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Plenty of people are outraged that Adobe is moving to subscription plans and scrapping perpetual licenses. But should they be?

To shed some light on the situation, CNET broke out the spreadsheet software, dug into pricing information from Adobe and retail outlets, and put together some actual comparisons to see whether that wrath is deserved.

The answer, as with all things complicated, is that it depends. But at least in some reasonable situations -- not just power users but also middle-end customers who upgrade to Adobe's latest releases -- the Creative Cloud isn't a bad deal at all. … Read more

PSB Speakers is one of my all-time favorite brands. Its little Alpha B1 monitor ($299 a pair) is excellent, and a couple of years ago I was blown away by the Imagine Mini ($759 a pair), an even smaller but bona fide high-end speaker.

Small speakers are great, but the lucky folks with huge living rooms who like to occasionally play movies and music nice and loud need big speakers. And since it's been a while since I spent quality time with a PSB tower I requested a pair of Image T6s ($1,298 a pair).

The 40.… Read more

Keeping track of the Mac's battery life can be critical, especially if you are working on your Mac without a power source. For comprehensive information on that all-important topic, Battery Time Remaining for Mac allows you to keep track of battery life, temperature, and all things related to your Mac's battery.

Battery Time Remaining for Mac is a free app that displays an estimate of the remaining battery hours right on your menu bar. Installation is just a quick drag-and-drop process and there's an option to set the app to launch automatically every time you turn on … Read more

Over the years, sites like YouTube, Vimeo, and Facebook have gradually changed the way we consume video content by making it available online and on the go. With 4K Video Downloader for Mac, users will now be able to download their favorite videos to enjoy offline, as well.

The installation of 4K Video Downloader for Mac literally takes seconds. All you need to do is just drag and drop the app into the Applications folder. The user interface of this free app is very straightforward and easy to use. To download a video, you simply copy the URL of the … Read more

KeePass Password Safe is the popular open-source password manager. While creative misspellings make its name the butt of jokes, strong security makes the gag not only funny but oh-so-true: Protecting your passwords is definitely CYA 101. That's what KeePass does. So KeePass users with Android devices will definitely want to check out KeePass2Android from CrocoApps. And so will you, if you have an Android smartphone or tablet and want to protect your files, apps, URLs, and other data with strong password strings (without having to type each one in every time). Like KeePass, KeePass2Android is free.

KeePass2Android's rudimentary … Read more

While created by T-Mobile for their devices, the Cozi Family Organizer Shared Calendar and Lists app for the iPad and iPhone can be used by any iOS user. While it does require registration of a new account, both for yourself and for your family, the process is quick and the number of free tools you receive is quite impressive.

Cozi Family Organizer is designed to put all of your family's events, activities, and needs in one interface. Ideally that interface would be organized by each family member, not just one person--though the owner of the account can make changes … Read more

The default keyboard on the iPhone or iPad leaves much to be desired. Without arrow keys; symbols one, two, and even sometimes three menus deep, and complicated multitouch commands to access copy-and-paste menus, it is not ideal if you plan on doing a lot of composition on the touch screen. There are many solutions, but Arrow Note offers one of the better compilations of keyboard modifications for writing on your phone or tablet.

When you open Arrow Note for the first time you'll be presented with a blank screen and a handful of options. You can search for notes, … Read more

The iPad is a perfect device for creating, tracking, and managing your lists. It's mobile, it's constantly connected for mobile syncing, and the interface is intuitive enough to make entry and editing a snap. So the List Master Lite app has a lot going for it; it's a free app that provides many of the same tools as the expensive productivity tools on the App Store. But does it do enough to provide a realistic alternative to those pricey apps?

When you first open List Master Lite, a handful of pop-ups will warn you about the trial … Read more

If you love using iTunes, then you might also like to gain a better understanding of your own listening habits and what your music library really contains. Super Analyzer for Mac provides information and statistics presented in lists, charts, and graphs that you can save or share with others online.

Easily installed, and even easier to start up, Super Analyzer for Mac will definitely impress users with its analytical performance speed. Once the app is open, you are just a click away from having your entire music library analyzed and broken down into 13 sections of statistics lists, charts, and … Read more