Software Reviews

Screenshots: Ubuntu 9.10 Karmic Koala

Photos Ubuntu 9.10 Karmic Koala is released on 29 October. New additions include the Ubuntu One service, a new boot sequence, and the Ext4 filesystem by default.

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VMware vSphere 4 review

Review The latest release of VMware's enterprise-level hypervisor and management suite raises the bar with the addition of built-in backup, thin provisioning and fault tolerance options. The combination of functionality and a proven track record makes vSphere 4 an excellent choice for high-end server virtualisation projects.

Windows 7 v Ubuntu 9.10: an illustrated guide

Tech Guide Is Windows 7 good enough to halt the move to desktop Linux in its tracks? We compare and contrast Microsoft's new OS with the latest version of Ubuntu.

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The Real Business of IT review

Review We'd recommend this book to any under-appreciated CIO seeking self-improvement, and to executives trying to extract greater value from their IT spend.

Microsoft Security Essentials

Preview Security Essentials is recommended if you want 'set and forget' security. If you need more robust configuration choices, or don't want to contribute to the cloud, then look elsewhere.

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GroupMail Business Edition v5.2 review

Review If you need to manage an email newsletter and don't want to go with a subscription-based online solution, you should consider GroupMail.

Office Web Apps Technical Preview: a First Look

Preview Microsoft Office finally makes it into the cloud with web-based versions of Excel, PowerPoint and Word. We take a hands-on look at this work in progress.

Office Web Apps Technical Preview: screenshots

Photos Microsoft Office 2010 will have an online counterpart. Here's a tour of the recently unveiled Technical Preview.

Google Wave: a First Look

Preview Google Wave is about to break. So what is Wave, and what does it actually do? We bypass the hype with a hands-on look at the Wave Developer Preview.

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Google Wave Developer Preview: screenshots

Photos As Google Wave prepares to move into public beta, we take a look at how the Developer Preview has been shaping up.

ABBYY PDF Transformer 3.0 review

Review PDF Transformer 3.0 is fine for individuals with basic PDF-handling requirements, but it's underpowered for all but the most straightforward business tasks.

The Geek Atlas review

Review This book is entirely splendid in fulfilling its own ambitions and should be deployed widely where it can do the most good: among the young, the eager, the curious and the adventurous.

Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard review

Review Intel Mac users will like Snow Leopard's smartly designed interface enhancements, while its Exchange support is a must-have (especially with Outlook for Mac on the way). With a ton of technological improvements, Snow Leopard is worth the £25 upgrade fee.

Nuance PDF Converter Professional 6 review

Review Nuance's PDF manipulation tool offers good functionality for businesses seeking a cheaper alternative to Adobe Acrobat, although the user interface needs work.

Tetraktys review

Review This cryptographic thriller novel has the advantage of being written by the chief scientist at RSA Laboratories, and shows that popular fiction doesn't have to make nonsense of science.