All email clients clients claim to identify incoming junk mail, yet there's always an email or two that manage to slip through the net or even more annoyingly, your email client identifies incoming mail incorrectly and it ends up in the wrong folder. Not matter what lengths we go to, spammers are always finding new ways of getting messages into our in boxes, so the only way of stopping the barrage of junk is a filter that can identify the very latest threats.

Spamihilator 0.9.9.52 is a filter for your email client that uses a word filter to identify potential spam messages. Another useful feature is its ¨learning¨ filter, so the recognition rate for spam emails will constantly increase. The application works with almost every E-Mail client, including Outlook 2000/XP/2003/Express, Eudora, Mozilla Thunderbird, IncrediMail, Pegasus Mail, Phoenix Mail, Opera and many more.

Spamihilator 0.9.9.52 link.

Anyone who uses a computer has, or will have to deal with some sort of issue every so often. Although many of these problems are fairly minor, once in a while something more serious may require your attention. Potentially, a virus could prevent your machine from booting correctly, if at all, which could prevent you from identifying the problem and make it extremely difficult to rectify it. Before taking drastic steps, how do you recover your machine and all of the files and folders in such circumstances?  

System Rescue CD 1.3.4 is a bootable CD designed to repair Windows when disaster strikes. It's basically a Linux system on a bootable disc so doesn't require Windows to start but is still able to read files from the Windows hard disk. It's also able to access the Internet in an attempt to find answers to any problems your machine is experiencing.

System Rescue CD 1.3.4 link.

It's been a good year for downloads and, with the recent launch of Windows 7, there are a host of new applications and updates that take advantage of the new operating system.

Back in November we launched the V3.co.uk Software Store and it's never been a better time to visit. For example, there are at least eight full commercial applications available to download, including current Windows 7 compatible software such as novaPDF 7 Lite and MAGIX Movie Edit Pro 15 silver edition.

However, look further and you'll notice that we're giving away the full current version of AVG Internet Security 9 [1-PC, 1-Year] license for only £7.95, which is a staggering 80% off the RRP. There's now no excuse to use free versions of software when you can get the commercial edition for such a nominal amount of money. Better still, we're giving away AVG AntiVirus 9 [1-PC, 1-Year] with every eligible order that includes Download Insurance, plus Auslogics BoostSpeed 4. Total value £46!

Update 23/12/09: we've run out of Auslogics BoostSpeed serial codes and the free promo has been replaced with Auslogics Emergency Recovery, whilst stocks last!

V3.co.uk Store Link.

Maintaining an error free PC crucial for preventing minor issues snowballing into potential disasters. Trouble is, it's all too easy to forget to pro-actively check our system for faults, even if they are easily corrected. An ideal solution for many would be a maintenance and diagnostic suite that could help to identify current problems, as well as protect your system from any potential threats too.

System Mechanic Pro 9.5.3 is an all-in-one suite that helps manage all aspects of system maintenance. It enables you to diagnose, correct and prevent an array of problems. You can also use it to recover accidentally deleted files and completely wipe your drive, preventing anyone from recovering it. The latest v9 now supports Windows 7.

System Mechanic Pro 9.5.3 link.

Installing any new software on our PC is so easy it can sometimes happen without you even realising. However, it's a different story when it comes to uninstalling unwanted applications, especially if you are using the Windows Add/Remove tool as it often leaves files and folders within your system and Windows Registry. Why not try a third party removal tool that goes deeper?

Your Uninstaller! 7.0 removes files from your system, and has an advanced uninstall option for delving deep in to file and application removal. It can also remove malware that may be hiding within your system as well as remove unused files on your PC which could be taking up vital space on your hard drive.

Your Uninstaller! 7.0 link.

It's Christmas so we thought we'd join in the celebrations. We're giving you the full version of AVG Internet Security [1-PC, 1-Year] for a staggering 80% off the standard RRP. If you're in the UK, you can purchase for £7.95 rather than £37.99. AVG Internet Security 9 will give one PC maximum protection for up to a year.

Don't forget, however, we're also giving you the full AVG AntiVirus 9 [1-PC, 1-Year] completely free of charge with every eligible order. This means that you could purchase AVG Internet Security 9 for £7.95 and get AVG AntiVirus 9 for free, as long as you add Download Insurance to your order. Whilst stocks remain, you also get Auslogics BoostSpeed 4 for free, which means £46 of bundled free software.

We're also running a promotion on Laplink Windows 7 Upgrade Assistant, which will enable you to migrate installed applications and other files from your existing Windows XP and Vista installation to your new Windows 7 OS, after you install Windows 7. No need to re-install all your existing applications! Ideal.

V3.co.uk Software Store link

In the current climate, many of us are trying to cut costs where we can. If you're paying a large amount for broadband, before renewing your current package, it may be worth looking at your bill a little more closely to see if you can save, especially if you are regularly incurring extra charges for bandwidth usage. The only way to know for sure is to use a monitoring tool, or to set incoming traffic limits.

NetWorx 5.0.7 enables you to monitor and evaluate bandwidth usage and network activity. You can set usage limits over given periods of time to avoid excess charges from your ISP and traffic information is represented in a line chart and logged as a file, so you can view statistics in a variety of formats.

NetWorx 5.0.7 link.

As part of our Christmas and New Year promotion, we're giving you a full version of the commercial AVG AntiVirus 9, which has a 1-Year, 1-PC license and a value of $34.99 or £27.99. If you've ever considered downloading and using the AVG AntiVirus Free, there's no need. You can now get the commercial version, along with the added protection, completely free with every eligible order through the V3.co.uk Software Store.

Of course, there's a catch, but it's only a small condition. You get your free commercial AVG AntiVirus when you add Extended Download Insurance to your order. This enables you to go to your store, download your software, retrieve serial codes and print your original invoice, for two years after ordering, rather than the usual 30 days. Ideal if you plan to use your software on other computers, want to safeguard your purchase and more. You can read these terms online.

V3.co.uk Software Store link.

This week we've already given you a number of full applications, including novaPDF 7 Lite and Ashampoo WinOptimizer 2010 Advanced edition, which are both Windows 7 compatible.

Yesterday we also uploaded Backup4all 4.3 lite, which will enable you to make basic backups of your most important files and then restore if necessary. This full app is also windows 7 compatible and worth $19.95.

Today we uploaded MAGIX Movie Edit Pro 15 Silver, which is a basic version of the commercial video editor, with a £15.99 value.

V3.co.uk Software Store link, with all the full apps.

Image editing seems to be one of only areas of computing left where there is a real lack of decent freeware tools available, often leaving users with no option but to invest in expensive packages such as Photoshop. These professional applications ship with enhanced features that remain unused by many users, but the alternative is to settle for virtually useless freeware alternatives. A good solution would be a freeware tool that implements the most useful elements of these expensive packages.

The GIMP 2.6.8 is freeware image editing tool that boasts some useful features. The application is provides users with all the usual image editing tools and the application supports an array of file formats and even supports some Photoshop plug-ins. Although it does have its flaws with regards to it's interface, it's a very able tool that provides professional tools for free.

The GIMP 2.6.8 link.

If you use the Internet regularly, you will most likely use some sort of preferred browser settings, depending on the type of work you use it for. These settings may help you work more efficiently and make life a little easier. Firefox is easily the most widely used browser available, largely because of it's flexibility and huge number of add-ons available that help you to customise almost every aspect of the browser. Trouble is, if you come to rely on these settings too much, what happens when they are lost? It may be worth backing up these preferences, just in case disaster strikes.

MozBackup 1.4.10 enables users to backup Mozilla-based settings and preferences. These elements include bookmarks, history, extensions, passwords, cookies, form details, downloaded file lists, certificates, cache, emails, and sidebars. Restoring saved profiles is straightforward, and as when backing up, you can select the individual elements to be restored, too.

MozBackup 1.4.10 link.

If you want to distribute a document across the Internet, the best way to achieve this is a PDF file. This can be viewed on a Windows, Mac or Linux computer and, better still, it will retain the layout and content in the way it was originally created on your desktop publisher or word processor. This means you can use commercially licensed fonts to create your work, then send a document to another user and they wouldn't need the fonts installed to view. Idea. Better still, you can give a commercial-quality PDF document to a printer and the printed work should appear as it would have looked in your design tool.

The problem is, however, that you need a PDF creation tool to product PDF documents from within Windows. We're giving you the full current version of novaPDF 7 Lite, worth $19.95, which is a Windows 7 compatible application.

novaPDF 7 Lite download link.

Buy a new Windows 7 computer at Christmas and one of the first things you'll do is install and test new software. Problem is, do this a few times and, after a while your system will slow, take longer to boot and will need a cleanse. When we remove software from our computer, it can leave behind traces in your Registry, startup folder and much more. You need to install cleansing software to remove these files.

Ashampoo WinOptimizer 2010 Advanced, worth £35, is superb system cleansing, optimisation and boosting software that will enable you to get the most from your computer. You can use it to optimise your Registry and much more.

Ashampoo WinOptimizer 2010 Advanced link.

Completing web forms with the same personal information can over and over again can quickly become tiresome. One option is to your set your browser to remember this information, it's a bit of a security risk. Trying to get the balance between quickly populating online forms and keeping personal data secure isn't easy, but there are applications that can help.

AI RoboForm 6.9.98 helps you fill in tedious online forms. The application keeps sensitive and personal data completely secure whilst enabling you to quickly fill in the required information. The latest revision supports all major browsers including Netscape 9, Firefox 3 and Internet Explorer.

AI RoboForm 6.9.98 link.

Trying to remember the many computer and Internet passwords most of us use can be a real headache, especially as many of us use several for online accounts alone. Regularly used passwords are more easily remembered but remembering all of them is almost impossible. Remembering or storing a password usually means jotting it down on a scrap of paper or storing it somewhere within you're PC, which isn't very secure. The easiest way of storing passwords is to use a password storage application, so you can refer to it for forgotten user names and passwords.  

Password Safe 3.20 enables you to manage all of your passwords, quickly generate new ones and organise and retrieve them. Use it to store all of your passwords with a single encrypted master password or use multiple databases to further organise your passwords.

Password Safe 3.20 link.

Almost all image viewers, even basic ones, will enable you to convert the format of your images to some degree. This can be useful if you are using Images gathered from a number of different sources, from your own photographs to pictures received via email. This can cause issues when trying to view images within a library, so you may find it more convenient to convert the images in your library into a single, unified format. This makes your images easier to manage, send to friends and upload to a website.

XnView 1.97 enables you to convert images into almost fifty different formats. It's a useful tool for browsing images and can be used to edit, adjust and crop any images before conversion. XnView can also be used to rename batches of images to save time.

XnView 1.97

The standard Windows Notepad is not only incredibly convenient for copying and pasting, it can also be used for editing text documents and web page code. It's such a small application it enables you to quickly and easily open it up and edit documents with minimal effort. However, though, the standard Windows Notepad still lacks certain useful features, which is evident when viewing and editing programming code.  

Notepad++ 5.6.1 is a versatile alternative to the standard Windows application that ships with many useful tools and features. These features include a file browser, spell checker and a function list as well as colour coding. If you have the relevant skills you can even use it to completely replace the standard Notepad, after a little editing of your Windows Registry.

Notepad++ 5.6.1 link.

When undertaking a new work or home based project, it's important to consider each individual task required for overall completion. As with many other types of software, there are numerous task and/or project management applications available. In the right hands, such applications can be used to stay organised and on top of a particular workload. Such applications may also help you manage a number of different areas of a project, from assigning tasks to visualising the costs involved in a project.

Task Coach 0.77.0 is a single-user application that enables users to manage both individual and multiple tasks. It's a cross-platform application so it can be used with Windows, Mac OS and Linux. Unfortunately the application only supports single users but the developer intends to migrate the tool so that this information can be shared.

Task Coach 0.77.0 link.

Most information stored on your PC will be fairly innocuous but there's no doubt your machine will also be full of personal and private information that you may want to keep secure. Unfortunately, though, It's not always easy to remember to clear your computer of private data every time you finish using your computer, either. Another option would be to run an application within a self-contained environment, then you could simply log off without having to manually clear any data.

Sandboxie 3.42 enables you to run applications in a 'sandboxed' environment, very useful for anyone using a shared computer. All data remains within a sandboxed environment and not on your drive, which may also help to protect your system from malicious infection.

Sandboxie 3.42 link.

Creating high-quality PDF documents require expensive, high level commercial software. Although there were freeware apps available, many of which based around Ghostscript technology, the final product never really matched that of more professional software and generally, were not good enough for commercial printing. PDFs are a popular, universal file format that is useful for displaying all kinds of information, so it's important to be able to download and read the literature contained within these documents.

doPDF 7 is a free PDF tool designed for personal and commercial use. It enable users to create print or web quality PDF documents from a number of Windows applications. Although an able application, there are a number of alternatives which may give you an even better result. 

doPDF 7 link. 

We have a few full applications to get on V3.co.uk, but we've managed to get two new Windows 7 compatible applications, this afternoon. Ashampoo Photo Commander 6.5 is a full application that enables you to manage your photos and quickly fix and enhance them ready for printing. We've giving you the full version of this software, worth £25 and, best of all, you can use it on your new Windows 7 PC.

Ashampoo Slideshow Studio 2010 is the other full application and this tool is designed for one purpose - to turn your photos in to a superb and professional slideshow presentation that you can then give to your friends and family. This full application is worth £13 and is also Windows 7 compatible.

Ashampoo Photo Commander 6.5 and Ashampoo Slideshow Studio 2010 links.