Software

Why Sony did the opposite of Microsoft on used games (Q&A)

When Microsoft last week announced new, and more restrictive, rules regarding the resale of used Xbox One games, the policy triggered howls of outrage and calls for boycotts from consumers who rely on buying used games.

The new restrictions let Xbox gamers share games just a single time and only with people who have been on their friends list for at least 30 days. But on Monday night, Microsoft's arch-rival Sony announced a different tack: Jack Tretton, the CEO of Sony Computer Entertainment of America, said his company would not impose any restrictions on trading or selling used games. … Read more

Review: Able2Extract for Mac converts PDFs to almost any format

Able2Extract for Mac allows conversion from PDFs to a number of office document formats, something even the newer versions of office software suites don't support. The program offers an intuitive interface and supports conversion to all the major file types such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Open Office, HTML, AutoCAD, and to most popular image formats. The program's conversion features are useful, despite occasional failures to load files which occurred during testing.

After a clean installation using the program's well-designed native installer, the program initiated a menu describing the trial version's limitations and displaying a link to … Read more

Review: Easily locate, play back, and organize multiple files with iVideo for Mac

iVideo for Mac helps you easily locate, organize, and play back all of your video files. The application supports all known video formats and offers plenty of options for customizing video files and the way you search for them.

Since it's around 30MB in size, iVideo for Mac takes a couple of minutes to download. After a quick installation, the app opens to a basic but neat video organizer. The interface is customizable and you can show or hide a sidebar and information bar to your right. In the upper-right corner there is a search option, which helps you … Read more

Review: Jaksta Media Recorder for Mac downloads online video and audio files

Jaksta Media Recorder for Mac offers a one-stop shop for recording and downloading media files from your favorite Web sites to your Mac. The program pairs easy-to-use controls with functionality. The trial version only successfully downloads YouTube videos, but it does so with speed and no hiccups.

Jaksta Media Recorder for Mac doesn't require any setup and the program is ready to run from the start. Upon startup the user is prompted to enter the registration code, purchase the full version, or continue in demo mode. The layout is very straightforward, but has a quality feel to it. Few … Read more

Review: Jaksta Music Miner for Mac captures songs from streaming audio sites

Jaksta Music Miner for Mac caters to frequent users of YouTube or other sites with streaming audio who may want to listen to their favorite songs away from the Internet. The application performs well and successfully saves copies of media files streamed online to your hard drive.

Upon installation Jaksta Music Miner for Mac's basic tutorial walks the user through the initial setup. To keep it working in the background the user needs to turn the program "on" by pressing a small button in the program's status bar. When an audio track or a video comes … Read more

Review: Display song and album information with ScreenSleeves

ScreenSleeves for Mac allows the cover art and other song information to be displayed as the screensaver while a song plays, a useful feature for those who have long playlists during parties or other events. The program easily detects which song is playing and displays the cover art in good quality and with some additional options.

ScreenSleeves for Mac downloads and installs directly into the typical screensaver area, meaning users simply have to navigate to the system preferences menu to activate it. Once selected, the application automatically reads the song that is currently playing on iTunes or Spotify. When the … Read more

Review: Easily record, save, and replay sound with RecordPad Sound Recorder

Fully utilized for voice recording, RecordPad Sound Recorder for Mac enables users to successfully record audio notes, interviews, announcements, or lectures. The application is available as free to try for 14 days with no apparent limitations.

During the installation of RecordPad Sound Recorder for Mac you will be prompted to download optional programs and an Internet browser toolbar, which you can easily opt out of. You should also uncheck the options to allow the program to change your default search engine and start page unless you would like it to. Once the program opens, you will be greeted with a … Read more

Review: Pick and listen to music without navigating the Web with Rdio

Rdio for Mac offers easy access to the online music subscription service of the same name and all of its features right from your Mac's dock. The application integrates easily, works seamlessly, and makes using Rdio more convenient.

After downloading, the free application requires an existing or new Rdio account to use. For new users, clicking a well-labeled link makes signing up easy with a confirmation e-mail. The user can then sign in to the application. The main menu is basic, with a search field on the left and playing controls on the bottom. The playing controls operate as … Read more

Review: Play the classic scrolling shooter game with Raiden Legacy

Raiden Legacy for Mac recreates a classic '90s gaming shoot 'em up experience. The game offers plenty of challenge and will surely keep fans of this old school arcade series busy for hours chasing the highest score.

Raiden Legacy for Mac comes with a free trial version with a 60-minute time limit. Installation required an extra step in the form of downloading a separate game store app, which extended the overall loading time. Once started, the initial menus were well thought out and easy to navigate. The user has the option of choosing between several versions of the game, but … Read more

Review: 360 Internet Security provides protection all around

360 Internet Security 2013's installer is a light 17MB, and though the overall installation time and duration was relatively fast, it's update process took longer than we had expected. Prior to installation, 360 will automatically prompt you to agree to their license and usage terms, something that's normally an opt-out process. And though it's more or less required to move on, those who are more keen on privacy details or interested in the terms of agreement should keep this in mind before they install the software. Still, the opt-out option might appear a bit suspicious, especially … Read more