AppSpout: Recent Reviews from the PCMag.com Software Team

We've seen a lot of noteworthy software releases recently, with the launch of Vista SP1 beta, Napster 4.0, and the much anticipated Mac OS 10.5 Leopard. To add to this list, today Microsoft introduced its new crop of Zune MP3 players and an updated Zune Marketplace platform.
The new Zune Marketplace finally gives Microsoft a worthy contender to Apple's juggernaut iTunes music service. Marketplace's improved interface is beautifully designed, easy to use, and capable of delivering more than just music. Let the PC Magazine Software team give you a sneak peak at the new Zune Marketplace in this preview.

Check out other software news, after the jump.





Microsoft Popfly: Popfly is a promising first attempt at letting nonprogrammers visually create mashups, or composite Web applications. It also serves as a showcase for Microsoft's new FlashPlayer-contender technology, Silverlight.

Google Docs Beta: Google Docs Beta is fast, elegant, convenient, and free. All of which adds up to an Editors' Choice-winning online office suite.

Rhapsody (Fall 2007): By embracing the Web and enhancing its already robust feature set, Rhapsody earns the music-subscription crown.

Corel MediaOne Plus: This reasonably priced software lets you easily create and share basic projects like albums, calendars, scrapbooks, and slide shows that include audio and video--it even throws in a lifetime of free online image backup.

Bsafe Online: Bsafe Online is a tough, effective, and comprehensive parental-control solution. It has a few rough edges, but the company is already working on improvements.

Corel WordPerfect Office X3: It's mostly going to appeal to WordPerfect's long-standing legal, academic, and professional audiences, but if Word's peculiarities get on your nerves, Corel's Office suite is definitely worth a look .

McAfee Total Protection 2008: McAfee Total Protection 2008 definitely has more features than any of its competition, but essential features such as its firewall and antispyware don't measure up to the best.

Webroot AntiVirus with AntiSpyware and Firewall: Webroot changed the naming scheme of the product line with its newest antispyware app, but not much else. Other than the bonus firewall module, this version is a lot like the Editor's Choice-winning Spy Sweeper 5.5 with Antivirus.