The Download Dispatch

Your computer's file system can be a tangled, jungly place. There are obscure file trees so tall and branched your eyes glaze over, and there are dark, hidden caverns you may not be inclined to explore. In a nod to the Thanksgiving holiday, we're spotlighting three of the many applications we're thankful for--particularly the software that sheds a little light on some of the more obscure computing processes, or those programs that just make bushwhacking a whole lot easier.

We'll start with the hearty Xplorer2, a free-to-try alternative to Windows Explorer for power file-seekers. Browsing multiple … Read more

If you're a video junkie, or if you're headed that way, Vuze is one application you shouldn't miss. Once known as Azureus, Vuze is a free BitTorrent app that can download and play back video content, including HD. Version 4.3, the latest update, adds speed enhancements and compatibility to play back HD video on your Windows or Mac computer, iPhone or iPod, Apple TV, Tivo, and Xbox 360, PS3, or PSP.

There's also a portable version of Vuze that you can install on a USB drive, iPod, iPhone, or portable hard drive and take with … Read more

System utilities may not seem like the most provocative category in the annals of software development, but the apps within are essential for maintaining a tip-top computer. On top of that, their universality makes them a good choice for almost any computer.

With that in mind, we gathered together seven of our favorite freeware applications--most will support Windows XP, Vista, and Windows 7 operating systems. This list isn't the end-all and be-all--not when so many quality programs abound--but it is a good beginning.

We start with Glary Utilities, which is actually a suite of apps to optimize and tweak … Read more

One of our chief occupations at CNET Download.com is to keep our eyes peeled for excellent freeware. We've got our own picks for ultimate free applications (and also for the most essential), but we like to consider your opinions, too. CNET Executive Editor Tom Merritt recently conducted an informal poll among his Facebook and Twitter contacts, asking for their favorite no-cost software. Here are the five apps that readers--maybe you--tapped as the best of the best.

Every yin has its yang. To balance out the five best downloads, all of them available on Download.com, are the five biggest stinkers of the season. … Read more

We've spent the last few months gearing up for Microsoft's grand unveiling of its new Windows 7 operating system (full review). And it hit right on schedule on October 22. Does that mean it's time to boot out XP and Vista? For XP users, Windows 7 offers tighter security and a load of neat new features that aren't just flashy, but also convenient. With Windows XP being an eight-year old operating system, you might consider the upgrade. Windows 7 may appear to have more in common with Vista, its predecessor, but there are marked organizational improvements, … Read more

Let's play a fun game. Take note of your Windows desktop. Now count how many shortcut icons are on it. If there are more than 20 icons, you need a new system.

Allow me to direct your attention to Fences for XP, Vista, and Windows 7. This freeware app helps you create flexible boxes, or "fences" on your desktop that help you cleanly organize your shortcuts. You can rename these fences easily, and drag and drop shortcuts in and out of them.

The free Fences 1.0 is a unique desktop enhancement app because more than adding … Read more

One by one, the major Windows security vendors have been updating their antivirus apps and suites to protect against malware. Lavasoft is the latest, but you'll likely know this company better by its flagship product, Ad-Aware.

Like many of the other security apps that have updated for 2010, Ad-Aware 8.1 (download) boasts faster speeds and an engine that detects malware not just by definitions, but by suspicious behavior, too. As with its competitors, Ad-Aware has a three-tiered setup that includes a free version and two premium levels.

Speaking of security, the Google Chrome browser received a new extension … Read more

Cautionary tales about identity theft are everywhere: blared from the TV, inked in news stories, and relayed with horrified detail in conversations among friends. Heck, I've had to deal with a lifted wallet myself. Anyone who's been there can attest that despite quick calls to the credit card companies and banks, dealing with the aftermath is still a hassle. But physical larceny is one thing; digital defrauding can quickly become a much deeper, broader, and unmitigated violation that can stretch to the bottom of your savings accounts and social circles.

The publishers behind the popular AVG security program … Read more

This last week has seen updates to two of our favorite fee Windows applications.

The first is photo organizer favorite Google Picasa, which adds facial recognition in its update to version 3.5. The new feature uses technology that was first implemented in Picasa Web Albums, the product's online sibling for storing and sharing photos online. To make a long story short, Picasa for the desktop now scans your photos for recognizable faces. After you link a name to a facial structure, the app gathers those photos together in each person's album. So, after labeling your sister, you'… Read more