ie8 fix

1.15

Back-n-forth backup

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

Mediocre P2P program

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

Problematic piano program

We really wanted to like SimplePiano. It looks like it has the potential to be a great tool for users who are learning to play the piano. Unfortunately, a problem with the program's interface combined with its lack of Help file made the program practically useless.

SimplePiano's interface consists of a keyboard, which users can play using either their computer keyboard (the corresponding keys are labeled on the piano) or with an external MIDI keyboard. This part of the program worked just fine. Unfortunately, in the space above the keyboard where we expected to see the treble and … Read more

Basic start-up utility

WhatInStartup is a basic program that allows users to view and disable programs that run automatically when Windows starts. It's nothing fancy, but it does work.

The program's interface is plain, consisting mostly of just a list of processes that are scheduled to run on start-up. Users enable or disable each one with the click of a button, and that's really all there is to it. The program provides a few other features--users can view each program's properties (in an HTML format if desired), and there's a search feature for users who have a lot … Read more

Basic viewer

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

Yakkers, rejoice

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

Out-Googling Google

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

Get your sports fix here

If it's a crisp-looking score-tracking app you're looking for that follows major international sports associations and leagues, you've come to the right place. The free Sportacular is abound with current standings and scores that automatically update every 30 seconds when there's a game on. The flood of stats is easily navigated and read thanks to well-placed tabs and menus. You can view updated stats by player and by team, and you can even create and track your own fantasy team.

Sportacular also keeps you up-to-date on the sorts universe with RSS feeds from ESPN, Yahoo, and … Read more

Sleek browser skin

Users who do not enjoy their Web browser's cheerful, bright image will find this download to their liking. Anthem is a sleek skin for Firefox that gives off a look of dark metal.

While the sites you surf will still look like themselves, the command center of your browser will look completely different with this free program. Your icons for moving forward, back, stopping, going home, and resetting a page are replaced by shadowy squares with elegant designs inside. Below this, the rows for your favorite Web site links and the tabs you currently have open are in a … Read more

Handy PDF utility

Adolix Split and Merge PDF is a handy utility for anyone who needs to manipulate PDF files but does not have access to the full Adobe Acrobat software.

As its name states, the application provides only two functions: splitting and merging. For splitting, Adolix offers pattern-based choices as well as the ability to identify specific pages akin to the Print function in Microsoft Word. When merging files, you can adjust the order in which the files will be appended to one another. The application also lets you enter passwords for encrypted PDFs, choose the target directory, and set a naming … Read more