Windows 10 is a good operating system, but an operating system doesn’t have all the tools that you need to be happy and productive. That’s where the Windows 10 apps come into play. Whether it’s a Windows 10 app from the Windows Store or a desktop app from the manufacturer’s website, these apps can help you perform your tasks. Here are some of the must-have Windows 10 apps.
VCL media player
Since Windows Media Player was removed from Windows, you may now need a media player which allows you to watch DVDs and Video CDs and to play media files like MP4, MOV, MPEG, OFF, AVI and FLAV. The VCL media player is a must-have for these activities. Both the Windows 10 app from the Windows Store and the VLC media player are free programs with similar features. You don’t have to figure out which codex you need, you can just sit back and listen to your music or play your videos. The app will also find all your music and help you organize it.
Notepad++ text editor
Windows 10 comes with Notepad, a very basic text editor, but there are times when you need a little more power and a few more features. Notepad++ is a free desktop app for Windows 10 that performs admirably. Written in C++, it uses pure Win32 API and STL making it small and speedy. This app supports multiple tabs, auto-completion, search-and-replace, and macros. As you can see from the toolbar image below, Notepad++ is not terribly slick to look at, but it gets the job done. You will find similarly-named apps in the Windows Store, but none are as powerful as the Notepad++ desktop app.
Adobe Photoshop Express
There are many apps for touching up and enhancing photos, but Adobe Photoshop Express is one of the best. This free app is available in the Windows Store. It lets you fix photos fast with basic adjustments like crop, straighten, rotate, flip and remove red eye. It also has easy-to-use hue, brightness and white balance sliders. Many borders, frames, and enhancements come free with the app. Others can be purchased with add-on packs. Once you get your photo in perfect condition, it can be shared right from the app to social networks like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
7-Zip file archival
Windows knows how to handle ZIP files and ISO volumes, but it is incapable of reading many of the other compression and archival files. This roadblock is common when working with open-source and other less popular compression formats. 7-Zip can unpack and work with a wide variety of files like TAR, GSIP, DMG, CAB, MSI, RAR and VHD. It is a free Windows desktop app that is well worth having in your arsenal of tools.
Skype for Windows
Skype is one of the most popular video and instant messaging apps. The Skype desktop app comes free with Windows 10 and will help you keep in touch with the world. It includes voice calls, video calls, group video calls, and instant messaging. It allows you to display and share files in video calls. You can also buy Skype credits to call mobile devices and landlines most anywhere in the world.
Flipboard
New aggregators have come and gone but Flipboard remains my favorite. It is available for free in the Windows Store. You can choose the categories that you are interested in, as shown below, and then flip through the pages with a magazine-like interface. The Discover button lets you customize you news sources. You can also easily connect to Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and other social networks.
The Windows 10 app has a live tile that lets you keep your eye on the news as it happens. Flipboard also has push notifications. You can even create your own magazines, building them around any topic or idea.
Wunderlist
Wunderlist is a powerful task management tool. If you like to make to-do lists and/or you need to collaborate with others to get the job done this app, which is free in the Windows Store, will help you get control of your plans and projects. Wunderlist uses the tried-and-true folder management system, so it is easy to use. It is extremely versatile and support deadlines, notes, file attachments and task assignments. Whether you want to simply control your daily tasks or you want to organize a complete project for several people, this app will help keep you on track.
Malwarebytes
This free desktop app can scan your computer for malware that might have been missed by your anti-virus program. It can also remove that malware and repair files that have been damaged. It doesn’t interfere with your antivirus program. Instead, it works right alongside it. Malwarebytes is one of the best anti-malware apps even finding and removing rootkits. The free trial gives you the full version for 14 days which includes malicious website blocking and real-time protection. After that time you can still use the scanner when necessary or you can purchase the premium version for real-time protection and other additional features.
Malwarebytes was previously only available at www.malwarebytes.org. Because scammers were using the .com address for nefarious purposes, the company has now registered the www.malwarebytes.com address as their own. Either address will get you to the same place which is the correct place.
