Hot apps is a weekly rundown of the most popular apps according to our sister site, Tom's Guide. The following software are ranked from first to tenth by total downloads over the last week, making them community picks.
Unless otherwise specified, all featured apps are free, and run on Microsoft Windows 7, Vista, and XP.
Speccy. The system information app remains on top. And why not, with its comprehensive yet readable lists, discovering the numbers behind your system was never so straightforward. View everything or zero in on a specific component with just one click. Remains at #1.
TubeMaster++. This utility watches your web browser. When you play an online video or song (on sites like YouTube), TubeMaster++ grabs the source file and makes it available for download. Users can even opt to have their downloaded media converted immediately into a more usable format. New Entry.
Horoscope. Seems like the Lunar New Year has boosted interest in astrology, with this desktop gadget for Windows Vista and 7 suddenly entering our hot list. It provides daily updates on fortune, depending on your Zodiac sign. New Entry.
AppRemover. If only uninstalling software on the PC were as simple as throwing things out of a box. AppRemover attempts to make that metaphor a reality, doing the hard work of removing even the most hard-headed traces of programs that simply refuse to leave in peace. Up from #6.
WoW Explorer. For the World of Warcraft (WoW) fans, WoW Explorer is a desktop gadget for Windows Vista and 7 that provides updated info on WoW's “realsm” (the servers were players log on to play). New entry.
Kaspersky Rescue Disk 10. This free download runs off a bootable CD or flash drive. It's a collection of utilities designed for computers hopelessly corrupted by malware or viruses. The Rescue Disk runs its own operating system, protecting itself from any virtual filth. Down from #4.
UNetbootin. This utility downloads popular free operating systems or recovery environments (like Ubuntu or even the Kaspersky Rescue Disk) and sets up your flash drives or external hard drives to boot with them. New entry.
Evernote. Whatever notes or annotations are written or drawn on this iPad app are saved to an online server. Users with Evernote accounts can retrieve their work on PCs, mobile phones, and other devices with internet access. New entry.
Adobe Photoshop Express. This app turns the iPad into a canvas for creative types. Users can turn their visual dreams into reality, by finger-painting on the tablet’s capacitive screen. They can use different brushes and apply various filters to spice up their tableau. New Entry.
Omega Messenger. Do you maintain multiple instant messaging accounts? Omega Messenger lets you manage multiple accounts on popular IM services like MSN, Yahoo, and AIM, without putting too much strain on your system. New entry.
Staff Picks: You can download the Internet 9 release candidate for Windows 7 (32-bit, 64-bit) or Vista (32-bit, 64-bit). And speaking of web browsers, TweetDeck for Chrome is an HTML5 Google Chrome extension that lets you post updates for your different social networks. iOS users may find NBA JAM a hoot.
Check out more hot apps on Tom's Guide. See last week's list here. Got an app you can't live without? Or a better alternative to anything listed above? Share your wisdom in the comments below.
