3.0

Those who already use PhotoBooth on a Mac or iPad will love iBooth, a free app that allows you to apply stunning effects to your photos instantly, anywhere, and in real-time.

iBooth doesn't need a Help file, as it works like the native photo app of the iPhone, but it comes with serious improvements. We especially liked the real-time effects, such as Kaleidoscope, Twirl, Squeeze, or Sepia, which you can apply before you take the photo.

If it's a story you want to tell, then iBooth is a great tool to have. PhotoBooth users may already know a … Read more

Xilisoft Download YouTube Video is a download manager for downloading your favorite videos on YouTube in FLV format. With this program you will be able to view those videos on your PC without going online.

There are not that many features to this YouTube video download manager. The steps are very simple. Search for a video or insert the URL if you already know it, view the video to make sure it is the one you want, and then start a New Download. The download time varies for each video, depending on how long it is. A 3-minute video will … Read more

Even the best-protected computer can contract a virus, but it goes without saying that an unprotected computer is far more vulnerable. Many users only see the light after spending long hours in the dark, trying to cure an infected PC. Many tools can remove viruses and other malware from your PC, but it's not uncommon for one or two bugs to resist eradication. Reboot, and they're back. Symantec's Norton Power Eraser is a free tool that targets stubborn files and forcibly removes them. Because it cleans aggressively, it can delete critical system files, so it must be … Read more

Instagram comments and I have a love-hate relationship. On one hand, I love comments because they lead to some funny conversations and feedback regarding photos. On the other, I hate them because hardly anyone who uses Instagram realizes that in order to get alerted of a new comment on a photo other than your own, you have to be mentioned in the comment.

With a subtle tweak in the latest version of Instagram, on the iPhone at least, you can now quickly mention a username in a comment and ensure that they will see your comment or reply. (The Android … Read more

As regular Cheapskate readers know, flash-drive prices have plummeted in recent months. But hard-drive prices? They've been very slow to return to where they were a year ago.

Consequently, I'm liking this deal from Staples: the Seagate GoFlex Desk 1.5-terabyte USB hard drive for $79.99 shipped (plus sales tax in most states). Note that you may have to choose the drive from the drop-down menu on the right side of the product page.

Though it looks fairly sizable in the photos, the black, monolithic GoFlex stands a mere 6.2 inches tall and measures 1.7 … Read more

The first auto clicker appeared not long after the first mouse, and since then they've evolved alongside mice. Some auto clickers have stayed simple, though. Like primitive but successful organisms that have found their niche, the most basic form of auto clicker lives on, emulating mouse clicks on demand. Auto Clicker by Shocker is as good a specimen as any. This simple freeware can simulate single or double clicks by your left, middle, or right mouse buttons at intervals you select, including pauses, freezing the cursor, and stopping automatically after a predetermined number of clicks. You can also set … Read more

Incognito This from Jerry and Ben is an application designed for what is termed "private browsing." This is an Internet navigation mode preferred by individuals who, for whatever reasons, do not wish others to know what sites they visit. If you want to have this functionality literally at your fingertips, then you will probably like this free Google Chrome extension.

Once downloaded and installed, the extension is immediately accessible via an icon in the Chrome toolbar. Clicking the Incognito This icon will open an Incognito window with the same Web site that you were on when you clicked … Read more

Recent versions of Windows pack some underrated security tools, such as the Windows Firewall, which compares favorably with quite a few better known firewalls and even plays nicely with many of them. Windows Firewall Control is a simple bit of freeware that extends the capabilities of the built-in Windows firewall controls. It adds icons and entries to the system tray, desktop, and other locations; adds shell integration in Explorer menus; and other options.

When installing Windows Firewall Control, you're presented with a small dialog containing a variety of check boxes for configuring how you access the program and how … Read more

CheckMySpecs is a free utility that scans your PC, posts its specifications online, and ranks it, letting you compare your machine to other users' PCs. The software claims it doesn't collect or post any personal data, but it does display your PC's name and all your running programs as well as a lot of information about your installed apps, Internet connection, and whether you're using a firewall. If that's not alarming enough, you're basically given no chance to review the data or decide if you want to post it online; as soon as you click … Read more