Avanquest Perfect Image 11 review: A hardware or software conflict can sometimes only be solved with a time consuming reinstall. Taking the plunge and starting again means a long list of software updates have to be performed

One of the great things about the Mac is that virus writers don't seem to have a beef with Apple. Owners of Windows machines are forever having to update virus definitions in order to counter the malicious creations of Microsoft-hating programmers

The Mac OS interface is part of the reason Apple is where it is today. Unlike the competition, Apple prided itself on producing a consistent and highly usable UI. With OS X, part of that has been lost, and we now have a barrage of themes

In Loco Parentis is sold as "safety and anti-grooming software". It's supposed to help you protect your child from unspecified online nasties by monitoring their activity. Once installed, this software sits invisibly on your system

There are any number of USB memory keys that offer to store your data,load your favourite applications and cover any trace of your online activity. However, LogMeIn Ignition (£26 inc. VAT) is something different

Windows Vista may be the most secure Windows to date, but it makes sense to look beyond Microsoft's bundled tools to a more complete third party offering. Malware remains a problem, and today we also face the threat of root kits.

Data Rescue PC is a onestop shop for recovering files from a problematic hard drive, and it boots directly from the disc. Some recovery utilities can cause more damage to your hard drive and files by trying to fix the problem.

We're not sure what to make of Norton 360. On the one hand it offers exceptional value, a three-user license of a program that's basically Norton Internet Security 2007 plus a host of extras - and all this for just £10 more than NIS2007 itself.

A total Windows system crash is every PC user's worst nightmare (don't even mention fried components). Unfortunately, system back-up programs are often unnecessarily complicated and cumbersome to use.

A good Internet security package is easy to use and remain firmly in the background while you use your computer. Various past incarnations of leading packages, such as Norton, have bombarded users with unnecessary pop-ups and warnings

Swift Publisher is a simple desktop publisher for producing printed documents, and the arch rival of Apple's Pages 2.If you're not familiar with Pages or Swift Publisher, think of stripped-down versions of InDesign or QuarkXPress.

Sound Studio is great for recording audio on your Mac, either using the line-in jack or internal mic as the signal source. We have found it particularly good for recording podcasts and conducting interviews over Skype.

Writers have always known that creative inspiration isn't enough; you have to stay organised. Many of us turn to notecards, coloured pens and stickies. Scenes and plotlines are pinned to a wall, and then rearranged.

We've all struggled to find pictures at some point. MediaDex attempts to eliminate this problem. Principally aimed at photo management, but also able to handle other file types including movies, it comes in Standard and Professional varieties

Symantec has long been marketing its Norton Internet Security (NIS) package as a complete security solution, keeping you protected against online threats. Competition from Microsoft and McAfee has persuaded the company that NIS isn't quite complete enough

Windows Vista provides its own free migration tool in Windows Easy Transfer (WET), and in some areas it's very impressive. It's easy to place the software on a USB drive or CD, say, and take it to your XP PC

CA's tool transfers data files, Windows and application settings, but not the apps themselves. You can move data to another networked PC or by using a deferred migration - copying settings to a standalone executable and taking that to the PC you need

If networking your home sounds like a daunting task, a tutorial to explain all the tricky bits for you might seem appealing. Unfortunately, this particular offering from Thomson Skills is more likely to add to your confusion than dispel it

Budget video editing has never had it so good. With the capabilities of an average PC now easily able to cope with the demands of cutting, overlaying and playing back video edits in real time, the competition has really heated up

Programs that turn hard drives into repair disks, such as Micromat's TechTool Protogo, normally come at a princely £120 or so. This is not the case with SubRosaSoft's Das Boot, which can do many of Protogo's tricks for free

Video conversion/backup applications are ten a penny these days, with programs available to suit most budgets. For £30, X-OOM Movie Clone 4 Gold creates perfect copies of your DVDs - if they're not encrypted, that is

Online back-up subscription services are becoming more common, but like car or house insurance, it's a yearly cost that sees little return on investment. Of course, that's until something goes wrong!

Spring Cleaning is a chocolate box of different system administration tools for tidying up your Mac OS. Each year its panels get a new graphical interface and a few more tools are added

Sometimes, trying to explain to someone what you're doing on a computer is impossible. Sometimes it's because the person you're talking to can't understand the difference between left and right

It seems there are as many internet security suites as there are potential threats and each one offers similar defences. So it is with PC-Cillin Internet Security 2007 - you'll find anti-virus, spam filters, anti-spyware and a robust firewall