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One of the most common problems that we encounter when evaluating software is cluttered, poorly designed interfaces. In this regard, Image Tuner is a breath of fresh air. This simple program lets you resize, rename, and convert images with an interface that's about as straightforward as it gets.

The program's design is clean and simple, with a handful of buttons across the top and a few drop-down menus on the side. It's quite easy to figure out how the program works, even if you've never used software of this sort before. You can select individual images … Read more

Amid a week featuring the debut of a fashionably small laptop, Dell has announced a line of products that move firmly in the opposite direction. The new XPS line of laptops are a high-end-targeted set of media-featured notebooks aimed squarely at the HP Envy and MacBook Pro crowds. The design, from a backlit keyboard to lots of anodized and brushed aluminum, feels like an upscale fusion of the Studio and Adamo lines. They aren't flashy, but they seem quite sleek, and Dell offers its arsenal of Design Studio tweaks for anyone looking to pop these XPS models up a … Read more

For many people, Windows Explorer and its hierarchical folders work well enough for organizing documents. Those who regularly deal with large quantities of documents, however, may find that they need a means of organizing files that's a little more robust. Benubird PDF is a unique program that lets users organize PDFs and other files into collections that are easy to navigate and work with.

Our first question about Benubird PDF was whether its collections simply linked to the original documents on our hard drive or created new copies that it stored within its own directory. We were concerned about … Read more

The Windows clipboard can be an important tool for temporarily saving and moving blocks of texts or other objects, but its standard features are somewhat lacking. ArsClip adds numerous options to the clipboard, making it much easier to keep track of and use numerous clipboard items.

The program appears as an icon in the system tray, and double clicking on it brings up a configuration menu. There's plenty to configure; users can select hot keys for various functions, customize the way that the program handles clipboard objects and pasting, and specify the characteristics of the pop-up window that displays … Read more

Address books are a dime a dozen these days, so to stand out, a program had better knock our socks off. Free Address Book performs its duties as promised; however, we found its awkward navigation a big turn-off.

The program had a seemingly user-friendly interface. The design was very clean and professional-looking, with straightforward commands. But upon closer inspection, we found the program awkward to navigate. When we first launched Free Address Book, the window ran off our screen, so we tried to adjust it. Instead of resizing itself with the window, the page content ran off the page and … Read more

Starbucks Card Mobile App means BlackBerry owners can carry around one less plastic loyalty card in their wallets. Log in with your Starbucks Card username and password, or register a new account, and you'll be able to manage multiple prepaid cards from your smartphone.

Better yet, when credit threatens to dip below your latte threshold, you can top up your Starbucks Card by charging your credit card. The app lets you reload value from $10 to $100 (in $5 increments), and can also set up autocharging so you're never without a means to your caffeine buzz.

The app'… Read more

Though we're still waiting to see what comes out of the HP-Palm merger, Palm's still plugging away on WebOS and released some new information about WebOS 2.0 on Tuesday.

The news mostly affects developers, as they can now download a beta version of the WebOS 2.0, but Palm also gave us a glimpse of what's to come and we're pretty excited. The new functions include:

Enhanced multitasking with the ability to stack related cards together for easier access.

Developers can now access the Synergy feature for integrating contacts, calendar, and messages.

A feature called … Read more

The publisher's description for Unit Converter describes the program as a "free unit converter made with an engineer in mind." That may be, but potential users who aren't engineers shouldn't be put off. Although Unit Converter handles measurements like enthalpy and thermal conductivity, it's also a quick and easy way to convert all kinds of everyday measurements.

The program has a unique interface, with 19 different categories of measurement in a list down the left side. Clicking on a category lets users select the original unit of measurement and the unit that they want … Read more

New models of AV receivers always roll out later in the year and we're in the midst of rounding up the best midrange models of 2010. AV receivers certainly don't change as quickly as other home theater products, like HDTVs and Blu-ray players, but every year there are few new features that are important to be aware of when making a buying decision. Here's a quick look at some of the changes to look out for this year in the midrange price level.

3D pass-through Even though it's a completely new feature for 2010, 3D compatibility … Read more