Although we will go a little on the generic, every now and then it is useful to make a general summary of the " super top " or the absolute best for each category . Even if every Navigaweb article always tries to bring out the best solution for each task, there are programs or, better, applications that everyone should use and know for their immense functionality.
When someone says that free solutions always have flaws and are never truly perfect, they have perhaps never heard of these online programs and services that they should thank for existing.
Without delay, the 50 best applications on the internet, for Windows, Mac, Linux, mobile phones, Android and iPhone smartphones and also my favorites are (in no particular order):
1) Dropbox
Typology: Cloud Storage .
With Dropbox it is possible to upload files on the internet keeping them always available, usable on every platform, both pc and mobile phones.
To learn more you can read:
- How DropBox works, 2GB to store files and folders online
- Top 15 apps to use Dropbox in different ways
2) Google Chrome
Type: Browser for Android and iPhone computers and smartphones
It is currently the most used browser in Italy (at least from Navigaweb statistics) and the most modern to use for surfing the internet.
A specific section of articles on Navigaweb is dedicated to Google Chrome, among which the one to start is: Download or update Google Chrome with offline installation
3) Mozilla Firefox
Type: Browser for Android and iPhone computers and smartphones
Although Chrome has somewhat clouded its popularity, Firefox remains a must-have and must be installed on your PC, Windows and especially on Mac.
There is also a dedicated section for Firefox with all the updates and versions of the Mozilla browser.
4) Skype
Typology: VoIP program, Chat and Videochat
Skype is certainly the number one program for making internet calls from a computer and making video calls from a PC or mobile phone.
Today Skype is also the best program to chat with friends because it integrates with Facebook and Windows Live Messenger which has taken the place.
5) Feedly
Typology: Website and mobile application
To read news on the internet, you can integrate the RSS feeds of all the blogs and newspapers online on Google Reader to have them all under control and to receive updates on your PC and smartphone.
6) Google Maps
Type: Website and application for Android
When you need to know where a road is, Google Maps opens, when you want to see a live area using your PC, Google Maps opens, when you want to see photos from all over the world, Google Maps opens.
Google Maps integrates with Google Earth and, on Android, it is also a high-level GPS navigator.
For all the news, you can browse the section dedicated to Google Maps.
7) Google Translate
Typology: Web and mobile application
Best site to translate words from one language to another and best free application for iPhone and Android to translate words, even spoken.
From the mobile phone, it can be used as a voice translator.
8) Gmail
Typology: Website and Email client online
Today, Google Mail, Gmail, is the most used e-mail service in the world, so rich in functions and automatisms that it is impossible to think of reading e-mail with another program (I can't see Genete using Tiscali or Libero yet!).
On Navigaweb, a section of articles is dedicated only to Gmail.
9) Instagram
Type: Application for Android and iPhone
To share photos on the internet when you're out and about and apply vintage effects in two touches, Instagram is used today, sharing photos with millions of people.
11) Google Drive
Typology: Cloud Storage and online Office application
Even if Dropbox is already used, space is never enough and Google Drive becomes an indispensable service to get the most out of all the integrated Google services, including Gmail.
Google Drive also includes applications to write documents, spreadsheets and create presentations as if you used the Office Word, Excel and Powerpoint programs for free.
12) Google Calendar
Typology: application
No complicated and expensive programs are needed to organize your work if you can use Google Calendar, integrated in Gmail, for free to mark every appointment and receive alarms both on your PC and on your mobile phone.
13) Google Play Music
Type: Android application
Google Play Music is not only a store where you can buy music but also an application where you can store your mp3s for free (in the cloud) and stream them from your Android phone or tablet wherever you go.
14) Waze
Typology: Maps and GPS navigator
Waze is undoubtedly the best free road navigator to use on the iPhone and is an excellent alternative to Google Navigator on Android.
15) Dolphin
Type: Cellular browsers
If you use an iPad, an iPhone or an Android phone or tablet, the most complete browser is Dolphin, which can be integrated with many extensions.
16) Picasa
Typology: Photo Program
Among the programs to manage photos on your computer, Google's Picasa is certainly among the best ever.
It also integrates with the Google+ online service to upload photos online.
I would also like to point out Irfanview, the best program for browsing photos
17) LastPass
Type: Browser extension and program
Best online service to manage passwords and store them all together protected by a single master password.
18) XBMC
Typology: Media Center Program
Who wants to connect the computer to the TV and who uses a digital terrestrial antenna, can install this program to transform the PC into a multimedia system.
19) VLC
Typology: Video Program
Best program to watch videos on your computer, of any format.
20) TuneIn
Typology: Application for smartphone and website
To listen to the radio from your mobile phone or via the internet, the best site and app is certainly Tunein.
21) Malwarebytes
Typology: Security program
When you think your Windows PC is infected with a virus, a scan with the free version of Malwarebytes is a must.
22) TeamViewer
Typology: Program and application for remote access
To connect to your computer via the internet from anywhere in the world, from another computer (Windows, Mac or Linux) or from your Android smartphone / tablet, from iPhone and iPad, Teamviewer must be used.
23) AirDroid
Type: Android application
Airdroid is the best Android app to manage files and applications of your mobile phone or tablet to your computer using the wifi network, without the need for cables.
24) Microsoft Security Essentials
Type: Antivirus
Why pay for an antivirus if Microsoft provides one that works well and protects the computer as others do "> uTorrent
Type: BitTorrent client
To download from the internet in p2p, uTorrent is the best program.
26) CCleaner
Typology: Windows Tool
One of those programs that must never be missing on a Windows PC is Ccleaner, to erase and clean the disk from temporary data, internet data and the garbage that accumulates over time.
27) HandBrake
Type: Video conversion program
Among the best programs to convert videos from one format to another.
28) VirtualBox
Typology: Virtualization program
With VirtualBox, free software, you can install another operating system on your computer, such as a virtual machine.
29) Flux
Typology: Windows Tool
Useful utility to change the brightness of the monitor according to the time of day so as to rest your eyes and not make them tired.
30) GIMP
Typology: Open Source Program
Gimp is the best free Photoshop alternative, for professional image manipulation
31) LibreOffice
Typology: Office Suite
If you don't feel like paying for Microsoft Office, you can use LibreOffice, the open source suite with word processing programs, spreadsheets and presentations from the same developers as Open Office.
32) Thunderbird
Typology: Email client program
If you don't buy Office, you can't use Microsoft Outlook either, but Mozilla Thunderbird still remains a client to download mail on your computer.
See also: Best alternative Email clients to Microsoft Outlook to read mail from your pc
33) Launchy
Typology: Windows Tool
Launchy is a text-based menu to launch programs from the keyboard quickly.
34) Pocket
Typology: Smartphone application and online service
Pocket was called ReadItLater before and is one of the best services to save favorite web pages, news and articles to read them later.
Very useful if you browse from your computer and smartphone to resume reading the articles found without having to search for them again.
35) Winamp
Typology: Media Player
The most popular program for listening to mp3 and music on a Windows PC.
36) Opera
Typology: Browser for PC and mobile phones
After installing Chrome and Firefox, you must also install Opera which can be used to surf the internet quickly, even with a slow connection thanks to Opera Turbo.
Opera also provides Opera Mini for mobile and iPhone and Opera Mobile for Android.
37) Notepad ++
Typology: Text editor
Best replacement for the standard Windows Notepad, it is particularly useful for those who write programming code.
38) 7-Zip
Typology: Archiving program
Best free program to compress files and extract Zip and Rar archives.
39) Gom Player
Typology: Media Player
Excellent alternative to Winamp to listen to music and to VLC to watch videos on the computer.
See also the top 10 media players to watch movies and videos on your pc
40) TripAdvisor
Typology: Website and mobile application
Best site to read travel reviews.
Tripadvisor also provides interactive guides for the main cities of the world which can also be used offline without internet connection on iPhone and Android.
41) Paypal
Typology: Website and mobile application
To buy and pay online, the best and safest free service is Paypal.
Read also how to create a paypal account and how to use it.
42) PicMonkey
Typology: Web application for photo editing
To apply special effects to photos, make quick edits, improvements and use photo filters, Picmonkey is the most complete app that can be found on the internet.
See also the 10 free photo editing applications to apply changes and effects to photos via browser
43) WeTransfer
Typology: Website
To transfer large files via the internet, WeTransfer offers a free service to send and receive files up to 2GB.
See also the 10 fastest ways to share files with everyone on the internet.
44) rKill
Typology: Security
If you find malware on your computer that takes your system hostage or freezes it, rKill allows you to terminate the virus so you can then remove it with MalwareBytes.
See the guide on what to do if your computer is affected by a virus
45) WhatsApp
Typology: Mobile application
Those who have a smartphone on a compatible mobile phone today no longer send paid SMS, but free text messages via Whatsapp.
46) Shazam
Typology: Music application for every mobile phone
It allows you to recognize the title and author of a song just by listening.
See also: the best web apps to find the title of a song and the singer
47) YouTube
Typology: Video Streaming
Not only can Youtube be used to watch videos, but also to upload your own videos shot with your mobile phone camera and to watch live videos and full movies.
The best tricks and news on Youtube are collected on navigaweb
48) Twitter
Typology: Social network
Today it is fashionable to join Twitter to follow your idols of music, cinema or politics but Twitter is above all the best site to find information and news updated in real time on everything that happens in the world.
Also read the complete guide to Twitter to know how to use it.
49) Box.net
Typology: Cloud Storage
Like Dropbox, Box.net allows you to upload files to the internet and thanks to a promotion, you can easily get a free and unrivaled space of 25 GB
50) Navigaweb.net
Typology: Blog
Without a doubt, it is "objectively" the best site to keep up to date on computer and web news and where to read computer guides, all strictly free!
Navigaweb is also an application for Android.
In other articles I remember:
- Top 100 free Windows programs
- Top 100 Mac apps
- Best free Android apps
