Software

With computers in the palms of most people’s hands, software has increased in demand significantly. For most, needed software is a blessing to receive; before they actually have a need for it.

Nowadays, most everything is done online. Ecommerce has skyrocketed over the past 10 years. Even people who sell used items on Ebay are using software to help their bottom lines. Even people selling used items on Craigslist are using software!

With the explosion of smart phone’s, even banks have caught on to the ease of use of such devices. For example, Chase bank offers their members the ability to simply take a photograph (from their cell phone) of a check for deposit, and it’s deposited into their account. Gone forever are the days of only being able to buy software from a computer store in a box with an installation disc.

Free Downloads

Saving time and money, software downloads have replaced the earlier trips to the software stores. There are many many free downloads for one’s tablet, laptop and desktop, as well as smart phones.

It’s worth noting that of the top 10 free downloads of 2012, the most downloaded software was anti-virus software. Of the top 10 downloads, 6 of them were anti-virus software. Top rated anti-virus software was Avast Free Antivirus Software, with AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition second and CCleaner third.

For-A-Fee Downloads

Of the top 10 paid downloads of 2012, the most purchased software is software to recover lost data from deleted files, called Virtual Lab Data Recovery, the Mac Version. Second place goes to Inventory Software. Coming in third is a Windows based Data Recovery software, recovering data, photos, music and documents.

Business Related Software

Know someone’s whose starting their own business? Why not help them out by getting them the software they need to get going? Bundled software packages are available that will help even a mild-mannered cupcake baker to rise to the entrepreneurial spirit.

Of the top 10 most-purchased business software, the top four are:

• Diskeeper, which prevents fragmentation, allows for faster backups, and storage performance as well as claims to extend the computer’s life.
• VideoPad Video Editor, which creates movie projects from a variety of video clips or from a single video file.
• System Suveillance Pro is another security type software, which monitors home or business PC activity, tracking keystrokes and visited websites.
• Lastly, and ever so ironically, is the InFlow Inventory Windows version.

No matter how you obtain it, through a gift certificate to the store, or as a specific gift, the notion of giving software as a present is a good one!

Sites such as Best Buy, Fry’s Electronics, Newegg, Google Marketplace, and Amazon.com, among many others, are a great place to shop for your software gift.

 
Would you like some more ideas for Christmas gifts this year? Click here!