The best just keep getting better, and in the case of Painter 11, it even got a little faster, too. In this newest version of...

Watch webcast presentations and videos from industry thought leaders on today's most important business and technology topics. For free

There are many ways programs can try to get your attention in Mac OS X. They can place a small badge on their Dock icon;...

Watch webcast presentations and videos from industry thought leaders on today's most important business and technology topics. For free

F-Secure's suite has decent detection and a clear, informative interface, but other security packages offer stronger protection.

Easy to use ; Online detection feature

Slow scan speed ; Average malware detection

F-Secure's Internet Security 2009 did an okay job at detecting malware, and it's a generally easy-to-use application. But when it comes to keeping your computer safe, you'll want better than just okay

The strong Norton security suite costs a little more, but it's easy to use and good at blocking malicious software.

Smooth interface ; Strong malware detection

Pricey ; No backup feature

Symantec Norton Internet Security 2009 remains a strong, well-balanced security suite--and its upgrades this year make it even better. Users angling for the absolute best malware detection, or people who need backup functions in their suite, might ...

Trend Micro's suite fails at the most basic task of detecting and blocking malicious software. Not recommended.

Easy to use ; Good at removing infections

Terrible at blocking malware

Trend Micro's suite has some good points, but there's no getting around the fact that Internet Security Pro 2009 fails at detecting malicious software, and therefore fails as a security program. We cannot recommend buying it

Adobe's latest version of InCopy, the companion program to InDesign that lets writers and editors work on a document...

InCopy CS4 addresses a major omission in previous versions by adding the ability to edit and track changes in tables. That alone makes this new version worth serious consideration by anyone who works with tables. Add to that the conditional-text and ...

Support for multiple-page documents (at last) and lots of improvements make this a worthy upgrade.

New support for multiple-page documents ; Works well with other Adobe apps

Pricey ; Lacks tools for creating business graphics

Speaking of CorelDraw, it still has a simpler interface and more tools for creating business graphics, and it's $170 cheaper. But Illustrator is the superior tool for creative pros--particularly those who also use Adobe's Photoshop--and this new ...

Hands off the keyboard (mostly): Dragon lets you send e-mail, dictate reports, and move around the Web and your desktop--all by voice.

Impressive accuracy out of the box ; Voice commands are more natural than in the past

Pricey ; Correction mechanism can become tedious

The Professional version costs a whopping $900. If you can do without the natural commands in Microsoft Outlook and the network administration tools, however, consider one of its less expensive siblings: NaturallySpeaking Standard for $100 or the ...

Photoshop users may take a while to move to the new 64-bit version of Photoshop CS4, but it's an important development; meanwhile, CS4 offers plenty of other significant upgrades to keep 32-bit users happy.

64-bit version is a boon to designers ; OpenGL rendering brings many benefits

Cannot allocate RAM dynamically ; Online capabilities still pretty limited

I expect that most Photoshop CS4 owners will continue to run it in its 32-bit form, but over time more people will transition to the 64-bit version, especially as RAM limitations become more imposing. I wish that Adobe would offer 64-bit versions of ...

With its attractive new image-editing features and its expansion into online photo sharing, Photoshop Elements 7 is a worthy upgrade.

Handy new editing tools and Web functionality ; Photoshop.com offers tutorials and tips

Editing levels can be clunky

For anyone seeking a combination image editor and organizer that doesn't break the bank, Photoshop Elements 7 is a powerful contender. The program's new online components permit you to do more from within a familiar interface, and its new tools alone ...