Go to Start/Run and type in Regedit.

Once the editor is open, navigate to the following key: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings.

Right click on a blank space  on the right and then select New > DWORD (32-bit) Value and type in : MaxConnectionsPerServer.
Now we need to edit this DWORD . Right click, then Modify and change to “Decimal“  and add a number between 2 and 15. I added 10.

The last step: create a new registry key called: MaxConnectionsPer1_0Server. Follow the same steps and settings as the key above.

Close and exit.

Note: For Vista 64bit you must add a QWORD.

nCleaner - advanced system and application cleaner
Every computer needs care, and care starts with maintenance and cleanup.
Good stuff on nCleaner: Junk finder, Reg Cleaner, Free Space Shredder, Tweak manager, Startup manager and few more.

Note: because nCleaner is an advanced system app, you shouldn’t use it unless you know what you are doing. As an alternative, use cCleaner.

DriverMax – detects, downloads and installs the latest version of your computer’s drivers.
It also backs up all drivers and lets you restore them.

SmartDefrag – Defragmentation is a very important process in keeping your hard drive’s performance at maximum and bring its files together.
SmartDefrag will diagnose and optimize your machine’s hard drive while running quietly in the background.
As a prevention, this defrag app will pause itself down if the CPU raises over 40% .

Lingoes - the little sister of Babylon is a dictionary and translation freeware.
So what’s so special about this app that makes it a “must have” tool?
With Lingoes you can:

lookup dictionaries, do full text translation, cursor translation, zoned word translation and pronunciation of words in over 80 languages.

It also contains some of the most popular and reliable thesaurus dictionaries such as: Cambridge, Longman, Collins, MacMillian…and few more.

Revo Uninstaller – this tool does more than its name says and it does it good.
The uninstaller is just an amazing tool. With few clicks it will not only uninstall your apps, but it will also do a deep registry key scan and find the dead file paths or leftovers giving you the opportunity to actually do clean removals.
The other tools included: junk file cleaner, autorun manager, windows tools, evidence remover, unrecoverable undelete….and few more.

These are the 5 essentials, all compatible with Vista and XP,  and you should get them.

A .mkv file is an open standard free container format-aka Matroska Multimedia Container.

Say you’ve downloaded a music file as a .mkv and you want to convert it to mp3…What do you use to convert it?
I’ve looked up in Google the following:”how to convert .mkv files to mp3” and i got dizzy from all the long solutions, “work-arounds”, media players and the shareware available.

I finally gave a try to Pazera Free Audio Extractor, which i downloaded to convert different video and audio formats.
Guess what? This is the only tool you need to convert your .mkv files and it’s a Freeware.

About Pazera:

Pazera extracts audio tracks from video files without loss of sound quality or convert them to MP3, AAC, AC3, WMA, FLAC, OGG or WAV format. The application supports all major video formats (AVI, FLV, MP4, MPG, MOV, RM, 3GP, WMV, VOB and other), moreover, allows the conversion of music files, so it can be used as a universal audio converter.

Source: Pazera Website

The only thing you need to do is load your file into Pazera, choose the format and hit the convert button.
That’s it! No more headaches.

Language: English, Polish
Type: Freeware
Platform: NT/98/Me/2000/XP/2003/Vista

WebShot 1.50 – take screenshots and thumbnails of web pages or whole web sites

CDBurnerXP 4 -complete free disc burning suite

Revelation v2.0 – recovers forgotten passwords

Adobe Media Player – flv media player – requires Adobe Air.

ZoneAlarm ForceField was designed to help you surf safer and without a trace.

No web history and no information is shared anymore with other users, so nothing will be stored on your computer anymore.

With numerous protection layers, Forcefield will shield your computer from the Internet against phishing, spyware and other treats.

Forcefield features and advantages :

• Browse anywhere without a care
• Surf safely on any PC – even public ones
• Secure online transactions
• Bank and shop security
• Private browser
• Dangerous download detector  
• Dodge all evil, uninvited downloads
• Walk away from any machine without a trace
• Advance anti-phishing, anti-keylogger and anti-screengrabber technology.

Be aware that Forcefield is in beta.

If you do decide to install it before the final version arrives, don’t forget to make a restore point.

Platform Windows XP, Windows Vista

Freeware

Ccleaner 2.0 beta – New interface, faster analyzing and cleaning, loads of tweaks, and Portable.

Vista compatible

Glary Utilities – a all-in-one utility

• Optimize, clean and boost the speed of your Windows.
• Protect your privacy and security.
• Block spyware, trojans, adware, etc.

Vista compatible

Microsoft Office Outlook Connector 3 beta – use Outlook 2003 and 2007 to access and manage your Windows Live Hotmail or Office Live Mail accounts, including e-mail messages and contacts.

Vista compatible

Google Pack – Star office – Google is offering StarOffice for free.

Choose custom installation and pick StarOffice.

Mc ScreenCapture – Screen capture utility

Capture the screen and documents, record video fragments of software in-process

and use screenshots to create report for the support service.

Vista compatible

PidGin Portable – multi-protocol Instant Messaging client that allows you to use all of your IM accounts at once.Supports gTalk, AOL/ICQ, IRC, Jabber, MSN, Yahoo and more .

Technorati Tags: Freeware, Today’s freeware, Vista Freeware, Windows Freeware, Free StarOffice, ScreenCapture utility, Google Pack, All-in-one utility, Ccleaner, Office outlook connector

iCopy is an open source and very light application, aimed to help you turn your scanner, together with your printer into a photocopier.

The process is simple.

If you have the two machines hooked up to your computer, then you won’t have to open their applications anymore to get a copy of whatever paper you might need.

Just install this app, and then choose your scanner’s and printer’s settings, in the options panel , choose the number of copies you want, and you’re set.

Note : iCopy will automatically detect your printer and scanner.

2 portable e-mail clients for portable apps lovers, both freeware :

Thunderbird – We all know it, so it doesn’t needs an introduction.

It works just the same way as the full exe version.

Reach-a-mail - A very simple e-mail client that doesn’t require much configuration.

Platform : XP ,Vista

Technorati Tags: Freeware, Vista, Windows, Portable apps, Portable e-mail, E-mail clients

Download link – Ashampoo Photo Commander 4 – Multimedia viewer

• Capable of viewing, managing and editing your photos.
• Screenshot capture tool
• Play your your video files, create video playlists, and extract screenshots from any of them.
• Play and organize your audio tracks and create playlists

How to get the key:

Install the software and follow the instructions.

Mark “get full version key”. The key will be sent to your e-mail address.

When installation is done, open the software and check on your toolbar “Internet” and click on “Switch to full version for free. On the following screen you’ll be able to enter the code you received.

Platform: Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Vista

Technorati Tags: Vista software, Image editors, Image organizers, Software

Pando – Really great software to share files from your desktop.

Send your files by IM, e-mail or via your IE browser.

Subscribe to lots of channels – Tech, Tv, Comedy…and so on.

File size allowed to be send : 1 GB

Windows 2000, XP, Vista

Mac OS X 10.3.9 or later

YousendIt application with resumable upload. In case you get disconnected, you won’t have to re-upload your files.

Maximum file size : 100 MB

Windows XP and Vista

Pownce is still in Alfa stage and you can only get it at the moment through an invitation.

It also runs on Adobe AIR.

With Pownce you can send messages, files, links, and events to your friends. You’ll create a network of the people you know and then you can share stuff with all of them, just a few of them, or even just one other person really fast.

Maximum file size : 10 MB

Very sweet app if you ask me.

Windows XP, Vista and Mac OS

OnShare- Share files with your friends in total privacy.

I’ve only tested Onshare on my Xp few months back and i have to say that is worth having.

Windows 2000 and XP

If you want a all-in-one file transfer, photo sharing, music streaming and universal messenger, then give a try to qNext – See full qNext features and screenshots.

The thing that i love about qNext is the ability to send e-mails. Simple and clean.

I’ve installed it on Vista and is working perfect.

Windows 2000, 2003, Xp and Vista.

Linux and Mac OS

Technorati Tags: Freeware, Tech Blogs, Technology, Today’s freeware, FileSharing, Desktop file sharing, Vista Freeware, Vista, Windows