1.5

MiShell Software's Directory Duplicator--DirDup, for short--is a different kind of backup utility: instead of copying files, it copies directories. It's designed to make life easier for people who take work home with them by keeping the data synced and up-to-date between different computers. It speeds up the job, too, by letting you exclude certain files and by checking file size before you back up files to a slow device, such as a memory stick. It doesn't just compare the size and date of files, either; it does a byte-by-byte check to ensure no changes go undetected. It … Read more

P2P Rocket is a mediocre file-sharing program that lets users access the Gnutella and eDonkey networks. Although it works, it doesn't offer any compelling reasons to choose it over other popular file-sharing programs, and it has performance issues too.

P2P Rocket's interface is fairly intuitive, sharing the conventions of most P2P interfaces. It offers both basic and advanced search options, allowing users to fine-tune their search results. For the most part, the program worked as well any other Gnutella client. We did find that after the program had been open for a while, its interface stopped loading completely … Read more

ATP Player provides a basic set of tools for viewing video and pictures. With a very focused setup, this program is welcoming for users of all skill levels.

We were impressed by the interface's sleek layout, which made its basic functions simple to understand and navigate. We did need the Help file's instructions to build playlists, but a little research pointed us in the right direction. The program provides a simple onscreen file tree to navigate through when seeking out videos and photos to view. You simply click on the item you want to view, and it plays … Read more

With a professional layout and impressive results, uSeesoft Total Video Converter provides all the tools you need to quickly and easily convert your video files to different formats. This software is a great choice for frequent movie watchers.

The main interface immediately gave us a favorable impression, with its professional design and unmistakable commands. We had no trouble navigating the program and didn't need the Help file. We were able to build a queue of our favorite videos and choose new file types for them. The most impressive aspect of uSeesoft Total Video Converter was the dozens of file … Read more

Advanced File Security Basic is an easy-to-use program that lets users encrypt files and folders using the Advanced Encryption Standard. It's not the most elegant thing we've ever seen, but it does make the encryption process simple enough for anyone to navigate.

The program's interface is a little strange, with buttons down the side representing its major functions and a menu bar across that duplicates much of the same stuff. The bulk of the interface is actually an ad for the Pro version of the software. It's not hard to figure out what to do--the buttons … Read more

Auslogics Duplicate File Finder is a basic program that allows users to find and delete duplicate files taking up valuable space on their hard drives. This is a helpful utility for users who find themselves with limited disk space and can't figure out why.

The program's interface is simple and extremely easy to use. Users simply select the folders they want to search in, set the matching criteria and file types, and click the Scan button. The program displays a list of duplicate files, allowing users to select and delete those that are not needed. That's really … Read more

YouMail's visual voice mail service adroitly blends voice message management in the cloud with an on-phone in-box for hands-on filing. After authorizing YouMail to handle your voice mails, you'll be able to view those messages in any order from the app's in-box. Contrast this to the traditional method of calling an access number, inputting your PIN, and listening to your messages in chronological order.

After a disappointingly rudimentary initial offering, YouMail has boned up on the navigation and activities that users can do online. It now has push notification for new messages, the ability to delete messages, … Read more

Vocabulary Builder for SAT ACT GRE GMAT LSAT is a basic program that contains more than 2,000 words for vocabulary practice. Although the program works fine, we wish we knew more about where its words come from and their relevance to each test.

The program's interface is basic, with separate sections for memorizing words and taking practice tests. The word memorization section features an audio recitation feature using Microsoft Sam, which we didn't particularly like; we've always found Sam kind of hard to understand, and we'd rather read the words and definitions anyway. We wish … Read more

Although Google has introduced its own solution for pushing Gmail messages to your iPhone's in-box, this application still has plenty to offer. GPush alerts you to incoming Gmail messages with a red icon badge, a chime, and a semitransparent alert window that reads the sender's name and the subject line (you can change these in the Notification settings.) The alert bubble presents you with two options: to close the notification, or open the GPush app to view the new message in GPush's Gmail in-box, albeit rather slowly. Since GPush is giving you access to Google's mobile … Read more