>> Also see Cut, Copy, Paste ...
>> Also see New Computer Purchase ...
Picasa from Google - It's great, simple tool for cropping, straightening, red-eye reduction, adjusting color & density, and adding special effects. If that weren't enough for a free tool, you can sign up for Web Albums and easily share your photos with family and friends across the internet without clogging up their inboxes. Web Albums gives you 1GB of free (more for a modest fee) space. You may wish to wish to archive your most important images on Google's redundant servers via Web Albums.
GIMP - For the savvy image manipulator without a Photoshop budget. You can paint, photo retouch, dodge & burn, clone, smudge & sharpen, and use layers, channels & masks.
Photoscape - I've found this product to be fun, easy to use, and especially recommended for its resizing capabilities.
Foxit Reader - Why an I suggesting Foxit when you can get a free PDF Reader from Adobe? Because Foxit is smaller, lighter & faster, and still does everything the Adobe Reader does. You can use Foxit to create PDF files, too, although it tags the saved PDF with advertising. That's why for creating PDFs, I recommend ...
CutePDF Writer - About anything that can be printed, CutePDF can convert to PDF. It works much the same way as a printer: After you install it, anything that you wish to convert to PDF, simply select File, Print, CutePDF Writer and a Save As dialog box pops up.
Audacity - for recording and editing audio files. I use it to convert my vinyl LPs to digital so I can burn a CD for the car, or sync to an MP3 player. I plug in my turntable to the PC, record an album side, then go back and select & name individual tracks.
In addition to the 1GB offered by Google's Picasa for your images, you can save and share a variety of documents at Google Docs -- a free Gigabyte there, too. On Google Docs, your documents (spreadsheets, presentations, etc.) run on their server, which means you don't have to have the software to view and edit -- great for the smartphone crowd.
Another free sharing/storage place is Dropbox, which gives you 2GB of space (more for a fee) to store any kind of file. You can easily link to a file in your Dropbox Public folder and share a file too large to pass through email.
Want a remote connection to your home computer? Try the free LogMeIn.
Another free product that I love is Google Voice. They explain it best on their website here. -
There's lots of other free software at Google, and CNET's Download. I tried to highlight some you may have missed. This is a start. I'll be adding more so please check back.
Disclosure: Of the products that I recommend here and elsewhere on this site, I receive nothing in return --- no kickbacks, frequent-flyer miles, coupons --- nothing, nada, zilch!
If you have any questions or comments, please don't hesitate to contact me.
Charles Rogers Computer Services serves the Dahlonega and surrounding North Georgia areas.
Charles
Rogers Computer Services, Dahlonega, GA
