5.0.6

You get what you pay for with Textfree

Sure, they may only cost 10 cents a pop, but any parent of a teenager knows that text messages add up fast, creating a very large bill at the end of the cycle. Text Free with Textfree aims to lessen your phone bill with free texting and free calls, but its main selling points failed to actually work.

To begin, Textfree asks if it can have access to your contacts. From there, you'll have to create an account, which will require you to create a username and password, and enter your age, gender, and e-mail. After that, it'll … Read more

Defragment on the go with UltraDefrag Portable

UltraDefrag is a free, open-source file defragmentation utility for Windows. It can defragment any system file, including the Registry. It's fast and powerful by design, in part because it skips fancy data optimization strategies in favor of speed and reliability. UltraDefrag Portable is a fully portable, fully functional release based on UltraDefrag's source code. It has three operating modes: a GUI mode, with a standard user interface; a console mode; and a native mode for advanced users. We tried the GUI mode, in part because we like to see a cluster map when we defrag our drives.

You'… Read more

Defrag your hard drive with UltraDefrag (32-bit)

Most Windows users are familiar with the Disk Defragmenter utility -- or, at least, they should be. Defragmenting your hard drive can improve your computer's performance by making sure that files are all stored in one spot on the disk. There are plenty of alternatives to the built-in Windows defragmenter, including UltraDefrag (32-bit). This program comes with a defragmenter and other optimization tools that can ensure that your computer is performing as it should.

UltraDefrag has a simple interface that will look familiar to anyone who's used this kind of software before. We clicked the Analyze button, and … Read more

Erase temporary files with EraseTemp

Temporary files tend to become permanent residents of your system, unless you clean them out regularly. Many cleaners miss some of the out-of-the-way places temporary files are cached, though. Nodesoft's EraseTemp is a simple, portable tool that scans your PC for temporary files and folders and deletes anything older than one day as well as old dump files. It ignores necessary files in temporary directories that might cause programs or your system to misbehave if you delete them. It requires .NET Framework.

EraseTemp's user interface is a plain dialog with a log view and basic menu bar. The … Read more

Robust backup tool

BackupAssist provides a rich set of features for scheduling, managing, and monitoring backups. The application is overkill for the lone freelancer, but small and midsize businesses will appreciate the wide range of options and ability to create multiple jobs.

A wizard interface walks you through setting up a new job, starting with the type of backup (system, file, or application). BackupAssist does a good job of presenting its many options through visual cues and integrated Help text. We appreciated the built-in list of scheduling options, which came with recommendations on the type of company most likely to use each one … Read more