Five Free Apps » utilities

Wake Up With Bongiorno – Good Morning! for iPad

Brian Mongold — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 02:20:16 +0000

Faqden Labs, developers of notable apps such as IntelliVocab, Trailhead and PowerVocab, just launched a brand new free iPad app.

Bongiorno – Good Morning! is a Free iPad news reader app that integrates Twitter, weather and alarm functionality into its’ interface. To make for a more visually satisfying wakeup, the app lets you choose from a variety of background images based on the weather and time. The intent of the app is to better organize your mornings, giving you a centralized interface to give you your early morning needs.

Let’s first examine the home screen, which is ultimately your control panel for the app. A high resolution image that correlates to the time and weather serves as the background. A navigation bar along the top of the screen has buttons that consist of home, news, weather and sleep mode. Additionally, a settings button provides configuration options for each component. Directly below the settings wheel, you’ll find a Twitter button to tap and reveal Tweets from your timeline. Though the app icon shows a Facebook icon, this functionality isn’t currently available but I’d guess it will be included in the one of the next updates.

The app currently only displays in portrait mode, but hopefully the developer will add landscape mode in the future.

The bottom of the screen has an off-white shelf with a small weather/date block, time, coffee icon linking to the developer’s site and an annoying animated banner that stretches across the very bottom of the screen.

The heart of the app is the news section, which I unfortunately had some issues with crashing after customizing the categories and sources. You can read news with a simple tap of the news icon from home screen.

Customizing the news section is made through settings. You can add/delete categories and manually add new sources by typing the name and RSS URL of your favorite sites.When I was able to work within the app, it had a bit of a Pulse type display of sources/content. Upon tapping to open the full articles, the article expanded but only partially as a portion by other article cover flow. I’d personally prefer the ability to launch an article to full screen or access the original source.

The news section consists of popular sources such as TechCrunch, Engadget, BBC, CNN, Time, CNET, ESPN and Forbes organized into the default categories Tech, Business, Politics and Entertainment. As you delete categories, new ones are displayed.

Managing categories and sources could use an improvement since you can’t really browse the additional categories without first deleting one of those displayed. Hopefully the developer also considers adding more sources or a button to search for sources rather than manually typing a URL for every source. Another shortfall is the inability to remove the default sources from the list.

Another key component of the app is the alarm section. You can add multiple alarms, selecting the time and date, choice of seven tones and an option to have the alarm recur weekly or daily. This section, coupled with the sleep mode button worked well in my tests. My only fear was that the app would crash and I’d miss the alarm. However, it’s important to note the only crashes I observed were due to tapping the news icon.

The Weather component is nice, but for some reason I can’t get it to retain the city I saved so after relaunching the app I see Cupertino, CA each time. The strange thing is the display shows Cupertino, CA with my current time (Eastern Standard).

The Twitter drop down window is very nice, displaying the 8 latest Tweets. However, you can currently only read Tweets as there is no functionality to reply, retweet, etc. The annoyance with Twitter occurs when relaunching the app, which forced me to login again each time.

Overall, I really appreciate all the included components this app provides. I would personally categorize it more as a utility rather than a news app. It’s a bit like Nightstand Central, but falls a bit short. The bugs I found in the app, particularly with the crashes and my customizations failing to save after relaunch, prevents me from recommending a download. Bongiorno does have solid potential with the great development team behind the app. Keep an eye on this app. Once the quirks are worked out and the developer offers an ad-free version of the app, I can see it being competition for my Nightstand Central app.

21 Best iPad Apps in 2011 – One App Selected For Each Category (Part 3)

Brian Mongold — Sun, 18 Dec 2011 21:52:18 +0000

Part 1 (1 – 7) | Part 2 (8 – 14) | Part 3 (15 – 21)

15. Evernote (Productivity) is rated 4.5 stars with 2938 ratings. The app has won plenty of awards & was even inducted into the Apple “App Hall of Fame.” Evernote calls itself “an extension of your brain,” by providing the best note and idea platform/database. Create text, photo and audio notes and sync them across just about every platform. It’s quick and easy to search and find notes you need. I have almost 100 notes that consist of study material, manufacturer information for appliances, vehicle information like my vin number, passwords and plenty others. Dropbox is a close 2nd for me in this category. (Free)

16. WolframAlpha (Reference) is rated 4.5 stars out of 361 ratings. This app specializes in computation, using algorithms and data to compute answers and generate reports. WolframAlpha is also integrated into Siri provides solutions and a reference for math problems, statistics, physics, chemistry, materials, engineering, astronomy and more. ($2.99)

17. MyPad+ (Social Networking) is 4 stars out of 1053 ratings. It’s the 5th highest grossing Social Networking app. You’d think this category would be loaded with quality apps with the big three in Facebook, Twitter, Skype and Google+. However, this isn’t the case as the official apps have both issues and limitations. MyPad+ has a nice user interface and does best with Facebook, but also integrates Twitter. It sports a similar panel view to that of Twitter’s official app, displaying multiple window panes on the same screen.

18. College Bowl Guide 2011-2012 (Sports) is rated 5 stars out of 31 ratings. The app was just released this month, but bests a weak class of Sports applications. The interactive app will look familiar as it’s from the makers of The Daily. You’ll get the latest news, full pages for each Bowl game, videos and more. (Free)

19. TripIt – Travel Organizer – FREE (Travel) is rated 4.5 stars with 590 ratings. This app does all the work for you scanning your email for hotel, airfare and rental car confirmations and automagically builds your itinerary so it’s ready when you need it. It takes all your trip details and organizes it into one useful itinerary, syncing with your iPad calendar. TripIt is my go-to app when I’m on the road. (Free)

20. Air Video (Utilities) is rated 4.5 stars out of 49 ratings. This app lets you stream your video collection on your iPad with live conversion. The app works over your WiFi connection and 3G. You’ll need to install the free desktop software for your PC or Mac to stream and convert the videos. Either stream videos from your computer or let the app convert and store it for you. ($2.99)

21. Fahrenheit – Weather and Temperature on your Home Screen (Weather) is rated 4.5 stars out of 447 ratings. It’s the 4th highest grossing Weather app for iPad. There are some other great weather apps available, but I personally prefer a more feature-based app, than visual. What I like about this app is that it displays the current temperature on the app icon and notifies you when there is a change in the weather. The app has a ton of other features such as feels like temperature, 10-day forecast, sunrise/sunset, wind direction and more. ($0.99)

Choosing one app per category sure was tough to do, but I had to mention a few other favorite apps that are worthy of being among the Top Apps in 2011.

Dropbox (Productivity) is 4 stars, 648 ratings. Save files, pics, videos & more on Dropbox and access them from anywhere. (Free)

AppAdvice (News) is 4.5 stars, 531 ratings. All the best app news & reviews. They are also giving away some great prizes for the holidays. (Free)

Spotify iPhone App (Music) 3 stars, 92 ratings. The app is just ok, but the service is amazing letting you stream music you want.

Did I miss any of your favorite apps? Surprised to not see any apps in particular? Let me know what you think of the apps listed.

Part 1 (1 – 7) | Part 2 (8 – 14) | Part 3 (15 – 21)

The Greatest Freebie Deal Ever! Starting Now, Box.net Offering 50GBs Free To Users For Life

Brian Mongold — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 23:25:27 +0000

Dropbox has been one of my top 5 favorite apps and services for the last year and a half. However, with the promotion I found today it’s now on my list of apps to purge. Why, you may ask? Box.net has just began a promotion that will give each existing or new user 50 GBs free for life. To give you a comparison, Dropbox will cost you $10 per month for 50GBs and the new Apple iCloud service will run you an annual fee of $100.

The promotion will only last for 50 days, so get your account now. Box.net lets you store and share files from your desktop, iPhone, iPad, HP Touchpad, Android device and more. Box.net has a plethora of applications to help you collaborate with the service such as Facebook, Office, Google Apps and many more.

Here are some of the awesome features you’ll get from the Box.net iPhone and iPad App.

View files directly on your iPhone and iPad
Share files easily with a link
Upload photos to your Box account (iPhones only)
Open files in other apps installed on your device, like Documents to Go and GoodReader (iPads only)
Secure content with file-level encryption, a four-digit passcode and automatic logout when the app is closed
Project files from Box to a TV, LCD monitor or projector via AV Out (iPads and iPhone 4S only); wirelessly stream content using AirPlay (iPad 2 and iPhone 4S only)
Wirelessly print to AirPrint-enabled printers (iPads only)

Have you taken advantage of this awesome promotion? Let me know what you think or which third party applications you prefer for use with Box.net. I’m new to Box.net, but I’m going to warm up to it real quick with the free 50GBs.

5 Most Downloaded System Utilities This Week (That Will Cost You Zip)

Brian Mongold — Sun, 27 Feb 2011 00:02:04 +0000

When is the last time you cleaned your PC up? Have you noticed any difference in the speed of your browsing? Over time, your system will get bogged down with temporary files, cookies, your cache and more.

The list of applications below include utilities to speed up your PC, recover deleted files and partition or drives. Each application is free and according to CNET’s Download.com, the most downloaded within the last week.

5. Smart Defrag analyzes and scans your system, then defragments your harddrive and continues to work in the background. It’s useful and very light weight, so won’t consume your resources.

4. Pandora Recovery can save the day by recovering files you accidentally deleted. It works by recovering items removed from your recycle bin by holding in the Shift and Delete keys. You can browse, search, preview and recover deleted files from your hard drive, flash drive and memory cards.

3. Partition Wizard Home Edition lets you execute partition operations to resize, copy, format, delete and create new partitions.

2. Auslogic Disk Defrag is another defrag application that scans and consolidates your scattered system files. It optimizes for better disk performance.

1. Glary Utilities is a suite of tools that provides PC maintenance, disk cleaning, privacy protection, registry cleaner and more.

Have you used any of these useful system utilities? Have any of your favorites you’d like to share? Tell us what you use to clean and optimize your system.

5 Free Super Utilities to Clean & Optimize Your PC

Brian Mongold — Fri, 12 Nov 2010 11:06:41 +0000

You fire up your PC, then you patiently wait… and wait…and continue to wait as your computer feels like it’s getting slower as the days go by. Sounds like it’s time to do a little spring cleaning to clean and optimize your system.

You wouldn’t sweep your carpet with a broom. That’s crazy talk! It would take all day and you’d leave dirt behind. We need the right tools to save us time, frustration and money, whether we’re cleaning our house or our PC. The free utilities below will help you clean up and optimize your system, just in time for Spring. Without further ado, here are 5 of my absolute favorite free utilities that’ll help you get the job done.

1. Advanced SystemCare Free (Windows 2000/XP/2003/Vista/Server 2008/7/NT)

Advanced SystemCare Free is an all-in-one utility that cleans and optimizes your PC, enhancing it’s performance. With one click of the circular “Care” button, the utility begins by maintaining your Windows as it scans and removes spyware and adware, cleans your registry, erases your browsing history and traces and cleans up your junk files. Once it completes the maintain Windows cycle, it moves on to “Diagnose System” as it optimizes and repairs your system settings, scans and protects spyware from being installed, defrags your harddisk and scans to find hijacked settings. Want more? There’s also a “Utilities” section to further repair, optimize and clean up your system. Don’t forget to run this program, since the free version doesn’t allow you to schedule it.

Image via brothersoft.com

2. Glary Utilities (Windows 2000/XP/Vista/7)

Glary Utilities launches in an easy to use interface in a “1-Click Maintenance” tab. You have 6 different focus areas in Registry Cleaner, Shortcuts Fixer, Startup Manager, Temporary Files Cleaner, Tracks Eraser and Spyware Removal with a check mark by each. Simply clicking “Scan” will provide a deep scan of your system and display any problems found in each area. After finding the problems determined from the scan, click “Repair Problems” to quickly fix the issues found.

Once you’re finished with the 1-Click Maintenance, you can also explore the “Modules” tab which gives you even more tools in the following tabs; Clean Up & Repair, Optimize & Improve, Privacy & Security, Files & Folders and System Tools. There are quite a few tools to take advantage of.

Image via online-tech-tips.com

3. Revo Uninstaller (Windows 2000/XP/2003/Vista/Server 2008/7)

Revo Uninstaller lets you uninstall programs in a quicker and smarter way than the standard Windows Add/Remove functions. When launching this program, you’ll see all the installed application’s titles and logos. It works by scanning before and after you uninstall an application. You can right-click on any of the applications and get options such as Uninstall, Remove Entry, Search on Google, Install Location and Open Registry Key. When uninstalling, you get different uninstall settings (Basic, Built-in, Moderate and Advanced). This provides different levels of scanning, i.e. Basic is your typical uninstall without the scan and additional options, while Advanced takes longer to execute but gives you a deep and thorough scan of your hard drive and registry for all the left overs.

2. Smart Defrag (Windows 98/Me/2000/XP/2003/Vista/Server 2008/7/NT)

Smart Defrag specializes in defragmenting your hard drive to run an a more efficient manner, but stands out among the other defrag utilities with it’s ability to also optimize your disk performance. Launching the application gives you a control panel that includes options to startup or just analyze Defrag Only, …, or Deep Optimize. The program works by organizing your data and files on your PC for better performance. You can also setup auto defrag, which runs in the background very quietly without tying up your resources.

Image via softsia.com

5. CCleaner (Windows 98/2000/XP/2003/Vista/7)

I couldn’t conclude this list without one of my favorite utilities I’ve been using for years, CCleaner. What does the C in CCleaner stand for you may ask? C = Crap and cleaning the crap your computer has is exactly CCleaner’s specialty. It eliminates all the tracks left behind from your browsing with Firefox, Internet Explorer and other browsers. It also erases traces from many of the applications you run, while providing options to clean your Registry and scan for any invalid entries. It provides additional options to uninstall programs, but I recommend sticking with Revo Uninstaller for any uninstall.

I use each of the applications mentioned above and personally love them all. Each are valuable, free and quite effective. It’s difficult to choose a favorite, but Revo Uninstaller is so unique and useful. The ability to remove all traces of folders, registry entries, etc when uninstalling applications is fantastic. Do you have any favorite, free maintenance tools you’d recommend? As always, I’d love to hear from you.

Best in 2009 – 15 Security Freeware Tools for Windows

Brian Mongold — Sat, 26 Dec 2009 20:49:39 +0000

Now that 2009 is almost a wrap, let’s take a look at the some of the best free security, maintenance and utilities for Windows. With the list of outstanding freeware available, purchasing security software is becoming a thing of the past. The software below is categorized and features some of the highest rated software via CNET available free of charge.

ANTIVIRUS SOFTWARE

AVG Antivirus Free Edition 9.0 (Windows 2K, XP, Vista, 7) – Gives you an excellent collection of tools for antivirus, antimalware as well as a link and e-mail scanners.

Avira AntiVir Personal 9.0 (Windows 2K, XP, Vista 32-bit and 64-bit) – Antivirus and antispyware protection.

Avast Home Edition 4.8 (Windows 95/98/Me/2K, Vista, XP, 7, NT) – Antivirus protection, multiple shields and multiple virus removing tools.

Firewalls

ZoneAlarm 9.1 (Windows 2K, XP, Vista, 7) – Simple to use with a handy wizard. Protects against internal and external threats.

Online Armor Free 4.0 (Windows XP/Vista/7 32-bit) – This free firewall features a keylogger guard along with tamper and worm protection.

SpyWare Removers

Malwarebytes Anti-Malware 1.42 (Windows 2K, XP, 2003, Vista, Server 2008, 7) – scans and removes malware, but real-time protection is only available with the paid version.

Ad-Aware Free Anti-Malware 8.1 (Windows 2K, XP, Vista) – This tool scans and removes malware and spyware.

Trend Micro HijackThis 2.0 (Windows 95/98/Me/2000/XP/NT) – Scans for and displays hard to find spyware.

Utilities

SmartDefrag 1.30 (Windows 98/Me/2000/XP/2003/Vista/Server 2008/7/NT) – Scans, analyzes and continually defrags files you use the most.

Revo Uninstaller 1.85 (Windows 2000/XP/2003/Vista/Server 2008/7) – Uninstalls and completely removes programs.

TweakNow PowerPack 2009 1.7.2 (Windows XP/Vista/7) – Tools that include, registry cleaner, registry defragmenter and tools to tweak and personalize Windows.

Advanced SystemCare Free 3.4 (Windows 2K, XP, 2003, Vista, Server 2008, 7, NT) – Suite of tools for cleaning and maintenance of your PC with one click.

CCleaner 2.27 (Windows 95/98/Me/2000/XP/Vista/NT) – Removes cache, cookies, cleans registry and more.

Glary Utilities 2.18 (Windows 2000/XP/Vista/7) – Utilities that clean junk files, fixes shortcuts and frees disk space.

Macrium Reflect Free Edition 4.2 Build 2098 (Windows XP/Vista/7) – Backs up your computer.

Unofficial Guide to BlackBerry Storm 9530 & 9500; Enhance Performance & Productivity

Brian Mongold — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 18:09:09 +0000

This post is dedicated to enhancing the performance, battery life and overall productivity of your BlackBerry Storm 9530 and 9500. The information below is a combination of what I’ve learned along the way by playing with and testing different things with my BlackBerry Storm and from reading and learning from great resources, such as the CrackBerry Forums, which is well informed group of some of the most advanced and knowledgeable BlackBerry users. I’ve attempted to categorize the information below to help you better find what you’re looking for.

IMPROVE PERFORMANCE AND BATTERY LIFE

For the steps below, I have to give credit where credit is due. Each step below has been compiled from a few different threads on Crackberry.com, A guide to make your Storm BETTER by Scoops and How to: Save Battery On Your Storm by BBA. To see noticeable and significant performance and battery enhancements, you don’t need to use all the steps, but I’ve listed them all so you can use what works best for you.

Modify GPS Settings = Click Options -> Advanced Options -> GPS -> Change GPS Service to E911-> Save *Note: Some Applications, such as WeatherBug, Poynt, Maps and others will need the GPS settings On to work properly.

Results: Turns off your GPS, enabling only 911 to access your location. Enhances your battery life.

Change Network Settings = Click Options-> Mobile Network -> Click Network Technology -> Change Network Technology to 1XEV if you’re in North America or 2G if in Europe

Results: Increases Battery Life and Performance

Lower Your Backlight Timeout Settings = Click Options -> Screen/Keyboard -> Change Backlight Timeout to lower setting, i.e. 10

Results: Enhances your battery life

Lower Your Blackout Brightness = Click Options -> Screen/Keyboard -> Change Blackout Brightness to lower setting, i.e. 10

Results: Enhances your battery life

Disable Bluetooth if You Don’t Need It = Click Manage Connections -> Uncheck Bluetooth

Results: Enhances your battery life

Turn off LED Flash Alerts for Message Alerts = Click SMS and Messages -> Menu -> Messages Alert -> Click one listed item at a time, changing LED: to Off -> Save

Results: Enhances your battery life

To find more tips, tricks and how-to’s, visit the CrackBerry BlackBerry Storm Forums.

MAINTENANCE

To keep your BlackBerry Storm running smoothly and efficient, you’ll want to do occasional, routine maintenance. One thing I failed to realize when I first purchased my BlackBerry Storm was that every application you open, remains open and running in your background. If too many Apps are running in the background, this can kill your battery and significantly effect your Storm’s performance. In addition to Apps running in the background, downloading several Apps can suck up all your memory and have an effect on your performance. Below are a few tips to follow to keep your BlackBerry cleaned up.

Close Unnecessary Apps Running in the Background = Hold the Menu key -> Close

Charge on Regular Basis – Especially when it’s brand new, ensure you charge it for atleast 12 hours. I typically regularly charge my device every night before going to bed.

Delete Unused Apps = Click Options -> Advanced Options -> Applications -> Highlight Apps to delete, one at a time -> Click Menu -> Scroll down to select DeleteDelete all apps that you are not going to use.

Create a Maintenance Folder = Click Menu -> Add Folder-> Name Maintenance or whatever you choose, then you can move all your Maintenance Apps or utilities to this folder by highlighting each item, then clicking Menu -> Move or Move to Folder. I have Options, Memory Clean, Manage Connections and QuickPull in my Maintenance Folder for quick access.

Utilities and Techniques to Optimize and Protect Your Computer

Brian Mongold — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 14:38:10 +0000

I originally began this post by creating a listing of utilities and techniques to help you clean, optimize and protect your computer to improve it’s efficiency and security. After researching, I found so many outstanding articles that were just too good not to mention. I hope you enjoy this central source for all these great utilities and techniques.

Utilities

5 Top Tools to Clean & Speed Up Your PC (eazycheezy.net)

A Computer Repair Utility Kit You Can Run From a Thumb Drive (readwriteweb.com)

36 Free Security Tools; Anti-Spyware, Privacy, Antivirus, Firewalls & More (eazycheezy.net)

Top 5 Malware Tools (lifehacker.com)

Top 3 Free AntiVirus Programs (eazycheezy.net)

Five Best Windows Maintenance Tools (LifeHacker.com)

Techniques

Top 10 Ways to Clean Up Your PC (LifeHacker.com)

99 Ways to Make Your Computer Blazingly Fast (helpdeskgeek.com)

Maintaining Mac OS X (thexlab.com)

Macintosh OS X Routine Maintenance (macattorney.com)

11 Ways to Optimize Your Mac’s Performance (lowendmac.com)

52 Ways to Speed Up OS X (imafish.co.uk)

Put Your PC Maintenance Routine on Autopilot (microsoft.com)

Optimize Your Computer For Peak Performance (microsoft.com)

21 Essential Steps to Make Your PC Better/Faster/Stronger (maximumpc.com)

Cleaning Your Laptop Cooling System (instructables.com)

Hack Attack: Using Windows Scheduled Tasks (lifehacker.com)

The list of links above contain some of the best articles I’ve seen and personally used. Did I miss any great articles? If so, please do share. I like to take as many resources for a given subject, such as this article, and provide a central source to reference.

Top 3 Free Anti-Virus Programs

Brian Mongold — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 01:01:37 +0000

Anti-virus protection for your computer is a must! Viruses can infect your computer and cause harm, many times without your knowledge. Anti-virus programs work by utilizing signatures to search for known malicious patterns in executable code. Ant-virus software can be quite expensive, but why pay? There are some outstanding free programs that work just as well and sometimes better than many of those who charge.

1. AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition – (Windows Vista, Windows XP, Windows 2000)

Ratings: CNET 5/5 Stars, Users 4/5 Stars out of 18,715 votes

AVG is one of the most trusted Anti-Virus programs. It’s simple to use and doesn’t slow your computer down. AVG is free for home users and

AVG constantly provides updates to their database.

2. Avast Home Edition Free (Windows Vista, Windows 95, Windows Me, Windows 2000, Windows NT, Windows 7, Windows XP, Windows 98)

Ratings: CNET 5/5 Stars, Users 4.5/5 Stars out of 10,633 votes

Avast is a ICSA and Checkmark certified antivirus, Checkmark certified anti-spyware & anti-rootkit package. It’s one of the most popular free Anti-Virus programs available and it’s received the highest marks.

3. Avira Antivir Personal – Free Anti-Virus (Windows Vista 64-bit, Windows Vista 32-bit, Windows 2000, Windows X)

Ratings: CNET 5/5 Stars, Users 3.5/5 Stars out of 2418 votes.

Avira is a simple to use Anti-Virus program that offers extensive anti-spyware and anti-adware protection, automatic updates, real time monitoring and one-click virus removal.

My job provides free access to Norton Corporate Edition and McAfee, but I’m instead using Avast. I’ve used both AVG and Avast in the past and think they’re both outstanding programs. Though I’ve never used Avira, it comes highly recommended. Hopefully you can use one of the free options above to save you money and help protect your computer. Do you have a favorite Anti-virus program?