By Peter Butler
(12/21/06)
In many ways, 2006 was the year of the browser, with major-point updates to Internet Explorer and Mozilla Firefox taking most of the limelight in the latter half of the year, and Firefox extensions becoming a mainstream phenomenon. The continuing problems of malware kept new security programs rolling off the line, and almost everyone discovered their own favorite BitTorrent client.
So what will the next year bring in downloadable software? Many wise folks have been ruined by trying to predict the future, but no one has ever called me "wise." Take a look at my selection of downloadable Windows software programs that I think will explode in 2007. I've even got a few Web-based software selections from Rafe Needleman at Webware.com.
If you think I'm crazy, be sure to tell me why, in the discussion at the bottom of the page.
Songbird
2007 may be the year that the sons and daughters of Firefox finally grow up. Like the Web 2.0 browser Flock, Songbird is built off the Mozilla engine. It integrates your local and Web music libraries into one easy-to-use audio player. Add MP3s and other audio files directly from the Web to a customizable playlist.
Zapr
Hard drives are getting bigger and bigger, and digital cameras keep adding megapixels, but how do you share that 10GB collection of photos with your friends and family? Zapr works like an instant messenger to make any files on your PC available to specific people. The e-mail add-on Pando is another strong contender.
TrueCrypt
You might not have thought much about encryption yet, but you will. One big news story of 2006 was the growing surveillance of computers and networks worldwide, as well as a rise in Trojan horses and keyloggers on home PCs. Take preemptive control of your sensitive data with this robust and completely free security app.
OpenOffice
It's not quite fair to list a program with 600,000+ downloads as a "rising star," but this open-source alternative to Microsoft Office is sure to significantly increase its number of fans in 2007. Version 2 added the ability for developers to create extensions, and a portable version lets smart travelers carry their business software on a flash drive.
XDrive
This free, online storage software lost much of its credibility (and user base) when it was acquired by AOL in August, 2005, but the app seems to be back from the dead. A free 5GB account for anyone willing to sign up for an AOL account has prompted many new users to experience the convenience of online storage.
StrokeIt
Despite a growing number of programs using mouse gestures, most PC users haven't caught the wave. This fabulous freeware app comes loaded with preset functions for popular programs like Photoshop, Firefox, Internet Explorer, and WinRAR, and creating your own custom gestures for any program is a breeze.
Democracy Player
The peer-to-peer television client TVU Player got a lot of buzz in 2006 with free access to ESPN coverage of the World Cup, and it's obvious that Internet video will continue to be a major industry. This RSS-based video player might be the one that gets regular TV users off couches and onto their PCs to watch their favorite shows.
Parental Filters
No one has perfected a winning formula yet, so I won't try to predict which filtering and monitoring programs will rise to the top in 2007, but the Mark Foley scandal and news about Internet predators will surely have parents concerned about the content and people that their children interact with online in 2007. BlueCoat's free K9 Web Protection is a good start.
Google Docs and Spreadsheets
Many people dismiss browser-based versions of traditional productivity apps as nothing more than science fair experiments. These people have not experienced how easy it is to collaborate and share documents and spreadsheets in real time when the application is hosted on the Web.
Jaxtr
The phone number is dead, it just doesn't know it yet. New click-to-call services, like Jaxtr, turn any Web page into an answering machine or even a direct line to your cell phone, while keeping your personal phone number hidden from prying eyes.
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