Brandon Dimmel

Times are tough over at Microsoft. At least, it seems that way given consumer reaction to Windows 8 and the firm's new Surface tablet . Now, the firm's chief executive officer, Steve Ballmer, has announced plans to leave the company. But one very ... prominent economist thinks the Redmond, Washington-based firm is still in better shape than one of its main rivals: Apple. Apple Losing its "Quality Edge" In a recent New York Times piece, internationally renowned economist Paul Krugman suggested that Apple might have a more troubled future than Microsoft. His reasoning: conservative IT ... (view more)

Easy-Data Media Center 2.0.1.7 This media center software provides users access to a wide variety of video and audio tools, including video conversion, video merging, recording studio, audio library, search, and more. This program can also be used ... to turn a picture slideshow into a video. http://www.easy-data.no Lansweeper 5.0.0.81 Keep in touch with your home or work network with Lansweeper. This program makes it easy to create software and network inventories by scanning all of the systems connected to your network. Features include active directory integration and event log integration. ... (view more)

Norton Identity Safe 2014.5.0.67 Having trouble remembering all those complex passwords you use for your favorite websites? Then check out Norton Identity Safe from renowned security firm Symantec. It's designed to save you time but keep your most ... important passwords safe and secure. http://identitysafe.norton.com CutePDF Writer 3.0.0.6 This handy little tool is designed to help you convert PDF (portable document format) documents! It's compatible with every version of Microsoft Windows since Windows 98 and is absolutely free for non-commercial usage. http://www.acrosoftware.com This freeware ... (view more)

Microsoft has released its first major update to the Windows 8 operating system, Windows 8.1 (or 'Windows Blue'), to manufacturers. That means the update is on track for its October 18, 2013 release. Microsoft's Windows SuperSite editor Paul ... Thurrott recently took to Twitter to announce that Windows 8.1 had been released to manufacturers (RTM). That means the update has reached Microsoft's quality standards and is ready to be installed on new PC systems. Microsoft had earlier stated that it would reach this milestone by the end of August, meaning the company is slightly ahead of schedule. ( ... (view more)

Microsoft chief executive officer Steve Ballmer has announced plans to leave the Redmond, Washington-based firm in the next twelve months. It's a monumental change for a firm going through a difficult period in its history. Ballmer, who is 57 years ... old and originally joined Microsoft in 1980, says his firm has already appointed a special committee to interview candidates for the position. Microsoft co-founder and current chairman Bill Gates is said to be on that special committee. Dramatic End to a Roller Coaster Career Ballmer's tenure as CEO has been a tumultuous one. Ballmer was named CEO ... (view more)

Law enforcement agencies around the world are taking steps to prevent the illegal distribution of copyright-protected materials through file-sharing sites like The Pirate Bay . However, new research from the Netherlands shows that illegal ... downloading has actually increased since that country took steps to block access to the controversial Sweden-based site. Back in 2012, Dutch courts ruled that Internet Service Providers in the Netherlands must make an attempt to block all access to The Pirate Bay. Those courts based their decision on reports indicating that over 90 per cent of the material ... (view more)

iSpy 5.4.4 Keep your home or office safe and secure with iSpy. This software works with installed hardware (such as cameras and microphones) to detect and record movement. All recordings are compressed and made available in a secure fashion for ... access through the Internet. http://www.ispyconnect.com FreeSysInfo 1.4.7 As the name suggests, this software offers you access to information about your computer system. It uses a tool called Windows Management Instrumentation to complete this process. This program is free and is compatible with most versions of Windows. http://www.networksecurityhome ... (view more)

There's nothing more frustrating than ending a long work day by waiting two hours for a traffic jam to clear up. That's why Google has announced plans to update the Google Maps mobile application to provide real-time updates for its users, thereby ... helping them avoid troublesome traffic areas. Google made the announcement on Tuesday, August 20, 2013. The update will give mobile Google Maps users real-time alerts about fender benders, new construction projects, and other potential traffic issues. Real-World Drivers Provide Traffic Updates Providing the data required for the service will be Waze ... (view more)

WinCrashReport 1.20 Not satisfied with Microsoft's own crash reporting program for the Windows operating system? Then try out WinCrashReport, which provides you with an extensive report about every application that crashes on your system. ... http://www.nirsoft.net StrokesPlus 2.7.2 StrokesPlus helps you create useful shortcuts and improve your productivity by recording unique mouse gestures. You can use these gestures to maximize or minimize windows, navigate forward and back, or automate logging into a favorite website. http://www.strokesplus.com This freeware software program is brought to you ... (view more)

Fasterfox Lite 3.9.9 Improve the performance of your Mozilla Firefox web browser with Firefox Lite. This is an add-on for the popular Firefox browser. It speeds things up by removing Enhanced Prefetching, which can hog server bandwidth and slow down ... your browsing experience. http://www.mozilla.org Fences 2.1 Clean up your desktop with Fences, a unique program that allows you to select, move, and resize areas of your desktop. That means you can create special, organized containers for all of your desktop icons. No more messy desktop for you! Please note that you can only try Fences for a ... (view more)