Software

FreeMemory for Mac is a utility to free up unneeded memory in your Mac OS X device. It is available for free from the App Store and download sites. It installs easily.

The goal of FreeMemory for Mac is to mark blocks of memory that were used by terminated applications as free, allowing them to be used by other applications. When run, FreeMemory for Mac checks what memory is allocated and whether it is associated with a running app. If not, then it is freed up, allowing for other apps to run. Activated by clicking on the menu bar icon, … Read more

Droplr is a file and link sharing app for Mac OS X. Available from the App Store and many download sites, Droplr installs easily and requires an account on the Droplr servers to operate. The basic Droplr service is free, and there is a Pro service, with more bandwidth, available for an additional cost.

Using Droplr is easy. You drag anything onto the Droplr menu bar icon or use the keyboard shortcut; whatever you selected is automatically uploaded to a remote server, and the remote URL is returned to you. You can then share the URL with others through email, … Read more

Cinema 4D for Mac is a complex 3D graphics app for Mac OS X. With prices ranging up to $1,000 for a license, this is not a lightweight app decision. It also requires considerable hardware resources to function.

Designed to allow your MacBook or iMac to become a 3D animation studio, Cinema 4D for Mac is a full-featured software package that looks and works like a dedicated animation hardware platform. Learning Cinema 4D for Mac takes a fair bit of time; it may take weeks to become conversant in the software and use the incredible power it has underneath … Read more

For a while there, the browser was winning the war.

New startups launched online services rather than packaged software. Browser makers raced to transform the Web from a place to publish documents into a general-purpose programming platform. People spent more and more time using the Web instead of software that ran natively on devices.

Then the era of modern smartphones and tablets began. And in 2012, it became clear that Web app advocates will have to work a lot harder to build a universal software foundation. Here's a look at what happened this year in the world of the … Read more

When I got my Microsoft Surface two months ago, my 11-year-old asked if he could try it. "Sure," I said, and I was able to hand it over without worry that he'd be getting into my work e-mail or accidentally tweeting on my behalf. The Surface has what the iPad lacks: multiuser support.

It's not just the Surface, either. Any Windows tablet allows different users to have their own accounts. The latest version of Android, such as on the Nexus 7 and Nexus 10, also offers this. Even Amazon's Kindle Fire HD has a … Read more

Google Maps users looking to get more out of the app can grab some free advice from Google itself.

A new page dubbed "10 ways to make your Google Maps for iPhone experience even better" reveals several handy features that you may not know existed.

Tip 1: To place a pin on a map, press down and hold any location. The pin reveals the specific address and displays an info sheet with an option to share that location.

Tip 2: To access Street View, press and hold any location on the map and then tap on the info … Read more

It's been a fun series of freebies this week! Free seasons of TV shows (now expired, alas), free movies from Vudu, a free membership to ShopRunner -- and today, to top it all off, some free software.

Before I tell you about it, I'm going to ask that you please read the instructions as I've outlined them below, as these giveaways always seem to trip up some readers. There's nothing complicated here, but if you don't pay attention, you'll end up e-mailing me about what a fake or scam or screw-up this is.

So. … Read more

Apple's use of HTTPS for its App Store isn't winning it any friends from the Chinese government.

The company seems to have recently turned on the more secure protocol for its App Store. Before that switch, censors in China could block Chinese users from searching for certain types of apps, such as VPN software, according to Greatfire.org, which monitors Chinese Internet censorship.

Searching for such apps would cause the actual connection to reset, meaning users in China couldn't download them even if they were available in the Chinese App Store.

But now with the more secure … Read more

iGetter is a download management app for MacOS. We could not find iGetter on the App Store but it is available from several download sites and the publisher's Web site. iGetter installs easily. You can use iGetter for free as a single use license with no expiration, or buy a license with full support for $25.

The iGetter interface consists of a number of icons across the top of the dialog and a status display for files beneath. It can launch automatically when you start a download, or you can use iGetter to initiate the downloads. There are two … Read more