Version Tested : 1.7.14
Compatibility : Windows 98, ME, 2000, XP, Vista

Description : WOSB is a brilliant way to save energy or allow your computer to be turned on from hibernation or standby at pre defined times. You can furthermore set it to run a particular file, application or web page. With various timing options and a few settings, you can make WOSB standby, hibernate, shutdown log off or simply wait once the application has finished running.

I cant remember when or where I found WOSB, but I do remember, I was very impressed with it when I tested it. I didn’t expect it to work, didn’t understand how it could, but I was proved wrong.

This application wont work with every computer mind you, ACPI (Advanced Configuration and Power Interface) compatible hardware is required. Exactly how you know if your hardware supports this or not, I don’t know, but I had a quick look in my motherboard’s manual, and there it was.

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Version Tested : 19th December 08 release
Compatibility : Windows XP, Windows Vista

Description : File syncing application which just works, and nicely too! Up to 5GB FREE online storage and sync, with both a web based and desktop based GUI, both equally as easy to use, this application far serpasses all others of its type.

A brilliant intuitive GUI, matched with functionality and simplicity that users want, makes this app, a shining example of how all software should be developed. I was given a link to this app completely by chance a few weeks ago by a friend. We were talking about dropbox and windows live mesh (Two syncing applications I had been using up till now), and the windows one, was eating a TON of cpu. He said find an alterative. I hadn’t looked in ages, being a dropbox user. I thought dropbox was good. My WORD was I in for a surprise!

When I install a new application, the first thing I usually do, is go to the settings window, see what I can mess with. The GUI in Syncplicity is, refreshingly different. No toolbar menu drop down nonsense. One sidebar, with seemingly limited options. However I was rather surprised with the way the menu system worked and how the system tray icon menu is crafted.

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It’s Christmas! Soon new year too!

Happy Christmas to all the readers of AppAholic!

I’m sure today, lots of people will be getting new computers and laptops and notebooks. I have some hard disks under the tree I believe. Anyway, I’d like to give a special gift to all of you, my readers, this Christmas! Free Tech Support!

I will be offering free tech support via a service called crossloop. You will be able to chat, and even show me your screen and allow my to remote control your screen if you allow.

Link is here http://www.crossloop.com/Relequestual

I can’t say I will be on 24 7, however I will be on for quite a bit over the next few week, as I have finished my Christmas temp work. The temp work has also been the reason I haven’t made any posts lately. I have quite a few posts queued up now, so in the new year, you can expect some real awesome freeware!

So, what did everyone get for Christmas?

Version Tested : 2008 11 11
Compatibility : Firefox and Internet Explorer

Description : Web Of Trust (WOT) is an extra layer of internet security right in your browser. Protecting you from scams, malware and spam, by shining a big red light on those sites that you could do without being on. This works by using a rating system, and uses both community submitted ratings and several lists from other trusted locations. If the site has a red rating, a big warning message will appear.

I’ve been following WOT and using it for a long time now, and I think the whole idea is brilliant. Community site ratings, becoming useful in your every day browsing. The image above shows a google search for “free screensavers”. If you currently search this on your computer, and don’t have WOT installed, there is no way of telling which sites you can trust and which you cannot. Looking at the image above, its very very clear. Most of these links are dangerous, and I bet a number of them have spyware bundled with the screen saver unsuspecting users would download.

Obviously, if this was purely integrated into google, it would be rather pointless. It is a browser plugin, and will work for all websites. Its very rare that I find a site that hasn’t got a rating of any kind, especially recently as the number of ratings has started to grow very fast. The fact that the system is partly based on community ratings raises a few questions. It does show the number of people who have rated it, which gives you a idea of the reliability of the ratings. Furthermore, you can also see the comments people made on the site, to see specifically what people have said.

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Version Tested : 5.0.3
Compatibility : Windows XP, Windows Vista, Mac OS X and Linux (using wine only)

Description : Notepad alternative for everyone, with tabs, syntax highlighting on loads of programming languages, split view (with scroll sync), document comparison, drag and drop, zoom, and much much more. If you do any text editing or coding, consider Notepad++ your new best friend

Notepad++ has been around for since 2003, and since then, its grown and established itself as THE free open source alternative to notepad. It’s biggest boast is syntax highlighting for many many languages, I may just devote the next paragraph to the list, as its quite extensive. Along with the syntax highlighting, there is auto completion, just like you would expect in a full software development package like visual studio. Oh and I nearly forgot, syntax folding is also a really useful feature. Finished with a method? Fold it up, just as you expect to be able to do.

Syntax highlighting and syntax folding for the following languages; C, C++, Java, C#, XML, HTML, PHP, CSS, makefile, ASCII art (.nfo), doxygen, ini file, batch file, Javascript, ASP, VB/VBS, SQL, Objective-C, RC resource file, Pascal, Perl, Python, Lua, TeX, TCL, Assembler, Ruby, Lisp, Scheme, Properties, Diff, Smalltalk, Postscript, VHDL, Ada, Caml, AutoIt, KiXtart, Matlab, Verilog, Haskell, InnoSetup, CMake and YAML. I only know about half of them, however, I’m using it for Java right now.

Since I’ve started university, We’ve been doing some hard coded java, using a text editor and some bat files. Everyone was using old fashioned windows notepad. Gradually people saw me using notepad++, asked what it was, and then downloaded it for themselves. This has had a rather big snowball effect, and now all I see is notepad++. READ MORE »

Hi there! Big news from AppAholic!

I’d like to unveil to you, the brand new Tech site, Tech Rant.

http://techrant.appaholic.co.uk

For a while now, I’ve always found interesting stuff that isn’t freeware, and felt unable to post it on AppAholic, and so created Tech Rant, a new website with the same theme as AppAholic. Also, Id like to welcome you to some new members of the team, joining to write for Tech Rant! Right now, Tech Rant is formed of 7 geeks in total (including myself), who each have their own special area of tech. Mostly they will write articles relating to their subject, but also they will write articles about other subjects, from their point of view.

As the name suggests, there WILL be lots of RANTS. The topics chosen so far, include Software, Coding, Windows, Hardware, Linux, Mac, Money and Gadgets. Sadly one author had to leave about a month ago, and so I will be taking up the money area along with software.

It’s taken me since March this year (8 MONTHS!), to build up the back end and front end of Tech Rant. The reason for this is I wanted to get it right. Not that AppAholic isn’t right, but I could foresee lots of problems and issues with a multi author blog. I had quite a few ideas, and sometimes I’d spend days searching for the right wordpress plugin or other solution until I found it. For some of the awesome new features Tech Rant brings, keep reading!

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Version Tested : 4.0
Compatibility : Windows 98, ME, NT, 2000, XP, Vista

Description : Large doc and ppt files are a problem no more! Normal costs money, however there is a legal way to get it for free (for personal use only). With the ability to shrink power point presentations and word documents by a ridiculous amount, I give you, PPTminimizer. It can also automatically shrink files before they are sent as email attachments. Special!

One thing to say about this app. I like. Its something simple, that performs a task that we all COUILD perform, but it would take quite a while longer than the small time this app takes. In essence, this is the whole point of computers, and this app is a good idea, and apparently well used by large companies, such as Dell, IBM, Microsoft, BT, Sony, NASA, HP, Nokia, Cisco Systems…. The list goes on. Needless to say, I get the feeling this software is widely approved.

More on the features. I’m only testing the home version, but there is also a server version as well (which I shall talk about later). PPT and DOC files can be reduced up to 98%, now that’s quite a claim! As you can see from the screen shot, I found it hard to do much testing. I had a few larger files, and one online which I could download. The results were impressive. This is not compression, the original file format is kept!

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Version Tested : 1.32
Compatibility : Windows 2000, XP, Vista, Mac, Linux. (Firefox and Internet Explorer)

Description : LastPass is secure, easy to use, and a decent replacement to google browser sync with regards to passwords. One master password, and your data is secured before its sent to the online database. Backup, restore, and even generate secure passwords. Import from Firefox, Roboform, 1Password, KeePass, MyPasswordSafe and more.

Lastpass has been around for a while, and I’m really happy with how it works. Since the fall of google browser sync, anyone who was used to password syncing, has been looking for a real alternative. LastPass is that alternative (for passwords anyway).

Any new password manager that comes out, especially those that are online, always are treated with a bit of caution. After about a month of seeing a note here and a comment here, I decided to give it a ago. My initial impressions were very very good, however I’ve waited a bit before a review to see how it matured.

Needless to say, if you’ve been following it, you will know it’s done well. It’s features are just plain impressive, and has even more functions than you would expect. Were talking synchronization, import from other popular password managers and form fillers, (full list later), backup and restore, universal access, screen keyboard, and even access from a USB pen.

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Version Tested : 1.3.0
Compatibility : Windows 2000, XP, 2003, Vista (32x and 64x)

Description : Memory Cleaner that doesn’t force memory to cache on the hard disk, but rather uses a windows API function to request memory back from processes that are claiming more than they actually need. I’ve never heard of such an API, but by gosh does this work! If you value your RAM, believe me when I tell you, you want this right now.

Ok, before you start having a go at this software, you need to try it! Stop throwing fits, going, “oh its a memory cleaner, it will just shove all the memory onto the hard disk and lag my system big time,” STOP. Stop right there. THIS IS NOT ONE OF THOSE!

I’m always sceptical about memory cleaners, but when I saw this post on Raymond.cc, I had to stop and have a read. Just for those that haven’t yet discovered Raymond.cc, its full of really awesome how to’s, software, and giveaways. Well worth subscribing to if you use RSS feeds at all. Anyway, this software doesn’t even use any resources while waiting. On install, it sets up a schedule in windows to run every half hour, and closes  itself when finished.

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Version Tested : 3.32
Compatibility : Windows 98, NT, 2000, XP, Vista

Description : Revolutionary software that allows you get directly to the folder you want with a few clicks. No more having to navigate to commonly used directories. Non obtrusive GUI which only appears when white space or the desktop is double clicked.

Gradually, the number of programs that claims to allow you faster access to folders, both generally, and in open / save dialogs. Well I’ve tried quite a few of them, and I seem to forget about them, or find them in a place where its not easy to remember. Direct Folders is different.

I’m rather impressed with this bit of freeware. It utilizes an action that doesn’t already get used by windows. We all know double clicking on files or shortcuts opens the item, however, what about double clicking on white space or the desktop? Now that’s such a decent way to open a custom locations menu!

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