freeware

Recently the subject of people's least-favorite software came up. Instead of the usual suspects -- Microsoft Office, Adobe Reader, Norton Antivirus -- I was surprised by the unanimous response of a mixed group of Mac and Windows users: "iTunes stinks" (or words to that effect).

Apple's media software doesn't earn a spot on my personal list of adventures in bad coding (which is dominated by products from Microsoft and Adobe), but I rely on the program primarily because of ancillary products: the iPhone, iPad, iCloud, and iTunes Match.

As stated in CNET's iTunes 11 review from last October, … Read more

ExploitShield launched in September 2012 (covered previously by Seth Rosenblatt) with an ambitious goal: to close the yawning security gap for zero-day threats, those nasty exploits that arise upon first notice of a security vulnerability in a browser or other application before developers can fix the hole. Today, the ExploitShield technology gained a lot more visibility as it was acquired by security-software publisher Malwarebytes, whose Malwarebytes Anti-Malware software has been a Top 10 product on Download.com for many years.

As a result of the purchase, Malwarebytes has released a new beta version of the software, now called Malwarebytes Anti-Exploit. … Read more

One of the great things about "smartphones" is that they are awfully hard to lose. In fact, there are countless apps that will help locate your phone from Timbuktu to Tippecanoe County. (And oh, how many times have I wished I could call my keys or wallet to find them?) However, if your ringer is on mute, finding it when it's wedged down in the couch cushions requires a keen ear for the buzz of vibrate mode.

Or, if you are a rational Android user, you will download and install the free Android app SMSAlarm, which offers … Read more

Recently I splurged on a Samsung Series 9 Ultrabook, which I absolutely love. It's a svelte, speedy marvel of modern computing, and almost certainly my favorite laptop of all time.

Which is why I'm especially fearful of losing it. Laptop thieves are everywhere. If they're not breaking into your car or home, they're snatching and grabbing from offices, coffee shops, airport security lines, and so on.

Arguably the only thing worse than your laptop getting stolen is knowing there's no way to get it back. After all, it's not like it can "phone … Read more

For over a year now I've championed Kingsoft Office Free 2012 as one of the top Microsoft Office alternatives for Windows, and with good reason: It's one of the best-looking clones out there, with superb file-compatibility to boot.

Yesterday, Kingsoft unveiled Office Free 2013 (Windows). (Please see below before you install it.) I'll go out on a limb and say it's now the single best free replacement for Microsoft Office, for a couple of very good reasons.

In case you're unfamiliar with it, Kingsoft Office includes three modules: Writer, Spreadsheets, and Presentations. Needless to say, … Read more

Endless runners have been a longtime staple for many casual gamers. Whether you're a Temple Runner, Jetpack Joyrider, or Robotic Unicorn on the Attack fan, you realize that these games are fun for one simple reason: they are easy to pick up and put down. Race The Sun, at its core, is not very different from these other running games. With that said, we were surprised how much time it sucked out of our day.

In Race The Sun you pilot a solar-powered craft, racing at a breakneck speed down a desolate gray desert toward the sunset (Sounds like … Read more

These days, regular folks across the world are using free software to easily create homespun music, Webisodes, and movies, so why not interactive fiction? A little program called Twine (download for Windows or Mac) that brings a DIY ethos to text-based Web games has slowly emerged as a huge player in the indie-game scene. If you're new to Twine, it's freeware that lets users develop their own interactive stories and games. It enables players to determine their own adventures by clicking on hyperlinks scattered throughout the text.

Originally developed by Chris Klimas, Twine has been used by myriad … Read more

Gameplay In iRunner, you play a stuffed doll who speeds through various worlds to collect items and power-ups while getting progressively faster. Controls are simple: players tap the "jump" or "slide" buttons in response to oncoming obstacles such as pitfalls, spikes, and hanging light bulbs. Collecting four costume gift boxes triggers a short animation sequence that transforms your character into a superhero while adding a bonus multiplier to your score. As you reach each checkpoint, your character starts running faster as well.

The top panel displays your score, a battery icon, and the number of presents … Read more

Facebook is in the process of rolling out yet another interface revamp. As Sharon Vaknin described in a post earlier this month, the new look for the Facebook News Feed provides many new options for viewing your friends' posts.

You can add your name to the waiting list for the new-look News Feed, but you don't have to wait to enliven your Facebook page's appearance.

While the company provides only a handful of options for tweaking the look of your Facebook profile, Matt Kruse's free Social Fixer browser add-on (formerly named Better Facebook) takes Facebook customization to … Read more