Free software download

There are thousands of free templates on the Web that you can download and use on your personal webpage or blog, but wouldn’t it be nice to use one created by yourself?

With Artisteer now you can, even if you have no idea about HTML coding or CSS designing. All you have to do is select the different elements that will be included in your template (header, columns, menu bar, buttons and the likes), customize their appearance (position on the layout, color, text font, pattern, special effects) and your template will be ready to use. It’s as simple as that! What’s more, the ribbon-style interface makes this WYSIWYG editor very easy and comfortable to use.

Artisteer includes several template models, though they’re basically reduced to company web pages and Wordpress blogs. Besides letting you select and customize all the elements on your own, you can also use the ‘Suggest’ function to let the program create a random template for you – which may come in handy when you run out of ideas. Artisteer also includes tons of color schemes, header images, web backgrounds and other sorts of ready-made material.

The best thing about Artisteer is that it lets you preview changes right on its interface in real time. And when I say ‘real time’, I mean you can, for example, try different color schemes just by hovering your mouser over the scheme list included in the program.

When you’re happy with your design, you can preview it on your favorite browser (Artisteer supports Internet Explorer, Firefox and Opera) and then export the design as an HTML document or a Wordpress theme.

Would you like to create your own web template but have no idea about HTML or CSS? Artisteer is the application you’re looking for.

Download Artisteer 2.0.2.15338 in Softonic

Feniks Windows

I’ve always used MS Word for my word processing needs but if you don’t have Office installed, then it’s not exactly a cheap option.

AbiWord can read and write all standard industry docs ranging from open source efforts such as those created in OpenOffice to those created in professional apps such as Microsoft Word. This is the portable version which means you can put it on a USB stick and take it pretty much anywhere. It also features support for WordPerfect documents, Rich Text Format documents, HTML web pages etc. Although the editing options can’t compare with Word, I do like the fact that this is a very light word processor that doesn’t take up much more processing power than even MS Text. This makes it especially suitable for those working on slower machines who haven’t got a decent word processor installed. What’s also nice is that AbiWord is fully customisable with several different plugins to extend its capabilities. These can vary from format converters, document importers and thesauruses to image importers and a text format managers.

This may be basic but it’s generally a very impressive word processing app that has everything you need to edit simple documents.

Download AbiWord Portable 2.6.8 in Softonic

Feniks Windows

If you like Notepad++, you’ll love Notepad++ Portable. It keeps the same great functionality of its big brother, but in a new edition specially designed to be stored and used in a USB memory key.

Once installed, the application hardly takes 2 MB of space, so it’s suitable even for the smallest removable drives. During our tests, we didn’t miss anything from good ol’ Notepad++: support for dozens of coding languages and several text file formats, syntax highlighting, ability to open multiple documents simultaneously and lots of extra tools.

The only downside to this great little application, if we’re to find any, is the fact that you have to download spelling files apart if you want to use the spellcheck. Apart from that, Notepac++ Portable is probably one of the best text editors available… and you can carry around in your pocket!

Download Notepad++ Portable 5.3 in Softonic

Feniks Windows

Copying DVDs (for your own use, of course) is becoming increasingly difficult as manufacturers improve the security encoding on DVDs. AnyDVD however claims to be able to crack any DVD encryption code and judging by the number of downloads, Softonic users are certainly endorsing it too.

The beauty of AnyDVD is that it simply works in the background to automatically remove the copy protection of a DVD movie as soon as it’s inserted into the drive. In this way, it can decrypt data without actually saving it to your hard-disk. You can watch the DVD at the same time or just insert a disk and let AnyDVD do its stuff. When you insert a disk, you are automatically prompted whether you want to decrypt it. When it has finished inspecting the disk, the program prompts you to backup the DVD using your preferred backup tool such as CloneDVD or Power DVD Copy.

The programme goes much further than this though. A handy bonus is that you can also remove the RPC region code, thereby making the movie region free and viewable on any DVD player. This is especially useful for those who buy many of their disks abroad or travel a lot. If you want to create a stripped-down version of a DVD, it can also remove unwanted movie features, including subtitles and extras for example. The programme also moves beyond decryption and allows you to control the speed of your DVD drive. This is useful if you’re having trouble playing a DVD properly or if the noise of your drive is causing annoyance. Finally, there’s also an option to display the frequency of your monitor for both NTSC and PAL displays although you probably won’t use this unless you’re having serious display issues.

The only drawback of AnyDVD is the number of daily updates that are released. Whilst this is obviously a good thing in terms of keeping it up-to-date with the latest encryption methods, the update alerts can be rather annoying and are prone to slowing your computer down.

However, this is a small price to pay for a programme that seems able to crack all but the toughest disks and for anyone who likes to create backups of their favourite DVDs, it’s an essential addition to your software collection.

Download AnyDVD HD 6.5.3.1 in Softonic

Feniks Windows

The Gimp is the open source reference in image manipulation. This free application will allow you to retouch, author and edit your photos thanks to a wide set of tools.

Let’s quickly go through what you can do with the Gimp. The painting function has the essential clone, airbrush or pencil tools and a powerful gradient and blend tool. You can also create and save your own brushes and patterns for later use. The program lets you manipulate your photos, adding layers, doing Bezier and polygonal selections or setting text. Load and save animations in a frame-as-layer format and batch process all your photos for quick editing. The multi-windowed interface can be moved around to fit your needs and resized according to your desktop space.

What’s more, the Gimp can be expanded with over 100 different plug-ins and extensions available on the Gimp’s website. These apply in majority for layer effects such as render, distort or blur and make a great addition to the ones already present in the program.

While the Gimp is user friendly, the installation process can result a bit hairy. Because the application works under the GTK Runtime Environment, you will have to install this kit to successfully launch the program. The process is fairly lengthy and some error messages tend to pop up, however if you persist, you will be able to install the Gimp properly on your PC

Despite this fairly hazardous installation process, the Gimp is a program we recommend. Whether you’re out of dough or are looking for a free alternative to Photoshop, the Gimp is excellent image manipulation software with all the tools you’d expect. The friendly interface and expandability make this a program of choice.

Download The GIMP 2.6.6 with Softonic Toolbar in Softonic

Feniks Windows

Are you tired of always listening to the same music? Do your local radio stations bore you to death? Try Internet radio for a refreshing change!

RadioSure is a small, yet powerful Internet radio player with which you can tune in to more than 12,000 radio stations all over the World. You can listen to the radio in a bunch of different languages, enjoy many diverse music styles and even find radio stations dedicated to specific bands.

But that’s not all: RadioSure also lets you record whatever station you’re listening to. Simply click on the “Rec” button and the program will save the current audio stream as an MP3 file right on your hard drive. If you want to listen to the recording you’ll need a third-party app though, as RadioSure doesn’t have a built-in player.

The program features an almost endless list of available radio stations, so even if there are some that don’t load, there’s plenty to choose from. Plus, you can also add your own online radio stations to the list.

RadioSure is a complete online radio player with recording capabilities that enables you to enjoy thousands of Internet radio stations worldwide, covering many languages, genres and music styles.

Download RadioSure 1.7.775.1 in Softonic

Feniks Windows

Photoshop is certainly a difficult application to master. Even the simplest effects can require certain technical skills that not everyone has. This is why it’s great to have tools like Tintii Photo Filter.

With Tintii Photo Filter you can easily apply eye-catching color effects to your pictures. The filter removes all colors from the original photo, leaving only traces of certain tones. Think of the red coat in that memorable scene in Schindler’s list, and you’ll get the idea.

Once the image has been processed by Tintii Photo Filter, you can choose which colors you want to remain visible while leaving the rest of the image in black and white. There’s also the possibility to combine several colors, and tweak the result with a few sliders that set the saturation and hue values. Advanced users may find it a bit limited, but then again, this program is aimed at photo-editing newbies.

The only drawback to Tintii Photo Filter I can think of is the way it manages files. There’s no standard toolbar menu, and you need to switch windows in order to open a new photo.

With Tintii Photo Filter you can apply beautiful color effects to your pictures in just a couple of clicks – no technical knowledge required.

Download Tintii Photo Filter 2.0.0 in Softonic

Feniks Windows

Download Future Pinball 1.9.20081225 in Softonic

Feniks Windows

If you’re looking for a comprehensive image tool that covers all your needs regarding photo management and optimization, you’ve come to the right place.

Ashampoo Photo Commander is a full-featured photo suite with which you can not only browse your photo collection, but also view it in a full-screen slideshow, optimize those images that need some slight retouching, and use your favorite shots to create albums, collages, calendars and more.

Ashampoo Photo Commander also includes a handful of filters and special effects. Just double click on any photo and you’ll be able to adjust its contrast and color values, apply effects such as sepia and drawing, and resize or rotate it.

Besides image editing, Ashampoo Photo Commander is also perfect for managing large photo collections. You can batch process files, rename dozens of photos simultaneously, find duplicate images and more. Too bad such an impressive array of tools is presented in a interface that could be improved a bit both in terms of design and usability.

Ahampoo Photo Commander is a comprehensive photo suite that lets you manage, view, optimize and do creative things with your pictures.

Download Ashampoo Photo Commander 7.10 in Softonic

Feniks Windows

Download Fresh View 7.68 in Softonic

Feniks Windows