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The best of 2003
(1/9/04)
The holidays proved so enjoyable that Power Downloader took longer than he expected to name his favorite applications of 2003. But the champion of the Internet always comes through. Power's favorite applications came in four categories: Best Entertainment, Most Practical, Best Security, and Most Innovative.
Best Entertainment
 | iTunes helps you rip large quantities of CDs with its automation features. |
Personal computers cover a broad range of entertainment needs. They act as photo albums, DVD players, and music players. Of all the possibilities for best entertainment software of 2003, Power Downloader picked iTunes. This well-engineered music jukebox offers a great array of features, all for free. Power likes the sleek interface, which makes browsing his music easy. iTunes also makes ripping and burning CDs painless and has good music-encoding options and automation features. It comes with MP3 encoding of up to 320Kbps and some nice digital-processing options, including an equalizer and a crossfader. The visualizer fills Power's screen with swirling colors that move to the music, making a great decoration for parties at the Power Pad. iTunes networking options are completely seamless, letting Power listen to music from any computer connected to his LAN.
Most Practical
Being a superhero involves a lot of red tape. Before he found AI RoboForm, Power Downloader spent more time filling out forms than fighting crime, so this password manager easily became Powers choice for most practical application. The software pulls double duty by storing all of Powers account information and automatically filling in any Web-based form. All the usual form fodder, such as credit card numbers, billing addresses, and usernames, can be safely entered on any Web page in just a couple of clicks. If Power ever comes across a specific form he knows hell need to fill out more than once, he can save the whole thing locally and reuse it whenever he wants. The utility even uses a dash of artificial intelligence to automatically fill in fields. Best of all, it uses triple DES encryption to ensure that all of Powers personal information is kept under lock and key.
Best Security
 | ZoneAlarm lets you set the level of security on your computer. |
Fame sometimes brings the wrong kind of attention. Every two-bit hacker on the Internet finds time to take a shot at Power Downloader. To hold them at bay, he handpicked ZoneAlarm as his No. 1 tool for security. This utility turns Powers precious machine into Fort Knox, providing four lines of bulletproof defense. Most important is the personal firewall, which regulates all incoming and outgoing Internet traffic. Second is Application Control, which dictates exactly which applications can access the Net. Rounding out the primary security squad are the Internet Lock tool, which restricts Internet access when Power is away, and a messaging tool that sounds whenever new software tries to access the Web. ZoneAlarm also offers up several additional features to smack down worms, Trojan horses, and other nasty threats. Among the latest additions to the always-growing security battalion is AlertAdvisor, which offers real-time advice, and MyVault, which keeps Powers personal information safely locked away.
Most Innovative
Although a lot of new software gets released every day, little of it can really be considered new. Power Downloader has waded through hundreds of pop-up stoppers, MP3 players, and adware cleaners, and when he looked at IESpell, he had to admit that here was something really new. Many people use their Web browsers not just to view Web pages but also to write content, and IESpell checks spelling within the browser. Although the idea of a spelling checker isn't new, putting one in a browser is. IESpell is incredibly useful, as millions of people post to Web forums, use their browsers to write blogs, or just fill in forms for everything from jobs to loan applications. Having spent considerable time in Web forums, Power Downloader can vouch for the fact that IESpell is needed.
Tune in next week for another exciting episode of...Power Downloader!
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