A couple of weeks ago, I wrote two articles on what to look for when buying a new computer. People emailed asking what applications I suggest they install on a new computer once they get one. Today we look at the next part of that list. Take your time, read through them, check their sites, and use them if you feel like they would benefit you.
6. iTunes (itunes.com)
If you have an iPhone, you are most likely aware of what iTunes is. If you have an Android phone, you may not be using it. However, it is an excellent app that can play, organize, and even allow you to buy music, movies, TV shows, audiobooks, and other audiovisuals. You can download it and use it for free on any digital platform. If you are interested, you can also manage your mobile device backups, create and edit ringtones, record your own podcasts, browse and subscribe to other podcasts. iTunes can be a bit overwhelming at first, but it is worth getting to know if you have a lot of media. There are many training videos on YouTube and other resources available online to help you get started.
7. LibreOffice (libreoffice.org)
I mentioned Google Workspace last week; however, if you do not want to use the cloud for your documentation and do not want to pay for Microsoft 365, this is the way to go. LibreOffice is an excellent production suite that offers everything that the average and above-average user may need. If you are an advanced user, you may need to move up to something else. But this app is excellent and installs on your local PC, leaving nothing in the cloud. I have used it and tested it extensively, and it is equal to most anything you need to use in Microsoft 365 (formerly Microsoft Office 365). By the way, if you share documents with others that use M365, relax. You can save all of your LO files in the M365 format so that others may view, edit, and vice versa.
8. Malwarebytes (malwarebytes.com)
I have written about Malwarebytes several times in the past. I am now suggesting it again. If you do not have it on your new PC, bad on you. Get it. You can get a free version, but if you have $45/year, I suggest you purchase it, as it makes it so you do not have to think about it. I am cheap, get the free version, and run it manually every couple of days on my computers. But you do have to remember to do so. It will cover some of the things that the built-in Windows Defender could miss. Incidentally, you do not need another antivirus app on Windows. Defender is fine…unless you visit quite reprehensible sites, which you should not be doing anyway.
9. Microsoft 365, Free or Paid (office.com)
If you are the usual user, using Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, etc. in a standard capacity, go to Office.com and sign up with a free Microsoft account. Similar to Google Workspace. However, if you are an advanced user in an office environment, pay for the full Microsoft 365 suite of applications. This is all I will say about them today because both I and the rest of the world have written about them endlessly.
10. Ninite (ninite.com)
Ninite is a free service that allows you to easily install and update multiple popular applications on a Windows computer. It works by bundling the installers for the applications you choose into a single package that you can run with a single click. Ninite automatically declines all toolbar offers and bundled junkware, so you can be sure that you are only installing the software you want. Ninite is safe to use and is trusted by many people around the world.
Read about the last five next week.
