56 MAXIMUMPC | MAY 08 | http://www.maximumpc.com
SOFTY
AWARDS
Ripping DVDs used to be a major
hassle. It took ages and required
pricey software—and at the end
of three hours of work you may or
may not have created a fi le that
played properly. AutoGK (along
with cheap multicore systems) has
changed that.
AutoGK works its mojo by
corralling a motley collection of
utilities into a cohesive package.
One app extracts the video from
the VOB fi le, one syncs the audio
with the video, and yet anotherrecompresses the video down
to a fraction of its original size.
While this might seem complex,
AutoGK makes it simple enough
that any user can rip a disc.
Still, hidden away in a secret
menu (press Ctrl+F9 to access
it) there’s a whole host of
power-user-friendly options just
waiting to be tweaked. That’s
what the Softys are all about!
Free, http://www.autogk.me.ukAutoGK
Ripping DVDs can be fast, easy,
and free!Favorites of the Future?
Will these three apps be top dogs when final versions are released?Quick DVD-to-DivX rips are great, but the pow-
er-user features are what really get us excited.UTORRENT
It’s not that we’re unhappy with the cur-
rent version of uTorrent. The program
has proven itself to be one of the top-
notch apps in our downloading arsenal.
Its scheduling and automated features
make pulling fi les across the Internet a
breeze, and the app makes nary a dent
in our system resources.
Still, uTorrent can only get better with
the coming upgrade to the BitTorrent
protocol that runs underneath this amaz-
ing bit of software. BitTorrent developers
are currently at work on a new encryption
method to thwart the bandwidth throttling
methods of a number of popular Internet
service providers—Comcast included!
http://www.utorrent.comTRILLIAN ASTRA
Long ago, Trillian was our favorite
instant messaging client, until Pidgin
displaced it. Now we think it might
be time to revisit our earlier fl ame,
given what we know of Trillian Astra
and its IM-anywhere design. In
addition to serving as a traditional
desktop client for both Mac and PC
platforms, Astra comes in a browser-
friendly version that works anywhere.
All your relevant info syncs across
platforms and machines, so all you
need to do is log in to Astra, and
everything from your AIM, MSN, and
Google Talk settings to your buddy
icon will be there at the ready.
http://www.trillianastra.comFIREFOX 3
We’re anxiously awaiting the release
of Firefox 3—currently in beta—for
a number of reasons. The nascent
browser includes some truly revolu-
tionary features. For one, it super-
charges the traditional bookmark
paradigm, storing your bookmarks
in an easily searchable database
that’s integrated with the rest of the
browser’s search features. Firefox 3’s
renderer seems to be speedier than it
was in Firefox 2, too. Of course, all the
improvements will be for naught if the
development team can’t squash the
memory leaks that presently plague
the Deuce. For now, we’re hopeful.
http://www.firefox.com