The most recent Software Reviews from Computeract!ve

Review: Norton Internet Security 2009 security software

Cliff Joseph — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 11:52:51 GMT

Cliff Joseph, Computeract!ve, Friday 3 October 2008 at 12:43:00

The veteran security program goes turbo

Norton Internet Security (NIS) is one of the best-known names in anti-virus and security software. However, we’ve often heard complaints from users who have been annoyed by the fact that...

Bitdefender Total Security 2009 security software

Paul Lester — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 11:52:51 GMT

Paul Lester, Computeract!ve, Friday 3 October 2008 at 12:52:00

A comprehensive security, optimisation and backup program

Once installed, Bitdefender 2009 uses a nine-step wizard to configure various aspects of the package. This includes identity control to safeguard information such as credit card details and passwords, parental...

Review: Reallusion iClone 3 design software

Cliff Joseph — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 17:19:48 GMT

Cliff Joseph, Computeract!ve, Thursday 2 October 2008 at 18:14:00

A powerful yet affordable 3D animation program

There’s a popular trend that’s taken off in the last couple of years called machinima, which is about using games or low-cost 3D software to create short 3D films on...

Review: Webroot Secure Backup utility software

Anthony Dhanendran — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 14:45:06 GMT

Anthony Dhanendran, Computeract!ve, Monday 29 September 2008 at 15:37:00

Make sure your files are safely duplicated

Instead of backing up your files to a disk connected to the computer, online backup software such as Webroot Secure Backup copies the files to a computer on the internet....

Review: Spore strategy game

Jonathan Parkyn — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 10:35:53 GMT

Jonathan Parkyn, Computeract!ve, Friday 26 September 2008 at 11:23:00

A God game, but one in which God has been replaced by Darwinian theory

You’ve got to respect the creators of Spore for the scope of their ambition alone. The game allows users to build their own unique creatures and take them on an...

Review: PC Tools Spyware Doctor with Antivirus 6 security software

Paul Lester — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 18:48:27 GMT

Paul Lester, Computeract!ve, Monday 25 August 2008 at 10:00:00

Kill off viruses and spyware

Spyware Doctor with Antivirus 6 is the latest in a series of security applications from PC Tools designed to protect your PC from a range of spyware and virus threats....

Review: Homepage Maker 6 Ultimate design software

Anthony Dhanendran — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 18:48:27 GMT

Anthony Dhanendran, Computeract!ve, Thursday 21 August 2008 at 17:19:00

This browser-based tool can get complicated

Homepage Maker 6 Ultimate bills itself as a business website maker that's easy for home users too. While it's certainly powerful enough for many small businesses, we reckon home users, unless...

Review: Taxcalc Personal Lite office software

Anthony Dhanendran — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 18:48:27 GMT

Anthony Dhanendran, Computeract!ve, Wednesday 20 August 2008 at 15:13:00

Get your affairs in order

For the self-employed, summer means it's time to start thinking about tax, as the returns for the previous year start to become due....

Review: System Mechanic 8 utility software

Anthony Dhanendran — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 18:48:27 GMT

Anthony Dhanendran, Computeract!ve, Monday 18 August 2008 at 10:00:00

Keep your computer running smoothly

The idea behind System Mechanic is that it can give your computer a thorough check-up as well as tweaks to keep it running smoothly....

Review: Uefa Euro 2008 Xbox 360 game

Anthony Dhanendran — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 18:48:27 GMT

Anthony Dhanendran, Computeract!ve, Sunday 17 August 2008 at 10:00:00

Fairy tale football featuring England at Euro 2008

The first thing you notice about EA's Uefa Euro 2008 is that it's not quite true to reality, in that England is represented in the game, despite being noticeably absent...

Review: Speed Up My PC 2009 optimser

Paul Lester — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 18:48:26 GMT

Paul Lester, Computeract!ve, Thursday 18 September 2008 at 17:17:00

A fast and easy way to improve Windows performance

The Speed Up My PC series is one of the best known computer optimisers around. The idea is that it will improve the computer by removing unwanted or unnecessary files...

Review: Snagit 9 utility software

Anthony Dhanendran — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 18:48:26 GMT

Anthony Dhanendran, Computeract!ve, Friday 12 September 2008 at 12:52:00

Take a picture of your screen

Snagit can capture the screen of a computer as a graphical image that can then be saved or sent to friends, family or technical support people....

Review: Lasersoft Silverfast 6.6 Ai Studio photo-editing software

Simon Williams — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 18:48:26 GMT

Simon Williams, Computeract!ve, Thursday 11 September 2008 at 12:03:00

Get better images from your scanner

When using a scanner, most people use the software that comes with it and scan images into a photo-editing program such as Photoshop or Paint Shop Pro to apply corrections...

Review: Firefox 3 internet browser

Anthony Dhanendran — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 18:48:26 GMT

Anthony Dhanendran, Computeract!ve, Wednesday 10 September 2008 at 14:00:00

Firefox gets a facelift that offers a stable, streamlined browser

Firefox, which used to be the brash young upstart to Internet Explorer's mainstream, is now distinctly mainstream itself. Used by up to 20 per cent of internet surfers (it varies...

Review: Mercenaries 2: World in Flames action game

Jonathan Parkyn — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 18:48:26 GMT

Jonathan Parkyn, Computeract!ve, Sunday 7 September 2008 at 10:00:00

Free rein to cause maximum military mayhem

Mercenaries 2: World in Flames is the sequel to a console-only action game from a couple of years ago. This time around, proceedings have shifted from North Korea to South...

Review: Sins of a Solar Empire strategy game

Jonathan Parkyn — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 18:48:26 GMT

Jonathan Parkyn, Computeract!ve, Saturday 6 September 2008 at 10:00:00

Time for some fun in the sun with this space strategy game

A surprise hit in the US when it was released there earlier this year, this real-time strategy game from a relatively small developer has taken a while to make it...

Review: Apple Safari 3 browser

Anthony Dhanendran — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 18:48:26 GMT

Anthony Dhanendran, Computeract!ve, Friday 5 September 2008 at 10:00:00

A fast browser, now available to Windows users

Safari is Apple's browser that, until recently, was restricted to Mac users. The company has recently released a version for Windows users as well, though, and it can be easily...

Review: Mr Site Takeaway Website Pro design software

Paul Monckton — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 18:48:26 GMT

Paul Monckton, Computeract!ve, Friday 29 August 2008 at 10:00:00

A complete e-commerce website in a box (except it’s not in the box)

Mr Site Takeaway Website Pro gives users everything they need to create their own websites without any prior experience. Not only will it create and manage web pages, it will...

Review: Portrait Professional photo-editing software

Cliff Joseph — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 18:48:26 GMT

Cliff Joseph, Computeract!ve, Wednesday 27 August 2008 at 10:36:00

Specialised editing for portrait photography fans

There are a number of low-cost photo-editing programs available for the amateur photographer, but Portrait Professional concentrates specifically on editing and modifying portraits....

Review: Agnitum Outpost Security Suite Pro 2009 security software

Paul Monckton — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 18:48:26 GMT

Paul Monckton, Computeract!ve, Tuesday 26 August 2008 at 10:15:00

Comprehensive Internet security for the PC

Agnitum’s Outpost Security Suite Pro includes a firewall, anti-virus and anti-spyware programs, anti-spam features as well as a host of other sophisticated defences against internet threats....

Review: Battlefield: Bad Company Xbox 360 game

Anthony Dhanendran — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 10:00:00 GMT

Anthony Dhanendran, Computeract!ve, Saturday 16 August 2008 at 10:00:00

Relive 'Nam in this classy shooter

The bad company in question here is a squad of misfits – these aren't the classy, committed, highly trained troops to be found in most war games....

Review: Magix Xtreme Photo & Graphics Designer 2 graphics editing suite

Simon Williams — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 10:00:00 GMT

Simon Williams, Computeract!ve, Friday 15 August 2008 at 10:00:00

Draw and paint with one piece of software

Vector graphics applications such as Adobe Illustrator and Corel Draw define drawings using mathematics to make up lines and shapes....

Review: Alone in the Dark action game

Jonathan Parkyn — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 17:57:00 GMT

Jonathan Parkyn, Computeract!ve, Thursday 14 August 2008 at 17:57:00

Return to the root of all evil with this reimagined horror sequel

Often eclipsed by the ultimately more successful Resident Evil games, it was actually Alone in the Dark that kickstarted the whole survival horror genre when the first game in the...

Review: Cyberlink Power DVD 8 Ultra video software

Simon Williams — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 11:14:00 GMT

Simon Williams, Computeract!ve, Tuesday 12 August 2008 at 11:14:00

Complete DVD playback, but is it worth it?

Cut-down versions of Power DVD are bundled with more DVD players than any other program, and when people come to buy full movie player software, most go for the name...

Review: Retro Granny's Garden education software

Anthony Dhanendran — Sun, 03 Aug 2008 10:00:00 GMT

Anthony Dhanendran, Computeract!ve, Sunday 3 August 2008 at 10:00:00

Computer learning, 1980s style

It could be said that it's an indictment of current games that a 20-year-old title could still sell today. That's exactly what Granny's Garden is – launched back in the...