Are your shelves and cupboards packed full of tapes and LPs that you keep promising yourself you’ll convert so you don’t end up losing them forever?

With Magix’s Rescue Your Vinyl and Tapes Software you can have them converted and stored as MP3s on your laptop in hours.

This software comes complete with everything you need including the Vinyl to MP3 software, MAGIX Audio Cleaning Lab 15 deluxe and a top quality phono pre-amp for hooking up directly to your PC.

Why have Magix included MAGIX Audio Cleaning Lab 15 deluxe?

Magix have included MAGIX Audio Cleaning Lab 15 Deluxe to make sure the tracks you convert are of the highest quality possible. All you need to do is “Record” and the integrated recorder records everything that you can hear via the sound card.

And the best bit is it automatically detects and seperates individual pieces of music so you’ll not going to end up listening to a 2 hour long track when you actually only wanted to listen to one track off the LP!

So how much is it going to cost you to convert all your tapes and vinyl to MP3? £200, £100?

Actually it’s not even half of that. Magix are currently offering this amazing software for only £35.99 at Amazon!

Want to know what it’s actually like to use? Check back in a few days and I’ll have a full review for you!

Popularity: 3% [?]

Are you an avid video maker who likes nothing better than sitting down in front of the PC to do a bit of video editing?

Before you complete your next masterpiece make sure you check out proDAD GmbH’s free downloadable Adorage and Vitascene starter kits.

These two fully functional products are full of effects, transitions and plug-ins for use with popular NLE applications, such as Adobe, AVID, Corel, Canopus, Magix, and Sony, that will turn a an average film into something that looks like it came out of a movie studio.

What’s the catch? There isn’t one, proDAD GmbH are hoping you’ll be so impressed by these starter kits that you’ll go on to buy their larger packages, but if you don’t want to, they’re not going to force you to!

You can download the Adorage Starter Kit at www.prodad.com/starter/adorage.html or the Vitascene Starter Kit at www.prodad.com/starter/vitascene.html

Popularity: 6% [?]

Do you love everything about your iPod apart from one thing - the limit it puts on the files you can add to it?

If you’re nodding yes then you might want to take a look at i-Studio 3.

I-Studio 3 is going to change how and what you store on your iPod forever.

With i-Studio you can directly rip audio and video files straight from DVDs and CDs straight to your iPod. And that’s not all. It will also record internet radio for you to listen back to.

But just how easy is it to use?

Well I’ve taken a look and I was impressed at just how simple the whole process was.

It really is just a matter of selecting the music track or video you want to make it’s new home on your iPod, clicking a button and then tapping your fingers, or making a quick cuppa whilst you want for it to complete.

But that’s just music and video. Internet radio is surely going to be harder to get from floating around the big wide web onto your iPod.

No. Actually that’s pretty easy too. All you have to do is select the internet radio option in i-Studio 3, then choose the station you want to record and it will sync it to your iPod for you to listen to when you want.

And I’m not the only one to be impressed. If you’re into your underground internet radio stations then Unknownfm.net is a name you’ll recognise. And these guys love it. In fact the top dj at the station, DJ Reality, can’t stop singing it’s praises

“I don’t usually do all this technical stuff, but i-Studio is so easy, hit record or schedule a time and take quality tunes anywhere you go!”

It all sounds pretty impressive, but are you going to end up with files on your iPod that you can’t find because they’re not indexed in the same way?

That’s going to be the one fault of this software isn’t it…

Actually no. iStudio saves the files with any meta data it can get hold of that ensures when you get into iTune, it and your iPod will know exactly what these files are and you’ll know exactly how to find them!

It sounds like an impressive piece of software that does some amazing things, so it’s likely to cost isn’t it. At least three figures… Well no. You can actually get this i-Studio 3 for only £24.99 from PX software or for a mere £21.98 from Amazon.

Should you buy it? If you want to be the open in charge of the content you have on your iPod, then I’d say it was a necessity.

Popularity: 8% [?]

Do you dream of creating stunning 3D animation? Have you tried software after software but been disappointed by the lack of quality and effects available?

You’ve obviously not tried Reallusion iClone 3.0 Pro.

Like you, I have tried many pieces of 3D animation software and been disheartened by each and every one. In fact I’d come to the conclusion you just couldn’t do 3D animation software on a budget. iClone 3.0 Pro proved me wrong.

This software is quick to install and quick to master (which is greatly helped by the addition of a manual and shortcuts poster within the software box) and full of surprises.

You start off in the editing section. This section is described as allowing users to

set the stage with 3D actors, record or import voices for automatic lip-sync and facial animation, select and edit props, add rich scenery and atmosphere with special FX, select and edit actor motion with IK/FK, and frame their shots with multiple fixed and animated cameras

It sounds impressive. It also sounds like the kind of thing you read on other software and then discover means you can change next to nothing.

With iClone 3.0 Pro, what sounds impressive is impressive. Within minutes you can have changed the look and style of 3D actors into something completely different from what they first were. You’ve also dropped in in scenery that blends with the actors perfectly and recorded your own voices for the characters.

So the Edit mode works, and works well but in order to get stunning 3D animation the Director’s mode has to work just as well.

Does the Director Mode Live Up to Expectations?

The simple answer is yes. This really is a piece of software that delivers. I was expecting to be able to do the minimal in this section, but just like in the Edit mode I had full control. I was the puppeteer controlling the actors and what I wanted was what I got.

Is iClone 3.0 Pro for everyone?

Usually when I come across something that impresses me so much it’s a piece of software that has a very definite niche. iClone 3.0 Pro is different. It’s different because it’s a bit of software that’s accessible to people on some many different levels.

If you’re new to 3D animation and film-making, iClone 3.0 Pro is the software for you. It’s easy to get started with and soon instils confidence in you.

If you’re experienced in 3D animation and film-making iClone 3.0 Pro is still going to have more than enough to satisfy you as you use more advance and indepth features to create truly mind-blowing animation.

Want to order a copy of iClone 3.0 Pro for yourself? Ordering is easy and only a click away at Amazon where it’s available for £100.99.

Popularity: 18% [?]

Before I began my career as a writer on sites such as this very one here I dreamed of starting business after business ranging from fashion design to climbing wall manufacturer to well I think I covered just about everything.

As you may have guessed I didn’t do any of these (and I’m sure my bank manager and other half thank me for that) and there were two main reasons for that.

The first was I really didn’t know enough about it to get started.

The second was being totally and utterly put off by having to put a business plan together.

If you have ever thought about starting your own business then the term business plan is one you’ll know all too well. It’s the document that stops people laughing and has them nodding and offering to invest you.

A business plan is the one thing that has the potential to change your whole life so it has to be good. Very good.

It was this business plan that always put me off. I didn’t know where to start. I didn’t know what I should write, what I should and how on earth I should write.

If I’d have had Palo Alto’s Business Plan {Pro Version 11 Software it would have been a completely different story.

This business plan software is absolutely amazing and will make the whole process a doddle.

The program starts by asking you if you want to start a new plan, open an existing or check out over 500 samples.

Personally I found the sample section invaluable. This covers a huge range of businesses from pet photography to restaurants and product development companies and really allows you to explore a business plan and steal some ideas of your own.

You can open these and edit them to suit your needs but personally I’d recommend using a fresh new business plan (and yes that’s someone who’s scared of them saying that). The reason why is Business Plan Pro Software makes it so simple and will guide you through each stage even the financial parts.

It is those financial parts that daunted me the most in the past and impressed me the most in this software. Business Plan Pro Software guides you through this stage in meticulous details, explaining to you what sections are and if you need them. It will then help you fill in your tables with your figures and produce graphs and charts automatically.

I won’t lie to you and tell you you’ll have your business plan done in minutes, you won’t but with Palo Alto’s Business Plan Pro helping you you’re going to have a very impressive document that is sure to get you all the funding you need.

A very impressive piece of software that I’d definitely recommend.

Business Plan Pro Premier Version 11 is currently available for £99 (a discount of £30) at Amazon.

Popularity: 32% [?]

Paragon Software Group has announced the immediate availability of Drive Backup 9.0 Express. This is a new version of the award winning Drive Backup data and system backup software and allows PC users with basic backup and recovery tools to keep their data safe.

This software is easy to install and will allow you to backup and restore your computer in seconds should the worst happen and the best thing is it’s completely and utterly free!

Find out more about Paragon’s Drive Backup 9.0 Express at the Paragon website.

Popularity: 18% [?]

Reallusion, Inc., the experts in 3D animation and facial imaging technology have announced the third edition of their iClone software, iClone 3.0.

This amazing series of software brings together the interactive control of videogames with sophisticated filmmaking tools to create an extraordinary piece of software table to produce 3D animation quickly and cheapily. It is therefore no surprise it’s quickly become indispensable to seasoned pros, educational institutions and filmmakers.

“Using a major application for pre-visualization is like using a sledgehammer to crack a nut. The answer to this problem is software like iClone; these real-time engines are based on the same graphics technology familiar to game players.” Commented Alan Marques, Instructor, London Film Academy and Member, Visual Effects Society (Credits include “GoldenEye”/Werner Herzog’s “Invincible”)

So what has iClone 3.0 brought to the mix? Well this version sets a whole new standard for dynamic directing in real-time filmmaking with the dual-engine environment allowing Directing and Editing to become too seperate features.

The Editing mode allows you to set the stage, record voices, add scenery and control motion. The Direction mode allows you to bring then bring them to life and create some very impressive 3D animation.

This really is an extraordinary piece of software which I hope lives up the hype and I’ll be able to tell you if it does when I get a copy when iClone 3.0 hits the shelves in September when it will be available direct from Reallusion, PC World or Amazon.

Popularity: 22% [?]

Palo Alto Software Ltd have announced the release of version 11 of their hugely successful Business Plan Pro® software.

Business Plan Pro is now in it’s 14th year and has taken on board feedback from Business Plan Pro customers to ensure this version is the best yet.

Features included in the latest version range from new customisable colour charts to easier and faster financials, and a streamlined interface to help you finish your plan faster.

“Business Plan Pro has led the market for many years because we ensure customers actively participate in the development process. This latest version continues to support people producing business plans of the highest standard while significantly reducing the time necessary to create a plan,” said Alan Gleeson, Managing Director of Palo Alto Software.

This new version of Business Plan Pro works seamlessly with Windows Vista and will make sure any business plan you make is complete and financially accurate. It also has much more of an international flavour with the ability to produce your plan in French, German, Italian and Spanish available.

You can buy Business Plan Pro 11 at the Palo Alto website or at Amazon.

Popularity: 13% [?]

Spyware is becoming more and more of an issue these days and can cause real damage to your computer’s performance.

The Lavasoft Ad Aware program has long been one of the biggest names in adware and spyware prevention software and the new Ad Aware 2008 Pro edition proves that this is one company that won’t stop until it’s beaten that darn spyware.

I installed my version of Ad-Aware 2008 Pro direct from the internet and had a few problems getting it going.

However this appears to have been down to my virus software because when I tried it again it installed quickly and easily.

Once installed it was time to power it up.

The thing I really like about Ad-Aware 2008 Pro is it’s interface. The interface is really simple and therefore very accessible to novices, however it also manages to very accessible to the experienced user as this simple interface offers easy access to all sorts of settings.

There are six main sections to choose from at the Ad-Aware 2008 Pro’s interface:

• Status, Scan,
• Ad-Watch,
• Web Update,
• Tools & Plug-Ins,
• Settings

Each of these takes you through to a section that provides you with a overview of what it does and gives a range of options to customise it’s actions - again perfect for the novice or experienced user.

The scanning that Ad-Aware 2008 Pro does is deep and extensive which is just what you want. The result of my scan was a large number of “infections” something I was quite horrified by as I tend to pride myself on keeping my computer spick and span. I was also as you might guess quite appreciative too.

The great thing about Ad-Aware 2008 Pro is it doesn’t just stop at spyware, it provides virus checks too and these are just as deep and reassuring as the spyware checks.

The Ad Watch feature of the program is another great feature. This is like a security guide for your system, watching over it and alerting you via the it’s Regshield program to any unusual behaviour that may occur.

Overall I really like Ad-Aware 2008. It’s very easy to use and accessible to any computer user regardless of skill and it could just save your computer’s life.

Ad-Adware Pro 2008 is available to buy direct from Lavasoft for $39.95

Popularity: 20% [?]

The innovative data security and data management technology company, Paragon Software Group (PSG), are now offering free public access to the pre-release version of its CampTune software.

The Camptune software is designed for dual-boot users running both Mac® OS and Windows® on their Intel-based Mac and solves the maintenance problem that Mac Boot Camp™ users encounter when they run out of free partition space by redistributing free space between Macintosh and Windows partitions.

“Paragon is committed to using its 14-plus years of partitioning experience to help remove the barriers between the Windows and Mac operating systems,” noted Konstantin Komarov, CEO of Paragon Software Group. “We took the first big step in breaking down these barriers with the introduction of Paragon’s NTFS for Mac OSX, which effectively solves the communication problems between Mac systems and NTFS. The second step was our creation of Paragon’s Rescue Kit for Mac, which supports Intel-based Macs by backing up and restoring Windows OS or Mac OS. Now, with Paragon’s CampTune, we’ve addressed the free space redistribution problem between the two operating systems, making it simple and intuitive for dual-boot users.”

The free pre-release version The free pre-release version of Paragon’s CampTune is available directly from Paragon Software Group’s Website.

Popularity: 18% [?]