Productivity Reviews

Lookout 1.2 review

Review Regular Outlook fans will find this desktop search tool easy to use, but the rest of us may be frustrated.

HotBot Quick Search Deskbar 3.1.6 review

Review Lycos's HotBot Desktop provides a glimpse of the future, combining desktop and Internet searches, but other programs actually deliver these features now.

Outlook horror stories

Tech Guide Microsoft Outlook is far from perfect, but the good news is that its most common failings can be corrected. We show you how.

MSN Messenger 6.2 review

Review An intrusive registration process keeps us from warming to this instant messenger.

ICQ 4.1 review

Review ICQ, along with Yahoo Messenger, offers the most options for customisation and everyday use at home or in the office.

AOL AIM 5.5 review

Review Although it offers more business-orientated features than any of the main IM clients, AIM 5.5 will still appeal mostly to home users.

IMsecure review

Review IMsecure is currently the only dedicated security solution for instant messenger (IM) clients, and therefore a must-have for all IM users.

RSSReader review

Review This is a nice introduction to RSS for newcomers, but it lacks a help file.

Awasu review

Review Since Awasu is free, you have nothing to lose (well, maybe a few hours) by giving it a try. We recommend it.

NewsGator review

Review NewsGator is a worthwhile RSS newsreader for anyone who lives inside Outlook, but the rest of us should look elsewhere.

FeedDemon review

Review FeedDemon's excellent interface makes it a top-flight RSS newsreader.

NEO Pro 3.0 review

Review Powerful and easy to use, NEO Pro 3.0 includes many of the features you probably wish Outlook had, such as fast and easy searching, views across folders and filtering. If you get lots of email, you'll soon find it indispensable.

Skype review

Review What's not to like about Skype? It's free and ad-free and offers clear VoIP calls to other Skype users anywhere in the world.

Deskpops review

Review Integrating RSS feeds into your desktop wallpaper is a great idea, but Deskpops needs a few tweaks before it can be unreservedly recommended.

Eudora 6.1 review

Review Power users looking for an email solution that can also help to cut spam should consider Eudora 6.1. However, competitors such as Notes and Outlook offer cleaner interfaces and more intuitive processes for managing email.