Hong Kong-based developer Kingsoft Software has released KingSoft Office Suite Free 2013, a brand new version of its sleek free alternative to Microsoft Office. Version 9.1.0.4056 makes its bow with a redesigned user interface with choice of three skins, plus improves support for the latest Office formats. There’s better support for foreign characters as well as date and number formats too, while users can now undo changes even after saving documents.

The suite consists of three tools – Writer, Spreadsheets and Presentation – all of which gain specific new features and improvements. All three sport a ribbon-based user interface with one key advantage over Office’s own: the ability to view and switch between multiple documents in a single tabbed window.

Read More »

Google has released Gmail for Android 4.5, a radical new version of its Google Mail client for Android smartphones. At the present time, the update is slowly making its way to users through the Google Play store, with the intention being all users will be able to update or install the latest version within the next few weeks.

We’ve managed to get hold of a sneaky copy, and can reveal it’s as radical an update as anticipated, with a revamped user interface and support for new features such as Gmail tabs and pull-to-refresh. As expected, these new features require a handset or tablet running Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) or later – those running earlier versions of Android get version 2.3.6, with minor bug fixes.

Read More »

Budapest developer FinalWire Ltd has released AIDA64 Extreme Edition 3.00 and AIDA64 Business Edition 3.00, a major new version of its diagnostic and benchmarking tools for Windows PCs.

The new release comes with completely rewritten memory bandwidth and latency benchmarks, along with optimised 64-bit benchmarks for AMD “Kabini” and Intel “Haswell” processors, plus support for the latest generation of AMD Radeon and nVIDIA GeForce graphics chips.

Read More »

Synium Software has released MacFamilyTree 7.0 and MobileFamilyTree 7.0, brand new versions of its acclaimed family history software for Mac, iPhone and iPad. Both MacFamilyTree and MobileFamilyTree are built from the same architecture, sharing the majority of features as well as a practically identical user interface.

Both versions gain significant new features and improvements in version 7.0, including redesigned user interface, improved source management tools and iCloud integration for keeping research backed up and in sync between computers and mobiles. In addition, MacFamilyTree 7.0 gains high-definition maps for the first time with an improved Virtual Globe chart.

Read More »

Emsisoft has released minor updates for its commercial and free anti-malware tools with the publications of Emsisoft Anti-Malware 7.0.0.25 and Emsisoft Emergency Kit 3.0.0.6. Although minor, both updates are strongly recommended for existing users.

Emsisoft Anti-Malware 7.0.0.25 builds on the improvements introduced with the release of version 7 last September. Major new features in that build included a second malware scanning engine – Bitdefender – being added alongside Emsisoft’s own along with performance tweaks for advanced users who wished to control how many system resources should be given over to the program.

Read More »

SweetLabs Inc has just released a new version of Pokki, its ambitious Start Menu replacement and app framework. There are few visual changes – and not even that many in total – but the release does deliver some high value improvements which should make a real difference to the product.

Full touch support for Pokki apps and menu will help make the program far more usable to a tablet audience, for instance.

Read More »

Dashlane, Inc has launched Dashlane 2.0 for desktop and Dashlane for Android 2.0.1, major new updates of its secure password management tool that allows users to securely store sensitive personal details such as online passwords and credit card information via free desktop and mobile apps.

Both builds gain a complete new user interface, the promise of a “massive jump” in product quality and support for two-factor authentication via Google Authenticator. In addition the desktop build gains a new Security Dashboard feature, while the Android version expands support for tablets and adds in-app browsing.

Read More »

In theory, a free online storage account sounds like it should be a great way to share files with others. And this can be true, at least sometimes, but there are complications. Like having to upload your data first, for instance. And then trusting its security to your service provider.

If these are issues for you, though, you could try another option: installing Weezo and allowing it to run a secure server on your own PC, making selected files and folder available to whoever you like. This is far easier to get working than you might expect. And it’s just a small part of what this interesting free program can do.

Read More »

It’s common knowledge that Google is closing its Google Reader service, and that July 1^st deadline is creeping ever closer. Now is the perfect time to switch to an alternative service and become acclimatised to a slightly different way of working, and the good news is that you can make the switch in minutes without having to perform any convoluted tricks, thanks to Feedly.com.

There are two ways to access Feedly – if you’re on a desktop or laptop, you’ll need to install the Feedly for Firefox, Chrome and Safari plug-in, and if you’ve an Android or iOS mobile, you’ll want to install Feedly 15.0.1 instead (or in addition to) in order to access the service.

Read More »

These days, the ability to browse the web anonymously is built into most web browsers. Firefox has a special Private Browsing mode where no trace of your history – including searches, downloads, web forms and cookies – is kept, although any downloaded files and bookmarks will remain as evidence of your secret browsing session.

It’s certainly more robust than a general browsing session, but it’s not as secure as it might be. That explains the reasoning behind Private Browsing by PortableApps.com 3.0, a free add-on for Firefox Portable Edition for Windows.

Read More »

Multifunction printers have many useful features, but the ability to work as a photocopier has to be one of the best. Place your document on the scanner, click the Copy button, and a duplicate should appear in just a few seconds.

You don’t have to miss out on this kind of convenience just because you’ve a separate printer and scanner, though. Grab a copy of iCopy and the program will combine your devices into a straightforward yet very capable photocopier.

Read More »