lite

A new firmware update for Sony's Bravia TV series has arrived, enhancing the built-in YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter widgets.

The YouTube experience on Sony's TV sets now has the ability to play HD video. Previously, the output was mediocre at best, but it should now should offer a crisp, high-definition image for videos with that capability.

Those accessing their Facebook accounts can now look at photos and videos in full-screen resolution. Posted URLs on Facebook are now accessible in the built-in Web browser found in most current Sony televisions. Unfortunately, that browser is somewhat slow and due to the lack of processing power, operates worse than the one included with the PlayStation 3. … Read more

The developers of All-in-One PDF Lite say their research showed that people want a light, fast PDF reader that doesn't hog much in the way of system resources. Ya think? People who have wondered why they need to load some bloated big-name app just to read a product manual can appreciate the thinking behind All-in-One PDF Lite. This freeware opens and displays PDFs with all the standard viewing options, but it doesn't edit or convert files; for that you'll need a full-featured PDF tool, such as the available paid upgrade. But it makes sense to use a … Read more

Macecraft Software's PowerTools Lite is a freeware registry cleaner and system maintenance tool based on the company's Jv16 PowerTools suite. It places a lot of emphasis on safety and user control, which aren't always compatible in free system cleaners. It manages to be both safe and easy to use, on the one hand, and thorough and effective on the other, thanks to a PDF-based manual, clear explanations of each step, user-selectable safety levels, considerable built-in backup capabilities, and plenty of warnings when appropriate.

Setup takes 2 to 10 minutes, but it only has to be done once. … Read more

We admit that hearing the term "meta-analysis" always leads us to imagine Groucho saying, "I never met a nalysis I didn't like," but the technique of combining the results of several studies to achieve a more accurate overview of the subject is nothing funny to statisticians. MIX 2.0 Lite is a free add-on for Microsoft Excel that performs professional-level meta-analyses from Excel's ribbon. It offers more than 20 built-in datasets taken from published methods, plus a data wizard that cites book and page number for users who want to look it up themselves. … Read more

AmblingBooks.com is a purveyor of audiobooks, but it doesn't expect you to listen to its wares with just any old media player. Ambling BookPlayer Lite is a media player made especially for audiobooks. This free version of the player only lets you listen to audiobooks you've downloaded from AmblingBooks.com, so don't expect to use it with books you've acquired from other sources. But if you're already a fan of AmblingBooks or you want to try out this free edition before investing in one of the two paid ones, this program is worth a … Read more

WinGuard Pro 2010 Lite is a free app that lets you disable and enable certain Windows features via a password without completely preventing access to your PC. It keeps snoops away from your personal data and programs without having to shut down or lock your computer, which lets you keep programs running and files open even as you're locking down your data.

We opened WinGuard Pro, which appeared in our system tray. We clicked the padlock icon, and a small password entry box appeared along with a notice that we needed to set a password. Although there's a … Read more

If loving jigsaw puzzles makes us nerdy, we're OK with that. Any true puzzle lover has high standards, though, and we're afraid that if you're serious about puzzles, Jigsaw Puzzle Lite may not be for you--at least not if you're looking for a free puzzle program.

The program's interface is plain, with a pane across the top that displays the different categories of puzzles; there are animals, architecture, food, nature, and so on. Click a category and the various puzzle offerings are displayed in the pane below. There are 25 puzzles in each category, but … Read more

You carry your car keys everywhere, so you may as well put them to work. NXP Semiconductor launched KeyLink Lite, a near field communications-enabled car key that can do a lot more than just unlock doors and start the car.

The KeyLink Lite transfers data between a vehicle and mobile devices or computers. Based on NFC standards and utilizing the 13.56MHz frequency and cryptography, the multifunction car key lets users wave the smart key over an NFC-enabled device to access data. The KeyLink Lite securely stores sensitive data, such as the car's GPS coordinates or destination directions, and … Read more

The Altec Lansing Orbit USB Lite IML227 is a portable USB-powered PC speaker. Except for the fact that it's silver instead of black and has a plastic (not metal) housing, it's basically identical to the Altec Lansing Orbit USB iML237. See the full review of the Altec Lansing Orbit USB iML237 for more details.