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Hands on with BitTorrent Sync

Announced back in January and subsequently thrown into private alpha, BitTorrent Sync ( Windows, Mac, Linux) rolled out its first version, available to the general public today. Rather than using a central online repository for your synced files, BitTorrent Sync uses the BitTorrent file-sharing protocol to transfer files between your various devices, using your rules and custom settings.

The latest version, 1.0.116, adds a few new features like one-way and one-time syncing as well as the ability to exclude specific files or subdirectories from syncing.

After spending a few hours today syncing various files across different Windows and Mac … Read more

Forget online drives, sync directly with BitTorrent Sync

If you do not trust online storage drives for file syncing across your devices or are frustrated with storage limits, there is another player in town. BitTorrent has released a new alpha version of its Sync software, which supports syncing folders across the Internet without going through an intermediary like Dropbox, Cloud Drive, or iCloud.

The Sync software uses the standard BitTorrent decentralized file-sharing technology to establish a secure file-synchronizing routine between your various devices. It does so by use of local peer discovery, peer exchange, and static known hosts as well as DHT and classic BitTorrent trackers to establish … Read more

Express Zip Free Mac Compression Software for Mac 2.14 Review

Users working with large files need applications to compress them for sending over the Internet. Express Zip Free Mac Compression Software for Mac performs this function well, and also has additional useful features.

Available as freeware, Express Zip Free Mac Compression Software for Mac requires no payments to use. After download and installation, the user must accept a lengthy licensing agreement. After this is completed, the program brings up a window that allows download of additional programs, such as file converters for audio and video. The main application menu has few design features, but is functional. A help option that … Read more

CrashPlan for Mac 3.5.2 Review

Finding outside storage to back up computer files is critical in the event of a technical problem. CrashPlan for Mac is a well-designed program and cloud service that performs its function as a data storage application.

CrashPlan for Mac is available as a free application, but the cloud backup service is free for 30 days. After that time, users must sign up for a subscription service based on the amount of storage needed and the number of computers they'd like to run the app on. The program's native installer quickly set up the program. The program's main … Read more

Apk Installer/File Manager 3.0.122212 Review

Incredibly useful, file managers allow Android users to move media files around and organize them, rename files, and create new folders. Apk Installer/File Manager functions properly and does everything one would expect from a file manager. It also provides the necessary software to install downloaded applications that did not originate from the Play Store.

Apk Installer/File Manager offers a rather quick and painless installation. There are no unnecessary advanced settings or registration required, and the application automatically accesses the file structure. The user interface is very clean and displays a traditional, tree-style file structure. It is both easy … Read more

Pirate Bay co-founder charged with alleged hacking and fraud

Intrigue and suspense movie thrillers are made from stuff like the story of Gottfrid Svartholm Warg. And for Warg, it seems like his story may be coming to an end.

The Pirate Bay co-founder was charged today with conspiracy to hack into several Swedish agencies and allegedly attempting to make an illegal online money transfer out of a local bank, according to Swedish news site The Local.

"A large amount of data from companies and agencies was taken during the hack, including a large amount of personal data, such as personal identity numbers (personnummer) of people with protected identities,&… Read more

A fix for the multifile-selection glitch in Windows 7 and 8

Sometimes you wish Microsoft would let customers decide when to delete a feature. Reader Dan Baechlin depends on Windows Explorer's ability to retain the selection of multiple files after changing the sort order. The feature has been removed from the version of Explorer in Windows 7 and 8. As Dan explains:

My job requires the ability to highlight multiple files or folders in a directory, and to retain that highlighting while re-sorting them by different fields (modification dates, thematically-based titles, etc.) Windows provided that feature -- until version 7. My work unit indexes, manages, and compares policy documents that … Read more

WordReader read MS Word files 1.07 Review

As mobile devices take on a more prominent role today, file readers are becoming more popular as they allow Android devices to view and/or edit files from Microsoft Word, for example. WordReader is one option, and while it can be useful, there are still many other alternatives that offer more features and work with more file types.

On the plus side, WordReader is a fairly light app that loads very quickly and allows the user to get right to work. The first unusual aspect of this app is the fact that it comes with its own file browser. Microsoft … Read more

Guantanamo legal files mysteriously disappear from PCs

In an institution already cloaked in mystery, puzzling happenings seem to be afoot at Guantanamo Bay prison.

Not only have many legal files suddenly disappeared from the defense team's computers, but also hundreds of thousands their documents have landed on the prosecution's computers, according to Reuters. This debacle has caused several pretrial hearings in the prison's military tribunals to be delayed.

It's not clear how the files vanished or if there was any illegal action behind the disappearance. It could have been a simple computer blip, IT issues, a security breach, hackers, or one of the … Read more