FrostWire 4.18

Reviewed by: Seth Rosenblatt on December 10, 2008

FrostWire is a fork of the LimeWire source code, and as such, it functions exactly the same. When you search for a file using FrostWire, you get results from LimeWire, and vice versa.

However, the user experience differs in two ways. One is that the code is actually based on LimeWire Pro, the paid version of the popular P2P client, so users don't have to worry about simultaneous download restrictions, and they won't get bombarded by ads. Also, befitting the name, the interface has changed from green to blue and has been slightly improved. Tabs have rounded corners, and there are two additions, as well. Connections monitors your outgoing and incoming connections by host name, but also provides bandwidth information, the vendor and version being used, and more. There's also a built-in community chat.

When we tested it, the built-in media player in FrostWire didn't work with MP3s or MPGs, although those files worked fine in LimeWire and elsewhere. The app also comes bundled with the ASK toolbar, but you can opt out of that during the installation process. While some people have experienced faster download times with FrostWire compared with its parent, others have not. FrostWire and LimeWire are practically indistinguishable, although the lack of ads is a big plus.

Miro 2.5.2

Reviewed by: Seth Rosenblatt on February 10, 2009

Providing one-stop shopping for all your video needs, open-source and cross-platform Miro deserves much of the praise that's been heaped upon it. The latest major point to version 2.0 continues to impress.

The concept is brilliant, yet simple: Create a video player that can subscribe to and download video podcasts while managing the videos you've saved on your hard drive. On the face of it, this might sound like iTunes, but the sharing component is an essential aspect of the program. Miro has always been geared toward video and it shows in the program's design. When you launch the app, a left sidebar hosts a folder tree for managing your videos. The central pane does double duty for viewing videos and searching for new ones, although the latest version lets you pop out the viewing window so you can multitask your viewing and browsing. The bottom hosts a search box, for parsing through Google, YouTube, Yahoo, and others, a video control panel, and a volume control. Somewhat confusingly, there's also a search box at the top of the main window.

Features include full torrent support, so you can download and view torrents in the same app, folder watching (to manage only the hard-drive folders you specify for new videos), resumable playback, channel surfing (which organizes video feeds by topic), video sharing and hosting, and assistance in creating and distributing videos. The biggest changes in 2.0, though, are in the guts of the program. It loads faster and is immeasurably more stable than before.

Nero 9.4.13.2b

Reviewed by: ifr Staff

Nero 9 delivers a refurbished digital media suite that's still as comprehensive as they come, though now in a more polished wrapper. The installation file is massive and once Nero is on your machine, it consumes a hefty serving of memory. Considering all it can do, though, we can only complain so much.

CD- and DVD-burning are still Nero's core, while shortcuts for burning and ripping CDs and DVDs are now accessible from the new StartSmart GUI, now adorned with an RSS reader. Authoring and burning high-definition CDs and DVDs are added features, and so is the ability to export video files made and edited with Nero to YouTube, MySpace, and MyNero.

Nero 9 introduces RescueAgent, a tool to recover data from damaged disks, and a gaggle of Vista features, including a one-click desktop gadget for copying CDs.

Despite the cosmetic alterations, Vista support, and enhancements, particularly to Nero Vision, the dramatic changes are slim. However, Nero's significantly faster application launch time and improved usability make the audio, video, photo, data, and home entertainment workhorse that lets you edit MP3s, capture and edit video, record and playback TV, create slide shows, back up data, convert audio files, check your hardware specs, and design disc covers with ease well worth a try.

Amortization Schedule for Excel 1.6

Reviewed by: ifr staff on May 08, 2009

Choosing your major financial purchase can be dreamy (stucco or stone? sun roof or tinted windows?) but the dream can quickly morph into a nightmare when trying to determine just how much money your loan will actually cost over time. The Amortization Schedule for Excel gives you the basic information you need so you can see just how much your dream will actually cost over time.

This freeware tool is very easy to use. Just plug in your numbers (loan amount, loan term, and interest rate) and voila, an amortization schedule quickly appears. You can easily change the variables, too. Just enter information into any box and the schedule will automatically reset to your new terms. This flexibility is especially useful if you choose to apply extra payments toward your principal at any point during your loan. (And, yes, this also works if you neglect to make that payment.) Check the rounding box and the schedule will round to the nearest cent, which lets you compare your results with many other amortization schedule programs.

The Amortization Schedule for Excel is very matter-of-fact, which is probably what you want in such a sobering enterprise as the spending of your hard-earned money. This schedule is for fixed rate loans only, and accommodates up to 780 payments, generous enough for most loans, weekly and otherwise. This is truly an amortization schedule; look elsewhere if you want a calculator that includes other expenses such as anticipated taxes and insurance.

No need to install the Amortization Schedule for Excel as it is already accessible after extraction. And what it lacks in pizzazz, this simple utility makes up for with solid data and ease of use.

Free YouTube to MP3 Converter 3.1.5.55

Reviewed by: ifr staff on May 14, 2009

The minor quibbles we have with Free YouTube to MP3 Converter have nothing to do with its functionality. This effective freeware is ready to go right out of the box, but can be easily customized by the user.

No effort has been made to dress up the program's utilitarian interface, which consists of seven large buttons, a few fields, and a drop-down menu. A plain text box advises users to paste URLs in the field, and this is all the onscreen guidance you'll need. Once you see the video title in the field, you click Download and the program goes to work. The process wasn't lightening quick, but considering the size of some of our test files, it wasn't bad. Converted files played without a hitch.

The beauty of this converter lies in its simple set up. By default, converted files are saved into the program's folder in My Documents, and they retain the name of the source video. The files are saved as MP3s, normal quality. These settings are easily changed, though, with quick-access buttons and a drop-down menu. The most work a user might have to do is fill out the fields in the optional Tags fields for artist, title, track, and other information.

Sadly, the program doesn't integrate with your browser, but you can opt to have it automatically pick up URLs from the clipboard, which eliminates one step from the cutting and pasting process. It also installs the Ask.com Toolbar and resets your home page to the Ask.com Web site by default, so if you don't want these extras, you'll have to uncheck some boxes during the installation process. These inconveniences are offset by the fact that this program is not only effective, it also costs nothing to use. We highly recommend Free YouTube to MP3 Converter for any user.

Adobe Illustrator CS4

True to its name, Adobe Illustrator began life as a standard-bearer for vector-based illustration and design, but fell behind the times because it lacked the Web output of competitors. Eager to shed Illustrator's stodgy image as a print-only application, Adobe has since taught this old dog many new tricks.

One instantly noticeable change is the panel-based interface, a change from the familiar palettes of old. The panels can be minimized to simple icon docks. Clicking on an icon opens up the palette it refers to, while hitting the arrow at the top opens all the palettes. No more worries about palettes blocking your workspace.

Colors get a lot of attention in CS3. They can now be grouped as you want them, and you can have CS3 suggest similar or related colors to you. The new Live Color function lets you easily change existing colors in your image. The app also includes integration with Adobe Flash, minimizing the hoop-jumping required for creating symbols in Illustrator and seamlessly importing them into Flash. Both programs now share the same hot key for defining symbols, and Illustrator now has Flash's graphics engine, further simplifying the crossover and importing process.

Other new features include a vector erasing tool, an improved cropping mechanism, tweaks in Live Trace, overhauled New Document Profiles, and more, but Illustrator is not for everyone. As is typical for Adobe products, the price, system requirements, and learning curve can be daunting. That said, this program offers features and functionality that can't be matched, and is a must-have for anyone who is serious about professional-quality digital illustration.