Can Clean-Up Utilities Speed Up Your PC?

View this newsletter online | Newsletter Services | More Newsletters » Follow @pcworld on Twitter June 24, 2011 PCWorld.com The Best of PCWorld

What do you do with a laptop that's such a clunker that even your 13-year-old doesn't want it? I confronted this problem when I tried to pawn off a circa-2006 Dell Latitude on my son. Fortunately, my decrepit old laptop had a higher calling. It--along with four other time-worn machines--became a test subject in the PCWorld Labs, where it was put work testing the efficacy of speed-up software (see "Cleanup Utilities: Can They Speed Up Your PC?"). As it turned out, the utilities failed to do much for my old Dell...and my son remains uninterested in it. I wonder if I can convince him to take my old Walkman off my hands. --Editorial Director Steve Fox Top Stories Cleanup Utilities: Can They Speed Up Your PC? What happens when you take a clutch of cluttered old PCs, install four Windows optimizers, and check for improvements? We did that, and the results of our tests surprised us. Hack Attacks Escalating? Here's a Reality Check Hack attacks by LulzSec and Anonymous suggest an uptick in computer attacks, network break-ins, and data breaches. Spot and Avoid Facebook Scams You've heard about the scams and you may have seen some of the lures. Here are practical ways to ensure that you won't become the next victim. For more security tips and news visit PCWorld.com. Top Tweets From @PCWPluggedIn Sonic the Hedgehog turns 20 We're dreading next year, when he'll be old enough to buy his own liquor. Connecticut concerned about Facebook face recognition At least they've gotten over Weiner recognition. German men sentenced for hacking Lady Gaga and Dr. Dre The headline makes it sound gorier than it really is. Follow us every day on Twitter: @PCWPluggedIn News Nokia Unveils N9 Smartphone Using MeeGo Nokia unveiled its new N9 smartphone that runs the MeeGo operating system, and is being marketed as a "pure touch screen" device without buttons. Whatever You Do, Don't Buy a Chromebook Google's cloud-only Chrome OS vision is simply not baked, and it's not likely to ever to come together. 10 Drive Docks Help You Re-Use Old Hard Drives As we replace and/or upgrade older computers, many of us tend to save the hard drives, until we've amassed quite a collection. For the latest reports, visit our News page . PCW Business Center Tablet or Netbook? How to Choose the Right Mobile Tech Are you torn between buying a portable PC or a trendy tablet? Visit the PCW Business Center. Blogs Camera Start-Up Lytro Promises to Revolutionize Photography Lytro is working on 'light field' cameras that capture the color, intensity, and direction of individual light rays, allowing the user to refocus the picture even after it has been taken. Radical New iPhone 5? Don't Bet on It If it's not broken, Apple's probably not gonna fix it. Revenge of the Ugly: 'Beautiful People' Dating Site Hacked A virus reportedly allowed admission of 30,000 "less than aesthetically pleasing" applicants. For the latest news and opinion, visit our Blogs page . Reviews 10 Must-Have Firefox Extensions Make Firefox the browser you want it to be, with extensions for faster, safer, more efficient browsing. EVO 3D Review: Dual-Core, 3D Display, 4G Speeds Uneven call quality doesn't stop the EVO 3D from being the best phone currently available on Sprint Compare prices on smartphones. For more reviews, visit PCWorld.com. How-To 6 Tips for Exciting Fireworks Photos There's all sorts of complicated advice for taking good pictures of fireworks--but these six simple tips tell you everything you need to know. How to Get Help: Contact the CEO, Bypass Phone Menus Here's what to do when normal customer service channels fail: Go to the top. For more tips, visit PCWorld.com. Videos Windows Phone 7 Mango is a Substantial Upgrade The new version of Windows Phone 7, code-named Mango, includes substantial improvements to the OS's search capabilities and entertainment options. For more videos, visit PCWorld.com. Downloads 3DMark Basic This free benchmarking program checks to see if your PC can handle the latest games. For more free and trial software, visit PCWorld.com. PC World Community A Low-end PC for Basic Tasks Join the discussion. Visit the PC World Community How to Build a Home Entertainment Network Learn to use your computer network as a next-generation entertainment hub. Get started. Digital Photo Tips from the Experts This series of how-tos will help you take your photography game to the next level. Start here. Advertisement No matter what you do, your hard drive is going to fail! Start protecting your digital life for FREE with 5GB of IDrive Online Backup - secure, fast and simple online backup for Windows and Mac. Most Popular Searches Downloads Windows 7 Angry Birds Tablet PC Facebook Product Reviews Symantec Norton AntiVirus 2011 93 Pros Good interface; Strong malware detection Cons Scan speeds lag behind top performers Read Complete Review » Top 10 Paid Antivirus Programs for 2011 » Top 5 Paid Antivirus for 2011 » HP Officejet Pro 8000 Wireless Printer 85 Pros Excellent text quality for an inkjet; Wireless connectivity allows convenient placement; Very inexpensive ink Cons Photos exit slowly; Images can be murky, with orangey flesh tones Read Complete Review » Top 5 Inkjet Printers » Sony Alpha DSLR-A580 88 Pros Excellent image quality; Cool panoramic and noise reduction features; Very fast burst rate; Well-designed layout Cons No Program Shift feature; Many shooting features only support JPEG files; No autofocus while shooting video Read Complete Review » Best DSLR Cameras Under $1000 » Best DSLRs and Interchangeable-Lens Cameras for Video » Top DSLR and Interchangeable-Lens Cameras for Image Quality » Best DSLR Cameras for Beginners » Top 10 DSLR and Interchangeable-Lens Cameras for Sharpness » Get Big Savings When you Shop at PCWorld.com Shop online at PCWorld.com, where you can compare product information, read trusted reviews, and find the best prices on consumer electronics. EOS Rebel T3i Black SLR Digital Camera Kit w/18-55mm Lens Price: $849.00 Avg User Rating 2 User Reviews EOS Rebel T2i Black SLR Digital Camera Kit w/ 18-55mm Lens Price: $749.00 Avg User Rating 1 User Reviews Browse more Best Prices on Digital Cameras, Flash Memory, Graphics & Publishing Software, Lenses, Bags & Cases Top News on PCWorld.com Nokia's First Windows Phone Codenamed 'Sea Ray' Surfaces Nokia may have leaked its first Windows Phone, codename 'Sea Ray', during a company meeting that was supposed to be confidential Share: 5 Coolest Lytro Light Field Camera Features Five ways Lytro's Light Field camera technology will revolutionize the way you take photographs Share: Top Reviews on PCWorld.com Windows Phone 7 Mango is a Substantial Upgrade The new version of Windows Phone 7, code-named Mango, includes substantial improvements to the OS's search capabilities and entertainment options. Share: Flixlab Provides Fast, Simple Video Editing on Your Phone Got video clips that never make it off your cell? Flixlab will put them together into a short movie you can share. Share: Free Nitro PDF Reader Speeds Up, Works in Browsers The fastest free PDF reader/editor is now even faster and now integrates with browsers. Share: Apple iPad 2 Display Ranks the Best in Face-Off Against Android Hordes Testing shows that the Apple iPad 2 surpasses other contenders in display quality, but it still has room for improvement. Share: Downloads: Editor's Collection PCWorld Reviewers' Favorite Files: May 2011Our reviewers can't get enough of utilities. Geeky stuff like benchmarking, drive partitioning, memory testing. Must-haves like desktop organizers and security helpers. Microsoft Office improvements. But we like to have fun, too, so we couldn't resist some great media software, sci-fi themepacks, and designing our own cursors. These are just the highlights from the merry month of May. Office Tab Free (32-bit version)   3295 Downloads  |  Free  |  Filed Under Business Add tabs to Office apps for free. PCMark Basic   4428 Downloads  |  Free  |  Filed Under Benchmarking Put your hardware through its paces, and then compare your performance online, with this free program. Office Tab Free (64-bit version)   1282 Downloads  |  Free  |  Filed Under Business Add tabs to Office apps on your 64-bit PC for free. See (11) more PCWorld Reviewers' Favorite Files: May 2011 » Browse DownloadsAntivirus & Security • Design & Multimedia • Utilities • Games • Chat, Email, & the Web • Sponsored Downloads AthTek Data RecoveryA reliable and practical tool for restoring Windows Operating System and recovering deleted files from NTFS and FAT partitions. It has a straightforward and neatly designed interface, which makes every operation visible. By using the Ctrl+R keys, AthTek Data Recovery can successfully restore your Windows Operating System from FAT or NTFS partitions. AthTek Data Recovery compresses all the system partition data and saves them to a hidden partition on the hard disk. If the system partition is attacked by a virus, trojan, or spyware, eor even if there's a system crash, restore the system partition with one click. Recover accidently deleted files. (Compatibility: Windows NT/2000,Windows XP,Windows NT/2000/2003/SBS2003,Windows Vista,Windows 7) Use discount code ATK-CAT3-SWB to get 50% off! Interactive Resume BuilderHelps you to document your job assignments. skills and training in a beautifully laid out, interactive HTML file with hyperlinks to important information about your career. The resume is suitable for posting on your own Web site is completely contained in one file easily sent by email. Easily clicked links to summaries of your work experience in various categories, such as Positions, Tools, Training, and Education. Create your own categories that best describe your job experience. Interactive Resume Builder by Higher Math makes it possible for you to create a simple, attractive yet richly interactive resume in HTML. There is an entire section covering recommendation letters, (Compatibility: Windows 95/98/ME,Windows NT/2000,Windows XP) Get 35% off by using discount code IRB-OMRQ-R.

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