multimedia

Crappy calendar

We always like to try new calendar applications, because periodically we come across some really innovative programs. Occasionally, though, we come across programs like Kalendra. It's innovative, all right, but not necessarily in a good way. As the kids would say, this program is a hot mess.

Kalendra's interface is fairly similar to other programs of this type, at least as far as the layout is concerned. But it has a cluttered, amateurish feel to it. We set about trying to explore its features and were duly unimpressed. Kalendra allegedly functions as an e-mail client, but we had … Read more

Nero's newest multimedia tools

There are plenty of options--from iTunes to DoubleTwist to Windows Media Player--that will keep the average consumer satisfied in terms of basic multimedia organization and playback. However, if you count yourself among those creative or persnickety enough to delve into the realm of audio and video editing, you may want to consider some more fully featured media tools.

That's where Nero's latest products come into play. Today, the company announced Nero Multimedia Suite 10 Platinum HD and Video Premium HD, two solutions for "creative enthusiasts" that will be available October 15 for $129.99 and $… Read more

Universal device syncing

DoubleTwist is at its core a free music jukebox that offers content syncing to a variety of portable devices, including the BlackBerry, the PSP, and the iPod, as well as pretty much anything that can mount in Universal Mass Storage mode. One of the main draws of the program is that it can take your iTunes library and sync it to a variety of non-iPod players, an important feature for anyone who has ditched the ubiquitous device in favor of a music phone or other MP3 player.

In addition to acting as a music management app compatible with a variety … Read more

Review: Freemake Video Converter

Freemake Video Converter promises to be to Windows users what Handbrake is to Mac users. This free app is built using Microsoft's .NET Framework 4, which is a programming model that allows developers to provide software with interfaces that are easy to use and visually appealing. Certainly, both are true when it comes to Freemake, which offers a Maclike window with rounded edges and large, explicit function buttons.

Downloading and installing Freemake Video Converter is a painless process, and the app takes up a modest amount of space (30MB) on your hard drive. As noted, the main window is … Read more

The battle of the virtual guitar iPhone apps

If two data points make a trend, here's a new one: there will soon be two iPhone apps that promise to turn your humble mobile phone into a mobile electric-guitar rig, complete with multiple amps, effects, and microphones.

DJ and electronic music apps for the iPhone aren't much of a stretch--after all, a lot of electronic musicians have been using computers as their primary instrument since the 1990s, and the iPhone is as powerful as the highest-powered desktops from a decade ago.

But most guitarists are stubborn analog creatures, hunting vintage music shops and Craigslist for the perfect … Read more

E-readers seek frame and fortune

Before the iPad, it was often said that there has never been a successful electronics device in a screen size between the cell phone and the laptop. Indeed, the form factor and functionality of such devices have been tough nuts to crack, but there have been a few successes.

While the most widely adopted of these was the so-called "portable" DVD player embraced by many top-tier consumer electronics brands, a more modest success story has been the digital picture frame.

Cleverly branded, overgrown multimedia players that had undergone battery removal surgery, the digital picture frame was a star … Read more

Poorly designed downloader

The Internet contains an abundance of entertaining and educational content in both audio and video formats, and sooner or later almost everyone finds themselves wanting to download such content for later use. Fortunately for all of us, many programs have cropped up in recent years to help us with this task. HiDownload is one such program; but, we're sorry to say, it's not nearly as user-friendly as some others we've encountered.

The program's interface is plain and doesn't offer a whole lot in the way of direction. Some of the features were pretty easy to … Read more