It may turn out to be true after all that the best things in life are free. Certainly when it comes to software and services designed to make your PC faster, more fun, and easier to use, there’s no shortage of amazing freebies.
Whether you’re looking to speed up boot times, block malware and viruses, manage your media, or work smarter from the road, we’ve got you covered. PCWorld’s editors have scoured the Web, hunted through app markets, and tracked down the best downloads, tools, services, and apps for your computer, your tablet, and your smartphone. Here is our list of the best free stuff of 2011.
To read the related story about each category of free stuff, click the appropriate heading below, or use the contents box to the right.
PC Utilities
DisplayFusion Download | Review
Revo Uninstaller Download | Review
Storage Essentials
Fast Duplicate File Finder Download | Review
TeraCopy Home Download | Review
Social Media Tools
Photo Finds
Mobile Must-Haves
DoubleTwist Player Download | Review
Google Book Search Download | Review
Google Reader Download | Review
Kongregate Arcade Download | Review
Lookout Mobile Security Download | Review
OpenSignalMaps Download | Review
OurGroceries Download | Review
Productivity Tools
LogMeIn Free Download | Review
Online Convert Download | Review
OpenOffice.org Download | Review
Security Freebies
Microsoft Security Essentials 2 Download | Review
Panda USB Vaccine Download | Review
Password Safe Download | Review
Secunia Personal Software Inspector Download | Review
Speed Boosters
Advanced SystemCare Free 3 Download | Review
PC Decrapifier Download | Review
Sandra 2011 Lite Download | Review
Music & Video Managers
Duplicate Music Files Finder Download | Review
Hulu Desktop Download | Review
Flixster for Android Download | Review
Flixster for iOS Download | Review
Freemake Video Downloader Download | Review
You can also consult our alphabetical list of all of the downloads described in our Best Free Stuff package.