Who doesn’t want a speedy computer? We all do. And most of us have had spent our times and energies in optimizing our computers so as to increase its speed. Now how do we know whether our efforts have made an impact or not, were they fruitful or not?

Well, the solution is simple- Download a free benchmark testing software which will judge your performance in an objective unbiased manner and whenever you make any changes to your computer, you will be able to see how much it has affected your computer’s performance.

Here’s a quick review of some great free benchmarking software products to help you:

1. SuperPi

This is how it works- SuperPi is able to calculate the value of pi up to 32 million digits after the decimal point and that is what it makes the processor of your computer do. It now tracks how quickly this calculation is terminated by the processor.

This software is extremely useful if you are willing to know the speed of your processor, but it does not track the speed of other components of the computer. So if you want an overall judgment, then better go for something else, but if your focus in on your processor’s speed the SuperPi is one of the best!

2. 3DMark 06 / PCMark 05

3DMark and PCMark are popular computer benchmarks by Futuremark, a software company which has been offering great variety of benchmarks, since long. Although, the latest versions of 3DMark and PCMark aren’t available for free, but you can always go for the older versions which can be used unlimitedly without you having to pay a buck.

However, the free versions come with limited options, which you will have to deal with. One thing which you should know is that Futuremark’s benchmarks are very high, and so it is possible that your computer, which you assume to work on rocket speed, still achieves a low score. These are usually used to analyze the gaming performance.

3. Novabench

Novabench is free benchmark testing software which can gauge different aspects of computer efficiency. Now here’s why novabench stands out as an all rounder- It tests processing speed, 2D graphics performance and also the hard disk read/write performance. In addition to all this, Novabench also tests the multimedia and graphics performance. So, Novabench makes one good, well-rounded benchmarking software.

4. SiSoft Sandra

Sandra is an abbreviation for ‘System Analyzer, Diagnostic and Reporting Assistant’. This fully-featured benchmark suite is preferred by those who are interested in a detailed analysis of the inner working of their computer.

Even the free version of SiSoft Sandra offers you so many benchmarking tests, that you will have fun exploring various aspects of your computer, which you might have never thought about. The unique feature of Sandra is that it provides comparisons and references to let you have a better idea of what an upgrade can do and what not.

5. Fraps

Undoubtedly, the most popular and one of the best gaming benchmarks in the computer world, FRAPS is a non-synthetic benchmark. FRAPS does not judge your computer based on a series of tests which most other benchmarks use rather it records the actual performance of your computer.

One of the most popular free gaming benchmarks in existence, FRAPS is different from all of the other free benchmark testing software on this list because it is the only non-synthetic benchmark. This is done by recording how many frames per second the compuer can produce while gaming. And the good news is that FRAPS benchmarking fuction is absolutely free!

How to choose?

Choose a benchmark which suits your requirements the best. Don’t go for jazzy things until and unless you need them. For example if your primary concern is processor speed, then go for SuperPi, or if you are a gaming freak you can try 3Dmark. Work out your options likewise, and make the right choice. Have fun benchmarking!

Mozilla gives a good platform to a number of applications which depend some or the other of its aspects in terms of its native technology. I am listing here some useful applications which you can download free of cost from the net and bring them to your advantage:

1. Boxee

This customizable application organizes your media i.e music, videos and pictures and makes it convenient for you to navigate through them through media remote controls. What’s interesting is that if you have an iPhone of iPod, you can actually turn it into a remote control for your Boxee set-up, just by easy installation of an app. Boxee is certainly a new way to enjoy entertainment!

2. Buzzbird

This is a wonderful desktop client for those who cannot spend a day without Twitter. It provides you all necessary features which are needed to communicate with your Twitter friends and followers. Buzz bird lets you do all- browsing through profiles, following, unfollowing people and that too without needing to open any external Web browser. And all this can be done without having to deal with any sticky advertisement!

3. Celtx

The creators of Celtx originally wanted it to be a screenplay word processor, but it eventually grew into a multitasking suite which can be of great help in film production, and can become and stay as your companion till your project ends. It abides by all the film industry standards of page formatting and offers a number of useful tools for works like storyboarding, shooting schedule arrangements, online collaborating on the script etc. As compared to other similar programs which cost hundreds of dollars, Celtx looks good, not only because it’s free but also because of what it provides to the user.

4. Kompozer

Need some CSS support for your Web design? If yes, Kompozer is just for you. Not only does this Firefox based free program helps you in web designing but it also offers an FTP tool which you can use to upload your pages directly to your server without any hassle.

5. Miro

Miro is a media player specifically designed for High Definition videos. Often, we face troubles while trying to play a video when our video player does not support its format. Miro comes as a trouble shooter and is useful in playing video files in several formats like MPEG, quicktime, WMV, Xvid. Not only this, you’d love it when Miro will come to your aid to download your favorite videos from You Tube and other such sites.

Community contributions are appreciated by the developers of Miro so you can submit your videos which can be featured in the atart page of the program. This magnetic interface will make it a lot more fun for you to browse and view shows that you like.

Are you suspicious about someone hacking your Gmail account? Inspection time! All you have to do is follow 6 quick and easy steps by which you can determine if someone has tried to invade your personal space. So here we go:

Step 1: Check the ‘Last Account Activity’ Section of your inbox

Often neglected, displayed in small font the ‘Last Account Activity’ section lies at the bottom of your Gmail inbox. It witnesses who uses your Gmail account and when. Click on ‘details’.

Step 2: See who has accessed your Gmail account recently

Now, here you’ll find a descriptive table, which will include-

a. The type of access which may be through browser, mobile, POP3 etc.
b. The location from where your account was accessed i.e. the IP address.
c. The time/Date of access

Step 3: Get to know more about the IP addresses that you see

Do you see IP addresses from different countries? If yes, ask yourself if you have been using any 3rd party services which are likely to use your Gmail account because these will certainly be shown in the log. DomainTools is a great site to identify any IP address. This will let you know whether there is really something to worry about or whether what you see is just normal activity.

Step 4: Keep a check on Google Alerts

Google itself keeps a keen eye on your activities and acts as a good monitor. If it finds any activity which is suspicious it will immediately alert you. Whenever such an event occurs, Google advises you to change your password, and that’s what you should do.

Step 5: Sign out all other sessions

It happens at times, that we login from a public computer and then forget to sign out. If you are worried that your account may be hacked due to a similar situation then the first thing you must do is ‘sign out all other sessions’. Though, this is not a remedy for hacked Gmail accounts, yet it can resolve any silly mistakes.

Step 6: Taking action if the account is found to be hacked

First and foremost, and very obvious- Change your password. Now the next thing is to change your security question as soon as possible. Keep some points in mind while choosing the question-

- Make sure that only you know the answer to the question and that no one can easily answer it by doing some easy research. Ex- You must avoid questions like- your mother’s maiden name, your pet’s name, your phone number, or your school etc.

- The question should not be associated with your password in any way.

- When you are in a quest to find the most difficult question for anyone else to answer, please be sure that at least you can recall the answer when needed. Some people even prefer to use complete sentences for better security, but take care to remember your answer.

That’s all that you need to understand the activity log of your Gmail account and to keep a check on any invasions. Hope this helps you to keep the hackers away!

Protecting your privacy is of paramount importance on any social networking site. The new incarnation of Facebook had to face great deal of criticism because people using it felt robbed of their privacy. However, though it still is appealing enough for you to hang on to it and stay in touch with your buddies, while at the same it time it tempts you to navigate through the numerous applications it offers. You should take some time to go through these privacy tips which can prove quite handy for any Facebook user:

1. Use Facebook Lists

“Everyone”, according to Facebook’s own website means the entire internet, not just all face book users. What? You didn’t know that? Well, now you do. So learn to use one of the most underrated tools on Facebook- the list function.

Each post that you share comes with an option where we can choose to make it visible to “Everyone”, “Friends Only” or only some particular lists. You can create a list of selected friends, employees, or co-workers, by using the ‘Edit friends’ option available in the Account tab.

2. Make Yourself Invisible Outside Facebook

Most of the times whatever you mention in your profile is intended to be shared only amongst your Facebook friends and you have no intention of flaunting it publicly. If you do not want your profile to be accessible to non-Facebook users then all you have to do is:

Click on Account –> Click Privacy Settings –> Click Search –> Uncheck Public Search Results option and voila! Your profile is completely protected now.

3. Think Before you “Like”

An option to mask you “likes” is not available on Facebook privacy settings, hence if you like a page, think first, whether you’d be comfortable if strangers network you through that page. For editing your ‘likes’ here’s what you can do:

Click on Account –> Click on ‘Edit Friends’ –> Click on ‘Pages’ on the left hand column –> Remove connection(click on X) of any page that you feel doesn’t suit your requirement.

4. Keep a check on the flow of information to third party applications

Facebook allows its trusted partners to access your personal information. If you have privacy concerns you can manually choose to opt out. Here’s the procedure:

Go to Account –> Click Privacy Settings –> Click Applications and Websites –> Edit Settings for Instant Personalization Pilot Program. This helps you to take charge of your information. You decide how much to share and with whom.

5. See what your friends are letting out

The applications that your friends use might put your privacy at risk, sometimes. Even if you are not the one to actively share your personal information, many applications can access your name, gender, birthday photos and anything that you have made public. This is how you can manage these accounts:

Click on Account –> Go to Privacy Settings –> Click on Applications and Website, and you’ll have a list of things which you can uncheck in case you don’t want it to be shared by an application without your knowledge. Don’t forget to click on ‘Save Changes’, finally.

Keep your privacy intact, feel safe and have a great time socializing!