Looking for useful programs? Here are some recommendations from the Tom's Guide community for the fifth week of 2011.
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 apps featured are free, and run on Microsoft Windows 7, Vista, and XP.
Speccy. This system information app shows what’s inside your computer (CPU, RAM, motherboard, graphics, etc.), dividing component-specific details into sections. An easy-to-navigate interface and the ability to pull S.M.A.R.T. diagnostic data for disk drives are among Speccy’s pluses. New entry.
7stacks. Alastria Software’s utility emulates the “Stacks” ability of Mac OS X, grouping document and app shortcuts into easily accessible pull-up menus. Despite the name, 7stacks also runs on Vista and XP. Down from #1.
MusicBee. Find Windows Media Player too limiting and iTunes too slow? MusicBee presents itself as a viable alternative, with powerful tagging and automated album art assignment features. This media player manager also syncs music with a variety of portable devices. New entry.
Kaspersky Rescue Disk 10. This collection of utilities from Kaspersky is designed to run off a bootable CD or flash drive, meaning users can safely cleanse the filth from their systems. It’s a great antidote for PCs thoroughly compromised by viruses and malware. New entry.
GetGo Download Manager. Only GetGo’s ability to grab videos or music from popular sites like YouTube and Facebook makes it stand out from the innumerable download managers available online. Down from #2.
AppRemover. This utility goes all Stalin on unused and unwanted software, purging the remnants of apps too hard-headed from normal uninstall procedures. Useful for those who want to minimize the load on their system as much as possible. New entry.
Smart FLV Converter. FLV files are popular online, the method of serving audio-visual content for heavyweights like YouTube. Smart FLV Converter turns these files into formats usable on computers and portable gadgets. Down from #3.
Yoono Desktop. This app helps users manage their various online accounts. Post and receive content from services like Twitter, Facebook, Flickr, and even YouTube. Down from #4.
SEO Toolkit 3.0. Trellian’s tool collection is meant for budding entrepreneurs. It helps website owners ensure their sites are optimized for maximum visibility on popular search engines like Google and Yahoo.New entry.
Hornil StylePix. A Photoshop-clone available for free, Hornil StylePix is for image manipulators and graphic designers with limited budgets. Down from #6.
