Picks: Reviews of Magic Utilities 2008, MemOptimizer, Priority Master 2008, and TuneUp Utilities 2008.

Over the course of the last month I've received a lot of emails asking me about software that helps improve PC performance. There are a lot of software programs that do that so I've just picked out a variety to tell you about. Enjoy. ... Doc

Magic Utilities 2007, by EFREESKY SOFTWARE is a clever set of utilities that provide a wide range of functions. The program is really easy-to-use and intuitive, perfect for users with all levels of experience. Magic Utilities 2007 contains an uninstall module that does a thorough job of uninstalling programs from your computer. Another cool feature is the ability to monitor the programs that automatically start with Windows. Going through and removing some entries you don't really need can help to free up valuable RAM. In testing it out I used it to remove junk files gathered from the Internet as well as other temporary files. Magic Utilities 2007 can also show you a list of all programs that are running on your computer. I also found that the program would detect when I installed a new program that added itself to my startup group. Slick. The program has lots of interesting features including the ability to encrypt files for you. This is a program you can use to clean up and stabilize your PC and keep it running smoothly. So, if you're looking for a way to do a variety of things using one suite of utilities, check out Magic Utilities 2007. It may be just the solution you've been looking for.

System Requirements: Windows 98/ME/2000/2003/XP

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MemOptimizer, by Pointstone Software is another cool program if you're looking for a way to smooth out your PC's performance. MemOptimizer works to give more RAM (Random Access Memory) to your programs. Please remember that there's no substitute for real, physical RAM, but MemOptimizer can free up some memory for you. In testing it out I loaded a lot of programs because Memory sometimes gets stuck when programs are closed. That means that memory isn't available for you to run other programs. Please keep in mind that you don't have to have any understanding of RAM or how it works to take full advantage of MemOptimizer. Once loaded it will be working to defragment your physical RAM, it'll work to improve how your virtual memory works, and so on. It also gets back memory that poorly behaved programs have left "hanging" when they were closed. The program is really easy-to-use and has an intuitive user interface making it perfect for users with all levels of experience. There are a number of configurable options that let you control how the program works. Once you set it up it will run automatically when certain conditions are met or you can force it to run if desired. Over the years I've tested a number of similar products and MemOptimizer is one of the best ones I've tried. So, if low RAM is your problem, this may be your solution. Check it out, I recommend it.

System Requirements: Windows 98/ME/2000/2003/XP/Vista

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Priority Master 2008, by ScheduPerformance is an interesting program that helps you improve your PC's performance by setting a priority for each program. The basic premise is that you can make your computer run more efficiently if each program knows its place so-to-speak. With Priority Master 2008 you set the priority for each program. The program has a Basic mode and an Advanced mode. The basic mode requires less fiddling and basically it gives the program you're using top priority and places everything else in an idle state. If you're like me and like to fiddle with your software then you may be interested in Advanced mode. Here you can pick from six levels of priority and assign one to each program. The screen shot shows a large number of programs "loaded", but the priority level determines whether or not they are really running. In testing it out I assigned various priorities to a large number of programs and then keep working on my PC like I normally would. I have to say that it did seem like everything ran smoother while I had Priority Master 2008 running. By prioritizing programs you can get maximum performance out of each one, instead of all of them trying to grab a chunk of resources at the same time. Really well thought out. While the program is intuitive my gut feeling is that it would be more appropriate for intermediate level users. Newer users might get overwhelmed by the amount of information the program provides. I could be wrong. Priority Master 2008 is a powerful program that can really aid you if you're doing a lot of multitasking by improving the performance of each and every program. Check it out.

System Requirements: Windows 2000/2003/XP/Vista

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TuneUp Utilities 2008, by TuneUp Software is a full-featured set of utilities that handles just about every aspect of keeping your PC running smoothly. It can remove junk files, repair the Registry, monitor Startup programs, optimize memory, defragment the Registry, undelete files, shred files so they can't be recovered, scan your hard drives, and more! I don't possibly have time or room to go into everything it does so I'll just briefly summarize some of the key features. TuneUp Utilities 2008 can defragment all our hard drives, including network and external drives. It can scan your PC and find every bit of space that's wasted by files, including restore points. It can clean and defragment your Windows Registry. One module helps you to optimize your machine so it runs at its best. You can also use TuneUp Utilities 2008 to change the way Windows looks. You can use it to recover files you've accidentally and by the same token you can use it to erase files so they can not be recovered. TuneUp Utilities 2008 is one of the most efficient and complete suites that I've seen and I've looked at them all. It's a "Must Have Application" here on Tucows and it also receive the Editors Choice Award for Excellence. So, if you want to make your PC run better, take a look for yourself. Nicely done.

System Requirements: Windows 2000/XP/Vista

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If you have a question on how to do something on the computer you can ask me and I'll review some software that will give you a solution to your problem. You can email me by clicking HERE You may not receive a reply, but all requests will be considered.