free

With a powerful camera and millions of photos taken every day around the world on iOS devices, it is no wonder that so many apps have been created to add much needed functionality to the device. One such app is Brighten Me. Doing exactly what it promises, Brighten Me will brighten any of the photos on your device. Upon installation, you can instantly connect the app to your photo library and start brightening photos you've taken either with this device or an older device.

While the newest cameras on the iPhone 5 and fourth-generation iPad are much better at … Read more

Identity thieves are more active than ever. In 2012, the Federal Trade Commission received more than 2 million consumer complaints overall, and for the 13th consecutive year, identity theft was the most-common complaint category: 369,132 ID-theft reports were added to the FTC's Consumer Sentinel Network in the year, an increase of more than 30 percent from 2011.

Last week the FTC released its 2012 Consumer Sentinel Network Data Book (PDF). According to the report, the fastest-growing category of identity theft relates to government documents and benefits: complaints in this category increased 46 percent from calendar-year 2010. Credit-card fraud (… Read more

Tired of having all those undesired applications start up automatically after booting your smartphone or tablet? Can't find a way to add an application you want to your system startup simply because this option is not supported in the settings? Startup Manager Free for Android does a good job of dealing with these issues. However, for this app to function properly your phone needs to be rooted.

Because smartphones don't tend to be restarted very often, this app will be more useful for tablet owners because they usually shut the device down after every use. Startup Manager Free … Read more

For whatever reason, the iPad originally lacked a handful of features included on the iPhone, including a calculator and a clock function, both of which are extremely useful. A Clock app with a stopwatch option became available as part of iOS 6, but in the meanwhile to fill the gap arose hundreds if not thousands of basic apps in the App Store -- some free and others premium. One such free tool is Stop Watch Free. Available for the iPad, Stop Watch Free mimics the basic interface and functions of the stopwatch included with the iPhone's operating system. With … Read more

The iPhone has become a popular reading device for many of its millions of users. So, a good dictionary app is a must, especially if you also have installed newspaper, eBook, and blog reading apps. While there are paid as well as some free versions of many well-known dictionaries available in the app store, Dictionary Offline Free provides a number of options that are more than enough for most users. Easy to use and with clear instructions for how to download more dictionaries, save entries, and share them, Dictionary Offline Free is a great tool for anyone that needs to … Read more

Music, or should I say most recorded music, is already free; you can get it whenever and wherever you want it and pay nothing.

I've bought thousands of CDs, SACDs, LPs, and a few hundred downloads. Of course, when I started buying music I didn't have too many "free" options, other than radio or taping friends' albums. Radio was a great way to discover new music, but once I heard something I really liked, I bought it. My $3.98 "Led Zeppelin II" LP was a great investment; I've played it hundreds of … Read more

The new version of the Avast security suite focuses on repairing the past mistakes of Windows. Debuting today exclusively with CNET's Download.com, Avast 8 addresses some of today's most pressing security concerns but leaves at least one other growing problem unresolved.

All told, Avast Free Antivirus 8 (download), Avast Pro Antivirus 8 (download), Avast Internet Security 8 (download) and the new top-tier suite, Avast Premier 8 (download) command upwards of 170 million active users, making Avast the most popular consumer security suite by a long shot.

Although the suite leaves privacy in the cold, the rest of … Read more

Do you care who sees what Web sites you visit, what software you own, and other personal facts that intruders can extract from your PC? Did you know such information includes not only browser tracks but also the updates, queries, and information-sharing activities of every piece of software that contacts the Internet, with or without your permission? And did you know that many so-called system cleaners don't clean all that data? They leave behind traces that, over time, can even accumulate into system-slowing clogs. Anti Tracks Free Edition from Giant Matrix not only erases browser and Windows tracks but … Read more

If mobile phones have done anything well, it's pitting friends and family members against each other in cross-country bouts of word games and chess. Four in a Row Vs Friends is the newest entry into the growing genre, bringing the classic Connect 4 game into the digital space with digital friend-matching and wireless synced games. The game is as intuitive as you likely remember, requiring you to drop checkers into one of seven slots, blocking your opponent as you attempt to match four of your own tokens and win. The game installs quickly and easily and, after registration, you'… Read more