solitaire!

SolSuite Solitaire 2013 provides endless fun at a discounted rate

Most of us think of computer solitaire as that simplistic card game available via Microsoft Windows' default games collection. But did you know that the game was packaged with the first release of Windows 3.0 back in 1990? The Windows game was based on a solitaire variation called "Klondike" and was included in the OS by Microsoft as a way to acquaint text-based DOS users with the newfangled graphical user interface (GUI), introducing now-ingrained behaviors like drag-and-drop and double-clicking.

Scads of Windows users still play the default Microsoft Solitaire game, but if you are looking to take … Read more

10 alternatives to Apple's all-time most popular apps

Last week, Apple announced that its App Store is approaching 50 billion app downloads. In celebration of the milestone, Apple is giving away a $10,000 App Store gift card to the lucky person who initiates the 50 billionth download.

As part of the celebration, Apple listed the top 25 apps -- both free and paid -- for iPhone and iPad. None of the apps listed is particularly surprising (especially to someone who studies the most-popular list every day), but one thing that did strike me is that a lot of the all-time best sellers still sit near the top … Read more

Play cards and challenge yourself with Solitaire -- Tablet Edition

Solitaire belongs to the standard play-it-by-yourself card games. Now, instead of just playing it on a computer without Internet, with Solitaire -- Tablet Edition you can play it on your tablet, too. It's not as customizable as other solitaire apps, but it will kill some time on your tablet. Just don't bother playing it on any other gadget.

The app's card table contains a couple of animated ads that take up a lot of screen real estate. It doesn't disrupt the game too much on big-screen tablets, but they will cover up the cards on small-screen … Read more

Free FreeCell Solitaire 2012 is the best-dressed applicant for the job

Solitaire is one of the most popular card games ever, whether it's played with actual cards or as software. In fact, solitaire is a great PC training tool. Simple rules make solitaire easy to learn (or relearn), too. Free solitaire games are so easy to come by that you've probably already got one in Windows. But Free FreeCell Solitaire 2012 from TreeCard Games not only offers four types of solitaire (FreeCell, FreeCell Two Decks, Eight Off, and Stalactites) but also looks good enough for the corporate suite. You can upgrade to the paid version to add more games … Read more

Klondike Solitaire with dated graphics

Byterun Solitaire for Mac is a version of traditional solitaire, made famous as the favorite time-waster on Windows. Implementing Klondike Solitaire, your goal is to get all the cards in each suit in ascending order (as if you didn't know!). This app is a free download and installs easily.

The graphics in Byterun Solitaire for Mac are a bit basic, almost cartoonish, which is unfortunate. A little more care on the cards and card backs would have made this a more attractive game visually. Where Solitaire does shine is playability. The game mechanics are good, and there are basic … Read more

Go solo with Full Deck Solitaire

Solitaire is one the all-time classic computer games: it constantly keeps the entertainment level high, just like the real game. Full Deck Solitaire joins the line of high-quality, free solitaire games available.

Full Deck Solitaire packs 22 delightful solitaire games, all wrapped up in one tight package. Within the game, users will find all the old favorites such as Klondike, Pyramid, and Spider Solitaire, as well as less common variations such as Tri Peaks solitaire and Thieves of Egypt. In other words, solitaire players will find all of their favorites in this one application.

We liked the intuitive, uncluttered user … Read more

Simple solitaire

Solitaire XL is the Mac version of the built-in Windows application that lets you play card games on your computer. It might seem simplistic when compared with other games, but we found it very easy to use, and the app takes up very little space.

Solitaire XL has a very simple but well-designed interface with a few customization options to adjust the size of the cards and the background. It has a built-in Help file that will guide you through the app, but most will be able to skip this and start playing right away. We didn't find any … Read more

Got a new PC? Get a perfect starter kit - now 83% off

Just in time for the holidays, CNET has partnered with top consumer software publishers to offer an exclusive bundle of six products worth $177.88 for just $30! That's a 83% discount on the leading anti-virus, system care, PDF creator, compression and remote access software.

This great software bundle lets you protect your computer, create and compress documents, and stream media content from your computer to any connected device!

The New PC starter-kit bundle includes the following six software:

Avira Antivirus Premium 2012 - Protect your computer against viruses, malware, adware, spyware, and phishing: reg.$29.99 Smith Micro … Read more

This is for you, Solitaire and Sudoku junkies

Back by popular demand, we bring you yet another games bundle: Solsuite Solitaire 2011 and Sudoku Up 2011! All of the world's best-known solitaire games are here, including Spider, Klondike, FreeCell, Pyramid, Golf, Yukon, and more. It's an exciting gaming experience with hundreds of games to choose from, a dazzling selection of card faces and backs, ribbon interface for enhanced gameplay and skins to customize your playing area.

Sudoku Up 2011 includes millions of different puzzles to keep you entertained for years to come. No need to search for other sources of Sudoku! Sudoku Up includes five difficulty … Read more

Removing the default games from Windows

Windows 7 comes preloaded with a few classic games that some find great for passing the time. For those who don't enjoy these games, though, all they end up doing is taking up (sometimes very valuable) hard-drive space. Wouldn't it be great if you could remove them, and get them back whenever you wanted?

Step 1: Open the Windows Control Panel. This can be found in the Start Menu on the right side.

Step 2: Under the Programs heading of the main page, click on Uninstall a Program.

Step 3: On the left side of this window, click … Read more