If you’re looking for one tool that can handle a myriad of compression methods, from RAR and ZIP to TAR and TGZ and nearly 30 other formats, ALZip just might be for you. In fact, archive format support is ALZip’s forte. It’ll even open ISO and other CD images. All the usual archive application options are here, as well: context menu additions, password protections, virus scanner integration, and assistance in creating self-extracting archives.

The interface looks modern and is well-designed, with archive contents displayed as icons, in a list or in a detailed spreadsheet-style grid. There are 14 criteria by which you can sort files, the program supports 21 languages, there’s a test function to make sure the archive works, and you can save in eight formats. We also like the bird-egg icons–a small touch, to be sure, but they show that aesthetics are still important, even in freeware.

This program leaves a slightly larger footprint than WinZip, but since we’re talking about a difference of 2MB we think it’s worth giving ALZip a chance to fly.

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Multifunction apps are great, but they often include features you don’t need, or they poorly implement ones you do. ALToolbar at least, doesn’t suffer from the latter–it is a well put-together little package, from the standpoint of appearance and ease of use.

The included functions work well, generally, and are easily accessed through the toolbar added to Internet Explorer. However, the Search and Internet Cleaner functions don’t offer much beyond those built into IE7, while the Capture tool has some nice, but fairly common, features. The single point of failure for this application is the ALPass and Bookmarks features’ reliance on creating an online account. We couldn’t receive the validation e-mail on accounts behind spam filters. The company is apparently aware of the e-mail problem, but seems to think it can do nothing about it. Yet it continues to rely on e-mail for account validation. Until the issue is addressed, users may have to jump through hoops to use the extension’s two major features, which do work well once the account is finally setup.

Our testing found no stability issues, and installation and uninstallation were relatively simple. Unfortunately, a software updater was installed separately, and it and the application’s installation directory were not removed on uninstall. If this toolbar’s features appeal to you, and you are willing and able to work around the e-mail verification issue, then this freeware is certainly worth the download.

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Watch enough different kinds of videos in Windows and eventually you are bound to run into a codec problem. Codecs encode and decode digital data, and popular media viewers like Windows Media Player don’t always have the codecs needed to view all types of videos. ALShow is an easy-to-use media player that comes equipped with plenty of codecs, and it’s prepared to download more if needed.

ALShow’s interface is plain but intuitive, with its features organized neatly in uncluttered menus. Users can play videos in AVI, MPG, MPEG, DAT, VOB, WMV, ASF, ASX, and many other formats, and if you should happen to try a format for which ALShow doesn’t have a codec, the program will automatically search for and download one. We were especially impressed with some of the program’s other features, including its bookmarking function; users can create bookmarks, with descriptions, at any point in a video, making it easy to return to your favorite part over and over again. Videos that have caption files can also be viewed with the captions on or off, and the program has a variety of features for fast forwarding, rewinding, repeating segments, capturing audio, and more. The Screen menu contains plenty of options for customizing the program’s view, including a screen capture function. The program’s Help file is well-written and thorough. Overall, we found ALShow to be quite simple and useful.

ALShow is free. The program installs politely but leaves a Start menu item and folder behind upon removal. We recommend this program to all users.

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We update the app regularly so we can make it better for you. Get the latest version for all of the available ALFTP features. This version includes several bug fixes and performance improvements.

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ALSong is an innovative music player that lets users view lyrics to thousands of songs as they play. Although the program’s design could be better, its unique features still make it worthwhile.

ALSong’s interface is fairly intuitive (it’s set up much as any media player is), but we didn’t love that several of its features open in different modules. The media player opens in one window, the playlist in another, the lyrics viewer in yet another–things get cluttered pretty quickly. We were also irritated by the small text used throughout the program; anyone whose vision isn’t what it used to be is likely going to have a hard time with it. At least the tiny buttons are all equipped with mouse-over tool-tips so you can see what the not-entirely-obvious icons mean. Although the interface made us a little grouchy, we thought the program’s main feature–its lyrics viewer– was pretty cool. The program connects to a database that contains, according to the publisher, over a million songs, and the program automatically finds and displays them when you play an MP3. If lyrics aren’t listed for a particular song, users can submit them to the database themselves. The program’s built-in Help file is thorough and contains plenty of screenshots. Overall, we liked ALSong for its features, but its interface could use some improvement.

ALSong is free. The program installs politely but leaves a folder behind upon removal. We recommend this program to all users.

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