TwentyOne For Windows 8 Serves As A Hub For 21 Of Your Favorite Social Media Contacts

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Most people nowadays have more online friends than real life ones. Some even keep adding new friends as if they are in a competition where the player with the highest number will win the round. Speaking of numbers, TwentyOne is a one-of-a-kind Windows 8 and RT app, with a Windows Phone version as well, that lets you aggregate your 21 favorite social media friends from Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, so you may keep a tab on their online happenings under one roof. As the app's name suggests, you can add up to 21 contacts from each social network; assuming you’re using all your slots, that could max it up to 63 contacts in total, provided you choose a different group of people from each service. The app monitors your interaction with your friends and in turn recommends new friends based on your likes, dislikes and comments on their updates. Let’s take a look. Read More

Set Your PC To Auto-Shutdown Or Run A Certain Program When It Is Idle

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We have covered applications like AllOff, DownOff and ProcOff that are designed to monitor different aspects of running processes such as file downloads, CPU priority etc., and automatically perform certain actions when user-specified conditions are met. For example, if you’re downloading a file and you want your system to automatically power off once the download completes, you can simply use DownOff for the purpose. Similarly, ProcOff essentially monitors system processes and can be used to turn off your PC when a process stops executing. Today, we have another such desktop app for Windows labeled Watch 4 Idle. Well, you might have already guessed half of what the application really does by its name - monitor your system's idle time and take actions based on it. It’s a feature-laden app that can execute a horde of different actions like shutdown, restart or log off, or run a program when your system has been idle for a defined interval of time. Details to follow after the jump. Read More

Sync ImageShack Photos Across Windows, Mac, Android & iOS With SkyPath

ImageShack-SkyPath
There is no shortage of cloud storage services out there, but you will find that a particular niche exists among these services that specialize in photos. And it makes sense, since many of us preserve our dear memories in photos, and don't wanna risk losing them, plus want to have them accessible from all our devices. Also, lost photos aren't documents that can be typed again, or songs and movies that can be bought from anywhere. ImageShack is one such service that gives you 5GB of storage space for your pictures. Developed by the same company, SkyPath is an omni-access solution for Windows, Mac, iOS and Android that allows you to upload images to your ImageShack account and sync them across devices.  Let's take a look at the service and its apps in detail after the jump. Read More

Define Global Volume Control Keyboard & Mouse Shortcuts With 3RVX

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Multimedia keyboards offer a lot of advantages over normal ones. Along with providing extra keys for navigating the web browser and controlling playback in music players like iTunes, Windows Media Player and more, many keyboards also let you control volume without having to do so from the options built into Windows or the hardware volume knob on your speakers. That’s why I always prefer and recommend a multimedia keyboard whenever a friend asks for suggestions or I myself need to purchase one. But if you don’t own a multimedia keyboard, or simply prefer a standard one, but would like to have volume controls on it, fret not! You can still do exactly that, thanks to 3RVX. I have been playing with this minuscule tool for the last couple of days and have found it very handy for what it does. This tiny app lets you change speaker volume output via hotkeys, and the great thing is that you can use a combination of keyboard and mouse shortcuts for the purpose. Read More

Viber Brings Free Messaging, Voice & Video Calling To Windows & Mac

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Viber, the popular free messaging and voice calling app, has received a massive update and has released desktop clients for both Windows and OS X. Both iOS and Android apps now allow you to compose and send video messages. An in-app banner (which can be disabled in the app’s settings if it bothers you) notifies you when you receive a new message or call on the iOS app. The desktop apps themselves are pretty good as well, and come with the added feature of video calls (currently in beta). Calls can easily be transferred between your desktop and mobile phone. Other significant updates to the iOS and Android app include Whatsapp-like online status and last seen time visibility (that can be enabled or disabled), the ability to automatically download received images and videos, adding captions to videos and photos before sending them, a bunch of new stickers, and improved interface. Read More

BonAView Is An Image Viewer, Manager & Editor With A 3D Carousel View

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Photos...we all love them, and we love to take them! And as much as we like taking photos that look great, most of us also like to keep them well-organized and accessible in one place so we can instantly go back and view those incredible moments we once caught in our camera. BonAView is a feature-rich photo manager and image viewer for Windows that also doubles as a powerful image editor. Sporting an elegant UI, the application is designed to help you organize and access all your photos in a user-friendly manner. It boasts a host of features and houses a fascinating 3D View option that makes photo viewing more enjoyable and intuitive. Read More

Batch Upload Files & Running Processes To VirusTotal For Scanning

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VirusTotal is a robust online security tool that lets you scan suspicious files through a series of tests using a host of antivirus engines such as TrendMicro, McAfee, BitDefender, Kaspersky, DrWeb, and a truckload of others. It’s a powerful cloud-based malware and virus scanning solution that has pretty much eliminated the need for running a dedicated antivirus or antimalware app on your computer for the purpose of scanning individual files (though you should still be running one nevertheless for your system's protection in background). If you rely on VirusTotal for checking suspicious files on the fly and find it to be a safe and convenient way for the said task, you'll have to admit that having to upload your files individually from the web interface isn't the most convenient method for the task. Though things are going to get a bit easier in that department for you, thanks to PhrozenSoft VirusTotal Uploader. It’s an awesome Windows application that lets you upload files to the service right from your desktop, thus eliminating the need for opening the site in a web browser. Lets take a closer look. Read More

Baconography Is A Reddit App For Windows Phone 8 & Windows 8 With Easy Subreddit Management

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Until now, Windows Phone users have had some pretty satisfactory Reddit clients at their disposal. Baconit and InstantReddit exemplify the kind of Reddit apps that have been available in the WP Store in the past. These apps might not be too heavy on features, but are great for everyday use, owing to their neat UI and easy navigation options. With the release of WP8, however, the demands of users have changed to some extent. Since Microsoft has been trying to work towards merging Windows 8 with their mobile platform, a lot of developers have started coming out with apps that are great on your phone, but can also come in handy on your Windows PC or tablet. Baconography is among the first Reddit clients that are available on both Windows Store and the WP Store. The app is perfect for all Reddit users who have very particular preferences regarding subreddits, since Baconography allows them to pin any subreddit to the app’s main screen. The comments view is great in both apps as well. Read More

FullSync Is A Comprehensive Backup & Sync Solution for Local & FTP Storage

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A few months ago, one of my friends lost his steadily working hard drive, which happened to be quite a disaster on him, for not only he had to shell out money on a new one but even worse, he lost all his data as well. When I asked him about any file backups he might have created, what I got in return were those skeptical glances. This is just one of the many such scenarios people often face by not backing up their data in a timely fashion. But if you think that creating backups is a tedious chore, you won’t do so anymore after using FullSync. It’s an open-source application that makes file backups a breeze by letting you create backup profiles, using which you can either automate the whole thing by scheduling the task, or manually executing it whenever needed. It boasts a host of features and lets you create backup to remote locations using FTP, schedule its operations, and perform two-way folder-to-folder synchronization as well. Read More

VJC Is A JPEG Image Compressor With Original Vs. Result Comparison

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Internet has become a vast community that, just a few decades ago, not many had thought would turn into what it is now. You can instantly communicate with friends, family, coworkers, acquaintances, professionals and even strangers on social media, VoIP or IM apps, approach your clients online without actually meeting them, exchange emails with your colleagues, play games, and do a bunch of other stuff you like. Among the many advantages internet provides, sharing photos is probably one used by a vast majority - even those who don't use many other online services. But sometimes, sharing photos can become quite a tedious task due to image size limitation of the photo sharing or file transfer service that you employ or even worse, if your monthly internet data cap is already dipping in the lows. That’s where tools like VJC come to rescue because if you can’t share the original file, why not just compress it first? Read More

Easily Disable USB Drives Or Read/Write Access For Guest Users With Ratool

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People who work in the office with many people around, or take their laptop along for working remotely would know that leaving your computer on while you’re not using it can bring a lot of risks of data snooping and unauthorized use. Whether you leave your desk to grab a cup of coffee or run to the bathroom, there are always chances of someone using your computer, plugging in a USB device and stealing your private information without you even knowing. This is where apps like Removable Access Tool come to the rescue. It can prove to be very useful when locking the entire computer isn't a choice and you have someone to temporarily use it for accessing social media or checking email. The application is designed to restrict read and write access of any USB thumb drive plugged to the computer. It’s fairly easy to use and sports a very lightweight design, weighing in at just a few kilobytes. Read More

Popular Windows Phone YouTube App Metrotube Comes To Windows 8 & RT

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YouTube can be considered one of the biggest and most lucrative acquisitions by the company. The video streaming service has become so popular that most internet users hardly spend a day without browsing a few videos or YouTube channels, whether on mobile or desktop. Google however, has been quite dismissive when it comes to releasing a YouTube app on Windows 8, leaving video streaming fanatics on this very platform rely on third-party apps or the web version. We have covered a few Windows Store apps that provide a handsome YouTube experience without leaving the metro environment such as PrimeTube, YouVue and Your Tube 8. Metrotube – a renowned Windows Phone YouTube app – has now joined the party, and with its release, the YouTube experience on Windows 8 and Windows RT is finally setting its foot in the right direction. Read More

Seafile Is A Private Cloud Storage & Collaboration Solution For Teams

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Seafile is a cloud service that allows you to create and share a private cloud library of files with friends or colleagues. Files get synced for all users, so that if one person edits a document or makes any changes to it (if they’re allowed to), Seafile automatically updates the changes for everyone in the group. I know this sounds trite, but sharing files via the cloud is an amazingly convenient thing. Still, sometimes you don’t want or need to bring the internet into the picture just to share files between colleagues and friends who are on the same local network. To accommodate this, Seafile also allows you to create your own personal cloud for sharing files between computers in the same organization using its open-source server that's available for Linux and Raspberry Pi. It’s safe, because you use your own servers, and reliable because Seafile saves everything and you can even restore stuff you've accidentally deleted. It’s also secure because the files can be encrypted with a password. And finally, it’s mega-convenient, because all users on the network using Seafile get to sync their work with each other simultaneously. Read More

Concord Is A Floating App & File Launcher For Windows Desktop

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A few days ago, I cleaned my desktop to get rid of unwanted and obsolete icons that were doing nothing but simply cluttering my desktop and ruining my beautiful background. After making the desktop completely uncluttered, I started to add a few shortcuts of just my frequently accessed programs, files and folders back to it. It was all going smooth and steady until I realized that filling up the desktop with a plethora of icons isn't exactly the most efficient or aesthetically appealing way to access my required content, and started looking for an alternative solution that could provide quicker and more organized access to my shortcuts without spoiling the desktop. My hunt for that intuitive solution landed me on Concord, and it proved itself to be quite handy. It’s a application launcher for Windows that eliminates the need for putting shortcut icons on the desktop. Along with beautifying the desktop with its minimal design , it provides a nifty solution for quickly accessing files, folders, apps and websites. Read More

Auto-Arrange Movies & Subtitles Into Respective Folders With A Click

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No one ever said cleaning up is fun, but it doesn't have to be mind-numbing, either. If you've got a folder where you dump a lot of files, many of which belong to the same group and have different extensions but the same names (such as a video file and its corresponding subtitles file), arranging them into their own folders manually can be something one puts off for later till the pile becomes too large, and then one simply doesn't wanna bother going through it. Though what if there was a way to sort them all into individual folders at the click of a button, faster than you can say “LeoMoon Files2Folders”? That's what the tool does - organizing files into folders by filenames, not by extension. Folders are created automatically for each file or group of files with the same name, and you don’t have to do anything other than point where to clean up and hit the 'Start' button. Read More

Create Custom Symbols In Windows With Private Character Editor

How to create custom characters in Windows
The Character Map utility in Microsoft Windows is quite popular and known to many Windows users as a part of the OS since its very early times. It allows you to insert special characters i.e. symbols or fonts that are not available otherwise, into your documents like essays, articles, reports, stories, email etc. Though did you know that you can create your very own special characters using a tool that also comes built right into Windows? Private Character Editor is an integrated Windows app that lets you carve out custom characters from scratch. In this tutorial, we’ll guide you through the step-by-step process of using Private Character Editor to make your own special characters. Read More

MRT Mixer Makes Audio Mixing A Breeze On Windows

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If you enjoy listening to your local radio station at work, home or on the road, you might have noticed the constant genre switching on many channels every now and then. At one moment it’s playing jazz, and the other it starts sending high bass into your ears, and then suddenly, you begin hearing that boring radio ad while eagerly awaiting the next song. This constant shift of tracks is called audio mixing, which is considered an effective way of making radio more enjoyable to an audience with diverse tastes. Apart from radio, you might also find audio mixing across a multitude of other entertainment mediums. Today, we’re going to take a look at MRT Mixer - a desktop app that allows you to easily do your own audio mixing while listening to your favorite tracks. Let’s look at the things that make this app awesome. Read More

9-Lab Removal Tool Is An On-Demand Virus, Rootkit & Registry Scanner

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As malware continually evolving, so are the security firms that are fighting back with equally robust, top-notch security solutions. And thanks to an increased awareness, so is the end users' knowledge and expertise to keep their PC safe from malicious threats. 9-Lab Removal Tool is an advanced anti-malware app for Windows designed to take care of shady software lurking on your computer. The application effectively removes malware including viruses, trojans, rootkits, malicious registry keys, spyware  and other harmful or potentially unwanted items from your machine. The application comprises of a simple UI and boasts an advanced protection engine that can detect and remove malware from every nook and corner of your PC, including hidden locations and services launched at system startup. Read More

PassBox Is A Windows Password Vault With A Metro-Inspired UI

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After more than a year using LastPass, this nifty little password manager has become my first choice for many reasons. I use it in Firefox, Chrome and even my Android device. Thanks to its handy synchronization feature, I can easily access my login info associated with social networks, email providers and other online services no matter which platform I am using. It’s secure and robust, but there’s one thing that might not make it a good choice for everyone. Even though LastPass’s powerful cloud features are worth an applause, not everyone likes to keep their private information on the cloud. So if you’re looking for an offline password manager, try taking PassBox for a spin. This Metro UI-inspired app sits quite nicely with Windows 8 and lets you store your account login information without requiring to sign up for a service for this. Read More