Sofia Elizabella Wyciślik-Wilson

New Years is nearly upon us and it's around this time that many of us start to think about trying to shed a few pounds. The arrival of a new year is a good reason to get back into shape after over-indulging, and with today’s giveaway you can also help to get your hard drive back into good shape by recovering files you may have accidentally deleted. We’re giving away a free copy of Auslogics File Recovery 3 worth an amazing $49.95 and this can be used to recover all manner of files -- not only hard drives but also memory cards.

The application is compatible with all 32- and 64-bit version of Windows from XP and upwards, and it can be installed on up to three PCs -- great for households with more than one computer. It does not matter what format you have used for your drive -- FAT32, FAT16, NTFS and other formats are all supported -- you can scour your hard drives for recoverable files in a number of ways. If you would like to check to find out just what could be recovered, you can opt to perform a scan to reveal all files that could possibly be recovered.

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Today we are excited to bring you a free copy of IObit Malware Fighter PRO worth $19.95 to help keep your computer protected against malware in the New Year. But you’ll need to be quick -- this free gift to you is only available for 24 hours, so make sure you head over to the Downloadcrew Giveaway site before 23:59, Central European Time, December 26th.

Malware is a serious problem for anyone that uses the Internet, and as it is not a problem that shows any signs of abating, the best thing you can do is to ensure that you are adequately protected. IObit Malware Fighter PRO is an advanced malware protection tool that weeds out spyware, rootkits, keyloggers, Trojan, spyware and all manner of other nasties that may have found their way onto your system. As well as ben able to hunt down and remove known malware, an advanced heuristics engine means that the program is able to detect new malware by looking out for signs of suspicious activity.

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Almost everyone has been busy over the past week making some form of preparation for Christmas and the holiday season. But despite the general pace of the world winding down slightly, the pace of software development continues with its usual speed. Mozilla has been particularly busy this week, releasing numerous updates to its Firefox web browser. The main release branch for the browser has hit version 9. Firefox 9.0.1 FINAL includes numerous tweaks to performance as well as changes to the way add-ons are handled. Startup times have been improved as has the general performance and stability of the browser.

If you like to try out something before most people, Firefox 10.0 Beta has also been updated as has the somewhat more experimental and alpha-like Firefox Aurora 11.0a2. For anyone who wants to be right on the cutting edge of browser development, the nightly builds of Firefox have also entered a new phase. Firefox Nightly 12.0a1 (32-bit) includes a range of interface enhancements and  Firefox Nightly 12.0a1 (64-bit) brings the same experimental version of the browser to users of 64-bit systems. Even more interface changes can be found in Firefox UX 12.01 UX (32-bit). The UX branch of Firefox includes a more streamlined toolbar and a new tab page amongst other new features. 64-bit users should take a look at Firefox UX 12.01 UX (64-bit).

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Despite having its own mobile platform to support, Microsoft is still understandably keen to keep its fingers in other pies, particularly those tasty iOS desserts. As such it should come as no surprise that there is an app that can be used to access the files you have chosen to store in the cloud in your SkyDrive from your iPhone, iPod or iPad. There is now no shortage of online storage services to choose from, but from the offset this is one that will prove popular with anyone looking to not only store files online, but to benefit from integration with other Microsoft services such as Hotmail.

SkyDrive itself is not all that new a service, but the iOS app is. This means that it is now possible to interact with your SkyDrive account in two ways. Not only can you access the files that you have already uploaded, you can also upload files whilst you are out and about. Ultimately this makes it possible to take photos with your iPhone camera and rather than having to email to yourself or sync with your computer, you can upload the images so that they can be accessed from any computer. This is also a great way to share images with others, but this can also be achieved by attaching them to an email from within the app.

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The New Year is almost upon us and for many people this means it’s time to think about making New Year’s resolutions. Whether you subscribe to the idea of setting yourself such goals or not, the arrival of a new year is as good a time as any to consider the security of your computer. And with Christmas only just around the corner, you could head on over to the BetaNews Downloadcrew Software Store to buy a present for yourself and your computer -- you’ll find all manner of essential security tools available at heavily discounted prices.

If there is one piece of security software that everyone should have installed it is an antivirus tool. It is possible that you already have the free version of AVG’s virus protection tool installed, but for a mere $6.95 you could upgrade to the full commercial edition of AVG Anti-Virus 2012 -- a huge saving of 83 percent off the MSRP. Offering protection not only against viruses and malware, the program can also check links for malicious downloads, scan incoming emails and protect against identity theft. In addition to this, you can benefit from instant messaging protection, priority support and more frequent program updates.

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Facebook for iOS has been something of a staple installation for iPad and iPhone owners. The app has undergone various developments over the years, including finally getting a dedicated iPad app. As the Facebook website has evolved, so the app has changed to reflect new features and now, as the app hits version 4.1, it seems to have come of age. The most recent addition to the Facebook website is the new timeline component and this is just one of the latest features of Facebook for iOS 4.1.

Strangely, at time of writing, the timeline feature is not yet supported on iPad, but it is something that iPod and iPhone users can already take advantage of. If you have already activated your own timeline, you will need to use version 4.1 of the app in order to see it and the timelines of other people who have activated it -- you can go here to get your timeline in place before the fullscale rollout.

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Christmas is very nearly upon us, and over the past couple of weeks we have been collecting together some of the best festive offerings available. Whether you’re looking for some seasonal games to keep the kids (or yourself) entertained, a festive app for your iPhone, or something to give your desktop a more Christmassy look, there’s something here for you. In this round up we take a look at some of the software you may have missed.

For fans of simple strategy games Christmas Troubles -- Tower Defense Game 1.0 is a great way to get into the festive spirit. With fun graphics and instant appeal, this is a game that’s suitable for all ages. If you’re more of a puzzler, Christmas Puzzle 1.0 is a festive take on the classic game Bejewelled, while Christmas Crisis 1.3.9 is a vertical scroller in which the aim is help Santa deliver his presents all over the world.

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While the BBC’s iPlayer has been available to iPhone users for some time, until now it has only been through a web browser. The latest update to the iOS iPlayer app means that there is now an app that can be used to watch the programs you have missed from the BBC’s channels -- this brings the same option that has been available to iPad users who have been able to take advantage of a dedicate app for a number of months.

While most people will be happy to be able to watch programs at home using a wireless Internet connection, the new iPhone app also allows for broadcasts to be streamed over a 3G connection. Adaptive bitrates are used to ensure the best possible quality for your connection speed but the option of using a 3G connection opens up the possibility to incur hefty data charges nonetheless.

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It may only be the second week of December, but the Christmas feeling has already taken over. Software publishers are still releasing software throughout the festive season and we’ve collected together twenty of the biggest titles from the past seven days that you may have missed.

Whether you get a new camcorder for Christmas, or you’re using an existing camera to capture the seasonal excitement on film, CyberLink PowerDirector 10 Ultra (build 1129a) includes everything you need to edit, burn and share your footage. If your needs aren’t quite as high, you could opt for the slightly cheaper, but still powerful, CyberLink PowerDirector 10 Deluxe (build 1129a).

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Taking care of your computer means that it will serve you well and hopefully delay the need to upgrade your hardware for as long as possible. The festive season is now upon us, which  means over-indulging in the food and drink departments and generally failing to look after ourselves. But this does not mean that our computers also need to be neglected.

If you’re feeling the pinch after splashing out on Christmas presents for friends and family, our great sale prices on optimization and maintenance software means that you will still be able to keep your system in top shape. There are a number of tools to choose from, all of which are very gentle on the pocket.

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There are countless ways to customize the look of Windows -- the operating system itself has some scope for personalization even if only through changing colors and desktop background. If you would like to take things to the next level, you’re going to need some third party tools. The sheer number of ways in which Windows can be customized means that you could end up installing a large number of apps and spending a huge amount of time tweaking and tailoring different aspects of your system to your liking. If time is precious, you may want to try out a skin pack -- and what better place to start than with a Christmas skin to give your computer a seasonal look. Enter Christmas Skin Pack 1.0 (32-bit).

This is the 32-bit version of the skin pack, but there is also a 64-bit version -- be sure to install the correct version. The Skin Pack includes all of the tools that are needed to install new icons and cursors, change the boot screen, add a new look Start menu and much, much more. This isn’t likely to be a theme to keep installed all year round, but throughout December and January, it is a great bit of fun. The automated installation process makes customizing your desktop a whole lot easier than having to track down the individual tools needed to tweak different parts of your system to your liking.

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There has been a general theme of downsizing when it comes to laptops. While this has helped to make computers more easily portable than ever before, it has also exacerbated a problem long plaguing laptop users: Rogue touchpad contact. Not everyone is an adept touch typist and for many people this means looking at the keyboard whilst typing. Should the palm of your hand stray on the touchpad, you may not notice until a large portion of text has been overwritten or typed in the wrong place. This is something that Touchpad Blocker can help you with.

A laptop should is supposed to mean freedom -- to work wherever you choose. You could pop a mouse into your laptop bag so avoid the problem of working with a touchpad, but this is just something else to remember, something else to carry around, and something else to lose. Touchpad Blocker is a free app that enables you to intercept and block accidental touchpad touches to prevent them from interfering with your typing.

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In the run up to Christmas the release of top-notch software shows no signs of abating. Microsoft unveiled the latest version of its free system security tool, Microsoft Security Essentials 4 Beta with a slightly redesigned interface and faster operation. This handy tool can prevent malware infections, but a side-effect of being hit by a virus could be the deletion of files. Whether this has happens to you or you have just accidentally deleted some documents, Recuva 1.42 could help you to get them back. There is also a portable version of the app available; Recuva Portable 1.42.

Prey 0.5.3 continues the security theme, offering protection for your laptop. Should you be unfortunate enough to lose your portable computer this tracking software can locate your machine via the Internet. Once you recover your laptop, you may want to install Touchpad Blocker 2.1.0.27, which enables you to temporarily disable the touchpad when you are typing to prevent accidental mouse movement.

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When it comes to listening to the radio, the Internet means that you are no longer limited to listening to what you are able to pick up through your set’s antenna. There are a huge number of radio stations broadcasting online and while this means that there is no shortage of choice, it does mean that it can be difficult to find something you like unless you know about it in advanced. Antenna is a free Adobe AIR app that takes a new approach to internet radio.

Tracking down a new station to listen to is a wonderful interactive process that can be approached in a few ways. If you already know the name of station, you can simply perform a search for it, but if you would like to find something new, you can browse through the interactive map where pushpins are used to represent radio stations.

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Anyone with children will know that it can be difficult to police use of the Internet. The fact that you have young children means that you are naturally concerned about web content, and many parents would love to be able to use the Internet with their offspring to ensure that they don’t stray into unwanted territory.

But in reality, this is often impractical as there are few people who have the time spare to be able to monitor their children, however much they may want to do so. AVG Family Safety is a software alternative to a parent’s watchful eye, making it possible to not only monitor but also control what your children use the Internet for.

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