What do back-to-school fashion and instant messaging have to do with one
another?
Not much, but as kids across the States flock back to the classroom
decked out in new fall duds (and what's with this whole "vest" thing,
anyway--will cummerbunds be next?), so returns the big kid on the IM
block sporting a host of new features.
Introducing a new ICQ:
http://www.download.com/DD/dl/0,302,0-0817-1-002,00.html
Now, this is no double-decimal-point update; version 99b beta packs in a
couple new features and other smart improvements that stand to give ICQ a
permanent seat at the head of the instant messaging class.
And one more thing: don't miss all the back-to-school resources in this
week's dispatch. We promise: no vests.
Jim Stanley
Senior producer, CNET Download.com
(Unsubscribe instructions are at the bottom of this newsletter.)
__________________________advertisement__________________________________
Enter the Computer-a-Day Giveaway Sweepstakes!
You can win one of 20-plus high-tech products, from an Apple iMac to a
digital camera. The sweepstakes is part of the CNET Back-to-School Buying
Guide. The sweepstakes starts August 11 and ends September 12, 1999.
Click to enter now!
http://www.cnet.com/Sweeps/btsindex.html?tag=ad.cn.0.bts.ddblurb
_________________________________________________________________________
CONTENTS
1. This Week's Top 10 Downloads
2. CNET Exclusives
-Babylon Translators
-Stella 2000
3. The Week in Wares: The Latest and Greatest Software Releases
-Pick of the Week: ICQ 99b beta
-Utilities: Must-Have Updates
-Multimedia & Design: Macromedia Flash 4.0
-Business: EQuip Microsoft Office 2000
-Home & Personal: Journals and Diaries Collection
4. Updates
5. The Week in Reviews
-Feature: 23 Essential Back-to-School Downloads
-Special Report: CNET's Back-to-School Buying Guide
-Feature: Net Auction Nightmares
-First Look: Microsoft FrontPage 2000
-Power Downloader: Summer Movie Madness
6. Gamecenter's GamerX: Multiplayer Games
7. The Emailbag
8. Going Mobile: Downloads for Your Handheld
-Windows CE: Back to School Organizers
-PalmPilot: Palm Multimedia Downloads
9. CNET Builder.com Live!
10. How to Subscribe/Unsubscribe to Our Newsletter
_________________________________________________________________________
1. This Week's Top 10 Downloads
1. ICQ (32-bit) 748,752 downloads
2. Webshots Desktop 157,547 downloads
3. Winamp 135,731 downloads
4. WinZip (32-bit) 115,916 downloads
5. Netzip Classic 72,607 downloads
6. Sonique 69,556 downloads
7. GameMapr 56,582 downloads
8. ICQ (32-bit, without MFC DLLs) 43,571 downloads
9. GoZilla Free 36,442 downloads
10. Windows 98 System Update 33,303 downloads
For more details on CNET Download.com's most popular files, click here:
http://www.download.com/DD/dl/0,302,0-0817-1-005,00.html
_________________________________________________________________________
2. CNET Exclusives:
The Web may be mostly written in the English language, but that doesn't
mean surfers who are not fluent in English can't get good use out of the
bulk of the Web. Equipped with the right BABYLON TRANSLATOR, you can find
out exactly what words on English-language Web sites mean in a host of
different languages:
http://www.download.com/DD/dl/0,302,0-0817-1-006,00.html
Explore the night sky with STELLA 2000, a desktop astronomy suite that
sports a full-featured planetarium and sophisticated searching of
planets, comets, DSOs, and more than 15,500 stars:
http://www.download.com/DD/dl/0,302,0-0817-1-007,00.html
_________________________________________________________________________
3. The Week in Wares: The Latest and Greatest Software Releases
-->PICK OF THE WEEK:
ICQ 99B BETA
File size: 5MB
License: Freeware
Minimum requirements: Windows 95/98/NT
What's the most robust instant messenger out there? ICQ still reigns
supreme. The latest version of the ubiquitous instant messenger now packs
several new features, including a new ActiveList that lets you create or
join ICQ communities based on your interests, improved email-handling
with added support for multiple email accounts, and more. In addition,
the new "E-ICQ" feature lets you join interest groups and receive related
information directly in your Contact List. Improved flower power:
http://www.download.com/DD/dl/0,302,0-0817-1-008,00.html
After the download, head over to our ICQ Topic Center:
http://www.download.com/DD/dl/0,302,0-0817-1-009,00.html
In need of ICQ tips? Find a wealth of 'em in our ICQ Help Center:
http://www.download.com/DD/dl/0,302,0-0817-1-010,00.html
Find all of our latest picks here:
http://www.download.com/DD/dl/0,302,0-0817-1-012,00.html
-->IN UTILITIES:
MUST-HAVE UPDATES
Worried about keeping your PC and its files in tip-top shape? Then equip
yourself with this collection of upgrades to some of our favorite
utilities, both small and large:
http://www.download.com/DD/dl/0,302,0-0817-1-013,00.html
Find all the latest utilities here:
http://www.download.com/DD/dl/0,302,0-0817-1-014,00.html
-->MULTIMEDIA & DESIGN:
MACROMEDIA FLASH 4.0
File Size: 10.3MB
License: Demo ($269)
Minimum Requirements: Windows 95/98/NT 4.0, 24MB RAM
Web designers: the long-awaited update for Macromedia's authoring tool
for Flash content is here! In addition to offering the latest
vector-based Web graphics and animation tools, Flash 4 now supports
streaming MP3 audio, includes new field entry forms for expanded
interactivity, and improves export capabilities with a new, one-step
Publish command. If the Web is your game, then Flash 4 is the name:
http://www.download.com/DD/dl/0,302,0-0817-1-018,00.html
Find all the latest multimedia & design software here:
http://www.download.com/DD/dl/0,302,0-0817-1-019,00.html
-->BUSINESS:
EQUIP MICROSOFT OFFICE 2000
Want to make MS Office 2000 be all it can be? This collection of
enhancements includes downloads that will add sounds, macros,
troubleshooting tools, customizable alerts, and more to MS Office 2000.
http://www.download.com/DD/dl/0,302,0-0817-1-020,00.html
Find all the latest business software here:
http://www.download.com/DD/dl/0,302,0-0817-1-021,00.html
-->HOME & PERSONAL:
JOURNALS AND DIARIES COLLECTION
Writing in a journal is good for your memory as well as good for your
soul, and it has never been easier to keep a journal organized, safe, and
interesting. Journals and Diary programs can illustrate your memory with
multimedia, keep your thoughts private, and easily reference your notes.
Here are some of our favorites:
http://www.download.com/DD/dl/0,302,0-0817-1-022,00.html
Find all the latest home & personal software here:
http://www.download.com/DD/dl/0,302,0-0817-1-023,00.html
__________________________advertisement__________________________________
BIG BLUE'S BEST @ egghead.com: Via Voice 98 - $29.95
IBM's most powerful continuous speech software, ViaVoice 98 Executive
Edition, is an ideal PC enhancement for Eggheads of all types. The
Perfect Back-to-School GIFT!
http://www.download.com/Digdispatch/egghead.html?dd.dl.p.0817.24
_________________________________________________________________________
4. Updates & Drivers: Stay on Top of Bug Fixes and New Features
-->In Internet:
Go Network Express Search 2.0
http://www.download.com/DD/dl/0,302,0-0817-1-025,00.html
WinRoute Pro 4.0
http://www.download.com/DD/dl/0,302,0-0817-1-026,00.html
-->In Multimedia & Design:
Microsoft Windows Media Player 6.4
http://www.download.com/DD/dl/0,302,0-0817-1-027,00.html
Paint Shop Pro 6.0 beta 5
http://www.download.com/DD/dl/0,302,0-0817-1-028,00.html
-->In Games:
Half-Life Update 1.0.1.0
http://www.download.com/DD/dl/0,302,0-0817-1-029,00.html
PetWings 1.0
http://www.download.com/DD/dl/0,302,0-0817-1-030,00.html
-->In PalmPilot:
PocketSat 1.5:
http://www.download.com/DD/dl/0,302,0-0817-1-031,00.html
My Little Buddy 2.58
http://www.download.com/DD/dl/0,302,0-0817-1-032,00.html
-->In Windows CE:
TascalWPC (CE handheld, SH-3) 0.32:
http://www.download.com/DD/dl/0,302,0-0817-1-033,00.html
TascalWPC (CE handheld, MIPS) 0.32:
http://www.download.com/DD/dl/0,302,0-0817-1-034,00.html
_________________________________________________________________________
5. The Week in Reviews
Feature: 23 Essential Back-to-School Downloads
Oh, rats! Summer's almost over. That means we have to put away the beach
balls and get ready for--blech!--school. Don't despair, we can help you
make the transition from leisure to lecture. Our downloader's guide is
packed with 23 programs that will keep you connected, manage your money,
organize your schedule, and more.
http://www.download.com/DD/dl/0,302,0-0817-1-036,00.html
Special Report: CNET's Back-to-School Buying Guide
Summer's drawing to a close, and the fall line of Trapper Keepers is
previewing at your neighborhood drugstore. You've stocked up on No. 2
pencils, but what about high-tech school supplies? Let our back-to-school
shopping guide help you find the perfect hardware, software, and gadgets
for students of any age.
http://www.download.com/DD/dl/0,302,0-0817-1-039,00.html
Then, you can enter the Computer-A-Day sweepstakes to win these hot tech
products. The sweepstakes is running from August 11, 1999 through
September 12, 1999. That gives you 33 chances to win! Click here now to
enter.
http://www.cnet.com/Sweeps/btsindex.html?tag=dd.pc.txt.mrktxt.swp_cad
Feature: Net Auction Nightmares
In desperate need of a rare Beanie Baby? Just surf to the auction site of
your choice, and chances are you'll find what you're looking for. But if
you start bidding, prepare for the worst: fraud, price fixing, and plain
old bad business. We feature five tales of auction terror, then suggest
the best ways to avoid bidding breakdown.
http://www.download.com/DD/dl/0,302,0-0817-1-035,00.html
First Look: Microsoft FrontPage 2000
Go ahead and call us Bill's toadies, but we don't think you could pick a
smarter WYSIWYG HTML editor than Microsoft FrontPage 2000. It costs a
pretty penny, but you get what you pay for: a smart, sophisticated Web
design program that blows clunky FrontPage 98 out of the water.
http://www.download.com/DD/dl/0,302,0-0817-1-037,00.html
Power Downloader: Summer Movie Madness
This summer's crop of blockbusters has kept Power Downloader mighty busy.
>From the black-leather cool of "The Matrix" to the white-knuckle chills
of that indie shocker, "The Blair Witch Project," our hero's been in
cinematic heaven--so much so, in fact, that he refuses to let the fun end
in the theater. This week our caped crusader scouted out screensavers for
his favorite summer blockbusters. Do they measure up to the flicks
themselves? Read on for the scoop.
http://www.download.com/DD/dl/0,302,0-0817-1-038,00.html
_________________________________________________________________________
6. Gamecenter's GamerX goes multiplayer after school!
Multiplayer games have sure changed throughout the years and the changes
have definitely been for the better. For most gamers, "the good old days"
meant coming home from school, sitting in front of the Atari 2600, and
playing a challenging game of tank battle with the next door neighbor.
Now we have the option of playing 3D shooters with our battle-buddies in
Japan. To celebrate not doing homework, GamerX has put together a list of
multiplayer favorites stretching from Doom to online Tetris clones. So
put your books down and get ready for battle!
http://www.download.com/DD/dl/0,302,0-0817-1-041,00.html
Don't forget to check out Gamecenter's Online Gaming Guide
http://www.download.com/DD/dl/0,302,0-0817-1-042,00.html
Find all the latest PC games here:
http://www.download.com/DD/dl/0,302,0-0817-1-043,00.html
_________________________________________________________________________
7. The Emailbag
>Haven't you got any decent screensavers? Most of the ones you advise us
>about are either gory, violent, or distasteful. How about a Walt Disney
>screensaver? Or a Toys-R-Us screensaver? Or Nature? Or skydiving? Or
>skiing? Or seas? Or ships? Hope these suggestions are sufficient to
>inspire you.
CNET Download.com responds:
Hi Wendy, with the amount of violence and gore in the world today, we can
understand why you might not want constant reminders of the seamy side of
life floating around your desktop. But don't give up hope yet! We have
quite an extensive screensaver library over here at CNET Download.com,
including a variety of "G-rated" screensavers. Check 'em out:
http://www.download.com/DD/dl/0,302,0-0817-1-044,00.html
Check out our entire collection of screensavers:
http://www.download.com/DD/dl/0,302,0-0817-1-045,00.html
Got a question about downloading? Send it on to comments@download.com
_________________________________________________________________________
8. Going Mobile: Downloads for Your Handheld
-->In WINDOWS CE:
BACK TO SCHOOL ORGANIZERS
Calling all students! Start off the school year on the right foot with
this collection of handy organizational programs. Keep track of school
work, phone numbers, ID numbers, and much more:
http://www.download.com/DD/dl/0,302,0-0817-1-046,00.html
Find the latest Windows CE software here:
http://www.download.com/DD/dl/0,302,0-0817-1-047,00.html
-->In PALMPILOT:
PALM MULTIMEDIA DOWNLOADS
Is graphics your game? A range of cool tools is available for
Palm-equipped multimedia heads. Check out this collection of wares
designed for a variety of multimedia functions:
http://www.download.com/DD/dl/0,302,0-0817-1-048,00.html
Find the latest PalmPilot software here:
http://www.download.com/DD/dl/0,302,0-0817-1-049,00.html
_________________________________________________________________________
9. CNET Builder.com Live!
Don't miss the Web-building event of the year: CNET Builder.com Live!
December 7-11, 1999 at the New Orleans Marriott. Your entire Web
development team will benefit from high-level tips on designing,
developing, producing, and maintaining Internet and intranet sites! Check
out the CNET Builder.com Live! preliminary schedule at:
http://www.download.com/DD/dl/0,302,0-0817-1-050,00.html
Mention the Priority Code "DNLD" and save $200 when you register at:
http://www.download.com/DD/dl/0,302,0-0817-1-051,00.html
_________________________________________________________________________
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*And you thought "The Blair Witch Project" was creepy. On this day in
1590, John White, governor of the Roanoke Island colony, returned from
a supply trip to find that every single colonist had mysteriously
disappeared without a trace. They were never found.*
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