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Screenshots are a great way to capture anything of interest on your computer, whether it's an error message that you need to send to tech support or a funny message-board comment. LightShot for Firefox is an easy-to-use browser extension that lets users take, edit, and upload screenshots. This versatile add-on could quickly become indispensable for users who have a frequent need to take screen captures.

LightShot installs easily and then appears as a small feather icon to the right of Firefox's address bar. Click the icon and the screen dims, letting you know that LightShot has been activated. … Read more

A month ago we reported that Barnes & Noble was set to roll out a major software update for the Nook Color in April. This morning, Barnes & Noble finally flipped the switch on that update, which is a customized version of Android OS 2.2 (Froyo) and most notably adds a free built-in e-mail client, Flash support for Web browsing, and an app store with a selection of more than 125 free and paid apps.

Those who've already "rooted" the $250 Nook Color with custom firmware that's been circulating on the Web for months will … Read more

Hidden Reflex's Epic is a free Firefox-based Web browser optimized to support the major languages of India: Hindi, Gujarati, Marathi, Kannada, Telugu, Bengali, Tamil, Malayalam, Urdu, and Punjabi. It's not a Firefox clone, though, nor is its appeal limited to those who speak or use the languages it supports. It offers a lot of unique features and a plethora of extras, making it a good alternative browser on its own merits.

Like Firefox, Epic is based on Mozilla's open-source code, so it has a familiar feel right from the start. Epic adds additional character sets, fonts, and … Read more

The Pomodoro technique is a time management methodology based on the idea that using a timer to break work down into 25-minute segments with breaks in between enhances alertness and focus. Focus Booster is a free tool for implementing the Pomodoro technique. (OK, we know you're wondering: "Pomodoro" is Italian for tomato, a legacy of the tomato-shaped kitchen timer the technique's creator used as a student.)

Focus Booster automatically installs Adobe AIR, which basically lets you run Web apps on your desktop without a browser. Focus Booster is a very simple tool, more like a widget … Read more

Strategic board games let players test their generalship in wars of conquest. TripleA is a free, open-source, Java-based pack containing several strategy games with single-player, multiplayer, and online modes, with more available online. Players manage vast armies of men and weapons, including ships, planes, tanks, and transports, supplies, and other resources. Rolling virtual dice simulates the random element in battle, but different values for various elements mean that strategy trumps chance, at least for skillful generals.

TripleA downloads and installs normally but requires the JRE (Java Runtime Environment) to open, but that's free, too, and easy to install. TripleA'… Read more

FileSeek from Binary Fortress is a compact, fast, flexible, and free desktop search tool that can match Regular Expressions, Full Strings, and Any or All Words, including wild cards; search subdirectories; and include and exclude items from queries. It integrates with context menus in Windows, and it doesn't use indexing so it leaves nothing behind when you close it.

FileSeek's plain but efficient interface includes Search, Options, and file list sections in the main view. Searches start by specifying a Path, either by entering it directly or using the Browse or Browse and Append buttons. We selected our … Read more

WinMend Auto Shutdown is a free tool that will shut down your Windows PC at a scheduled time. It can also place your PC in hibernation or standby mode, or log you off when it's unattended. You can use Scheduled Tasks to do all that in Windows, but it's a complex and time-consuming process. That's where Auto Shutdown shines: it's easy enough for anyone to use.

WinMend Auto Shutdown normally runs in the background; clicking the program's system tray icon let us show the main view as well as restart or shut down our PC … Read more

FarmVille is one of the most popular real-time simulation games on the Web and the most popular app on Facebook, with more than 60 million active users worldwide and nearly 25 million Facebook fans. Google's free Chrome browser isn't quite as popular yet, but it's gaining fast, with a growing number of cool extensions. FV Feed Filter is a free Chrome extension that lets you view and filter your FarmVille feeds in the Chrome interface.

We opened Chrome and logged on to Facebook. We then opened a new tab and downloaded and installed FV Feed Filter, which … Read more

It's not easy to keep up with social networking sites, especially when you don't share the same information across them. You might use Twitter for business and post more personal information on Facebook, or you might want to share something on your WordPress blog that you don't necessarily want on LinkedIn. HootSuite is a handy extension for Google Chrome that lets you easily share updates, links, and images on multiple social networking sites, but only when and where you choose.

The extension appears in Chrome as an icon to the right of the address bar. Users can … Read more