The average CPU utilization of an application may be different from the current CPU usage. This is so because an application can increase or reduce CPU utilization depending upon its peak usage time. For example, browsers increase resource consumption as new tabs are opened. While the current CPU usage can be assessed from the Task Manager, monitoring the Average CPU usage of a process can be difficult.

Average CPU Cycles is a portable application which displays the current and average CPU utilization for a selected process. The program measures the CPU usage for specific programs from their start time to the current time or by initiating the calculation from a selected point in time. For example, you can perform the latter by starting the CPU usage calculation during peak time, idle time or general usage to see how much CPU is used during maximum, minimum or normal application usage. Windows Vista and 7 use the kernel32.dll function QueryProcessCycleTime to measure smaller CPU bursts with other more commonly used methods. It also makes the measurements less dependent of the current CPU frequency if your system uses processor frequency scaling/throttling. Average CPU Cycles, uses this mechanism for allowing users to calculate CPU usage of a process.

To begin, click Process button and select a process to monitor. Once a process is selected, click from Process Start (to monitor the process from the start time to the current time) or from Now (to start monitoring CPU usage from the current time onwards only). The slider on the main interface allows selecting the time interval after which the CPU usage is measured. Using the time interval to a lower level can help you calculate CPU usage more accurately. By default, this slider is set to a time interval of 1 second.

Average CPU Cycles provides continuous information for the selected process until it is closed. The main interface displays a progress bar along with numerical data regarding the Average CPU usage, MHz used, Total CPU cycles, Average MHz and current load.

Average CPU Cycles works on Windows XP, Windows Vista and Windows 7. The package for Windows XP is available separately, since the CPU calculation process in XP differs from both Vista and 7.

[ Download Average CPU Cycles ]

Nowadays you can use any mp3 music file as ringtone for your mobile phone, because many smartphones are supporting it. However, sometimes you may want to customize your favorite mp3 music to make your ringtone unique, for example, you may need only a portion from the middle of the song.

Here is how you can make your favorite ringtone with simple three easy steps. First, download (1MP) a free application called Free Ringtone Maker (Windows). Install the program and run it.

1. Choose a song from your computer and click Next button.

2. Drag the sliders to select the best part. If you want, select an option Fade in or Fade out. Click play button to hear the music. If you satisfied, click Next button.

3. Now save the ringtone to your computer and transfer it to your phone.

[ Download Link ]

You have a bunch of PDF files on your computer that are protected by a long and complex password. You know the passwords but it still feels inconvenient and boring typing them each time you have to open a PDF file.

Is there a tool available that can remove password protection from PDF files? Someone asked me this question on Twitter the other day and the answer is obviously yes.

Removing Password from a PDF File

There’s a free Windows utility called BeCyPDFMetaEdit that can help you remove passwords from PDF files* but without make any other change to the document. (I am not sure why the developers picked such a complex name for this useful utility).

Here’s what you need to do:

1. Launch the program and it will ask your for the location of the PDF file.

2. Before you select and open the PDF, change the mode to “Complete Rewrite.”

3. Switch to the Security tab and set the “Security System” to “No encryption.” Click the Save button and your PDF will no longer require a password to open.

[*] If you would like to test this tool but do not have a password-protected file, use this sample PDF (the password is labnol).

You may not realize it, but the pictures that you take with your GPS-enabled camera or smartphone (such as your iPhone), and many of the images that you download from the internet contain location information that identify precisely where the snapshots were taken (typically, in the form of longitude and latitude coordinates).

This means that you could easily plot your images locations on a map, place them into Google Earth, or translate these coordinates into an identifiable location/city/country and store it in your photos’ metadata. This, in a nutshell, is exactly what free software GeoTag does.

In addition, GeoTag lets you quickly add geo tags to images without messing with coordinates or entering information into fields, by simply dragging and dropping a marker on a map.

Some notes on this one:

• It can place multiple images on a map, which can be kind of cool.
• Will let you drag and drop a marker on a map in order to geo tag an image. So easy to do and sure beats trying to figure out coordinates and entering them manually.
• If you also download a tool called ExifTool, GeoTag automatically can add location data to your images’ metadata (i.e. it will translate GeoTag 47.6205849 – 122.3497796 i
• nto “Space needle, Washington, USA” and save it into the image file (strangely, it seems to skip ‘Seattle’).
• Can display your images in Google Earth: although I didn’t test this as I did not have that software installed.
• Will let you copy location info from an image and apply it to a number of other images en masse. Which can simplify the process of geo tagging whole libraries of images tremendously.
• Portable: no need to install; download and run.

SlimComputer is designed to be a simple to use utility to identify and remove many of the common trialware and annoying software that is typically shipped with new PCs. This utility helps you remove unneeded programs, toolbars, shortcuts, start-up entries, and services and slims down your new PC to make it run fast and clean.

A key feature of SlimComputer is it uses a community-powered feedback to determine useless things on your new PC. You can use this data to decide what you want to keep on your computer.

SlimComputer has the following features

1. A Slim System – Get rid of the promo bulk that comes on a new PC.
2. Applications – Remove unneeded, pre-installed software.
3. Toolbars – Remove unuseful Toolbars that can slow browsing.
4. Startup items – Remove unnecessary Startup items to boost speed.
5. Shortcuts – Remove unwanted shortcuts that clutter your desktop.
6. Restore – Undo any changes done by SlimComputer with one click.
7. Optimizer – Tweak Startup & Windows services to boost performance.
8. Uninstaller – Remove software based on community-sourced ratings.
9. Windows Tools – Get the most useful management tools in one place.

You can download SlimComputer free at source here.