Fun, addicting downloads to ‘jazz up’ your
computer
Margurette Awad / Columnist
Is your computer properly equipped with all the software or
programs the business and personal worlds require? Think
again. No personal desktop is complete without some of the
following downloadable programs. Not only is your computer
capable of housing professional business software, it can
also be used for personal applications through entertainment,
decoration and other needs as desired by the user. Although
these programs are assets to any computer, they will take up
space on your hard drive and perhaps expose your computer to
viruses and other unwanted downloads. However, these are only
minor negatives when compared to the positives of possessing
such programs.
Virtual Pets
http://www.andrexpuppy.co.uk/playfulpuppy/puppydownload.htm
Virtual Pets is one of the best ways to jazz up your
computer, as computerized puppies take us back to our
childhood memories of playing fetch with Fido. As college
students, it is almost impossible to have pets, whether it is
due to residence hall restrictions or merely your own
personal time constraints. Virtual Pets, such as Andrex
Puppy, allow college students the opportunity to not only
play with a pet, but also rid themselves of the overwhelming
responsibilities that are attached to ownership. Even though
Virtual Pets can be great assets to your computer, I’m
giving you a fair warning; love for Virtual Pets is imminent
and the only way to concentrate on your midterms will be to
send your virtual pet to the kennel for a couple of nights.
Webshots
http://www.webshots.com
While this feature is not a necessity in the world of
addicting features, it is one that will add color and life to
your computer screen. With more than 1,000 photos to choose
from, users can download up to five photos a day for free,
set them as a desktop background or create a vibrant
screensaver. This five photo limit can become a pain for new
members who desire to download 100 photos instantly. However,
this pain can be immediately extracted as individuals can go
the extra mile and gain unlimited access by paying a small
fee. If patience is your virtue, the cost is minimal and you
will only spend minutes finding the perfect snapshots to add
to your personal computer. In fact, avid users will look
forward to the beginning of a new day, as it not only brings
new opportunities and adventures, but also five new free
photos.
Cursor Mania
http://www.cursormania.com
This would have to be a personal favorite, as its presence
is small but certainly noticed. I consider the addition of
Cursor Mania to any computer to be a fine detail that shows
love of unique computerized attributes. Cursor Mania is
simply crossing the “t’s” and dotting the
“i’s” in any computer nerd’s world.
This minute addition to a personal computer can enhance it,
as a user has more than 4,000 cursor icons to choose from.
From girly icons such as hearts to manly sports icons, there
isn’t a cursor option that wouldn’t please any
user. Want to know the best part about Cursor Mania? Users
can change their icons an unlimited amount of times and there
are no unwanted ads secretly connected to its download. Take
the time and choose an icon that represents you.
Post-It Notes
http://www.3m.com/market/office/postit/com_prod/psnotes/
For the constant notetaker and computer user, this is the
ideal download: virtual Post-It Notes. No more trying to
stick little pieces of paper to your desk or losing notes
because they fell off your monitor. This program simply
allows you to keep reminders on your desktop in an orderly
fashion. Like many of the other features I mentioned, there
is a free “lite” version of the software. If you
want the entire software program, there is a small fee.
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