1.4.4

Review: JES Video Cleaner tries to improve the quality of videos by reducing noise

JES Video Cleaner for Mac reduces noise in a user's existing video files by analyzing and reprocessing them, based on customizable settings the average consumer won't understand and in an interface that is not too easy to use.

JES Video Cleaner for Mac comes as a small downloadable ZIP, which you can extract wherever you choose. The interface is monotone and not very intuitive. The software comes with a Help file, which offers guidance on what steps to take and in what order, but contains no insight into what any of the settings mean. We were able to … Read more

Review: Kapow simplifies time tracking on your PC

Kapow is a useful tool for online freelancers or individuals who work at home while still on the clock. Tracking time spent without recording your actions on screen, it is a very easy tool, but will fulfill a need for many hourly, at-home workers who would prefer not to use invasive online tracking tools.

Kapow opens with a clean, almost bare-bones interface. Create a project in the left pane, define your task at the top, and click "Start" to record time as you work. With a minimal GUI and no colors or buttons onscreen, it is very rudimentary, … Read more

Build your team and increase your players' skill

If you know hockey well, be ready to go straight through the menus of Big Win Hockey and play your seasonal games away. If you're not that familiar with hockey, well there's always room for a little trial and error.

The simple interface of Big Win Hockey has straightforward buttons and options. For those who are well-versed in the game, it should be a breeze to jump in and get your team assembled, but a few specifications presented in the player's stats, such as the player's shot orientation and rating, might not make immediate sense to … Read more

PhotoFilmStrip animates still images

Filmmaker Ken Burns revolutionized historical documentaries by using subtle motion with sound overlays to bring life to old still photographs. Developer Jens Gopfert's PhotoFilmStrip uses what he calls the "Ken Burns" effect. This free slideshow maker actually creates movies out of your still images in three steps: select images, set motion paths, and create a video that can be saved in several high-quality formats, including full HD. You can also add music or other audio tracks and add comments in image subtitle fields.

PhotoFilmStrip's clean interface opened with a How to Start page that let us … Read more

Perfect panoramas

There is something kind of magical about creating panoramic images. If all goes as planned, you take several separate photos and then use a piece of software to stitch them seamlessly into one. The best programs do this with little effort on the part of the user and return images that don't betray their piecemeal origins. Image Composite Editor is just such a program. It's easy enough for anyone to use, but the end result is better than we've seen from other, more complex programs.

Image Composite Editor has a plain, uncluttered interface, and creating a panorama … Read more

Basic document keeper

EDoc Organizer is a sleek and intuitive program that allows users to organize a variety of electronic documents. It doesn't have a ton of features, but it does have a few effective tools that make document organization a breeze.

The program's interface is well-designed and attractive, with its features separated into several pains and a handful of menus. Users simply import existing electronic documents or scan paper ones, and the program displays thumbnails of each one. Users can use color-coded labels to organize the documents; the program comes with labels for bills and the months of the year, … Read more