Software

Make your own posters with ProPoster software

We reviewed the PostersPrinting service a while back which will turn your photos into posters.  Here’s a take on that idea: DIY software, ProPoster, that lets you print the poster components yourself, glue not included!

Before you jump on the ProPoster idea thinking it’s cheaper, keep in mind that this is more suited for when you need to create large (throwaway) banners and/or don’t care as much for the quality of the print or continuous nature of the paper.

PostersPrinting (which looks like it has been subsumed by parent company Mimeo) produces a quality poster of a more permanent nature that can be framed and hung.

Download ProPoster from CNET.

App Inventor for Android lets you build apps without programming

Here is where a little Google magic may make Apple’s iPhone/iPad division worry a bit, if not a lot. Google Labs is rolling out a new tool called App Inventor, which is an Android app development tool that does not require any coding.

Let me say that again – you can build applicaitons for your Android phone without knowing how to program. If you can drag and drop, you can ‘program’ apps!

App Inventor is invite-only right now, but you can watch the demo video here as well as see some of the other sample apps on the site.

AmpliTube iRig for iPhone is a full Guitar Amp & Effects Rig

AmpliTube iRigComputers have been helping musicians for decades now, particularly as once very expensive studio equipment have been turned into software for convenient and easy home use. If you’ve been playing guitar for a while, you might remember the myriad of effects boxes you needed to tune your guitar sound. Well, software (like AmpliTube) has helped guitarists and bassists to eliminate or at least simplify their gear.

Now, IK Multimedia has put out a version of AmpliTube for the iPhone. It needs an adapter accessory called the AmpliTube iRig which plugs into your iPhone and you plug your guitar into the iRig ($39.99).

The screenshots alone are amazing as there are 3 stompboxes (effects), 1 amp+cabinet and 2 mics in the free version of AmpliTube. There is also an LE version ($2.99) and a Full version ($19.99) which comes with 11 stompboxes, 5 amps+cabinets and 2 mics.

Stompbox effects include delay, fuzz, distortion and more, while amps include clean, crunch, lead, metal and bass.

Buy now!
More info from the manufacturer
Price: $39.99 for iRig; AmpliTube iPhone app: Free, LE: $2.99, FULL: $19.99.
(Please note prices are subject to change and the listed price is correct to the best of our knowledge at the time of posting)

DVD-Ranger Backs Up Your DVDs, Convert to BluRay & More

DVD Ranger - box coverNow that you’ve got all of your VHS tapes either copied to your computer or onto DVD, it’s time to back all of those DVDs up. DVD Ranger copies your DVDs to your computer; your mobile device, be it iPod, iPhone, PSP, Zune and more; or over to Blu-Ray disc.

You can opt to squeeze 10 older formatted DVDs onto a single BluRay or upscale your 480i/480p DVD to 720p or 1080p HD video.

DVD-Ranger can burn your already created disk images (ISO) to SCSI/IDE/USB DVD burners and recorders. It can rip your DVDs for backing up or make a backup copy in case you have a disc that seems to be dying.

About the only downside to DVD-Ranger is that it comes in either a yearly subscription or lifetime subscription.

Buy now!
Price: yearly subscription: $39.95; lifetime subscription: $69.95
(Please note prices are subject to change and the listed price is correct to the best of our knowledge at the time of posting)

A Cool Data Visualization Tool

I was searching for stats on web browser market share and came across this very cool visualization of the data created by Axiis, which is an open source data visualization framework. Unfortunately, the data is only current up to Aug 2009, but you should still hit the link and mouseover to see how it works and displays additional data.

Laplink’s PCmover migrates your Windows data & settings from 1 PC to another

laplink pcmoverPCmover by Laplink is a software migration utility that helps you move your programs, files and settings from your old PC to your new PC, and your old PC can be a WinXP box and your new PC can be a Windows 7 machine.

By now if you’re in the market for a new Windows PC, you should be thinking Windows 7, because Windows XP is nearing end-of-life, and you don’t want to be running a computer that never gets security updates.

There are multiple editions of PCmover, including the in-place PCmover Upgrade Assistant which will upgrade your 1 machine. To migrate data from 1 PC to another, you will need PCmover Home at a minimum. There is also an edition geared for netbooks.

Buy now!

More info from the manufacturer
Price: PCmover Upgrade Assistant: $9.99
(Please note prices are subject to change and the listed price is correct to the best of our knowledge at the time of posting)

Sleep Cycle iPhone app tracks your sleep patterns

sleep cycle iphone appRemember the Sleeptracker which tracks your sleep patterns based on your movement through the night? Well, they’ve got some competition in the form on an iPhone app called Sleep Cycle.

It uses the iPhone’s built-in gryoscope in a similar manner to the Sleeptracker. However, we’re doubtful of its accuracy as compared to the Sleeptracker because you have to place your iPhone somewhere on your bed, whereas you wear the Sleeptracker right on your wrist. Depending on how good/bad your bed is at transmitting motion, then Sleep Cycle is going to vary in its results.

We’ll give Sleep Cycle the win for the much better price ($0.99) although you do have to buy an iPhone first!

Buy now!
More info from the manufacturer
Price: $0.99
(Please note prices are subject to change and the listed price is correct to the best of our knowledge at the time of posting)

7 Free Software Apps to Protect your Laptop

One of our great readers sent in this set of 7 pieces of free software that you can, and in most cases should, use to protect your PC laptop. Most of these also apply to your desktop as well.

I happen to use most of these and recommend them as well. At a minimum, you should be using antivirus, a firewall and backups.

FOTOBOX Plus automagically creates slideshows from your digital photos

fotobox plusPlug your SD memory card with digital photographs into Honestech’s FOTOBOX, plug the FOTOBOX in your PC and the FOTOBOX application runs you through a quick wizard and quickly creates a slideshow complete with effects.

You can transfer the finished product to DVD, YouTube, your iPod or save on your computer. That’s it!

Honestech makes the excellent VHS to DVD product (VHS to DVD Deluxe) that we reviewed previously.

Buy now!
More info from the manufacturer
Price: $52.25
(Please note prices are subject to change and the listed price is correct to the best of our knowledge at the time of posting)

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