pro

Create cards and photo layouts with CollageFactory Pro for Mac

Basic photo editors are sometimes insufficient for some users' needs. CollageFactory Pro for Mac provides some specialized features for those working with photos, but at a price.

CollageFactory Pro for Mac can be used for free but it will place a watermark on all printed documents if you do so. The full version without restrictions may be purchased for $29.99. The program is sizable at more than 200MB, but downloaded and installed smoothly after we accepted a lengthy user agreement. The design works well and has a menu bar on the left side where you can click to load … Read more

Chat, share, and connect with your Facebook friends using ChatBook Pro for Mac

In most situations, chatting with friends on Facebook requires viewing the full site. For those willing to pay a small price, ChatBook Pro for Mac provides a minimalistic interface to participate in chats without being on the Facebook page.

While there is no free version of the program available, the full, unlimited program costs only $2.99 through the App store. Since Apple hosts the app, downloading and installation were seamless. ChatBook Pro for Mac immediately opened and prompted the user to sign in using a Facebook account. Once the user is signed in, the program opens on the left … Read more

Top 5 solid-state drives: It's upgrade time

Now that you have learned all about solid-state drives (SSDs) and even know how to take care of one, the only thing left is buying the SSD itself.

Any of the following drives will be a single upgrade that makes your computer feel like new, if the machine is currently running on a hard drive. Some of these drives can prove to be great upgrades even when your system is running on a budget or older-generation SSD. In short, it's upgrade time for many of you out there, especially when most of the drives listed here now cost less … Read more

Photo Caption Pro Extreme adds custom captions

It's hard to surf the Web without encountering a new meme, whether it be a grumpy cat or a cute baby. Photo Caption Pro Extreme lets you apply custom captions to your pictures so that maybe yours will be the next Internet sensation. We weren't big fans of all the pop-up ads, but it performed as promised.

Photo Caption Pro Extreme opens with two menu options: take a photo or choose one from your iPhone's Camera Roll. We started with a photo from our Camera Roll. Two pop-up ads appeared after our selection, but we were able … Read more

Mac sales should recover after December drop, analyst says

Sales of Apple's Mac should bounce back this month following a dismal December, according to Needham analyst Charlie Wolf.

For 26 quarters in a row, Mac shipments grew faster than those of PCs. But that record came to an end in December when Mac shipments fell by 22 percent compared with an overall industry drop of just 6.6 percent.

Wolf said in an investors note released today:

What we can only describe as astonishing, given that Mac shipments fell below PC shipment growth in all geographic regions and segments in December, is that there was absolutely not one … Read more

Microsoft continues global rollout of Surface RT, Pro

Microsoft's rollout of its Windows Surface tablets continues, as the company today announced that in the coming months the Surface RT will be available in a range of new markets -- including Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Russia, Singapore, and Taiwan.

The Surface RT version can run certain desktop applications, such as Microsoft Office RT and Internet Explorer 10, but otherwise is restricted to Windows store apps. The 32GB Surface RT tablet starts at $499 in the U.S. The company didn't offer prices for the new markets.

In addition, Microsoft said that it will bring the Surface Pro … Read more

iFixit outs tablet repairability list; Surface Pro in last place

iFixit, a company that takes apart technology products, analyzes what's inside, and determines their repairability, has launched a new platform to make it easier for folks to lean more about tablets.

The company's new "Tablet Repairability" list shows all of the recently released slates it's taken apart and discusses how easy it is to repair them when trouble erupts. Each device is given a score on a scale of 10, with the top product -- the Dell XPS 10 -- earning the highest score of a 9, thanks to it being easy to open, and … Read more

Create, view, and modify quickly 3D models with SketchUp Pro for Mac

Drawing 3D models can be a challenging experience, and learning to use CAD can take a lot of time. A powerful and yet easy-to-maneuver tool, SketchUp Pro for Mac, allows you to create new 3D models or modify existing ones in no time.

Available as free to try, at around 65MB in size SketchUp Pro for Mac takes a bit longer to download on slower connections, but it is well worth the wait. The installation is quick and easy, and the program is stable and performs very well. Even though the interface is easy to navigate and very intuitive, if … Read more

Save streaming videos from YouTube directly on your hard drive

Saving videos directly from YouTube to your hard drive is a widely asked-for feature. One of the possible candidates to satisfy this demand is YouTube Video Downloader Pro. However, even though the thought of saving videos from YouTube directly to your computer with an integrated and seamless procedure seems attractive, this software doesn't deliver.

If you have found YouTube Downloader Pro while searching for the perfect solution, we advise against trying it. The installer asks for permission to change your default home page as well as your search engine. If you opt out of this, which you probably should, … Read more