Recommended Software
RoboForm: a secure password manager that evolved from a form-filling tool. It stores encrypted passwords and sensitive data, offering one-click logins and form filling with saved "Identities." Available across platforms (Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, browser extensions), it syncs passwords for paid users. Features include a password generator, AES-256 bit encryption, local data processing (Master Password never sent to servers), 2FA, passkey unlock, and a security center for weak/reused/compromised passwords and data breach monitoring. https://www.roboform.com/ Read Password Managers and Internet Security for more information.
FreeFileSync: FreeFileSync is a free, cross-platform file synchronization tool. It compares and syncs files and folders across local drives, network shares, Google Drive, and MTP devices, saving time by only transferring necessary data to make them identical. https://freefilesync.org/
VLC is a free and open source cross-platform multimedia player and framework that plays most multimedia files as well as DVDs, Audio CDs, VCDs, and various streaming protocols. https://bit.ly/3a1bAIR
Handbreak is a tool for converting video from nearly any format to a selection of modern, widely supported codecs. https://handbrake.fr
JPEGmini. Automatically reduce the file size of photos by up to 80% without compromising quality. www.jpegmini.com
Inkscape: Inkscape is a free, open-source vector graphics editor for creating and editing illustrations, diagrams, logos, and complex paintings. Its native SVG format allows high-quality images to scale without losing resolution, unlike pixel-based raster graphics. Inkscape offers tools for manipulating shapes, paths, and text, and supports various file formats on Windows, macOS, and Linux. https://inkscape.org
Contacts Sync: Apple contacts / mail and Google contacts / gmail sync. https://contactssync.com/
Mactracker provides detailed information on every Apple device. https://mactracker.ca/
PDFOptim is an intuitive and powerful way to compress, reduce and optimize PDF file size. http://www.rootrisetech.com/product/pdfoptim
Browsers
Computers should be equipped with at least two browsers to ensure website compatibility. For Apple computers, Safari is recommended as the primary browser and Chrome as the secondary. For Windows computers, Chrome should be set as the primary and Firefox as the secondary. Most browsers offer synchronization capabilities, allowing users to sync features, bookmarks, and settings across multiple devices and computers.
A Gmail account provides free access to Google's extensive suite of business software, including Google Docs for word processing, Google Sheets for spreadsheets, Google Slides for presentations, Google Keep for notes, and Google Tasks for task management.
DuckDuckGo's image search is highly effective for easily searching and downloading images. It displays embedded images separately from website text and offers various filtering options, including size, time, colors, types, layouts, licenses, and regions. https://duckduckgo.com/?q=image&iax=images&ia=images&rpl=1
Apple Specific
Duplicate Photo Fixer Pro: software help users find and remove duplicate and similar-looking photos from their devices. The program is available for multiple platforms, including Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS.
Downie 4 is a popular video downloader application designed exclusively for macOS. It allows users to easily save videos from a wide range of websites, with support for over 1,000 different platforms, including major sites like YouTube, Vimeo, and Facebook.