Winoptimizer 11 Review: Everything you need to tune up your PC under one roof

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Winoptimizer 11 $40.00 Though you can do much of what it does with free utilities and Windows apps, Winoptimizer is far more efficient and better at most of it.

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I’m always suspect of programs that claim to make Windows run faster. Windows 7 and 8 don’t need a lot of help in that regard, and in the past some optimizers have messed up my system. But darn if Ashampoo’s Winoptimizer 11 doesn’t provide some facilities that made my system run faster, albeit by a small margin. But even a small margin is welcome, and the program gathers a ton of useful features under one roof, facilitating an easy tweaking and optimizing experience—something you might not get around to if you stuck with the myriad freebies.

At the heart of most optimization programs like Winoptimzier 11 is a garbage collector that removes the drek (unused files and registry entries) left over from old software installs, temporary files forgotten by Windows or applications, and software caches. I use Piriform’s CCleaner regularly to remove the aforementioned drek left over from software testing. Windows 7 and 8 are far more stable after software removal than XP was, but I still clean stuff out because it will start bogging down a system after a while. Winoptimizer 11 did as good a job as CCleaner and is far more educational about what it’s actually removing. Put bluntly, Winoptimizer 11 is the better of the two, but it’s $40 and CCleaner is available for free. (Current Winoptimizer users can upgrade for $19.99.)

Winoptimizer11's modules are myriad and all available separately, as well as being employed in combination by the program's various wizards.

No Windows optimizer would be complete without a disk defragger and Winoptimizer 11’s DeFrag 3 is top-notch. As of the introduction of NTFS, defragging isn’t as beneficial as it once was, but a defrag of your hard drives once every year or so can make a slight difference. (Note: Do not defrag SSDs. It offers no benefit and reduces lifespan.)

Winoptimizer 11 has a host of other tools. Some such as file wiping, splitting, joining, encryption and decryption; duplicate file finding; and registry defragging are very handy and not available within Windows. Some duplicate Windows functionality, like the font manager, program uninstaller, and process and service managers. However, having them all in one place can be a real time saver. Most are also just a touch easier and more capable than their Windows counterparts. Also, unlike the built-in Windows utilities, there’s an undo for most actions found under the heading of backups. And it’s not just for the last action, there’s a list of changes you’ve made over time.

Winoptimizer 11 also provides a nice tweaking utility so you can customize many aspects of Windows, including Aero behavior, as well as the behavior of common applications such as Outlook, Mail, etc. There is a real-time gaming booster that shuts down unnecessary processes while a game is running and restarts them when you’re finished, as well as a live tuner that optimizes memory and application priorities. The first I can see as being possibly handy, the latter is one of those tasks I’d rather leave to Windows. To be honest, I didn’t notice a real difference with either running.

One speedup that did have a noticeable effect was the number of simultaneous HTML connections in browsers. Increasing these, as Winoptimizer 11 decided to do with its main optimize wizard (you can access modules separately), had a definite positive effect on the speed with which Web pages loaded. Especially those with lots of embedded content (ads, pictures, video, etc.) relayed from other sites.

Winoptimizer 11 is a very comprehensive set of Windows utilities that works very, very well. The $40 price tag might seem a tad steep when its functionality can be largely duplicated manually (with a large set of the proper knowledge), and with freebies such as CCleaner and the Windows defragger. However, the convenience of everything under one roof, and the ability to tweak Windows without being tech-savvy, will be well worth it for many users. There’s a trial. Kick the tires.

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Ventrilo review: The essential comms tool for the PC gamer

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Ventrilo This robust VoIP program keeps you connected to your gaming buddies in multiplayer games.

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In the heat of battle, there's one tool that trumps all. No, it's not your customizable mouse or the fancy keyboard with 100 different macro keys. It's communication.

Ventrilo takes the guesswork out of what your friends are doing in-game by providing a lightweight voice over IP program to stay in constant contact.

Ventrilo comes with a robust amount of options, but you may have to dig to find them.

Despite being completely free to download and use, Ventrilo come with a barrier to entry: You, or someone you know, must rent a server to use. Luckily, renting a 10-20 user server will generally cost less than $50 per year. If you're tight on cash, you'll be pleased to know that Ventrilo does allow you to set up your own server for up to eight people at no charge. Without an active server, though, Ventrilo becomes pretty useless.

When you open Ventrilo for the first time, it offers an online tutorial to run you through the basics of connecting to a new server. This includes creating a new profile, complete with teaching the program to say your username phonetically. In order to add a server, you'll need some very specific information from it, such as the hostname or IP address, port number, and password (if one exists).

Ventrilo separates channels into games and sub-sections. Useful, but not pretty.

Once in the server, hosts and admins can create or organize rooms,  which are great for separating players in specific games and keeping each stream of chatter where it belongs. Ventrilo supports a great deal of custom configuration for the player as well, such as letting players choose when to play notification alerts, letting them set up custom key bindings, and allowing them to select user-specific volume levels.

Communication can also be done via an integrated chat interface. No matter what channel you're in, you can join the chat and communicate via text, complete with text-to-speech as a checkable option. You also have the option to leave comments on your username to display your status (away from the keyboard, waiting to play, etc) and include a URL.

Despite being so robust and useful, especially for games that don't include integrated VoIP, Ventrilo is dull and lacks a user-friendly interface. A plain white window with endless branching menus and buttons can overwhelm the less tech-savvy, who will undoubtedly miss out on the many features Ventrilo hides away in embedded menus. Fortunately, you don't need all those options to use Ventrilo effectively.

The program is light on system resources, but it can be a connection hog at times. Latency can spike causing delayed voices or missed transmissions all together. It is recommended you use a stable, strong connection before investing your multiplayer communications into Ventrilo.

Ventrilo's integrated chat window will even talk to you via text-to-speech.

Ventrilo may not be the prettiest communication tool of all time, but it is one of the most robust and stable. I've been using Ventrilo for years and have yet to explore the deepest trenches of the options. Luckily, you don't have to dive deep to get the most out of it. It's just nice those endless options are included. For those who don't want the hassle, it's simple to use and effective for the gamers who want to get the job done.

Note: The Download button takes you to the vendor's site, where you can download the latest version of the software appropriate to your system.

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Billy’s Yammer Moment: Influencing the business in unexpected ways

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Billy Saqr is an account executive at LexisNexis, a leading global provider of legal, regulatory, and news and business information and analysis to legal, corporate, government, and academic customers. As a remote employee, Billy works from home but frequently visits his law school clients, educating them on the product and showcasing enhanced features to streamline their research. Over time, he started to receive feedback from power users on ways to improve the product--simple changes that could greatly improve students’ workflow. Yammer gave Billy a platform to share this feedback with teams and executives he’d normally never interact with (especially from his home office). In one instance, Billy discovered a thread discussing designs for the new product, and he felt empowered to chime in with comments he’d gathered from customers. Later, upon seeing the released product, he saw the design team had taken some of his feedback into account. Working in the open on Yammer gave Billy a voice to contribute to the business in unpredictable ways. Watch the video below to hear his story.

Visit the Moments site to learn more about the ways customers like Billy are making an impact at work. Have a Yammer moment of your own? Tweet with the hashtag #yammermoments today!

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Register now: Office 365 "Get It Done" webcast November 7

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Transform your workplace, enable innovation.

The workplace is changing. Today, over 70% of employees work outside the office. Across your organization, employees need easier access to the right information and insight on any device, anywhere to make fast, informed decisions. Yet over 40% of surveyed workers feel there isn't enough collaboration in their workplaces. Progressive organizations are listening! Social in the enterprise is no longer a nice-to-have but rather a workplace necessity.

Join us for a live session with industry thought leaders and special guests to hear firsthand how Microsoft Office 365 has helped companies harness employee ideas, embrace new workplace cultures and technologies, and spark innovation and spontaneous collaboration in the workplace to accelerate business: getting it done, anywhere. Click here to register today!

Luke Williams: Highly respected thought-leader will talk about how disruption in the workplace can lead to innovation.Adam Pisoni: Cofounder and CTO of Yammer and Microsoft GM of Engineering will share his thoughts on what makes a responsive organization.John Case: Microsoft CVP, Office wraps up by giving a glimpse of what new features will be rolling out in the next 6 months for Office 365.Also hear from Andy Roberts, Head of End User Technology at Telefonica as he discusses how Office 365 has created agility and helped move their business forward. Chat directly with Microsoft Executives and Product Managers throughout the show!

You won't want to miss this event. Register now!

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What's New: October 2013

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AppId is over the quota

We've seen a steady stream of continued app updates and customer-requested features this month. SkyDrive Pro for iOS simplified viewing and editing your documents. Everyone can now join Lync mobile meetings, even those without Office 365 accounts. Admins can now purchase domains directly within the service and view Lync Online usage for their organization. Other October improvements  include updates for developers, Office 365 Education customers, and Office 365 Government customers in California. Let us know your favorite new feature-leave a comment! If you missed last month's updates, see September's What's new summary here.

No updates

New Lync usage reports: See Lync use in your business with new reports that show active users, total video and audio minutes, and total time conferencing.

Excel video tutorials app: This new app for Office adds quick access to Excel 2013 tutorials right from within Excel.

Purchase customer GoDaddy domain directly through Office 365: Now you can purchase a customer domain, such as yourcompany.com, through GoDaddy directly from within Office 365 and we'll automatically configure it to work with your Office 365 account.

Updated Lync mobile for Windows Phone and iOS: New Lync mobile app features let you join Lync meetings without an account and start unscheduled conferences from within the app.

SkyDrive Pro for iOS 1.1 app: Better support for viewing and editing documents stored on your iPhone and iPad, and OneNote files open directly in the OneNote app for their respective device.

Search innovations for site and portal design in SharePoint Online: Show dynamic results and content on SharePoint sites using the new Content Search Web Part and cross-site collection publishing.

Please note that some of the above updates may take time to show up in your Office 365 account, because they're being rolled out to customers worldwide.

California and Microsoft sign CJIS Security Policy Agreement: California local law enforcement agencies can use Office 365 to meet the latest FBI CJIS Security Policy requirements.

 Office 365 for Business updates apply as well.

Student Advantage: Office 365 Education institutions who have licensed Office 365 ProPlus or Office Professional Plus for their faculty and staff may provide Office 365 ProPlus for students at no additional charge.

 Office 365 for Business updates apply as well.

Dev.office.com: The newly redesigned site has simplified and consolidated everything that experienced and aspiring Office developers could need.

Office.com Store improvements: The Office Store is adding support for 5 additional languages, 8 new store fronts, a Seller dashboard, and support for subscription-based apps.

--Andy O'Donald @andyodonald

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*Not all updates apply to every Office 365 plan; please check the individual post for specifics.

What's New: October 2013

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Five OneNote tips from the writers of The Conjuring

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Twin brothers Chad and Carey Hayes wrote this summer's blockbuster, The Conjuring, using OneNote. Now the acclaimed screenwriting duo share their top five tips for beginning writers.

 1: Write. Write. Write.

The secret to being a writer is no secret at all. Just write. Write anywhere and everywhere you can. OneNote is great for writers because you can use it virtually anywhere and on nearly any device. Have a few minutes in a coffee shop? Write a couple paragraphs on your tablet. Get an idea on the bus or train? Open OneNote on your phone and write it down. Writing is a skill that must be honed. We write every chance we get.

 

2: Read everything you can get your hands on.

Great writers read as much as they write. If you're a screenwriter, read scripts. If you're a novelist, read novels and short stories. Read bad stories then think about how you would make them good. Read good stories and come up with ways to make them better. We are reading scripts all the time, for both work and our own enjoyment. OneNote makes it easy because we can carry hundreds, even thousands of scripts everywhere we go on our tablets.

 3: Start with an outline.

This part is so important, we're going to repeat it here: start with an outline. We work out the big ideas in outline form long before we write a single line of dialogue or action. Remember, "If it doesn't work in the outline, it won't work in the script." The outline is your roadmap; don't be afraid to return to it again and again as you craft your story. We keep our outline in OneNote right next to the working draft of the script for easy access.

 4: Write. Edit. Repeat.

Writers are revisionists; that's the nature of the job. For The Conjuring we had roughly 150 drafts of the script before we reached the final one. And we have every single one of them saved in OneNote. We rewrite sections (and sometimes entire drafts) dozens of times before we ever submit a script. Then, we'll incorporate notes from studio executives, producers, actors, and the director again and again during the production process. OneNote inking technology lets us easily annotate on the script during meetings using our stylus and touch. Then we can quickly revise it and send another draft to everyone involved. No more hours-long editing sessions. No more costly printing. No more lost notes. It's all done right there in OneNote.

 

 5: Try writing with a partner.

We may be a little biased here but having someone to bounce ideas off of is a great way to stay creative and push the story. We write together during the day, and then at night we each take the working script home in OneNote. There we'll make notes about the day's work - inking up the script, writing questions and exploring ideas right in OneNote on our tablets. And we can each see what the other has written in real time. Working with a partner has given us that ability to expand our creativity and writing in ways we never could have done on our own.

Bonus: Get OneNote

If you haven't picked up on it by now, we're big fans of OneNote. We've used it for years to write our screenplays. OneNote lets us keep all our research together along with our outlines and various drafts. We can easily use the search function to find exactly what we need, when we need it. OneNote is like having your own personal writing assistant.

 -- Chad Hayes & Carey Hayes

Learn more about how Chad & Carey used OneNote to write this season's horror blockbuster, which is now available on DVD!

Any aspiring writers out there? Let us know how OneNote has helped you along the way.

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Download OneNote: onenote.com
Follow OneNote: twitter.com/msonenote
Like OneNote: facebook.com/MicrosoftOneNote  

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Review: f.lux makes your computer usable at night

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If you're reading this late in the day, pause to consider your eyes. Can you feel that familiar sting that comes from looking at a glaring LCD for too many hours? That's only the most noticeable symptom of what happens to our bodies when we spend hours staring into what's essentially a big, bright, lamp. F.lux is a simple and free app that helps fix this.

f.lux knows what time the sun sets wherever you are.

Turning down your monitor's brightness may help, but brightness isn't really the main issue: Color temperature is, and that can be trickier to adjust. Most computer screens emit bluish light that looks good in daytime, but becomes uncomfortable to look at in a dark room. It can also affect your sleep: Research suggests that reading on a tablet for two hours before bedtime can delay your sleep by about an hour.

F.lux helps by asking you where you're located in the world, then figuring out the approximate sunset time for your location. Come sunset, your screen will mimic nature, gradually warming up the colors and blending in much better with the surrounding light. You basically get your own private mini-sunset, ending up with a screen that's nice to look at.

f.lux now lets you adjust your monitor's brightness with keyboard shortcuts.

This basic functionality—tuning your screen's color temperature according to time of day—has been part of f.lux for years now. A recent version adds some new bells and whistles: You can now change your screen's brightness using Alt+PgUp and Alt+PgDn. This isn't exciting if you use a laptop, but for a desktop user like me, it's a great feature.

Another new feature is the so-called Darkroom Mode. Whereas the normal f.lux effect just warms up your colors, Darkroom Mode completely takes over your display, shading everything in dark, reddish hues. This makes videos unwatchable, but also means you can probably use your computer at 3am without losing your night vision.

You can dial in your own nighttime color temperature to suit your environment.

Since we don't all work with the same ambient lighting, f.lux lets you dial in a color temperature for nighttime. It uses Kelvin notations (commonly used for color temperatures), but also offers human-readable explanations ranging from "Ember" (1200k) to "Sunlight" (5000k).

All of these color changes are great, unless you happen to be trying to watch a movie. That's where Movie Mode comes in: This mode tones down the color effects for 2.5 hours, to let you watch a movie without having everything tinged red. You can also completely disable f.lux for one hour (for doing color-sensitive work such as photo editing), or until the next morning.

F.lux was a very good app to begin with, and this release only makes it better. If you're not using it yet, but do use your computer at night, you really should try it out today.

Note: The Download button takes you to the vendor's site, where you can download the latest version of the software.

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