Get a free DVD ripper and video converter
Digiarty Software is giving away the store with free copies of MacX DVD Ripper Pro, WinX DVD Ripper Platinum, and MacX Video Converter Pro.
As I've mentioned before, the makers of DVD rippers and video converters seem to offer a new giveaway every month or two -- meaning there's little point in actually buying their products. (Don't feel guilty; this obviously works out for them, otherwise they wouldn't keep doing it.)
Digiarty Software, for example, is currently running two separate giveaways on five different programs. Sort of. Stay with me, because this gets a little confusing.
From now until May 20, as part of its Hello Summer promotion, you can get Digiarty's WinX DVD Ripper Platinum (Windows) for free.
Just click Get License Code, jot down the code, then download and install the program. The first time you run it, you'll need to enter that code in order to activate it.
Need a Mac version? Click Gift for Mac Users, then "like" Digiarty on Facebook and follow the instructions provided there.
Or, hop over to the Digiarty MacXDVD 2nd Anniversary Giveaway, where you can get MacX DVD Ripper Pro for free. For Mac. And for Windows. Just click Giveaway and choose the version you want.
Where's the license key? In the Windows version, it's inside a text file (License Key.txt) that's inside the Zip file you download. I'm assuming the same is true for the Mac version.
Oh, also, scroll down that MacXDVD Giveaway page and you'll see a chance to win MacX Video Converter Pro (again, for Mac and Windows). All you have to do is identify the movie shown in the photo. Not sure? Click the Click to Change button for a different movie to guess. They're all extremely easy.
In case the name doesn't give it away, MacX Video Converter Pro can convert just about any video format into any other video format. It can also burn a batch of videos to DVD.
As for the rippers, they're the latest and greatest versions of each. Digiarty notes in particular that WinX DVD Ripper Platinum can handle the newer forms of copy protection on movies like "Mission Impossible 4" and "Real Steel." (I'm sure the same is true of MacX. In fact, I installed and activated both, and they appear to be identical.)
Of course, you should rip only those movies you own.
The only "catch" with all these giveaways is that they don't come with tech support, and they're not eligible for upgrades. Of course, as you know by now, a new freebie is just around the corner, so that's hardly an issue.
I'm not sure why Digiarty is exhibiting signs of multiple personalities (MacX for Windows! WinX for Mac!), but with so many great freebies, I'm not going to complain.
Bonus deal: Game time! Ending today, Steam is offering Portal and Portal 2 (Win/Mac) for $8.49. That's the best bundle price I've seen on these two games, which rank among my all-time favorites. You don't even have to be a gamer to relish these incredible FPPs: first-person puzzlers.