There are times in life when we simply need to a break from the ordinary. Home might be great, but every now and again, you need to get out and see the world. That is exactly what today’s Showdown is all about. So join us as we look at some of the best apps, services, and online book depositories the world has to offer. We begin our journey in Canada.

App #1: Shopify

Website: http://www.shopify.com/
Developer: JadedPixel Inc.
Country of Origin: Canada
Specialty: Web store construction
First Impression: “Well, it certainly looks interesting…”

App #2: YubNub

Website: http://yubnub.org/
Developer: Jon Aquino
Country of Origin: Canada
Specialty: A “social command line”
First Impression: “I am not familiar with the thing that I am seeing.”

App #3: Zapr

Website: https://www.zapr.com/index.aspx
Developer: Zapr
Country of Origin: Australia
Specialty: Simple file sharing
First Impression: “Neat. Do I have to download something, or is all of this done from their website?”

App #4: Pixenate

Website: http://pixenate.com/
Developer: Sxoop Technologies
Country of Origin: Ireland
Specialty: Image editor
First Impression: “Ooooh … free hand drawing. I can draw a shaky line onto a mountain!”

App #5: Trexy

Website: http://trexy.com/
Developer: Trexy Limited
Country of Origin: United Kingdom
Specialty: Um … We’re not exactly sure at the moment…
First Impression: “What is this? Did Rudolph switch to Linux or something?”

App #6: Zlio

Website: http://www.zlio.com/
Developer: Zlio Inc.
Country of Origin: France
Specialty: Web store creator
First Impression: “Wait… You don’t even sell your own products? That’s weird…”

App #7: InternationellaBiblioteket.se

Website: http://www.interbib.se/default.asp?id=13552
Developer: The city of Stockholm, among other governmental agencies
Country of Origin: Sweden
Specialty: social network/library database
First Impression: “So … Want to borrow a book from the Stockholm Public Library system?”
Second Impressions: “It seems as if I can also go to the Diet Library of Japan, get a Swedish driver’s license, or visit the Nordic Institute of Asian Studies. This should definitely be interesting…”

App #8: Telesa.tv

Website: http://telesa.tv/
Developer: Telesa
Country of Origin: Russia
Specialty: Original, professionally produced, web-based television programming … in Russian.
First Impression: “Is there any way to switch the language to English? Also, a cartoon angel may be telling me the weather. I have no idea why.”

App #9: The Power of Politics

Website: http://www.powerofpolitics.com/StartNew.aspx
Developer: TPM Games GmbH
Country of Origin: Austria
App Type: Web-based, politically charged strategy game.
First Impression: “So I play as a politician, right? [Pause] Man … I’m going to lose. I’m going to lose bad. As soon as the other players find out how bad I am, they are going to attack me. ‘She’s terrible at this. Let’s bomb her district for fun!’ “

App #10: Aprex

Website: http://www.aprex.com.br/home.php
Developer: Aprex Solutions
Country of Origin: Brazil
Specialty: Office suite/online storage
First Impression: “Now this could be useful.”

…And now, part two of our “date with Rhapsody.” Before we can get the new material, we need to see where we have been.

Website: http://www.rhapsody.com
Developer: RealNetworks
App Type: Music store/audio streaming
The Test: After an astonishing three overtime periods, the Rhapsody player beat the Slacker app in terms of sound quality, three to two. It must be mentioned, however, that the Slacker service has a much bigger back catalog. (More on this later.)

…And with that, we can finally move forward. Enjoy!

The Positives: Starting at one and working towards three…

1. You would be surprised how handy having an “entire library of music in your pocket” can be.
2. The entire “streaming” process is incredibly smooth and pain free. Just click on the song you want and away you go.
3. Discovering new music is a breeze. Thanks to Rhapsody, I found myself listening to bands and tracks that I haven’t heard from in years, such as experimental rock band Self and the undisputed king of “Avant-garde bubblegum” himself, Todd Rundgren.

Of course, every list of positives has to be accompanied by a list of negatives. From the top:

1. The library itself is rather “incomplete,” shall we say. I find it interesting that Rhapsody has music by little-known, Southern gospel tinged, jam band Sweet Vine but has a grand total of five songs from the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Not five albums, mind you. Five songs. I understand the “limitations” put upon services like this by record labels and whatnot, but that is borderline ridiculous.
2. How much would you pay for an app such as this? Five dollars a month? Seven? According to the fine folks at RealNetworks, the “correct” price for the Rhapsody service is a whopping fifteen dollars a month. I really am enjoying myself, but not that much.
3. According to Rhapsody, every soundtrack, film score, and multiple-musician live album was actually produced by a band called “Various Artists.” No other names are listed. That little “omission” gets to be extremely annoying, especially when you find yourself digging through some little known compilation album looking for your favorite band or artist.
4. I like it when radio stations, both traditional and otherwise, throw the listener a proverbial “curve ball” and play something a bit unexpected. Rhapsody Radio, on the other hand, abuses the privilege on a fairly regular basis. The “Soft Sounds” station, for example, featured terminally depressed new wave band The Cure, southern folk super group The Thorns, and Neil Sedaka all in a row. I like being “challenged,” but that is, once again, ridiculous.

Final Thoughts: Despite my initial misgivings, I really did enjoy using Rhapsody. That said, there are still a few “kinks” that need to be ironed out before it can be considered an alternative to iTunes or Slacker. Fix those “issues,” and then we’ll talk.

Overall (out of ten): 6. Great idea; mediocre execution.

…And the Showdown rolls on with the Rhapsody iPhone app.

Website: http://www.amazon.com
Developer: RealNetworks
App Type: Music store/audio streaming
The Test: On today’s Showdown, we will be comparing the quality of the Rhapsody audio steams with that of another popular music service, Slacker. Each song was chosen at random by the Slacker player. With that said, here we go:

Song #1: “If Looks Could Kill” by Camera Obscura

Song Style: An upbeat, albeit extremely sarcastic, 60’s-style pop song, complete with a “Phil Spector“-like “layered sound” and a string section.

Slacker: A nice balance, albeit a tad soft at points. The vocals did sort of “blend” into the background, but that has more to do with the song than with the service.

Rhapsody: The surrounding music seems  to “overpower” the vocals. This is most notable at the end of the track, where the vocals are completely overtaken by both the backing band and the trumpet solo.

Winner: Slacker. So what if it gets a tad “soft” at points? That’s what the volume control is made for.

Song #2: “Don’t Let’s Start” by They Might Be Giants

Song Style: A low budget “geek rock” song recorded in an apartment in Brooklyn … on a four-track … in 1986.

Slacker: This as close to “CD quality” as a streaming service can get. Sure, that isn’t hard considering the song’s production values, but still.

Rhapsody: Identical to the Slacker stream, only with a tad more “volume” backing it up.

Winner: Rhapsody. Sometimes, louder really is better.

Song #3: “Free Fallin’” by Tom Petty

Song Style: It’s a Tom Petty song. If you have heard one, you have heard them all.

Slacker: Not bad overall. While the song itself isn’t necessarily “bass heavy,” a little extra push from the lower end of the spectrum would have be nice. On the plus side, Tom Petty’s vocals are nice and nasal clear, which really does add to things.

Rhapsody: In a strange way, this stream is the “Bizarro” to Slacker’s Superman. The backing track, background vocals, and bass are near perfect, but the vocals are muddled and soft.

Winner: Push. While I prefer the Slacker stream, I can’t in good conscience say that it’s “better.”

Song #4: “P.O.V. Waltz” by Harry Nilsson

Song Style: A lush, densely layered waltz. You will never quite hear the same thing twice.

Slacker: Absolutely no complaints. Everything came through perfectly … or so I thought.

Rhapsody: The layered vocal track is much, much clearer. That alone makes the entire song more enjoyable.

Winner: Rhapsody.

Song #5: “World Shut Your Mouth” by Death Cab for Cutie

Song Style: A cover of the Julian Cope new wave classic. The Death Cab version is noticeably faster than the original.

Note: Since I couldn’t find the cover on either YouTube or Daily Motion, I have decided to link the original version.

Slacker: Muddled and loud. For a straight-ahead rock track such as this one, that is a very good thing. The vocals do blend in to the rest of the track, but it works with the song.

Rhapsody: It’s missing something. I don’t know what that “something” is exactly, but it clearly isn’t there.

Winner: Slacker.

Tie Breaker: “Chasin’ Girls” by The Clarks

Song Style: “Americana rock” in the style of Bruce Springsteen. This particular track is bit more “aggressive” (and sarcastic) than normal.

Slacker: Again, no complaints here.

Rhapsody: The band is a bit louder than the vocals. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, however.

Winner: Push. It all comes down to personal preference.

Tie Breaker #2: “Say It All” by Sondre Lerche

Song Style: This song lies somewhere between jazz-inspired pop and new wave. Think Steely Dan, only not boring. Special attention should also be paid to the unique guitar work found on the track. If a technically proficient metal guitarist took up the acoustic guitar, he would be Sondre Lerche.

Slacker: I wish the bass was a bit louder. Other than that, I really can’t find fault here.

Rhapsody: Virtually identical to the Slacker stream.

Winner: Push. Again.

Tie Breaker #3: “We Gotta Get You a Woman” by Todd Rundgren

Song Style: Layers, distortion, key changes, tempo changes, a general “lo-fi” feel … this track quite literally has everything. If any song will break our stalemate, it will be this one.

Slacker: No complaints. This song is actually perfect for live streaming due to the reasons mentioned above.

Rhapsody: This has a much fuller sound than the Slacker stream.

Winner: Rhapsody.

Overall Winner: Rhapsody, by a nose. In all honesty, to call Rhapsody the clear “winner” in this situation would be a tad disingenuous. If we would have gone through a hundred separate songs, it would have been a fifty-fifty split. We just happened to stop testing while Rhapsody was ahead.

…And there you have it. Come back Monday to see a full, in-depth review of the app itself. Until then, we bid thee a fond adieu. Have a great weekend.

…And our cavalcade of “buzzworthy” apps continues with the Amazon Kindle eBook reader for PC.

Website: http://www.amazon.com
Developer: Amazon
App Type: eReader, in a way
Why It Matters: For the past year or so, the Kindle eReader has been the proverbial toast of the town. It made readers squeal with delight, the Author’s Guild a tad “litigious,” and Amazon as rich as Scrooge McDuck. The PC version, apparently, is meant to be the “iTunes” to the Kindle’s iPod — a handy, easy to use application for the times what you’re “stuck” in front of your computer.
The Twist: I honestly do not get the appeal of these things. Sure, there are some cross sections of people that could really use a device like this (students, tour guides, avid role players who have to lug around rule books), but by in large, it just seems like a waste. My reasons are the following:

1. If I want to read a book, I will pick up a book. It has weight. It has physical depth. It has pages that I can actually touch. It is not a glorified PDF file on a monochrome screen. If I wanted to read something from a screen on the go, I would use my iPhone or my PSP. So what if the screen is smaller? Text is text.
2. When I want to read something (a book, a magazine, etc), I actually want to get away from a screen. I can’t do that with the Kindle. I am physically stuck staring at yet another screen.
3. When If I do something tremendously stupid while reading a book — drop it into the lavatory, spill Pepsi on it, and so on — all I have to do dry off the pages. Worst case scenario is that I ruined a $20 book. When If I do something similarly as boneheaded with the Kindle, I will be out a minimum of $200.
4. My Danny Wallace books don’t run out of batteries. My Danny Wallace eBook, however, would.

All of that said, I am more than willing to change my mind. It will just have to take a lot of convincing. For this test, I will be using three separate books: The Art of War, The Return of Sherlock Holmes, and Oliver Twist. Why did I pick these particular titles? They were free. With that said, here we go:

The Art of War – This is, by far, the nicest PDF that I have ever read. The text is clean and blur free, switching between pages are stupidly simple, and making bookmarks is a snap. That said, it still felt like a PDF. I just cannot get around that.

The Return of Sherlock Holmes – I actually found this one to be easier to read than The Art of War. I have no idea why. It still feels like a classy, high class PDF, however.

Oliver Twist – About the same as Sherlock Holmes. It was easy to read, but … I think you know what my gripes are about now.

Final Thoughts: I honestly can’t say at this point. I need more time playing with it. For now though, I am definitely not a fan. If my mind changes, or if I figure out a way to run traditional PDF files through the “Kindle,” I will definitely let you know.

Due to a combination of the recession and the never-ending love fest between Google and 95% of the press, it might seem as if the once steady stream of innovative products and services has finally dried up. I am here today to report that that is simply not true. Sure, there might not as many new apps and the like out there, but that doesn’t mean they have gone away completely. That’s where we come in. Over the next three days, we will be proudly showcasing apps that are both turning heads and taking names. First on the docket is JAHJAH. It calls people! It outsmarts the “phone company” on a fairly regular basis! It has one of the most cutesy, annoying names out there today! But is it any good? You are about to find out.

Website: http://www.jajah.com
Developer: JAHJAH Inc. (For now, at any rate)
App Type: Voice over IP
Why It Matters: Rumor has it that Google is interested in outright buying the service. That should tell you something.
How It Works: The “JAHJAH” experience is a bit different than what you might be expecting. Unlike Skype and Google Voice, all of the calls are handled directly from the website. After typing the relevant phone numbers — both the person you wish to call and your own home/cell number — you are given the option of either dialing from the web or connecting using a provided telephone number. The latter is apparently designed to eliminate pesky long distance and international calling fees. For the purposes of this Showdown, I will be using both methods.
Dialing from the Web: When I first hit the “dial now” button, I was greeted by an error message that really didn’t make much sense. After staring blankly for a few seconds, I found that it could only be corrected by signing up. After a simple and completely painless registration form, I was ready to give JAH JAH another go. I logged into the site, only to find that the number I that I wanted to dial was nowhere to be found. I did, however, get the opportunity to call the “test” line … three times. After each call, I was asked if I wanted to “add funds” to my account. I chose “no,” as I really don’t have any desire to drop the “Skype/iPhone” combination that I use now. I was then whisked back to the “test call” page for seemingly no reason. I had to dig through the unorganized mess that is JAHJAH’s site in order to find the number that I was looking for. I clicked on the button, only to discover that a totally mediocre phone experience was waiting for me on the other side. The audio was muffled, distant sounding, and had the tendency to “cut out” from time to time.  I hung up, hoping that the “JAHJAH.direct” service would be a bit more rewarding.
JAHJAH.direct: Before I could even start the call, the robotic lady on the other end of the line informed me that I have no money left on my account. I can, however, sign up for “pre-call advertising.” I did and dialed the number, only to find that I have, again, run out of funds. It turns out that the advertising is designed to give users a “refund” at the end of each month. I was running out of both options and patience. As a last ditch effort, I signed up again, this time using a different email address and phone number. It didn’t exactly work out as planned, as I still needed to add a credit card to my account. So I can’t try JAHJAH.direct without paying money. Big deal. I have a whole eight minutes to burn. This could mean only one thing…
Dialing from the Web … To a Skype Phone: That’s right. I used one VoIP service to call another. Did it work? Yes, but the sound quality wasn’t anything to write home about. Oh well. At least I can say that I tried.
Final Thought: While it’s a nice way to avoid international long distance, JAHJAH is just too “pedestrian” to become a full-on “Skype alternative.” Upgrade your systems and redesign your site. Then we’ll talk.
Overall (Out of ten): 6

Come back tomorrow for part two of our three part series. Until then, I bid thee a fond adieu.

…And we’re back! As you might have noticed, we have been a bit “preoccupied” as of late. Because of this, we have let a few “newer” services fall by the wayside. So obviously, there is only one thing that we can do to rectify the situation: Have a Showdown! So sit back, relax, and enjoy this massive, two-day journey through the new and scary.

App #1: Yahoo Meme

Website: http://meme.yahoo.com/home/
Developer: Yahoo
Type: Web service
Speciality: Microblogging
Why We Consider It to Be New: The service itself was released early last August. The API was released yesterday.
First Impression: “It’s cute. Not as cute as Plurk, but cute nonetheless.”
Potential Roadblock: English language users seem to be in short supply at the moment.

App #2: hi5

Website: http://www.hi5.com/
Developer: hi5 Networks
Type: Web service
Speciality: Social network
Why We Consider It to Be New: Hi5 has undergone what some might call a “gimmick change.” Instead of being a straight social network, hi5 now puts much of its focus on casual gaming. (Note: We here at the Free Line hate the terms “casual games” and “casual gaming.” From this point forward, all games of that nature will be referred to as “fidget games.”)
First Impression: “I love me a good fidget game.”
Potential Roadblock: None at the present moment. The Showdown is still young, however.

App #3: CNN Mobile

Website: N/A
Developer: CNN Interactive Group, Inc.
Type: iPhone Application
Speciality: News app
Why We Consider It to Be New: …Because it is. According to the iPhone app store, version 1.0 was released on September 24th. That seems pretty darn new to me…
First Impression: “This … Is (the iPhone-centric, mobile version of) CNN.”
Potential Roadblock: One can only take “so much” of cable news before going completely off of his or her rocker.
Note: I will be judging the app itself, not the reporting that lies therein. The Free Line is roughly 99.995% “politics free,” and I plan on keeping it that way.

App #4: iDrudge

Website: http://www.drudgereport.com (Original site)
Developer: Joseph Nardone
Type: iPhone Application
Speciality: News app
Why We Consider It to Be New: Again, it is. Version 1.2 was released at the beginning of October.
First Impression: “Why did the program close just now?”
Potential Roadblock: The program seems to be a tad “touchy,” as they say.
Note: Remember the disclaimer to the CNN app? The same exact thing applies here. As far as this blog is concerned, the app is everything.

App #5: Photoshop.com Mobile

Website: N/A
Developer: Adobe Systems Incorporated
Type: iPhone Application
Speciality: Photo editor
Why We Consider It to Be New: It’s five-days old.
First Impression: “It’s free?! I wonder what’s wrong with it…”
Potential Roadblock: This isn’t the original “Photoshop” that we’re talking about here. It’s Photoshop.com. Remember our last go around with Photoshop.com? If you do, then you know firsthand why we consider this to be a roadblock.

We’ve teased it. We’ve promised it. And now it’s finally here. Ladies and gentlemen, we here at the Free Line present day three of our “Obscure” Showdown.

App #1: QQ

Website: http://www.imqq.com
Our Original Thoughts, In Synopsis Form: A simple synopsis cannot adequately describe our QQ experience.
QQ, In a Nutshell: Think MSN, only in Chinese and with a cute little penguin mascot accompanying every window and menu. (Hmm … MSN and penguins … Does anyone else find the irony both delicious and absolutely hilarious?)
Oddities: Well, the “dress up” doll, for one. Instead of allowing the user to attach a photo avatar to their account, QQ “forces” them to simply make one. While the basic avatar is free, any sort of “image upgrade”– better hats, more shirts, etc. — will cost you a few dollars yuan. Sadly, we did not have a chance to really experience this part of the program, as English is currently not available at this time. The other major “oddity” lies within the security settings. In addition to the normal set of options, we were given a list of questions we could ask would-be friends. Although most of the choices were pretty straightforward (name, home phone number, cell number), there was one that stuck out like a proverbial sore thumb: our car number. Despite our research, we cannot for the life of us figure out what our “car number” could possibly be. We’re guessing it’s the license plate, but we could be wrong.
Is It Worth Checking Out?: If you have a few contacts in mainland China or if you want something completely different, then yes. Those who are just looking for a good instant messaging program, however, would be better served by something a bit more well known.
Overall: 9 (For anyone who can read Chinese); 7 (For everybody else).

App #2: Lavabit

Website: http://lavabit.com
Our Original Thoughts, In Synopsis Form: It’s the mail service for those who take their privacy very, very seriously.
Our Thoughts Now: It really does seem secure. That said, we “highly suggest” that you avoid the webmail client at all costs.
Avoid the webmail? Why?: Lavabit makes it clear from the get-go that it is designed for Pop3 access. Those who decide to eschew the likes of Windows Mail and and Thunderbird for the webmail option will find a disappointing, stripped-down experience. In fact, the only thing that you can do in it is send and receive basic, barely formatted messages. Everything else is available to Pop3 users only.
Is it worth checking out?: Yes, but again — and we cannot stress this enough — you need to be using an external mail client. The webmail setup really is that bad.
Overall: 7 (For the service as a whole); 2 (For the webmail only.)

App #3: Theora

Website: http://theora.org
Our Original Thoughts, In Synopsis Form: Theora is a free, completely open source codec originally designed to be the “video” version of OGG Vorbis. The name is derived from the Max Headroom character Theora Jones.
Our Thoughts Now: We were unable to find a program that would convert a DVD to Theora. Because of this, we still don’t have much of an opinion on it as a codec.
What?! Nothing worked?: Not necessarily. We were able to convert an episode of Max Headroom from DivX to Theora using the VLC. It was the DVD that gave us trouble.
How was the converted file then?: Honestly, we weren’t able to tell the difference.
Aside from VLC, What would I need to create Theora file?: At the present moment, your best chance lies with a command-line only program called FFmpeg. It’s powerful, but actually using it is like pulling teeth.
Is it worth checking out?: At the present moment, no. Give it a few years.
Overall: 2; It is simply way too hard to convert files and besides, not many hardware platforms support it at the moment.

The following log is true. Nothing has been changed, as there are no innocents to protect.

Part One: Program Setup

12:20 – The official QQ instant messaging program is currently being downloaded. The QQ site seems to be rather slow on the uptake, as they say. The file is currently loading at 35 k/s. A download from a so-called “normal” site will go at least ten times that speed, especially at this time of night.
12:24 – All done … finally. Let’s see what this program has to offer…
12:26 – I am currently being asked my location. I can apparently choose from “work/home,” “Internet cafe/school,” and “other.” I honestly have no idea what “other” could be. Below it sits a window detailing my “security check settings.” I can choose from four different options — “weekly,” “daily,” “at login,” and “never check my security settings.” Since the thoughts of letting an instant messaging program check my security settings scares the living hell out of me makes me a bit nervous, I chose the “never check this ever” option.
12:27 – It is now asking me if I want to make QQ.com my default start page. I think I’ll pass for now.
12:27 – After picking a location for my history folder to reside in, everything began to install.
12:28 – All done! Judging by the “sign in” screen, it seems as if QQ was inspired by Live Messenger. Now let’s get me a user name and profile.

Part Two: Fun With Profiles

12:30 – I am being asked to identify my state/province of origin. Fair enough.
12:30 – …Now it wants to know which city I am in. That’s an odd question to ask, especially since I haven’t even chosen a handle yet.
12:31 – It now is asking me to pick my languages. I can choose up to three. Since QQ doesn’t recognize HTML as an official language, it looks as if I’m going to have to go with the “old standby” — English.
12:31 – The setup is now imploring me to enter a user name. It’s about time you asked! It also wants to know my age and gender. Odd grouping, but I’ll go with it.
12:32 – Typed in my password. According to the text that resides underneath the box, “all numeric passwords under nine characters in length are not allowed.” This raises an important question: who uses a number as a password these days?
12:33 – Everything is filled out and ready to go. Let’s see what happens next.
12:33 – I am being told that I took too long to fill out the form and will have to start all over. Oh bother…
12:34 – I filled out everything again, only to discover that the “sever is busy.” Maybe it’ll work better if I run it in a IE Tab.
12:35 – No luck. Let me try one more time…
12:36 – Now it says that there have been “frequent requests from this IP” and therefore cannot sign up at this time. Before I start crying and throwing things, I’m going to try using the laptop.
12:40 – It’s hopeless. I have tried two different computers and three different browsers, and each time I get an oddball error message. I will try again tomorrow. But before I go…

Part Three: Malware Scan

12:45 – I checked MSConfig to see if anything out of the ordinary is running. It all looks clean thus far.
12:46 – Starting Malwarebytes’ Anti-Malware scan now.
1:02 – According to the scan, everything is fine. That’s good enough for me right now.

…And there you have it. Tune in tomorrow for the final day of our Showdown extravaganza. Until then, we bid thee a fond adieu.

Despite what your friends might be telling you, not everything worth using is a mainstream attention grabber made by Google. Sometimes, the best programs and webapps are the ones that sit just below the surface. That is about to change. On this action packed, two-day edition of the Showdown, we will be giving (yes, ten) of these semi-obscure marvels the patented “Free Line once over”  that you have come to expect. With that said, on with the introductions!

App #1: Evernote

Website: http://www.evernote.com/
Company: Evernote Corporation
Specialty: Note taking
Program Types: While Evernote is primarily a webapp, a separate download version is available for many of the major platforms, including Windows, the iPhone, and the Palm Pre.
Competes With: Namely Microsoft OneNote.

App #2: TurboCASH

Website: http://www.turbocash.net/
Company: Pink Software
Specialty: Finance
Program Type: Windows download
Competes With: All of the major players in the accounting market — Peachtree, Quickbooks/Quicken, DAC Easy, GNUCash, etc.

App #3: Lavabit

Website: http://lavabit.com/
Company: Lavabit LLC
Specialty: Email
Bold Claim Ripped Directly From the Site Itself: “…A system so secure that even our administrators can’t read your e-mail.”
Program Type: Web service
Competes With: Gmail, AOL, Yahoo, Hotmail, etc.

App #4: First Page 2006

Website: http://www.evrsoft.com
Company: Evrsoft
Specialty: Web development
Program Type: Windows download
Competes With: Adobe Dreamweaver

App #5: Adventure Game Studio

Website: http://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/
Developer: Chris Jones
Specialty: Programming, with a special focus
Program Type: Windows download
Full Disclosure: Angela the product tester is a huge fan of this program.
Competes With: N/A

App #6: Runecats Explorer

Website: http://www.runecats.com/
Company: Runecats
Specialty: Web browser
Program Type: Windows download
Rendering Engine: Trident (Internet Explorer)
Competes With: Other web browsers — IE, Firefox, Opera, etc.

App #7 Theora

Website: http://theora.org/
Company: Xiph.org
…You Might Remember Them From Such Codecs As: OGG Vorbis
Specialty: Video
Program Type: Open source video codec
Fun Fact: The codec in question is named after Theora Jones, Edison Carter’s highly talented “partner in crime” on the short-lived Max Headroom television series. Hmm …  Max Headroom … That name sounds familiar, but I’m not sure why…
Competes With: Divx, XViD, H.264 (The kind of files you would find on iTunes), etc.

App #8: aTunes

Website: http://www.atunes.org/
Company: The aTunes Team
Specialty: Media player
Program Type: Multi-platform download
Competes With: Mainly iTunes and Songbird.

App #9: Malwarebytes’ Anti-Malware

Website: http://www.malwarebytes.org/
Company: Malwarebytes Corporation
Specialty: Malware removal
Program Type: Windows download
Competes With: Anti-virus programs of all shapes and sizes.

App #10: QQ

Website: http://www.imqq.com/
Company: Tencent
Specialty: Instant messaging
Program Type: Instant messaging service
Fun Fact: QQ is easily the most popular instant messaging client in mainland China, with roughly 318 million citizens subscribing to the service.
Note: The official QQ client is considered by some to be low-level adware. Because of this, we will be accessing the network using the Pidgin third-party app. If we have a last second change of heart, or if we find that the nasty “ad problem” has been fixed, we will definitely let you know.
Competes With: AOL Instant Messenger, Live Messenger, Yahoo Messenger, ICQ, etc.

Okay gang. As promised, here is the exciting conclusion of Leavin’ On a Jet Plane. Enjoy!

Tool #1: MotionX GPS

Why We Checked It Out: To many, a good GPS system is a must. The problem is that we don’t necessarily have one. The closest thing we have is an unlocked Nokia smart phone that contains full maps for Finland and Germany. While that would be great if we wanted to drive from Helsinki to Dusseldorf, it makes driving from Atlanta to, say, Pittsburgh neigh impossible.
Our Thoughts Then: I honestly have no idea what I am doing here. There is a compass, a scrolling banner and several intimidating looking buttons, all of which are doing something completely foreign. This is definitely going to be interesting…
Our Thoughts Now: …We still have absolutely no idea what we were doing. All we did was press buttons until we either:

1. Found the compass utility.
2. Found that nifty overhead shot of our destination.
3. Got a gigantic headache and switched back to Google Maps.

To be fair, our lack of knowledge is partially our fault, seeing as how we eschewed the provided reading material in favor of the “hunt and peck” method. Still, we really don’t think that you can blame us here. The last thing we felt like doing was reading though an online manual the size of a Dungeons and Dragons rulebook in order figure out which way was north. If you have the patience for such things, great. We didn’t, obviously.
Overall: 8.5 (For people who “get” how true GPS systems function); 2 (For people who would much rather bring up/print directions from Google Maps than stare blankly at an odd looking compass for hours on end.)

Tool #2: Gas Buddy

Why We Checked It Out: Finding a place to get cheap gas is always a good thing.
Our ThoughtsThen: The website is absolutely perfect for the rookie traveler, telling us everything that we could possibly need to know in a straightforward, timely matter. The iPhone app, however, left us scratching our heads in confusion. Still, the trip (and the Showdown) is still young.
Our Thoughts Now: Despite our initial trepidations, the Gas Buddy worked as advertised. We were able to get gas, and we got it as cheap as humanly possible.
Overall: 8

Tool #3: TripIt

Why We Checked It Out: It’s always a good idea to keep track of your travel plans. Hey … It beats writing everything down on paper, right?
Our Thoughts Then: The site, while a tad cryptic, looks to be rather promising. We will have much more on this intriguing looking social service in a few days.
Our Thoughts Now: A service like this is great if your trip includes buying plane tickets and a hotel room. If it involves driving long distances in a car that you own, however … that’s a different story. Now that is not to say that TripIt isn’t a fantastic service. It just did not mesh with “our kind” of trip.
Overall: N/A — It simply does not make sense to assign a score right now. Check back with us in a few months.

Tool #4: Traffic

Why We Checked It Out: Just because we know the lyrics to “The Low Spark of High Heeled Boys” and “Feelin’ Alright” by heart doesn’t necessarily make us experts on “Traffic.”
Our Thoughts Then: The reviews on the app store were the very definition of the word “mediocre.” Here’s to hoping that our experiences buck the current trend.
Our Thoughts Now: Those reviews lied. Traffic wasn’t “mediocre,” it was downright abysmal and embarrassing. What’s the use of having a “traffic guide” if the program just does not work? Case in point: Traffic claimed that the “Pittsburgh stretch” of I-79 would be clear sailing through calm seas. It wasn’t. We were actually stuck in a rather large jam up due to some “impromptu” road work. Later on, it told us to be ready for “significant delays” around the borders of West Virginia and Virginia Prime. We still have no idea what they were talking about.
Overall: -8. It would be in your best interest to avoid this app like the cliche of your choosing (the plague, a bitter relative, the “rival” political party, etc).