FREE DOWNLOAD MANAGER

Software Name: Free Download Manager

Version: 2.5 build 758

Software Type: Download Manager/ BitTorrent Client

Price: Freeware

Minimum Requirements: Win 98/ME/2000/2003/XP/Vista
256 MB RAM

Recommended For:
A fast and manageable download experience

Description:
Free Download Manager (FDM) is not just any free download manager without anything interesting or being competent. It is actually better than most of the download managers i have ever used, the best part being that its FREE.

It is essentially a download manager which you can synchronise with your respective web browsers, be it, microsoft internet explorer or mozilla or opera or netscape. It gets integrated by default on setup.

The best features of this software are:

Downloads - basically a download manager, users can also create groups with folders to which files with specific extensions will be downloaded to.Thus, your downloads are organised from the beginning.
(note: it also saves username & password for specific sites, e.g. Rapidshare Premium Accounts, so that you dont have to type the details everytime.)

Scheduler - Users can create and manage lists of tasks to be executed at a preset time. Tasks include launching external programs, starting and stopping downloads, and shutting down the computer in all possible ways.

Upload Manager: Allows users to upload files and share with other users.

Upsides: Works amazing under Proxy Servers, especially, for downloading Rapidshare Links. Where RapGet fails, FDM wins.

Downsides: Sometimes gets a bit complicated. I still dont know how to make a list of links for download other than the conventional copy/paste system.

Overall, 3.75/5.0

Download Link:
http://www.freedownloadmanager.org/download.htm

VSO ConvertXtoDVD

Software name: VSO ConvertX to DVD

Version: 3.1.3.40

Software Developer: VSO-Softwares

Software Type: Converter/CD-DVD Ripper

Price: $49.99

Minimum Requirements(as specified by CowRouter):
Win95/98/98SE/Me/2000/NT/XP/Vista
512 MB RAM
DVD Burner (hardware)

Recommended For:
Convert your internet downloaded AVI movies into DVD format, directly playable on your Television with a DVD player.

Description:
VSO ConvertXtoDVD can handle just about any format you throw at it including AVI, WMV, MKV, YouTube, OGM, MPEG and Quicktime.So instead of having to watch your downloaded films and videos on your PC, you can watch them in the comfort of your lounge on your DVD Player. VSO ConvertXtoDVD goes much further than just mere DVD creation though because it helps you create and author DVD menus.If you do want to add subtitles, it supports most of the major formats including SRT, SUB, etc. Also let's you choose the Screen Resolution (4:3/16:9) & converts into NTSC & PAL formats.

Upsides:
A powerful and easy way to get your favourite movies and video clips onto DVD and give them an extra touch of class with a menu.

Downsides:
Slightly slow, takes about 1 Hour to convert a movie.

Overall, 4.0/5.0

Download Link:
http://rapidshare.com/files/136398593/VCXD_3.1.3.40d.rar

TOR - THE ONION ROUTER

Software Name: The Onion Router

Version: 0.2.0.30

Software Developer: The TOR Project

Software Type: Anonymizer /Server ByPass Utility Tool

Price: Freeware

Minimum Requirements(as specified by CowRouter):
Win 98/ME/2000/2003/XP/Vista
256 MB RAM

Recommended For:
To access blocked websites, usually a precautionary step taken in Colleges, Schools & Offices.

Description:
TOR is a software which was sponsored by the US Naval Research Laboratory. To use TOR, the user has to install a software for Proxy to their computer, which would eventually connect to other Proxies running in other parts of the world, & thus sometime one would be accessing the server from Spain, sometime the Netherlands, and so on. It is the leading software as an anonymizer which hides the identity of the user & thus, does not let the Server identify the user.
For example, sites like rapidshare.com, orkut.com, facebook.com are blocked in colleges & schools. With the help of TOR, one can not only access the website but also send & receive information, as if the site has never been blocked.
Proxy address: 127.0.0.1
Proxy Port:8118

Upsides:
Works with latest version of Limewire also, if you put in the address & port in messenger's proxy settings, then even they will work. Yahoo works! others are left to be tested.

Downsides:
The server speeds need to be good enough so that TOR can route you. If your speed is not good, TOR wont be useful to a large extent. The speed is always dependent on availability of other Proxies.

Overall, 3.5/5.0

Freeware Link:
www.torproject.org/download.html.en

KMPLAYER

Software Name:
KMPlayer

Version:
2.9.3.1428

Software Developer:
Young Huee Kang

Software Type:
Multimedia Player

Price:
Freeware

Minimum Requirements (as specified by CowRouter):
Win98/Me/2000/XP/2003/Vista
256 MB RAM

Recommended For:
Users requiring a multi-format player and a number of provisions and controls to improve their multimedia experience

Description:
The KMPlayer is a freeware multimedia player developed by a South Korean engineer. It plays almost all formats, including HD. The exquisite sound quality is the immediate difference one realizes when using KMPlayer for the first time. It provides a variety of controls to suit your preference, including custom adjustments of the aspect ratio, a number of video filters & effects and video & frame capture. It also provides an interface in 26 languages.

Upsides:
Great audio quality, a menagerie of controls, freeware, plays HD

Downsides:
Uses considerable PC memory when a movie is loaded, doesn't play broken or incomplete files too well, does not play .rm files (requires user to download real one codec for KMPlayer)

Overall, a 4.0/5.0

Freeware link:
http://imgcdn.pandora.tv/pan_img/KMP/Download/beta/kmp_1431_r3.exe

NOD32 ANTIVIRUS

Software Name:
NOD32 Antivirus System

Version:
2.70

Software Developer:
ESET

Software Type:
Anti-virus

Price:

$39

Minimum Requirements (as specified by CowRouter):
Windows XP with Service Pack 2 (32/64 bit)
Windows Vista (32/64 bit)
64 MB RAM

Recommended For:
Users who do not have enough RAM in their computers to support memory-consuming anti-viruses and want to protect their computers from high risk infections without affecting computer processing speeds.

Description:
NOD32 is the pick-of-the-lot, when it comes to protecting low-spec computers from dangerous malware. NOD32 consumes comparatively less memory but promises to keep a computer system free from high-risk infections, provided your computer usage does not involve frequent downloading of unknown files and pirated softwares and a habitual exchange of data via pen drives. NOD32 has an effective and rapid anti-virus scanner which does not detain your computer's memory and the real-time scanner also provides active protection, especially from viruses and worms present in pen drives. It can also detect and disinfect viruses present in archives.

Upsides:

Effective anti-virus protection with a speedy scanner and low memory usage, disinfection of viruses from archives, quick updates, easy to crack (for pirated software users only)

Downsides:

Comparatively smaller virus database, can not scan RAR files, comparatively overpriced (at $39), occasional problems with NOD32 modules

Overall, a 3.75/5.0

Download link:

http://rapidshare.com/files/136488684/EAV_3.0.669_32bit.rar

BITDEFENDER INTERNET SECURITY 2008

Software Name:
BitDefender Internet Security 2008

Version:

11.0.17

Software Developer:
SOFTWIN

Software Type:
Anti-virus, firewall

Price:

$49.95 ($29.95 for BitDefender Anti-virus 2008)

Minimum Requirements (as specified by CowRouter):
Windows XP with Service Pack 2 (32/64 bit)
Windows Vista (32/64 bit)
1 GB RAM

Recommended For:
Almost anyone who uses a fast PC and visits suspicious underground sites and downloads pirated software and other files from the web. Also recommended for users who frequently exchange data via pen drives.

Description:
BDIS 2008 is the absinthe of anti-viruses. It's memory draining but quite effective; amongst anti-viruses it has the best virus detection and removal performance. The software is quite heavy on the memory and hence, recommended only for PCs having atleat 1 GB of RAM. BD is known for its large database in viruses and, in terms of viral detection and removal, outshines most of it's competition. The BDIS anti-virus scanner does take it's time and requires more memory, in addition to the memory used by the real-time monitor, but gets the job done. The real-time protection monitor is as potent, with quick detection as soon as any unauthorized application tries to download malware on to your PC.

The firewall is quite robust. The only downside being that it keeps on nagging you everytime you open a net-utilizing application. BDIS also provides a 'gamer mode' which decreases it's memory requirements and affords users a hassle-free gaming experience.

Upsides:

A puissant virus detection and removal performance, robust firewall, disinfects RAR files, vigilant real-time monitor, considerate gamer mode

Downsides:

Inability to disinfect archives, high memory usage, engines remain active despite turning BitDefender off, peevish firewall alerts, obstinately tries to delete the crack even if specified as an exception, problems relating to BDIS engines not launching due to insufficient administrative rights (for pirated software users only)

Overall, a 4.25/5.0

Download link:
http://www.filefactory.com/file/30d174/

ARE YOU INTERESTED?

We @ CowRouter encourage discussion and the spread of information.

If you are interested, and serious enough, and want to be a part of the team, and create new topics for any of our blogs, please send us an email @ cowrouter@gmail.com or post your email as a comment. We'll get back to you asap. Thanx and keep CowRouting!