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Orbit Downloader & Recipester: Keep Your Applications Updated & Learn More About Them [Windows]

Jeffry Thurana — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 17:31:54 +0000

Apple has released the Mac App Store – a place where Mac users can find and download great Mac applications. This iOS App Store little brother has a similar behavior to its sibling: it will help users to keep their apps updated. When an updated version of any installed apps are available, users will be notified and they can easily download the updates from within the App Store.

Windows users who wish that this convenience could also be made available to them should keep their fingers crossed, because Microsoft is currently trying to persuade the court that the term “App Store” is too generic to be granted protection. The court may or may not approve Microsoft’s dispute, but while waiting for the verdict, why not try a combination of tools that are already available for Windows: Orbit Downloader and Recipester. These tools can help Windows users keep their applications updated, while helping users learn more about the apps.

The Software Updater

I found this feature by accident after I upgraded Orbit Downloader to version 4. There’s a new item in the left pane called “Software Updater” with a pair of numbers written after it.

After clicking on it, the main area of the app showed me a list of updateable software on my computer. The pair of numbers represented the number of installed software and how many of them had updates waiting. Orbit gets this data by scanning the hard drive for the version number of installed software, then comparing the result with the list of the latest software releases on their database.

Clicking on any item on the list will open up more information about that software, such as the developer, the number of users, how many reviews it has, questions, tutorials, votes related to the app; and also buttons to “Write a Review“, “Ask a Question“, and “Visit Software Page“.

Most of the information is related to the data about that software on Recipester. This is the site that dubbed itself as “Wiki Answers for all things about (your favorite) software“. The site is created by the maker of Orbit Downloader as a software database to support Orbit Downloader’s “Software Updater” feature.

Orbit Downloader could also be set to remind users about the availability of software updates on a regular basis. You can set how often you want to be reminded from the “Preferences – Software Updates” menu.

When you click on the update notification, you will be brought to the software update list on Recipester.

Even though Recipester has promised that our data is not accessible by anybody but us, it’s advisable to check the “make the list of your programs private” box just to make sure. The box is located at the top right area of the software update list.

Clicking the download button of any item on the list will bring you to the software’s download page. Along with it you will see two small information links above: Reviews and Tutorials.

Let’s Learn More

It turns out that Recipester is more than a database to support Orbit Downloader. It’s also a source of information on software. For example, clicking “Tutorials “on the download page will bring you to the software’s tutorial page. You can see several available tutorials related to that software.

The other link that you can follow from the download page is the “Reviews” link.

Basically, Recipester wants to be a one stop place for people who want to know everything about their software. All that users need to do is search for available information, or ask. Your questions will be answered by one of their 200-something experts.

Even though there are already many tutorials and Q&As in their database, I felt that Recipester is far from complete. Maybe it’s because the site is still in the early stages and still in the process of building their database.

In general, I think that the combination of Orbit Downloader and Recipester provides Windows users with a convenient way to keep their software updated. But we still have to wait and see how everything will turn out in the future.

What do you think about this “Software Updater” feature? Do you know other alternatives? If so, please share using the comments below. Meanwhile, if you have any technology-related questions of your own, why not try MakeUseOf Answers? Our technology-savvy authors and readers are ready and able.

Two Simple Steps To Clean Up Your Applications Library [Mac]

Jeffry Thurana — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 17:30:34 +0000

By nature, humans always want to improve their quality of life by finding or inventing the easiest possible way to do something. This basic behavior continues on even in the digital age. Computer users rely on applications to make their computing life easier.

But life is not static. What we consider as the best solution today might become obsolete tomorrow. Most of the time, there are also more than one solution to a problem, more than one way to do something, more than one applications to achieve the same thing.

The result is a bloated Applications folder which filled with unused and outdated apps. Here are two steps that I took to tidy up my Mac’s Applications library.

Step 1: Updating Outdated Apps

Actually, there’s not much of a problem here. Most modern applications come with automatic updating. If you turn the feature on, the app will check whether there’s any update available and then pop-up the notification.

But this process has to be done individually. And the availability of updates is different from one app to another. If you have hundreds of apps on your Mac, checking and updating them all could take a lot of time.

Luckily there is a more convenient way available. To check the status of your applications, you can use the help of another application.

One of such apps is Bodega. Jackson discussed this app a little while back. This is actually a kind of application store where you can browse for applications and download the ones that you want. Some of the apps are free and some others are not free.

But Bodega can also be used to check the availability of applications updates. Just select the Applications folder from the left pane and Bodega will show you the status of your installed apps.

You can sort the result by status – updated, free updates, and paid updates, and click the “Get” or “Buy Now” buttons to update a specific app.

But Bodega does not show all of your apps, only the ones that matches the data that they already have. The reason is – as mentioned in their support page – that they want to be sure that they’re giving users the right updates and information on those applications.

Another alternative that you can use to update your apps is AppFresh which is specifically built for this purpose. We’ve discussed the features of this app already so I won’t repeat the babbling here. AppFresh gives more complete list of applications, but it doesn’t offer the experience of “discovering new cool apps” like Bodega.

Step 2: TrashMe – Delete Unwanted Apps Entirely

Using Bodega or AppFresh, you can find unwanted apps that still reside inside your machine. Maybe those apps are so old that they are unusable, maybe you’ve found another better alternatives, or perhaps the available updates are not free anymore and you are not willing to pay for the updates — like iCompta here.

To uninstall apps in Mac, you can just drag and drop them to the Trash and get away with it. But there are apps that will leave behind some system files. Even though these leftover files are harmless, they do litter our system.

To get rid of any app completely, you need the help of uninstaller app. We have discussed three free uninstaller for Mac before and they work just fine. But I’ve just find another alternative that I like called TrashMe which comes from the same developer who created TunesArt.

Using the app is as simple as dragging and dropping your unwanted app(s) to the drop zone. You can also use the “Places” on the left pane to search for and filter your unwanted app(s). After you found the one that you don’t want, check the box next to it and click the “Related files” button.

You will have a list of the files related to the app that you are going to delete. Double-check for unrelated files. You don’t want to delete files that you still need. If everything is checked, hit the “Delete” button.

TrashMe will ask for your confirmation one more time. Be brave and move on with your life.

You may continue uninstalling other unwanted apps based on your findings from Bodega and AppFresh. I myself also using TrashMe to uninstall other uninstallers, which I no longer use.

What about you? What method do you use to tidy up your installed applications? Do you know other alternatives to the applications mentioned here? Share using the comment below.

Analyze Your PC & Detect New Driver Updates Online With Ma-Config

Saikat Basu — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 23:31:37 +0000

Most of us can clock 80″“90 mph on a highway, but how many of us can handle a breakdown and change a car essential like an air filter? Some of us perhaps”¦but not all. It’s just like cruising on the information superhighway on our computers. Not everyone has an idea of what goes on under the hood. It’s not needed of course, but just like a broken down car, you would rather repair it yourself than push it. Especially if a mechanic (read, a support guy) is not close at hand.

Even if the support helpdesk is just a dial away, knowing the innards of your computer is just as important as knowing the software you are working on. Unlike cars, computers need constant updates of both software and hardware. For the sake of efficiency, updating these should be a matter of routine. Take for example, moving up from Windows Vista to Seven”¦does your computer hardware support the new OS? Or would it do better with some drive upgrades?

These are very basic tasks and thankfully, we don’t have to consult a thick manual to see this through. Single click solutions are available which can analyze pc systems and give us a brief on our hardware and the changes that can be made.

Ma-Config is an online tool that does two jobs for us ““ it analyzes your pc and identifies the hardware and software components (also up to 10 shared PCs). Secondly, with a few clicks, one can download all the latest drivers matching the hardware configuration.

Ma-Config does all the driver detection using a downloadable ActiveX plug-in. The free service is Windows only and is certified by VeriSign. The plug-in is compatible with all the major browsers like Internet Explorer, Opera, Chrome, Firefox and Safari. The driver database is provided by TousLesDrivers.

Ma-Config makes it easy for both the starter guy and the experienced hand. There is nothing complicated to install apart from a little plug-in to start the process to analyze pc systems. Ma-Config moves the process towards the download of the newer drivers and also gives us a few more steps to consider like sharing your configuration or recording it in a PDF document.

Before starting the detection you can change a few of the settings via the Settings link given on the left hand side menu of the homepage. The settings relate to the detail of the detection. For those not comfortable with the terms, the default settings are good enough.

Click on Start the Detection to bare the large green button which tells you to run the detection. The plug-in will analyze the PC system and generates the report summary. Click on the devices list on the left menu to get the finer details. You can redetect your system anytime with a click.

If you now want to update your PC, the large green button marked with Download drivers compatible with this configuration, takes you down that path courtesy of TousLesDrivers.

As asides, you can share your configuration using a link or with an email. Or maybe take out a PDF report and mail it directly across. The PDF report comes in quite handy if you want to send it forth to a vendor or the support technician.

Ma-Config also has an offline mode whereby you can use the plug-in on a computer not connected to the internet, run the scan and save the results. The results can then be analyzed on another computer with an internet connection.

Ma-Config is a web tool and like all web based tools it prevents us from installing a bulky program. The only minus is that some parts of the website are in French. Though, the English version makes everything as easy as tea and biscuits.

Ma-Config is not the first tool we have reviewed to help us with our hardware. Some others have been ““

But it could be one of the simplest going around. But we would like your opinion on that. Go over to Ma-Config and do let us know.

Find Newer Versions Of Installed Software with Techtracker

Varun Kashyap — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 16:01:10 +0000

Today computers are fast and have enough memory that you can afford to run specialized applications like launchers, a couple of browsers, media players and what not. We have been pointing you towards cool applications for some time now. If you matched our advice with your choice, chances are you have more than a couple of cool software installed on your computer. Maintaining a healthy and secure computer is hardly a set it and forget it job. You have to keep your anti virus updated, install firewalls, anti spywares and what not.

Another important and largely overlooked issue related to security and performance of your computer involves keeping the installed software updated. Contrary to popular belief, most of the free software is also constantly being developed and software version updates are available every now and then. So how do you keep track when a newer version for one of your installed software is available? Well you can manually keep checking sites like FileHippo, Softpedia, Download.com or you can use a tool like Techtracker.

Techtracker does all the heavy lifting for you when it comes to making sure the installed software is up to date. CNET requires you to register before you can download Techtracker, which is a bit annoying but comes in handy later in the form of software version update alerts and reports.

Once installed, Techtracker will scan your computer for installed software, check the version you have installed on your computer and the latest version that is available. In about a minute or two you can view the findings. It will list the software version updates that are available. Clicking on any one of them will take you to a detailed report of the scan.

The report lists all the software that Techtracker is tracking. The ones that need updating are displayed towards the top of the list. It lists the version you have installed on your computer and the latest version that is available. You can also find the download link for the latest version. Keep in mind that the download link would be to the latest version, if you are looking for a specific version you might have to hunt around.

The more info links display useful information like ratings, downloads and the file size. You can also customize the alert preferences from this page. By default the alerts are off. You can turn on alerts for all software which means that you will get an email when a newer version of any of your installed software is available, or you can turn off alerts on selected software that you want to be excluded from this feature.

What if you have more than one computer? Does Techtracker support multiple computers? Short answer: NO, Long answer: by the looks of it, they might support multiple computers in the future with a Techtracker pro application and some bucks (hmm..). Right now you would have to uninstall Techtracker from your computer, unlink the computer from your CNET account and then install Techtracker on the second computer.

Phew! That is some work, creating another account seems easier. How do you keep your computer software versions updated? We would love to hear about it in the comments.

How To Automatically Update 3′rd Party Apps on Your Mac

Jeffry Thurana — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 16:01:27 +0000

I think I don’t need to re-emphasize the importance of software updates. Bug fixes and security patches are only two of the many reasons why you have to keep your computer’s operating system(s) and all of your applications updated.

Surely updating all of your applications manually one by one is not an option. The process should be done as automatically as it can. That’s what computer and technology is all about, right?

Mac OS X comes with its own software update application, but it is limited only to its native applications. That leaves the 3rd-party applications on the stone-age manual-updating world. There are applications that has automatic update features but you still have to open the application to activate it. So much for an automation, huh?

There are several alternatives for Windows; while for Mac there’s AppFresh, the app that will help Mac users to keep all installed applications, widgets, preference panes and application plugins always up to date.

How to keep the rest fresh

The idea behind this app is to provide an easy to use central place – which is fully integrated with Mac OS X – to update all of the 3rd party apps. No more “always updating just before using” thing (or worst: “go online and find the updates yourself”). AppFresh will keep your apps in the latest top notch condition and have them ready to use everytime you open them.

To ensure the “freshness” of its performance, AppFresh integrates the most popular and most common update checking technologies into itself such as Apple Software Update, Sparkle, Microsoft AutoUpdate, Adobe Updater, OSX.IUseThis and more.

However, as with every other beta version application out there, please note that there might be glitches with this one also. So, it’s better to backup than be sorry.

Freshen Up the List

After downloading and unarchiving the 1.4 Mb small zip file, you can directly put AppFresh to use.

The first window that you’ll see upon using the app for the first time is the warning window telling the users that the preview 8 version of the app is still under development process and that the users should always do backup.

There’s also an optional offer to integrate AppFresh with the IUseThis service.

Then AppFresh will scan your system for all of the installed apps,

followed by the process of finding updates to all of those apps.

The result will be listed and grouped into several main categories: Status (Updated, Unknown, Update Available), Type (Applications, Plugins, Widgets, PrefPanes), Vendors (Apple, Third Party), and My Categories (which you can customize to fit your needs).

Here’s the scan result from my Mac: There are 391 applications inside my system (I know there are many, but I’ve never guessed there were that many). 117 of them are updated while the other 109 can be updated with the available newer version. The status of the remaining 165 are unknown.

Select one of the apps and you will get some information about it on the right pane. Right click on the app and you will have several choices of action from the pop-up menu. To update the app, choose “Install”.

You can also update many apps all at once by selecting several (or all) apps on the list, right click and choose Install.

After the updating process is finished, a Growl notification will pop up.

I also found another useful usage of AppFresh: to delete apps. From the list of installed apps populated by AppFresh, I found many apps that I’ve never used and totally forgotten about. So I just right click on them and choose “Send To Trash”. Spring cleaning comes early this year .

Have you tried AppFresh to update your mac software? Do you know other alternatives? Share your thoughts and opinions using the comments below.

Manage Application Updates With The ‘Google Updater’ Service [Windows]

Saikat Basu — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 21:00:00 +0000

Google Updater is probably the only application from Google that does not have a face and is also not in your face. Because it runs periodically in the background.

Google Updater is a part of the Google Pack (Google’s own apps and a few third party tools like Firefox, Norton Security Scan etc.). Google Updater is the small itsy bitsy “installer” that downloads and installs the software. But its brevity goes beyond that as it also monitors the apps for updates and manages their run. In short, it’s a meta-installer and auto-updater.

The two hitches “¦

Being a package management app also means that Google Updater continues to run behind the scenes though in the new version it is controlled by the Windows Task Manager to run once every hour. You can see it running in the background by doing a Ctrl + Alt + Del and going down the Task Manager entries. Some users feel that apps should give the option of self-timed updates rather than the auto-updater butting in. (It is especially annoying when the firewall catches it while auto-updating). Also, a separate service running in the computer (and consuming resources) for update checking is the exception rather than the rule.

Then according to Google,

When Google Update communicates with Google servers, it sends IDs of Google Update-managed applications on your computer and general usage information for these applications. Google Update also uses its own, randomly-generated unique ID number to accurately count total users. This information includes version numbers, languages, operating system, and other install or update-related details, such as whether or not the applications have been run. This information is not associated with you or your Google Account. Additional information may be sent if you choose to send your usage statistics for Google Chrome.

It is this point where a lot of brow wrinkling has come about. Though the information is sent using random IDs, any user might feel a bit ill at ease with his usage information being uploaded however benign the intention. While Google has tried to ease the issues by open sourcing the Google Updater code (the Omaha project), a lot of us will still have a go at blocking it.

The 2 ways to disable Google Updater

A. Remove from startup

Click on Start ““ Run. Type in msconfig in the Open field and click OK.
The System Configuration Utility opens up. Select the Startup tab. Go down to the GoogleUpdate startup item and deselect it.
Restart the computer.

B. Stop the Google Update service from running

Click on Start ““ Run. Type in services.msc in the Open field and click OK.
In Services, scroll down to GoogleUpdate Service. Double click on it to open the Properties box (or right click and select Properties). The Startup Type drop-down lists three options ““ select Disabled.
Click on Apply and OK.

The 2 ways to manage Google Updater

Manage Updates using the Task Scheduler

Spurred by the concerns of an automatic updater as a background process, Google now has added the option ““ Let me check for updates myself under the Preferences tab. Also, the Updater runs only periodically as per the Windows Task Scheduler.

To run the task scheduler, click Start – All Programs – Accessories – System Tools – Scheduled Tasks.

The default interval for Updates is to connect to Google’s servers once an hour. It will stop running after it checks for updates. You can change the schedule double clicking on the Google Software Updater and setting a new time in the Schedule Tab.

But as Google says, if the Updater or the Task scheduler is seen to be not working properly then Google Update resumes its automatic behavior. I am also not sure whether a new install of a Google app affect the user set update time.

The Google Updater can also be configured to update either all software in the Google Pack or only software developed by Google. And if you no longer use any Google apps, it uninstalls itself.

Manage Updates using the Group Policy Editor

In mid-May, Google explained how the Google Update could be customized (set update periods or disable it) for enterprise users using the Group Policy Editor (gpedit.msc) using an imported administrative template. Power users can check out the detailed instructions given in the help.

Most software these days feature automatic updates. The need to keep applications updated is vital to plug malware attacks and remove bugs. But many users voice that there is no need to check for updates so frequently. If your voice is one of them then these methods would help in “˜caging the little beast’.

Do you agree with the concerns or do you feel that automatic updates are the way to go? Let us know in the comments.

How to Stop Annoying “Restart” Prompt after Windows Updates

Tim Watson — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 15:00:46 +0000

Windows users can find many things to complain about, but in my opinion, the absolute worst “feature” of Windows XP is the Nagging Restart Dialog. In 2008, Mark showed you how to disable the Windows restart prompt temporarily. I’ll extend on that and make it even simpler for future use.

I’m sure you’ve had to deal with this; It pops up every ten minutes after a major system update. Fortunately, it can be turned off. I’m going to help you to create a shortcut that will turn this nag off when double-clicked.

So, how to stop automatic updates from restarting your PC

Step 1

Your first step is to open Notepad. (Start > Run > “Notepad” > OK)

In Notepad, just type the command “net stop wuauserv” (no quotes, as in above). Then close the window, and select “Yes” to save changes.

Step 2

What we’re doing is creating an executable batch file which will run a command when double-clicked, to stop the Windows Automatic Updates Service. Make sure that your “Save as type” is set to “All Files“ so that you don’t accidently create a text file. Save your file with an extension of “.bat“

Step 3

This cute little batch file is what you’re left with.

When Windows starts nagging you to restart, just double click this to run it and stop the service. You won’t be bothered again. The service will restart when you reboot, which is needed to install the updates in the first place.

Is there anything that Windows does that annoys you? Maybe we can find a fix for it. Are yu awrae of any easier way to stop automatic updates from restarting your Windows. Please give us some ideas in the comments.

Think it’s time to update your PC? Varun will teach you 5 Ways To Update Your Windows Operating System.

How To Save & Share Software Updates on Mac

Jeffry Thurana — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 17:00:21 +0000

Nobody could find the word “perfect” in the dictionary of the software development world. On the opposite side, “updates” is the one of the most frequently used words; along with bugs, fixes, and upgrades.

Keeping up with the constant updates is an art in itself. Not everybody has the time nor the willingness to do that. That’s why most modern software and operating systems have the automatic-updates feature built in.

Mac OS X is no exception.

Software Update Settings

Mac OS X uses an application called Software Update to help keep users up to date with all Apple-related updates. This app is located in the Apple Menu.

By default, Software Update will regularly check the updates in the background. But the settings can be changed via System Preferences –> Software Updates

After the Software Updates Preferences window opens, choose the “Scheduled Check” tab.

Users can also check all the updates that have been installed in the past from the “Installed Updates” tab.

Everything is set to run automatically, from checking to the installing. With user’s permission, Software Updates will acquire the files, install them, and get out of the sight. But the minimal user participation might not fit everyone’s preference.

The Missing Updates

From my low-speed internet connection point of view, most of the updates downloaded from Apple are enormously huge. Some files could go above a hundred megabytes. The thought of having to re-downloading them again gives me major goosebumps.

But it seems that after the installation process, all the downloaded files are nowhere to be found. It means that under this condition, if a person who owns (or manages) several Macs wants update OS X, he/she has to download all of the updates in each and every machine. Wow.

Editor’s note: You may also find some software update packages in /Library/Receipts/

I’m sure that there are a lot of Mac users who would like to backup the updates to be reused later – or to be installed on other machine(s) – but don’t know how.

There’s an easy way to do just that.

Saving the Updates

In the updating process, right after the Software Update window has opened, do not click the “Install X Item(s)” below. Instead, click on the Update menu and choose “Download Only”. Then, continue with the updating process.

After the download is done, you can choose to install the update packages or just close the Software Update window.

Either way, the downloaded packages are stored in the Download folder.

Using this method, me and my fellow Mac users with crawling internet connections could collect and share updates. We can save time, bandwidth, and money; while strengthening the bonds among members of the community.

As always, share your thoughts, opinions and experiences in the comment below. And don’t forget to check out other MakeUseOf articles about software updates.

5 Quick Steps to Manage Software Updates with SUMo

Tina Sieber — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 15:00:19 +0000

When you open a program to work with it, do you have the nerve to download and install an available update first? I didn’t think so. But will you do it after you’re done? Probably not.

Keeping all of your software up to date is essential for several reasons. Updates typically address security, compatibility or internal issues; as Karl has pointed out. So it’s in your best interest to keep all your software in top shape. However, if you are a download junkie and you have over 100 programs installed, that’s a tedious task. Fortunately, there are tools available that will make your job so much easier.

SUMo, which stands for Software Updates Monitor, is such a tool. It’s small, lightweight and fast. You can run SUMo to automatically detect installed software and check for updates or patches.

There are five quick steps to secure a top notch system when it comes to software updates:

1. Schedule SUMo

To benefit from SUMo, you must make sure that you will actually use it. Hence, schedule the program to pop up in regular intervals, say once a week.

Tim recently explained how to Run Programs Automatically Using Windows Task Scheduler.

Pick a time when you will likely have the time and patience for this task, and don’t forget to test whether your scheduled task works properly.

2. Scan Your System With SUMo

When SUMo pops up for the first time, hit the Scan button, so that SUMo can detect installed software. On my system, it recognized 130+ products within 5 seconds. You can re-scan anytime, but SUMo will remember previous scans and will load that list the next time you use it.

3. Check Software with SUMo

Now, hit the Check button and come back in 3 to 5 minutes to see which software requires your attention. In my case, SUMo reported a baffling 60+ available updates. I’ve clearly been slacking off on software updates…

A green checkmark is a good sign indicating that the software is up to date. A yellow star means a minor update is available. You definitely have to act on the warning triangle for major updates.

4. Get Updates

You can sort the results by Update, mark all programs you would like to update and hit the Get Update button. For each piece of software, SUMo will open a website that breaks down all recent updates from the latest available down to your version or even older ones, including percentages of how many people use these versions.

Beta releases are marked and most popular installs are highlighted in green. This information will eventually help you make a final decision whether you really need this update.

5. Find and Download Updates

Yes, you still have to manually download and install the updates yourself. But it’s fast and painless. Use one of the suggested file hosts or search Google. For standard software like Skype, you should instantly find the relevant update and in a jiffy and you no longer have to worry about bugs or security holes.

If done regularly, the amount of software that turns up with major updates will remain low and easily manageable. It’s only tough the first time you do it — that’s if you’ve been as lazy as me and that’s an accomplishment.

Are you a responsible and thorough software updater or could you care less? What is your strategy? Let me know in the comments.

Image credits: iprole

Download Junkies, Update Your System With RadarSync

Tim Watson — Fri, 29 May 2009 21:00:41 +0000

So, your Start Menu is a mile long, your Add/Remove Programs control panel takes a week to load, and your spouse is getting more annoyed with each successive “new thing” that pops up in the System Tray. Admit it. You’re a download junkie. I know that I am, and that I like to keep everything up to date as much as possible. True geeks stay on the bleeding edge. That’s where this new tool, RadarSync, comes in.

First, RadarSync scans your Windows system for programs which may need updating. It did not take long, even on a large, installation-heavy system like mine. I was pleasantly surprised by the number of programs the scanner recognized, including system drivers. Once the scan results appeared, I had the opportunity to select which updates to download. Alternately, I had the option to save the list as a software “pack” using RadarSync’s Packzoola service, which is free, for later use. Think of Packzoola packs as custom playlists for software which can be shared. You may view my example pack here.

With two clicks, you can download the installer files for all of your updates. RadarSync states that these updates come directly from the programs’ official servers. The installers are stored in a folder under My Documents, and can be launched or deleted from RadarSync’s interface.

You even will get a pop-up notice when the installer is available and will be prompted to create a System Restore point. By default, the installers are deleted after 30 days, which can be changed. For the security-conscious, RadarSync has a privacy policy.

RadarSync makes for a quick and easy way to update Windows programs and system files. You may download it here. It’s compatible with Windows XP and Vista on both 32 & 64-bit platforms.

For variety, here are five more ways to update Windows.

How do you go about updating every piece of application on your computer? Feel free to leave us comments.