toolbox

Get a job!

They say that looking for a job is a full-time job in itself. If you're putting that much effort into your job search, it makes sense to have a tool to help you organize all those cover letters, resumes, and dream positions. Job Search Toolbox does exactly that. It's not perfect, but if you're having trouble keeping track of what you need to send, what you've already sent, and to whom, it can help.

The program's interface is not particularly intuitive, and new users will definitely have to consult the built-in Help file. A Quick … Read more

Chrome extensions kit

Chrome Toolbox sounds like something you'd be afraid to use for fear of dents and scratches, but it's actually a free extension that adds many useful tools to Google's Chrome browser. It can launch apps, Web pages, and shortcuts quickly; save form data; reopen closed tabs; mute all tabs; and add keyboard shortcuts to its quick-launch drop-down menu, among other neat tricks.

While most Chrome extensions have few options, Chrome Toolbox has several, which we could access either by right- or left-clicking the Chrome Toolbox icon or via the browser's extensions management page. The Options page … Read more

AppTools: 100 apps for 99 cents

Remember App Genie, an iPhone app that combines 27 handy tools into a single 99 cent app? What a rip-off!

I'm kidding, of course--I still like App Genie and consider it a great value. It's just that the new AppTools raises the bar to a whopping 100 tools, all for that same 99 cents. Let me say that again: 100 apps, 99 cents. I think that sets a new record for the "toolbox app" category.

Ah, but are the apps any good? And are they organized into a simple, efficient interface?

Let's start with the apps. Here's a small, random sampling of what you'll find inside AppTools: a bubble level, a mosquito repellent, a talking compass, a talking mortgage calculator, a non-talking car-loan calculator, a magic 8-ball, and a unit converter.

There's value in some of these tools, like the various calculators, the pedometer, the "Where Am I?" location app, and the flashlight. I particularly like the Search DVD Preview app that scans DVD-case bar codes and then finds matching clips in YouTube. Try it out the next time you're trying to decide on a movie at the local video store.

But as you might expect from an app collection that numbers in the three digits, AppTools serves up some stinkers. For example, know what you'll find inside iRecipes? Exactly five recipes, one each for brownies, cheesecake, cookies (variety undisclosed), pear cake, and turkey.

I could go on--and on--but I'll just leave it at this: There's a lot of junk in here.… Read more

Cool toolbox

NCH's forte is audio, video, and business software. The NCH Toolbox is a free utility that serves as a handy gateway to NCH's freeware and shareware. You select a task, and the NCH Toolbox automatically downloads and installs the appropriate tool. It's an interesting way to get you to try the company's wide product lineup, which ranges from pro-level audio and video tools to neat little apps like TempoPerfect, a metronome generator, and PitchPerfect, a guitar-tuning utility.

The NCH Toolbox comes as part of the download when you try an NCH product, or you can download … Read more

One-stop print shop

CanoScan Toolbox is a one-stop shop for all of your printing needs. Though it mostly works without a hitch, the lack of a workable Help feature could leave many users in the dark about some of its functions.

The user interface is about as basic and straightforward as it gets, with prominent buttons for functions like Copy, Print, Mail, and more positioned side-by-side in a small window. Each button is labeled, so there's no question about its purpose. Clicking a button opens a dialog box that walks you through each step. For example, drop-down boxes in the Copy dialog … Read more

Unimpressive video converter

There are a lot of video file converters out there, and most of them are quite similar, allowing users to convert videos between different file formats. Although Free Convert WMV FLV AVI to iPod iPhone Converter works--mostly--we can't say there was anything about it that particularly impressed us.

We had high hopes when we first opened the program. The interface is clean and intuitive, with large graphical buttons. We were excited to see that the program also includes a YouTube downloader, and we decided to try that first. We were disappointed to find that no matter which video's … Read more

Featured Freeware: CSS Toolbox

With plenty of affordable products in their library to help out those who are serious about Web development, Blumentals Software now has an even more impressively priced product: a package of CSS tools that's absolutely free. The freeware CSS Toolbox includes a handful of helpful tools that should save time for anyone who works with CSS.

The CSS Editor comes with syntax highlighting and simplified auto-complete; the CSS Formatter/Beautifier helps you reformat and prettify your code; the CSS Checker tracks down errors and makes your code old-browser-friendly; and the CSS Compressor makes your code load faster, reducing its … Read more

A toolbox that plays music

Construction workers appreciate music on the job as much as anyone, as we were reminded recently with a Makita radio designed specifically for building sites, so it makes sense that someone would eventually come along and market a music toolbox for them as well. The "G-Tech Tune Time Tool Box" not only has plenty of space for power drills and wrenches, but it also comes with built-in NXT speakers and an abundance of pockets for digital accoutrements.

Tech Digest says the $108 bag is made of "durable double-layer 6006 polyester," which means that it would survive … Read more