Free Essential Windows 7 Downloads

Now that you have Windows 7 installed on your computer (and if you don't, we can install Windows 7 for you), it's time to give it a turbo boost with updated software. We've collected links to seven (get it?) of the top essential free software downloads that will enhance your new Windows 7 experience.


Ultimate Windows Tweaker / Windows 7 Tweak Guide

Windows 7 is already designed to perform faster and more user-friendly than Windows Vista...and arguably, Windows XP. But many of us aren't satisfied with a piece of software's default settings. They are, after all, set for the average user. With a little tinkering, we don't have to settle for average; we can do better!

Ultimate Windows Tweaker is a free application that will open up the hood for you in Windows 7. By selecting from an assortment of tick boxes, you can optimize the speed of your PC, adjust the user interface, and even improve security.

This tool is a slim 345KB executable that requires no install and can be run as a portable app from a flash drive. It even detects whether you're using it on Windows 7, Vista, and whether the OS is 32bit or 64bit.

For those who want something more hardcore, the guys over at Tweak Guides is currently working on a thorough Windows 7 tweak guide to go along side their fantastic Windows Vista and XP guides. There's more manual work involved, but the benefits are well worth the effort.


Microsoft Security Essentials

Nothing is more important than making sure that your computer is safe and secure. Microsoft Security Essentials is a free utility offered by Microsoft to defend your PC against viruses, spyware, and other malware that may infect your computer. Security Essentials establishes real-time protection and runs in the background, so it won't slow down your computers regular run time.

While tests show that Security Essentials is capable of protecting your system against over 98% of the current wide-spread malware, there is a third-party alternative. AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition is another reliable security application, which just recently updated to version 9.


Ninite

Ninite is a fast, convenient application for quickly installing your favorite third-party software. This can come in handy if you have a new computer or have to do a clean-reinstall of the operating system. You'll save hours off the chore of re-downloading and re-installing all the programs you use on a regular basis.

All you do is go to their website and check from a list of available popular programs. Ninite will collect the latest versions into one executable installer. The program will then install all of the selected applications with their default settings. The install will also reject any extra, unwanted features (like search toolbars, etc.) that other developers like to sneak in.

If you don't find one of your favorite applications from their list, they're very open to requests.


Windows Easy Transfer

We all have our own style in preferences in how we use our computers. Whenever you get a new PC to welcome into your family, it can be time consuming adjusting it to match the others that you use.

To make synchronization of multiple computers a lot less painless, Microsoft offers a handy tool: Windows Easy Transfer. This program will copy selected files, email, and settings that you need to transfer from one PC to another. You have the option of making the transfer over a network or saving them to a portable storage drive.

The transfer process will complete without disruption, regardless of running into incompatible files. If a file is unable to be included in the transfer, Easy Transfer will continue with the rest of the task and make a report of non-transferable files for your review.


Combined Codec Community Pack

It's becoming more and more common for people to connect their PC to an HDTV to act as a high-tech media center. (In fact, we wrote a PC-to-HDTV guide!) Video files are easily made available in high-definition video, with multiple subtitle and audio tracks. This is an incredible opportunity for users with high-end home video cameras and aspiring filmmakers!

In order to view video files these extreme features, you'll need to install the proper codecs to decipher them. The Combined Codec Community Pack is a bundle of all the essential codecs that your computer will need to play high-quality multimedia, as well as some media players most suited for the task. The pack is free and fully customizable, depending on your preferences.


Windows Live Photo Gallery

One of Microsofts key goals for developing Windows 7 was to reduce as much bloat as possible. As a result, many applications that had been packaged in with Windows up through Vista were removed. While these applications could be argued as unpopular, there are still a great many users that enjoyed or depended on them to carry out specific tasks.

One of those applications that users have expressed missing is Windows Photo Gallery. It was an easy-to-use image editor, great for managing your photos and home video collection. Microsoft has made a newer version for faithful users, called Windows Live Photo Gallery. It's free to download and install for Windows 7.


Live Mesh

Unlike Windows Easy Transfer, Live Mesh will allow you to share programs across multiple machines, along with your favorite files. This includes multiple platforms—PC, Mac, and even mobile devices.

Every computer with Live Mesh installed will be able to share resources with each other, whether on a network or connected remotely from the web. If you need an application on one computer that's installed on another, you can access the other computer's desktop and run it on your current display.

The service is free to use and signing up will give you an additional 5GB of web-based data storage.


If you would like Triangle Laptops to include any of these applications along with our professional Windows 7 installation, please let us know! Consult our laptop repair service page or contact us by email for details. You can also call toll-free 1-877-456-7869.

Top 5 Web Distractions

When it comes to productivity, the internet is both the greatest tool as well as your worst enemy. We’re all guilty of indulging in a bit of web-based distraction. When a co-worker sends you a link to a funny video in an email, you can’t help but click!

Just for fun and because it’s Friday (TGIF!), here’s a Top 5 list of irresistible web distractions...


5. Bash.org


Bash.org is an online quote database of some of the most ludicrous quotes collected from online chat rooms. It’s filled with witty comebacks, pop culture references, embarrassing typos, and personal anecdotes. We warn you, however, that much of the language found in these quotes are off-color and might not be safe for work, in case your boss comes looking over your shoulder.


4. LOLCATS, et all


The term "lolcats" comes from a popular internet meme (or fad) of taking cute/silly photos of cats and adding funny—often misspelled—captions to them. The first site to showcase these images was icanhascheezburger.com and its popularity quickly spread across the web like wildfire. This inspired a boom of similar blogs where viewers of the site are encouraged to send in their own images of a similar theme.

Failblog.org collects images of hilarious sign typos and design flaws. ThisIsWhyYoureFat.com displays all sorts of confectionary abominations that will stop your heart in one bite. And LameBook.com collects snips of unfortunate messages found on social networks like FaceBook.


3. Newgrounds


Newgrounds hosts a wide variety of Flash-based animations and games. At first glance, this looks like a site designed for the younger crowd, and for the most part, it might be. However, even adults can find themselves trapped in their games section.

Many video game designers who have moved on to design games professionally found their origins in Newgrounds. Perhaps the most famous of which being The Behemoth Company, who went on to develop Alien Homonid for PS2 and Nintendo Gamecube as well as Castle Crashers, which is available for download on Xbox 360 and PS3.


2. YouTube, et all


YouTube is one of the hottest sources for video on demand. In their archives, you’ll find postings of people’s favorite TV show clips, original homemade videos, and all sorts of crazy stunts caught on cell phone cameras. The most common traps are videos with cute/funny animals. Once you see one, your eyes immediately scroll through the list of Related Videos. You’ll also find classic commercials, long-forgotten cartoons, and news clips from around the country.

Since YouTube created fast-growing interest in streaming video, similar sites have emerged. Hulu is one of the top sources for watching official streams of current and classic TV shows and movies. And for the kids, Crunchy Roll hosts a vast assortment of streaming cartoons. These sites aren’t something you want to check out while on the clock, though they are great for those at home that have a PC-to-TV setup.


1. Fark


The world truly is a strange place. Every day, Fark posts hundreds of links to the most astounding news stories from around the world. Each link is submitted by their readers and is given one of Fark’s trademark witty headlines.

Fark depends on more than just user-submitted links to maintain its reader base. To keep the community active, there are several interactive links posted in the feed. Photoshop challenges and photo caption contests take place in the comments of certain links.

While most of the stories found on Fark are humorous, there are plenty that cover serious topics, as well as amazing feats in science and nature. Each news story is fitted with a topic-related tag, which makes the site easier to browse. The site has grown so much in the past few years that it’s had to divide itself into different sections, depending on the type of news you’re looking for. (There are some hidden sections as well, but those are mostly NSFW.)

Turn Your Laptop into a Blu-Ray Player!

Would you like to watch high-definition Blu-Ray movies on your laptop? Of course you would!

Chances are your laptop's current optical drive is beginning to wear out. CD-ROM and DVD-ROM drives are one of the most commonly replaced components on notebook computers because of their use. So instead of simply replacing your drive, why not upgrade to the power of Blu-Ray?

With the Universal Laptop Blu-Ray BD-ROM drive, you can transform your laptop into a Blu-Ray player no matter what model of laptop you own! This BD-ROM drive is produced by Hewlett-Packard and is designed to fit into any laptop’s IDE drive. All you’ll need to do is equip the universal Blu-Ray drive with the housing of your laptop’s current optical drive for that perfect fit.

Not only will your laptop act as a portable Blu-Ray movie player, but you can also hook it up to your HDTV to watch Hi-Def movies on the big screen. Check out our previous article about PC-to-TV connection to learn more about getting yourself set up.

Still not convinced? Well, you’ll notice a dramatic difference in picture quality when you compare it to DVD. Click on the images below to see full-sized comparisons between DVD and Blu-Ray.

As you can see, much more detail is visible in the Blu-Ray version. Most noticeably in Spider-Man’s costume webs and the grit on Bruce Willis’s face.

The Universal Laptop Blu-Ray BD-ROM is capable of all the other functions you’ll need from an optical drive. It can read and write single and dual-layer DVD-R/Ws, as well as CD-ROM & CD-R/W.

Most laptops made within the past few years are powerful enough to handle the resolution and processing ability to handle high-resolution movies, but check your laptop's specs to be sure.

Digital Transition Complete! Media Center Users Still Waiting...

Did you catch The Simpsons this weekend? If so, that means that the digital conversion went pretty smoothly for you this past Friday. Of course, not everyone was as lucky...

According to the FCC, nearly 700,000 people called the federal hotline last week about the national switch from analog television signal to digital. Almost half of those calls took place on Friday, the day of the conversion deadline. The FCC had enlisted over 4,000 phone operators to handle the workload, making the average wait time under 5min per caller.

Users of Microsoft’s Media Center have been hit hardest by the transition, since the software was not able to reconfigure itself for the change in channel assignments. Microsoft has not yet sent an update to correct the flaw in Media Center, but is expected to as soon as possible. In the meantime, Media Center users who are more tech savvy can make the adjustments manually with these instructions.

Connect Your Laptop To Your TV With Ease!

With streaming video services like NetFlix and Hulu, watching high quality movies and television shows on-demand are just a click away. But how comfortable can it be to watch them sitting in your desk chair on a cramped computer screen? Nothing beats snuggling up with your loved ones on a couch across from a large, high-def screen.

So how do we bring the convenience of internet broadcasting together with the comfort of the living room theater? It’s easier than you think, and in fact there are dozens of ways to do it!

A lot of people will build a dedicated media center PC that stays connected to their entertainment center. This is a great option, but that kind of hardware can be bulky and incredibly expensive.

We recommend taking advantage of a laptop for this setup. They’re compact and mobile, so they won’t take up too much space in your entertainment center. If you already have a laptop, you’ll save money by getting extra use out of something you already own. And if you don’t have a laptop, they’re fairly inexpensive and you get the dual benefit of having an excellent media device and a portable computer!

Now it’s time to hook it up! The first question is how to connect the video. Laptops typically have a video output of some kind built into them. Older laptops may have a Composite or S-video connection. Newer laptops are readily equipped with DVI or even HDMI (which is the best option). Just about all will have a VGA output. If your laptop doesn’t have DVI or HDMI, then VGA is possibly your best option since it’s still able to support higher screen resolutions.

If you have a high-definition television, you’re in luck because most new HDTVs have input connections for just about all forms of video input. In some cases you may need to get an adapter. For example, if your HDTV doesn’t support VGA, you can get a VGA-to-DVI or VGA-to-Component adapter. For older TVs, you may have to get an S-video-to-Composite adapter.

Of course, one of the best options is to use a laptop docking station or port replicator for your laptop. A laptop port replicator expands the capabilities of your laptop, giving it the full array of connections found in a full-sized PC. For example, the Dell Precision E/Port Plus port replicator has two DVI outputs, allowing for a simultaneous dual-screen setup with high-definition displays.

A laptop port replicator will also give you more audio options. Most laptops will only be equipped with the standard 3.5mm headphone jack. Laptop docking stations can have better audio options, including optical connections for the best quality digital sound. In some cases, the headphone jack of a laptop is rigged to double as a digital coaxial output, so you may need a 3.5mm-to-RCA digital coaxial adapter. Or, there are external USB soundcards that will come with the connectors you need.

Once you have the hardware together, it’s time to boot up! If the picture doesn’t show up on your TV right away, you may need to adjust the video software settings on the laptop. For machines running Windows, simply right-click on the desktop and click on the Properties option. In the Display Properties, click on the Settings tab on the right. From there, you can either set the TV as an extension of the laptop’s screen, or set it as the single primary display.

All that’s left is to pull up your favorite video, full-screen it, and hit Play! With this set up, you can also play your favorite games, give presentations, or watch photo slideshows.