browsing the internet safer with alert pages for malicious websites and sandboxing which prevents malicious software from installing itself on your PC.

Google Chrome is compatible with Windows XP/Vista/7, Mac OS X and Linux. The current latest version of Google Chrome 17.0.963 has been confirmed as the most stable version; there are no reports of security vulnerabilities or major bugs. Older versions of Google Chrome are still functional but are not supported with technical updates from Google anymore.

There is a whole range of plugins and apps which you can add to your Google Chrome browser such as the Evernote plugin which allows you to save and organize all your notes and tag interesting webpages while browsing without leaving the website. The Prezi plugin is a great app for creating presentations or slideshows similar to PowerPoint but Prezi is web-based and easier to use.

Pros: Light on PC resources, fast browsing, secure, simple UI, search through the address bar, support for extensions.

Cons: UI not as easily customizable as Firefox, web developers prefer Firefox Read More »

GoldWave

GoldWave is a feature-rich commercial digital audio editing software developed by GoldWave Inc.

GoldWave is the most advanced and complete audio editor available. It includes all of the common audio editing commands and effects, plus powerful built-in tools such as a batch processor/converter, a CD reader, and audio restoration filters. Comprehensive, easy to use, and efficiently engineered, GoldWave offers the best value in audio editing software. With over 10 years of development and widespread usage, it has an excellent and unmatched track record.

GoldWave's Features

• Fast, high-quality, non-destructive editing, supporting up to high quality DVD format.
  
• Real-time rich-graphics visuals; such as bar, waveform, spectrogram, spectrum, VU meter, etc.
  
• A plethora of basic and advanced effects and filters such as noise reduction, compressor/expander, volume shaping, volume matcher, pitch, reverb, resampling, parametric EQ, etc provide functionality generally only found in very expensive audio editors.
  
• Effect previewing lets you try an effect before committing to the change.
  
• Effect presets let you save favorite settings combinations for later reuse.
  
• DirectX Audio plug-in support provides a way to add new functions and additional file formats.
  
• A huge list of supported audio file formats, including but not limited to WAV, MP3, Windows Media Audio, Ogg, FLAC, AIFF, AU, Monkey's Audio, VOX, mat, snd, voc, etc.
  
• Batch processing and conversion support lets you convert a set of files to a different format and applying effects.

Foxit PDF Reader

Foxit PDF Reader the alternative multilingual PDF reader, packed full of useful features and notably quicker than its competitors. Foxit is a small program, so installation is hardly time consuming and opening documents is lightning quick, it also comes with a customizable sleek UI with toolbars which feature utilities such as search tool, zoom, text selection, rotate and more. With Foxit you have more control over how you view your documents, for example, if you only wish to view the text of the PDF file Foxit will remove all images leaving just text; there is also a full-screen mode and Foxit even has a text-to-speech feature that can read aloud your document which is especially useful for the visually impaired.

First released in 2004 by developers Foxit Corporation, it attracted attention for being able to do exactly what Adobe Reader does, only quicker and with less stress on PC resources. Over the years developers tweaked Foxit adding new features and streamlining the UI; v2.2 included support for word capturing, advanced search, bookmarks synchronization and multi-tab browsing enabling you to view multiple files in one window. Leading up to the latest version 5.0.x Foxit has become more advanced and more secure minus all the bugs which are evident in Adobe Reader. Version 5 supports comment tools so you can add annotations to documents, form filler, editing tools and new skins. Its security features include trust manager (safe mode viewing), digital signature verification platform and a security warning dialogue which warns users if the PDF attempts to run a harmful external command.

Foxit PDF Reader 2.0 is the last to support Windows 95/NT 4.0/98/ME. All versions of Foxit support Windows 2000/XP/Vista/7. Foxit is also compatible with Linux.

Foxit comes in basic and full versions which are both free to download. All Foxit versions are stable and run well, however a favored version of the Foxit reader in v3.1; under stress tests it comes out best and just works flawlessly without the need for many of all the new features in later versions.

Pros: Lightning fast, small installation file, packed full of useful features, secure.
Cons: Installs add-ons with latest version (Ask toolbar).

PDF XChange Viewer

PDF-XChange Viewer is a powerful PDF editor/reader that allows you to view and edit PDFs, all from within an attractive and intuitive interface.

If there is something we have learned here at Softonic, it's that a good PDF creator is hard to find. They are either ugly, slow, lack functions or, more often, all three. Will PDF-XChange Viewer be any different?

It is! Viewing PDFs with PDF-XChange Viewer is fast and smooth - you can skip through and back pages, view documents in a variety of layouts, and search and find pages and keywords seamlessly. PDF-XChange Viewer's toolbars are totally customizable, and there is a considerable range of configuration options.

PDF-XChange Viewer's editing options are also impressive. Although the free version doesn't allow you to create documents from scratch, it does let you edit extensively, with a few exceptions, mainly the ability to add or remove pages. Commenting, underlining, stamping, attaching files and creating text boxes are all easily done, and can be modified and removed in the click of a button.

There are also tooltips, so you know what you are doing before you click. This feature is very welcome, as the PDF-XChange Viewer help is not very good. Additional cool features include a snapshot tool, document preview when opening PDFs and a huge range of interface language options.