Internet (in order of date)

Portalbar Version Number: v1.00.143 Revision Date: June 15th,2000 Byte Size: 404.5 KB License: Freeware Evaluation Period: unlimited Home Page: http://www.portalbar.com/ Additional Software Required: Internet Explorer 5.0+ Description: Portalbar provides newsfeed from over 1500 news sources, enhanced online bookmark management, e-mail notification, search box and much more. It also offers a direct communication and marketing channel for Web sites to its users. Co-branding partners are welcome.

Cahoots v1.5 06-16-00 Converse via real-time voice or text Company: Cahoots Version: 1.5 Size: 2.22 MB Downloads: 6,392 Requirements: microphone and speakers (for voice communication) and Windows 9x, NT, or 2000 Purchase Information: Free Cahoots is an innovative program featuring a chat-room window that accompanies you wherever you go as you surf the Web, enabling you to converse with others looking at the same page. One of the more innovative chat programs available, this free program is definitely worth a try. Converse using text or voice (you'll need a microphone), or have a private conversation using text or voice. If you like a particular Website and want to post a note for your friends to read when they get there, you can do that too by using site-specific Info Centers. Besides talking to each other, Website visitors can talk to Website personnel, live and in person. Users can also make free voice calls to friends, family or colleagues worldwide.

GetRight v4.2b 06-13-00 Download files with power and ease Company: HeadLight Software Version: 4.2b Size: 2.94 MB Downloads: 473,544 Requirements: Windows 95, 98, or NT Purchase Information: Shareware: Free to try, $20 if you decide to keep it. GetRight is a great utility for downloading files. It's powerful, easy to use, and highly configurable. Just copy a link address to the Clipboard, and GetRight grabs it and lets you choose a destination. Better yet, you can drop links onto a drop box, or simply download from your browser and let the included GetRight plug-in take over. It then shows the address, saving location, percentage, and size of your download progress, plus the time left and average efficiency as it downloads. If you're disconnected, GetRight can resume and complete the download. Other features include multithreading support, mirror searching, download scheduling, custom skin support, audio support, automated retrieval from password-protected FTP sites, default download folders based on file type, automatic daily downloads, automatic virus scans, and more. GetRight can even break large downloads into multithreaded segments to speed the process.

WebCopier v2.1* 06-05-00 Download entire sites in a flash Company: Maxim Klimov Version: 2.1 Size: 1.59 MB Downloads: 28,376 Requirements: Windows 95, 98, or NT Purchase Information: Free WebCopier is a first-rate, speedy offline Web browser that makes it a cinch to download entire or partial Websites then view them offline. This handsome program is very easy to use: Create a new project, select from a range of download options, and click the Start Download button. WebCopier downloads multiple files simultaneously and creates an easily navigable tree of the Website. You can control the amount of information downloaded by overall size, number of pages, page size, and time. You can also limit the download to a single host or let it roam to other domains. WebCopier includes file filters that let you download, say, just the graphics from a site or just the audio. It's impressively thorough in tracing URLs, parsing JavaScript to locate links often missed by other offline browsers. This fine program is free but includes Web-based advertising banners.

Unimobile v2.0.999 06-05-00 Add instant messages to wireless devices Company: Gray Cell Inc. Version: 2.0.999 Size: 2.69 MB Downloads: 2,538 Requirements: Microsoft Internet Explorer 3.02 or later and Windows 95, 98, or NT Purchase Information: Free Unimobile takes instant messaging to the wireless crowd. It lets you send and receive messages to and from your Unimobile buddy list, check your email inbox, and get the latest news, sports, and financial information on any text-enabled device (such as digital mobile phones, alphanumeric pagers, wireless PDAs, Iridium phones, and so on). Complete a simple password/username registration, then build a buddy list of Unimobile-using friends. Set up as many wireless devices as you require, and configure your information preferences from CNN online as well as your POP3 or Webmail accounts. The attractive interface looks like a cell phone and offers the same dress-up options, with various skins and rings to personalize the device. There's plenty of documentation to get you set up quickly, including auto-detection of your browser, modem, and connections, along with a no-brainer wizard to take down your preferences.

CoolRover Version Number: 2.0 Revision Date: June 1st,2000 Byte Size: 468.4 KB License: Freeware Evaluation Period: none Home Page: http://www.coolrover.com Additional Software Required: None Description: What are you looking at? Find out who's viewing the same Web pages as you with CoolRover 2.0, a roving instant messenger. With CoolRover, you can: Communicate in realtime. Form clubs and create realtime communities. Create a channel for your Web site and keep visitors coming back.

iChoose Version Number: 1.112 Revision Date: May 29th, 2000 Byte Size: 1.5 MB License: Freeware Home Page: http://www.ichoose.com/ Description: The iChoose alert gives you access to better deals on the things you want to buy. You simply shop at your favorite sites while the iChoose alert goes with you to find better deals on the exact items you want. Then when you are ready to buy, the alert instantly delivers you a choice, to continue with your current purchase or accept a better offer.

Odigo Version Number: 2.5 Revision Date: June 2nd, 2000 Byte Size: 3.3 MB License: Freeware Home Page: http://www.odigo.com/ Description: Presenting a revolutionary new concept: the Smart Install from Odigo. Odigo is the only completely multi-lingual IM, an application with several tools in one package. With Odigo, even installation becomes smarter. You can: Manage a buddy list and send instant messages. See who's surfing the same Web page or site as you. Communicate with users via instant messages, one-to-one chats or multi-user chats. Exchange mail, files and URLs. Post notes and find people via their interests. Voice-chat and conference easily. Odigo now supports ICQ, enabling you to send and receive messages from your friends, even if they use ICQ. Odigo is available in English, Portuguese, Spanish, German, French, Slovakian, Russian, Hebrew, Chinese, Japanese and more. To collabarate with ICQ: Download this plug in.

CyberBuddy Version Number: 1.23 Revision Date: June 1st,2000 Byte Size: 1.1 MB License: Freeware Evaluation Period: none Home Page: http://www.yeayou.com/ Additional Software Required: Requires Microsoft Agents, but Cyberbuddy will help download and install Agents from the Microsoft web site. Description: CyberBuddy is a freeware utility program that uses MicroSoft Agents and text to speech. It provides Instant Messaging with speech and animation, reminders, time of day, check email, news reports, weather, stock quotes, voice messaging, text reading, ICQ status reporting.

Link Puppy Version Number: 1.2.5 Revision Date: May 31st,2000 Byte Size: 4.7 MB License: Adware Home Page: http://www.linkpuppy.com Description: Link Puppy helps you keep track of your favorite Internet sites. With multiple site categories and the ability to drag and drop any Web Address or Hyperlink from any site into the category of your choice. Link Puppy will save you time and make accessing your favorite Web Sites easier than ever. Link Puppy supports password protected links for multiple users and support multi-media files including Windows Media, Real Player and thousands of other types of links. So now your son, daughter, spouse and even your pet hamster can all keep track of their favorite sites and link directly to multimedia content easily and privately. Link Puppy comes with some great default sites under a wide variety of categories, including a frequently updated "Current Events" category. You can even drag and drop your desk top short cuts into the MY PROGRAMS folder and have instant access to the programs you use the most. Link Puppy also tracks the speed of each site you add and lets you know the DATE the site was last updated so you know exactly which sites are fresh or have been updated since your last visit. Link Puppy also minimizes to a small icon that can be placed anywhere on your desktop! It's convenient and easy to use!

MaxxChat Version Number: 1.0 Build3 Revision Date: May 25th,2000 Byte Size: 5.2 MB License: Freeware Evaluation Period: unlimited Home Page: http://www.maxxchat.com Additional Software Required: Windows/95/98/NT4/2000 Description: MaxxChat is a radical new IRC Client which offers "Who's On" notifier, 100% user-definable (and tradeable) skins, image thumbnail preview on DCC Download, graphic fServer, up to 255 channels open concurrently, and much MUCH more! This one is DEFINITELY a "must-see"!

NetQuest Version Number: 2.3.6 Public 03 Revision Date: May 24th, 2000 Byte Size: 4.6 MB License: Freeware Home Page: http://www.qubecity.com/ Description: NetQuest is a powerful search and browser software for your desktop. It is intelligent, fast, and reliable. Contained in this software is a complete set of web utilities: a search function, smart index, favorites, personalized shopping, webfax, webmail, and more. The interface is set up so that everything is at your fingertips.

HumanClick(2.15mb) is one of the biggest boosts to Website interactivity you'll ever come across. This freeware program lets you detect when anyone is on your Website, and lets your visitors initiate a chat with you by clicking the HumanClick icon. You can also hang up a sign indicating you are away, and give your visitors the option of sending you an email. The really clever thing about HumanClick is that your visitors need no software at all to use it, apart from a JavaScript-enabled browser. When you install it, HumanClick auto-embeds a small piece of JavaScript on each page of your site (you can also do this manually on selected pages). It also installs a monitor in your taskbar tray that alerts you when a visitor is on your site. You can open the monitor to track each visitor's progress or to initiate a chat. For business sites, you can set up multiple operators to handle visitor inquiries.

PhoneFree is a valuable, easy-to-use, free Web-based communications center that lets you make PC-to-phone calls, PC-to-PC calls, and video calls as well as send and receive video mail. After installation and registration via Website, run the audio setup wizard to auto-detect your sound card and test your microphone connection and volume. Then click on the flaming-torch icon in your systray to bring up your Personal Communications Center (PCC), a remote-control/cell-phone device you use to make your calls. To make a PC-to-phone call, type in a long-distance number, then click on Call; the phone rings, and the called party answers. After the call ends, enter the party's name to add an icon to your PCC screen so that future calls to that party will require only a click. Remember that calls must be to points within the U.S. and must be 11 digits long. PhoneFree is free, though there are ads at the top of your PCC, and additional equipment (such as headsets and microphones) is available for purchase.

ValueSpeed Shopping Wizard(353kb) is a plug-in for Internet Explorer that helps you to shop smarter on the Internet. This fine product costs nothing and can only save you money. It adds a Compare button to the Links Bar, so you can try to find the best available price on music, books, videos, software, airline tickets, auctions, and more. It provides this wonderful service by sending product information to one of several free online comparison services. The quality of the comparisons depends largely on the service you select, but the ones we tried produced impressive results very quickly. If you add a product to a shopping cart without making a comparison, ValueSpeed Shopping Wizard prompts you to compare prices first.

newZPrint(3.46mb) grabs a customized mix of news for you from a variety of online sources and presents it onscreen in a newspaper format. It can query a wide range of popular news sites: Over 100 sources in categories including Business, Science & Technology, Electronic News Services, Daily Newspapers (US, UK, and International), News Analysis & Opinion, Environment, Entertainment, Sports, Health, and Living can be continually updated. You can filter and personalize each chosen source, and the system uses data compression to reduce delivery time. newZPrint formats news and includes graphics, to emulate a paper publication, which can be read online or printed. Direct feedback through an "Electronic Letters to the Editor", is also supported, along with archiving. newZPrint is easy to use and presents the news you care about in indexed, very readable formats.

SurfSaver (5.65mb) lets you save Web pages directly from Internet Explorer into searchable folders. You can then quickly search and browse these pages while not connected to the Internet. To access SurfSaver, simply use Internet Explorer's right-click context menu. You can either perform a quick save or store and retrieve pages in separate, specially created folders. You can also choose to include keywords, notes, graphics, frames, and associated formats for each saved document. SurfSaver even allows you to go beyond the currently loaded Web page, by saving linked pages to a level that you select. It features a powerful search engine that browses the text and keywords of your saved documents and even returns near hits. It's well documented, easy to use, and integrates seamlessly into Internet Explorer.

April 30, Sunday- 6:57 am CST- New Downloads: Aaron's WebVacuum* grabs files from web pages. Perfect for downloading pictures from a page of thumbnails or MP3s off a link site. Customize the types of files to download and the depth of the site to scan. Easy to use interface. Built-in image viewer with slide-show feature.

iChoose The iChoose alert gives you access to better deals on the things you want to buy. You simply shop at your favorite sites while the iChoose alert goes with you to find better deals on the exact items you want. Then when you are ready to buy, the alert instantly delivers you a choice, to continue with your current purchase or accept a better offer.

April 29, Saturday- 7:14 am CST- New Downloads: SimpleFind* is a free program that allows you to search information on the Internet using top search engines. You can search Web pages, e-mail address, news, MP3, encyclopedia, shareware, or computer/technology. All you have to do is enter the query and click a button. SimpleFind supports more than 20 top search engines, including AltaVista, Excite, Go, Lycos, Yahoo!, BigFoot, C|Net, ZDNet, and more. You can save your search results in SimpleFind format as well as HTML files. You can also sort the results based on score, search engines, URL, or title.

Copernic 2000 4.5 Power-searching the Internet is quick and easy with Copernic 2000. This well-documented search agent combines simplicity and performance with superior results-handling. It uses predefined channel sets, allowing you to target inquiries to all major Web search engines, find merchandise, search for relevant text in newsgroups, or access popular email directories to find people. The lightning-quick, multithreaded, full Boolean searches feature progress displays and customizable search depth. Once results are in, the program displays returns in a right-click enhanced listbox sorted by relevance and containing name, location, and introductory text. Session results are then compiled and presented in an Explorer-style results browser, making data navigation -- on or offline -- a breeze. Copernic automatically eliminates duplicate entries and can even validate the links for you. MS Internet Explorer users will enjoy complete active desktop and browser integration and even have the option of making Copernic the default search environment. Other features include search refinement, custom sorting, and more. Upgrading to the Plus version brings many more channel sets, support, and updates.

HTTrack* is an easy-to-use offline browser utility. It allows you to download a World Wide website from the Internet to a local directory, building recursively all directories, getting html, images, and other files from the server to your computer. HTTrack arranges the original site's relative link-structure. Simply open a page of the "mirrored" website in your browser, and you can browse the site from link to link, as if you were viewing it online. HTTrack can also update an existing mirrored site, and resume interrupted downloads. HTTrack is fully configurable, and has an integrated help system.

MediaRing Talk enables you to make free long-distance calls from your PC to any other PC running the same program. To make a call, all you need is your friend's phone number. If the friend you're trying to reach is not online you can even leave a voice message. It's as easy as picking up your telephone and calling someone. You can also call from your PC to any regular phone worldwide, at a fraction of normal international and long-distance call charges. With the latest release 7.2, you can even make free calls from your PC to any regular phone in the US, at their web site. Besides AOL support, the latest release also offers official ICQ support so that you can voice-chat over the ICQ network with your ICQ buddies. Nice extras include a full-featured phone book, caller ID and call log. Most importantly, it has excellent sound quality--even with a slow modem. Besides a gorgeous and easy-to-use interface, and great features, the user can enjoy many more value-added services including VoizMail, TalkZone and myTalky.

NetCaptor 6* Cross Internet Explorer with a simple-to-navigate tabbed window interface and add a nice dose of neat features that make surfing the Net more pleasurable and productive, and you've got NetCaptor. Thanks to unobtrusive banner ads, it's free. Each Website you browse to is opened in its own tabbed space, with the tabs making it oh-so-easy to switch between them. Open the CaptorBar window to display tabs for Favorites, History, Search, and CaptorGroups. (A CaptorGroup is a group of links that are grouped and stored together so you can get single-click access to multiple Websites.) Your Favorites and History are searchable, and the Search tab offers options to search single or multiple engines. Hate pop-up windows while you're surfing? The PopupCaptor feature automatically closes them. Also included is Flyswat, a utility that turns words and phrases it recognizes into hyperlinks. Clicking on these links opens a window with links to Websites with relevant info.

AdSubtract Keep AdSubtract in your system tray to make surfing the Web a much more pleasant experience. This free utility effectively prevents advertisements from loading in your Web browser, speeding things up considerably. This wonderful ad-blocking feature works for Internet Explorer, Netscape, America Online, and Opera (all version 3.0 and later). Web pages load more quickly and look better, providing just the information you were seeking. You can also use AdSubtract to block cookies and set up five custom sites that differ from your general settings. Other features include logging support, optional sound effects, and proxy support.

Internet Answering Machine. Tired of missing calls because your phone line is occupied with your Internet dial-up connection? Check out Internet Answering Machine. This free program works with the phone company's Busy Call Forwarding feature. When you're online, Busy Call Forwarding routes incoming calls to the CallWave service center through a toll-free number. CallWave answers these calls, greets the caller, then plays their message over your computer speakers. This means you don't need to get a separate telephone line to make sure you don't miss important calls while you're surfin' the Web. Internet Answering Machine occupies a small window on your computer screen while you're online, where it displays incoming calls, plays messages, and saves them for later. Thanks to banner ads, you don't pay a cent (other than what the phone company charges). You must be hooked to the Internet through a dial-up connection to install the program and have a phone number in 555-555-5555 format (standard in the USA). updated AOL Instant Messenger 4 lets AOL users and non-users alike communicate through a private, personalized chat window. Find your online buddies using the wizard to search on name, email address, or interests, then organize your Buddy List. Set up your own public or confidential profile to let others find you. Then categorize your Buddy List, classifying your chat partners any way you like. To chat, just click on a screen name and a chat window pops up so that you can send Instant Messages formatted with colors, system fonts, and even icons. A Neighborhood Watch feature lets you block out offensive chatters and post a warning to them and other users. Take advantage of privacy controls to limit communication to a small group of people, or block messages from some folks completely. Instant Messenger's interface is slick and attractive; you can assign .wav audio files to events, such as when a buddy signs on. You can even create chat rooms to chat with more than one person at a time. The interface offers push-button access to AOL chat rooms and news, but you won't get into all of AOL's content without subscribing.

April 16, Sunday- 7:31 am CST- New Downloads: Desktop News Establish your specific areas of interest and Desktop News continually seeks out and delivers your custom content.

QuickLinks Explorer* replaces your Bookmark, Hotlist, and URL files, taking you where you want to go with the click of a button.

Jotter 2000 is a multifaceted, Internet-oriented system that performs a number of tasks to make your Web life easier. Its dockable toolbar has a crawl with a news feed that you select. Choose a single item to add to the ticker, or choose several that rotate, including weather, sports, stocks, news, and more. Jotter conducts Internet searches at many major search engines and provides access to a reminder system that can be used for appointments, birthdays, and so on. It also has a special talent for filling out Internet forms, with information such as name, address, credit card number, and email address, if the form uses conventional language. (You have to surrender your confidential information to Jotter to use this feature, but the program assures you that the info will remain confidential, encrypted in your computer.) Other features include multiuser support, a variety of security options, and an online tutorial. The system is fairly easy to use and offers a nice selection of conveniences. It's free but displays advertisements in the toolbar and in dialog boxes.

SpotOn is a must-have Internet Explorer add-on for mobile users and for all those who want to organize their grab-bag of favorites into a really usable resource. This terrific freebie adds a button to your browser: click it to display the SpotOn bar where you can add bookmarks, rate each site, and create tours of related sites. SpotOn does two very smart things with your bookmarks. First, it pre-loads sites, so while you view the first page of a tour--say a selection of news and weather sites you like to check each morning--SpotOn loads the rest of the tour in the background. When you click the Next button, the next site in the tour loads almost instantly. Second, SpotOn stores your favorites on its servers. That means you can access your favorites from any computer connected to the Internet. It also means you can design public tours and share them with others via the Web.

Visual Contact* is an advertiser-supported (i.e, free, if you don't mind its unobtrusive banner ads) address book. Using a clean-looking, Explorer-like tabbed interface, it manages names and phone numbers as well as email, postal mail, and Web page addresses. It has a built-in phone dialer and can launch your default Web browser and email program. In addition, it inserts information about your contacts automatically; can prepare a letter template for you, with the proper addresses filled in for "snail mail" letters; and can import/export data from and to several popular formats. Other nice features include drag-and-drop support, organization of addresses into groups, system tray support, the ability to send email in bulk, and digital sound events. A "pro" version without the ads can be purchased for $25. ---

buddyPhone 2 is a fantastic utility that lets you place phone calls over the Internet at no additional charges. It has a slick, simple to use interface and offers high audio quality. You can use buddyPhone in conjunction with Mirabilis' ICQ, and all of your ICQ contacts will automatically appear in your call menu. ICQ is not required, however, and buddyPhone is a full-featured call management system in its own right. It can auto-answer, block calls, and much more - it can even work as an answering machine. You make calls by connecting directly to another user's IP address (buddyPhone includes an amenity that will tell you what your IP address is so other users can contact you). Alternatively, buddyPhone can use an email address, and try to resolve the user's IP from there. The program offers some nice graphical options as well; you can set to stay on top of all open windows, use different "skins" to change the look of the program, and more. If you're interested in Internet telephony, check out buddyPhone. Note: This program is supported by advertising.

April 8, Saturday- 7:00 am CST- New Downloads: Keyword Live shows you the top 100 keywords being used on several popular search engines on the web - in real time! Forget getting last months, or even last weeks numbers; with Keyword Live you see what's happening RIGHT NOW, no middleman, no hassle.

C4U 1.2b is a free Web browsing utility that does one thing and does it well -- it browses through your favorite sites and checks for any changes to links, images, email addresses, keywords, and text. With its clear and intuitive interface, and its reliable site-checking capabilities, it's one of the most appealing tools of its type that we've seen. To test C4U, we assigned it a test site, then changed some text on one of its pages. Sure enough, C4U notified us that our site had been modified (smiley face icon) and marked the updated text in red. You can filter site checking for each type of change by having C4U check for at least one change, two, three, and so on (we stopped counting at 80-something). You can also set C4U to auto-check sites. Additionally, the program will open your target site within its own window, or in your browser (Internet Explorer 3.01 or later, Netscape 3.0 or later).

ThirdVoice 2000 is a free (thanks to banner ads) tool with several nice features that can enhance your Web browsing. It makes its presence known as a system tray icon, a new toolbar in Internet Explorer, and a window that docks to the side of IE. Each time you load a new Web page, ThirdVoice quickly scans it and underlines words or phrases that have Websites associated with them and creates active links. Results are shown in the ThirdVoice docked window. The program also lets you express opinions through inline notes on any Web page and read messages posted by other ThirdVoice users. In addition, you may create an open group for others to join, send a private note to have a confidential discussion, and access a built-in search function. Once the program is installed, you'll need to sign up for your free ThirdVoice account. Note: This is a beta version and could be buggy and/or unstable. The developer welcomes your comments.

eLOL* Not getting enough jokes forwarded to you in email from your friends? eLOL (Electronic Laugh Out Loud) is a free tray-based app that delivers text, graphics, audio, and video jokes to you daily from the Internet. You can configure what types of jokes, how many, and what time they should be delivered. (Make sure you check the "clean, politically correct jokes" option if you don't want to get offensive material.) You can rate the jokes that are sent to you, as well as see how many people read the joke and the average "funniness rating." You can easily send jokes to friends, or submit a new joke with the click of a button. Over time, eLOL should learn the types of jokes you like and send them to you. In addition, it supports skins and offers an application to make them. The program's interface is both attractive and easy to use.

Cahoots is an innovative program featuring a chat-room window that accompanies you wherever you go as you surf the Web, enabling you to converse with others looking at the same page. One of the more innovative chat programs available, this free program is definitely worth a try. Converse using text or voice (you'll need a microphone), or have a private conversation using text or voice. If you like a particular Website and want to post a note for your friends to read when they get there, you can do that too by using site-specific Info Centers. Besides talking to each other, Website visitors can talk to Website personnel, live and in person. Users can also make free voice calls to friends, family or colleagues worldwide.

v-GO Universal Password is a fascinating solution to the problem of password overload. It maintains an encrypted list of all your logins and passwords, and uses that list to automatically fill in login dialogs. Your encrypted list is protected by a single v-GO password, which is the only password you need to remember. To make life easy, your v-GO password is visual: you choose one of a half-dozen graphical password interfaces -- such as a hand of cards or a periodic table -- to create an easily remembered password. v-GO Logon watches over your actions and offers to learn new application and Web site passwords on the fly, so that after a while you'll find yourself logging on hands free. v-GO is highly configurable, allowing you to opt for ultra easy password access or tougher security. Highly recommended.

Net2phone- free pc to pc calls, and 1 cent calls per minute from pc to telephone in the U.S.

CuteMX (Media eXchange) offers an innovative, powerful way to get the hottest files on the Net. CuteMX users become part of a file sharing community, and can easily find and download multimedia files, graphics, programs and more -- all without the broken links and incomplete downloads that most Internet users have had to deal with.

Obongo Attention online shoppers: Here's a free app that will eliminate much of the hassle factor of buying stuff on the Internet -- and could even save you some money to boot. Obongo is a toolbar that docks to the bottom of your Web browser. Use it to log in and out of sites with a single click, as well as remember your passwords, credit card numbers, and shipping addresses. This means a lot less typing. Obongo can also compare prices among sites to make sure you're paying bottom dollar. You'll also find Web search capabilities, personal privacy protection, stock quotes, and email filtering. Since the service is Web-based, you can access your Obongo account anywhere there's an Internet connection.

Gooey Tired of Web surfing alone? Get Gooey and merge chat with your Web browsing. Gooey launches with your start group or only when you want it. You configure your interests from a picklist, then when Gooey is running you can view the "Hitwave," which shows the top 100 Websites currently being visited by other Gooey users. When you go to any site, you'll immediately see the "nick list" of who else is using Gooey and viewing the same site. A chat window lets you discuss what you're viewing in the group or privately. The "Gooey Zone" in the center of the main window offers quick access to games, interest areas, or the latest news from Reuters on the topics you choose.

NewsDart 1.00a lets you quickly retrieve news from the Internet. Very easy to set up and use, it will keep you on top of what's going on in the world. Although it's preconfigured for all the major news sources on the Internet, what sets it apart from many similar programs is its ability to also scan custom URLs that you configure. Working in the background, it scans the news sources you designate, looking for keywords in headlines and/or news stories. When it finds matches, it displays a list of headlines, which you can click on to view the full story in your browser.

Free Agent A great freeware Newsreader with an easy to use interface with autopost, autodecode of binaries, and a great subscribed group organization method.

Wotches are small, free desktop programs that help you navigate the web and your PC desktop faster. Wotches enhance your favourite browser, making it easier to get to any web site or web search.

BestPrice is a fast and easy search utility to compare prices on the Net. Choose from the picklist of search engines those you wish to query then enter a few keyword to quickly get the links to the product you want at the price you're willing to pay. Boolean searches are supported to quickly tailor your requests. Sort on description, price or source by clicking on the list header. A click on any listing in the return window will launch your browser and take you directly to the selected purchase site. A picture preview window offers a shortcut to see what the product looks like without going to the Web page. This free version queries Yahoo, Alta Vista, MSN, Excite, and Infoseek. A Pro edition offers more search engines and optional skins for a small registration fee.

Offline Explorer is a fine tool for rapidly downloading and viewing Websites offline. At its simplest, it lets you supply a URL and click the download button to download a page and all first-level links. At its most complex, it gives you complete control over which pages are downloaded. You can include and exclude downloads from individual servers, folders, URLs, and pages and use keyword inclusion/exclusion lists to define individual page downloads.

March 13, Monday- 4:23 pm CST- New Downloads: FlashGet(JetCar)* Use FlashGet(JetCar) to manage your Internet downloads. It's convenient, easy to use, and the price can't be beat. This handy system tray utility provides a small, always-on-top drop box and monitors your Clipboard for downloadable URLs. When a download is detected or dropped onto the box, FlashGet(JetCar) speeds up the download process (especially for high-speed modems) by splitting the file into several pieces and transferring them simultaneously. If you'd rather, you can use FlashGet(JetCar) as a download queue, saving dropped and intercepted transfers for later. A scheduler is included to automate the process. You can even have the program terminate your connection and shut down the computer when the transfer is complete.

WebCopier is a first-rate, speedy offline Web browser that makes it a cinch to download entire or partial Websites then view them offline. This handsome program is very easy to use: Create a new project, select from a range of download options, and click the Start Download button. WebCopier downloads multiple files simultaneously and creates an easily navigable tree of the Website. You can control the amount of information downloaded by overall size, number of pages, page size, and time. You can also limit the download to a single host or let it roam to other domains. WebCopier includes file filters that let you download, say, just the graphics from a site or just the audio. It's impressively thorough in tracing URLs, parsing JavaScript to locate links often missed by other offline browsers. This fine program is free but includes Web-based advertising banners.

URLy Warning is a free, ad-supported offering that monitors selected Web pages for changed content. It's lightweight, unobtrusive, and works quite nicely. Just load the page in your Web browser, then add it to the URLy Warning menu. Select the interval at which the page is checked, and optionally tag it to monitor a specific keyword or phrase. When a modification is detected, it provides both audible and visual notification. A single mouse click launches the page, with all detected modifications clearly highlighted.

AOL Instant Messenger Version Number 3.5.1856 lets AOL users and non-users alike communicate through a private, personalized chat window. Find your online buddies using the wizard to search on name, email address, or interests, then organize your Buddy List. Set up your own public or confidential profile to let others find you. Then categorize your Buddy List, classifying your chat partners any way you like.

Internet Search Plus* Find anyone or anything fast! Find people plan trips, Research any subject, Thousands of links and more.

OnScan Use Onscan to stay on top of content changes on important Websites. This fine offering is available from both the system tray and the Internet Explorer toolbar, and provides both visible and audible notification when a monitored Web page has been modified. Available options also provide email, pager, and cell phone alerts. Use Internet Explorer to navigate to an important Web page, then use the new Onscan tool buttons to add it to your list of monitored sites

HearMe for ICQ is a simple add-on that lets you voice-chat with your ICQ contacts. When you install HearMe, it will add a voice link to your ICQ homepage as well as integrate with your ICQ interface to let folks know that you're voice-enabled. A double click on the little house icon will send a chat request. If the user doesn't have HearMe installed, they'll be provided the opportunity for a quick download. If they do have HearMe, they can start talking over a clear, unlimited-time voice channel. No complex configuration or setup is involved, and the add-on is free.

GuruNet This is a new instant information service. Just point to any word in any windows app and Alt-Click. GuruNet brings the information to you, both reference (dictionary, encyclopedia) and real-time information (news, sports) about the word you Alt-Clicked. Very fast and very cool.

NewsDart lets you quickly retrieve news from the Internet. Very easy to set up and use, it will keep you on top of what's going on in the world. Although it's preconfigured for all the major news sources on the Internet, what sets it apart from many similar programs is its ability to also scan custom URLs that you configure.

Absolutely On-Line is a handy system-tray tool that prevents your ISP from disconnecting you due to inactivity. It's easy to use, and provides plenty of options to achieve the desired effect. You can use the program's default online strategy, or choose simulated HTTP, FTP, or SMTP activity.--

-Use Mass Downloader to handle your Internet downloads, so they won't interfere with your normal Web browsing. It runs as a standalone program that monitors the Clipboard for file URLs and accepts drag-and-drops from your browser. Features include multithreading, FTP and HTTP support, resumed transfers, a connection speed monitor, and a built-in scheduler.--

PopOff! 95/98 -- formerly called OnTrack!(Compressed Size 1,494,851 bytes )-- closes those annoying browser pop-up windows that litter many sites on the Internet. This free utility works with a variety of browsers, shutting down pop-up windows before they get in your way. Of course, while most of those pop-up windows contain nothing more than advertising, some of them are integral to a site's navigation and style, and they are well worth viewing. PopOff!'s solution is to let you switch the program off and then switch it back on. If you've had it with pop-up windows, this simple utility will be most welcome. A separate version is available for Windows NT 4.0. This version has not yet been reviewed.

GetRight Download Resumer to 4.1.2

Go!Zilla Download resumer, finds the fastest download sites, great free program.

NetZip Download Demon 3 Lets you resume downloads if your computer crashes, or you get disconnected. The same as what GetRight does.

ClickTheButton

Compressed Size 264,532 bytes

ClickTheButton is a slick new Internet service that's practically guaranteed to save you money. It places an icon in your system tray, running quietly in the background until called. When you find an item on the Internet you're interested in purchasing, like a book, music, movie, etc., just click the tray icon, and ClickTheButton springs into action. It determines the item you're looking at, and scans competing online stores for the same item. It then loads a price comparison in your Web browser. Just select the appropriate link to make your purchase at the site with the lowest price. ClickTheButton also shows any shipping costs involved, allowing for a fair and accurate comparison. ClickTheButton is as good as money in your pocket and -- best of all -- this service and the program are free of charge.

Alive and KickingCompressed Size 2,150,539 bytes helps keep your Internet connection alive by simulating activity. Some Internet service providers will sever your connection if you are idle for a given period of time. This system has an actual, user-maintainable list of sites that it will visit, to keep the connection alive, and it can even crawl through sites to make it look like legitimate activity

buddyPhone(Compressed Size 781,379 bytes ) is a fantastic utility that lets you place phone calls over the Internet at no additional charges. It has a slick, simple to use interface and offers high audio quality. You can use buddyPhone in conjunction with Mirabilis' ICQ, and all of your ICQ contacts will automatically appear in your call menu. ICQ is not required, however, and buddyPhone is a full-featured call management system in its own right. It can auto-answer, block calls, and much more - it can even work as an answering machine. You make calls by connecting directly to another user's IP address (buddyPhone includes an amenity that will tell you what your IP address is so other users can contact you). Alternatively, buddyPhone can use an email address, and try to resolve the user's IP from there. The program offers some nice graphical options as well; you can set to stay on top of all open windows, use different "skins" to change the look of the program, and more. If you're interested in Internet telephony, check out buddyPhone

ICQ (32-bit)Compressed Size 5,208,003 bytes Love to chat? Tired of the complexity of IRC and the limitations of other chat tools? ICQ is for you. The world's most popular Internet instant-messaging tool, it supports direct messaging as well as multiuser "chat rooms." Build a list of your family members, friends, and business contacts, and ICQ will notify you of their online presence. Building the list is easier than ever with search features as well as address book scan in Outlook, Eudora, Exchange, and other clients. Chat; send messages, files, and URLs; play games; or just hang out while surfing the Web or working. ICQ's greatest feature is its ability to link to other peer-to-peer applications. Once you've established a connection, you can launch a voice, whiteboard, data conferencing, or other application to communicate with your contact -- all over the ICQ network. It's easy to get started with simple mode, then switch to advanced for the power features. You'll find HTML help, startup wizards, and even multiple email account checking. This time-limited beta version is free. ICQ is well on its way to becoming the portal of choice for Internet communication.

WebFerret(Compressed Size 652,851 bytes ) provides a handy and efficient way to find information on the Web. Enter your search words and choose from four radio buttons: All keywords, Any keyword, Exact phrase, or Boolean Expression. WebFerret will use your Internet connection to check several popular search engines (Alta Vista, AOL NetFind, EuroSeek, Excite, GOTO, Infoseek, LookSmart, Lycos, and Yahoo) and return the maximum amount of links you specify. Other nice features let you specify the closeness of the match, remove duplicates, and filter pornography and foul language. The results are returned in a sortable list format, complete with tooltips that give you a little more information about a site. Just double-click on a link to bring up your browser and launch the page. WebFerret is fast, easy to use, and (thanks to banner ads) free

PhoneFerret(Compressed Size 598,185 bytes ) makes it easy to find phone numbers and addresses that are available on the Internet. Just enter the first and last name of the person you're trying to find and further refine your responses by choosing a state and keying in a city. PhoneFerret simultaneously polls various directories available on the Internet (Anywho, Bigfoot, Database America, Excite, Switchboard, Whowhere, WorldPages, and Yahoo) and delivers the results in a sortable listing. A click on one of the search results will automatically dial the number for you through your modem. Options let you deselect any of the search engines, as well as specify the maximum number of hits. PhoneFerret is fast, easy to use, and (thanks to banner ads) free.

EmailFerret(Compressed Size 607,317 bytes )Need to find an email address? EmailFerret is a free tool (thanks to banner ads) that can quickly find the address you need. It does this by simultaneously polling multiple search engines: Bigfoot, BigYellow, Excite, Four11, Internet @ddress.finder, Switchboard, MIT Usenet Addresses, WhoWhere?, and Yahoo. Just enter the first and last names and optionally narrow your search by world region. The found addresses can then be quickly added to your email client's address book, or you can send mail to the address immediately. Options let you specify your Web browser and email client, turn off specific search engines, decide if you want to save your search history, and set the maximum results. Like all of the Ferret search tools, EmailFerret is very well done.

InfoFerret(Compressed Size 648,759 bytes ) is a great way to sniff out information on the Internet. Use it to query specialized search engines for news-related items in categories that include Computers, Current Affairs, Entertainment, Finance, Science and Technology, Shopping, and Sports. Enter your search words and choose from four radio buttons: All keywords, Any keyword, Exact phrase, or Boolean Expression. You can optionally specify the closeness of the match and limit the search results to a maximum number of hits. The results are returned in a sortable list format, complete with tooltips that give you a little more information about the story. You can easily launch any of the results in your default browser and save your search results to disk for later use. InfoFerret is fast, simple to use, and (thanks to banner ads) free.

AOL Instant messenger

FileFerret(Compressed Size 687,784 bytes ) is an excellent way to find files on the Internet. Just enter your search words, choose one of the three radio buttons (All keywords, Any keyword, or Boolean expression), and optionally narrow your search to certain world regions. Press the Find Now button, and FileFerret quickly queries multiple search engines and Archie sites. Results may be saved for later use. Options let you use just specific search engines, specify the maximum number of links returned, and choose your Web browser and email client. Best of all, once you've found the file you're looking for, you can use FileFerret to download it -- no FTP program is required. FileFerret is fast, easy to use, and (thanks to banner ads) free.

Netropa Internet Receiver Netropa Compressed Size 1,314,777 bytes

Netropa Internet Receiver is an easy way to keep abreast of a variety of information. A ticker scrolls brief information, headlines, and weather from the channels you've selected. A simple click of the mouse either brings up a more detailed highlight or takes you directly to the Website for in-depth information. The ticker can dock on the top or bottom of the screen or float freely. A VCR-style control panel enables you to navigate through the channels with ease. Channels include business and finance, entertainment, sports, health, and general news -- all from top providers on the Web. Program setup is easy and proxies are accommodated; just select the channels you're interested in, and Internet Receiver handles the rest. Like TV and radio, Internet Receiver is advertiser-supported, so it's essentially free. Good online help and a channel guide are provided.

newZPrint infoPager Technologies, Inc. Compressed Size 3,406,475 bytes

newZPrint grabs a customized mix of news for you from a variety of online sources and presents it onscreen in a newspaper format. It can query a wide range of popular news sites: Over 100 sources in categories including Business, Science & Technology, Electronic News Services, Daily Newspapers (US, UK, and International), News Analysis & Opinion, Environment, Entertainment, Sports, Health, and Living can be continually updated. You can filter and personalize each chosen source, and the system uses data compression to reduce delivery time. newZPrint formats news and includes graphics, to emulate a paper publication, which can be read online or printed. Direct feedback through an "Electronic Letters to the Editor", is also supported, along with archiving. newZPrint is easy to use and presents the news you care about in indexed, very readable formats.

PicPluck Random Innovations Compressed Size 1,390,891 bytes

Download graphics from the Web with PicPluck. This handy little program uses your starting URL and follows links to search for graphic files, which it downloads onto your computer. You can keep the search on site, set the search level, eliminate duplicates, and more. You can also limit the search to only .jpg or .gif files, and establish a minimum file size. PicPluck also includes a simple graphics viewer, and allows you to bookmark your favorite Internet sites. It's fast, easy to use, and -- best of all -- this ad-supported program is free. (An ad-free version is also available).

All Aboard! enables many users to share a single internet connection such as via a modem, cable modem or a DSL connection. InternetShare is compatible with all of the popular internet applications

Dial your ISP, browse the Web, FTP a file, and check your email with just one application. ISP Commander combines the functions of your most widely used apps. Best of all, it's FREE!

BeeLine A great searchbot that takes the hassle out of searching the web. Beeline takes you to what you want and evaluates the results and returns the best matches. BeeLine also removes duplicate responses and sifts though all those misses too.

CyberOffice A program that is a mix of a web server, shopping cart, file exchange, net chatting, net phoning, and web browser programs. It can also help you create or alter an already existing web page in minutes.

DjVu (pronounced "deja vu") is another smart breakthrough from the researchers at AT&T Labs, this time in the field of graphics compression. The DjVu Image Viewer Plug-in lets you view DjVu images in your browser. DjVu image compression is up to 10 times as compact as JPG compression, which means Web developers can use it to distribute high-resolution documents and images.

KatieSoft Scroll is a unique Web interface that supercharges the leading browsers from Microsoft and Netscape, allowing you to surf the Web faster and more efficiently. Scroll's unique multi-paned environment allows you to surf multiple sites at once, explore different areas of one site simultaneously, compare information from various sources, and more.

NetMonitor* is a system-tray application that monitors your Internet connection. It shows kilobytes received and sent and graphically represents your transfer rate in real time. It also features a keep-alive function that prevents your ISP from pulling the plug on you for inactivity, and allows you to conduct a simple test to determine your true connection speed. You can have NetMonitor load automatically with Windows, and synchronize your PC clock at startup. Other features include local IP address display, IP address resolution, and simple Whois and TraceRoute functions. Proxy server support and changable skins round out this fine utility. It's very attractive, easy to use, and -- best of all -- it's free.

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