Get the latest software for your home computer the easy way
New to computers? Google has put together a "Google Pack" of software that gives you many of the most useful applications. It is all free and you just have to tick off the ones you want to download!
There are different packs for Windows and Mac users. Your computer will automatically bring up the right list.
Windows XP or Vista users can download a pack that includes:
Google Apps - Use Google email (Gmail), calendar, and document applications (word processing, spreadsheets, drawings, presentations, and more).
Spyware Doctor with Anti-Virus – Protects your PC with advanced anti-virus detection and removal and detects and removes spyware, adware, trojans and keyloggers
Adobe Reader – View, print, and search PDF files via a redesigned interface
Skype - Make free voice and video calls to anyone else on Skype and call landlines and mobile phones cheaply.
Picasa – Photo editing, sharing. Easily remove red eye and fix photos
Google Talk – Chat (IM) and audio conferences
Google Earth - Zoom from space to street level — tour the world
RealPlayer - Play popular media formats, organize music and videos and transfer music to iPod and other portable media players
Mac users, don't despair! Almost all of the downloads are available for you too. Just that the convenience of the Google Pack isn't available for all of the above. You will have to search in for the application yourself.
For example, to find Skype for your computer, type skype download mac.
Mac and Windows users are both able to use all the web-based applications from Google, like the word processing and other office applications.
iPhone, iPod touch user, Google has a list of free software for you too. And for iPad.
To get started, get a free Google account. Register to create a user name and password.
Then go to pack.google.com
Just to be clear – Google is offering free application software (apps), not operating system software (e.g. not Windows NT system software).
And what about in Lillian H. Smith branch? We have Adobe Reader installed on our computers and you can use the Google Docs (word processing, etc.) Need help? Ask staff!
Revision – Jan 10. Removed search for Adobe Reader for Mac. Mac users can use Preview instead (comes with the computer).
2 thoughts on “Get the latest software for your home computer the easy way”
Wow, I always thought spyware doctor was a paid software. Is it really free or you only download a trial and need to register for full version to remove the scan result?
I’m not sure about that Spyware Doctor with AntiVirus either. My experience with that is that it hogs system resources and slows the computer down. I prefer AVG, ComboFix & MalwareBytes’ Anti-Malware.
As you said though, if you’re new to computers, then it sounds like this Google Pack is at least a one-stop place for newbies to get some useful programs.