The Best of 2012 Software

Now that 2013 is upon us, here is a quick look back at what was big in 2012.

Top Downloads of 2012

WavePad Audio Editor

Prism Video Converter

VideoPad Video Editor

Switch Audio Converter

Most Popular Blog Posts

How to Add Text to your Videos	Change Video Speed in VideoPad	Video Stabilizer Software
How to Rotate Video Clips	Record Audio Playing Through Your Speakers	Chroma Key Video Overlays
Pocket WavePad iPad Audio Editing	Record your Own Audio Book	Remove Vocals from a Song
Practice Transcription Audio Files	Is Dreamweaver Worth It?	WavePad Sound Equalizer
Time Lapse Video Capture	Express Scribe Speech to Text	Best Slideshow Software, PhotoStage

Other Big 2012 Software Updates and Releases

	NCH's First Android App, PitchPerfect Guitar Tuner		Voice Command Makes Express Talk Hands Free
	New Voxal Real Time Voice Changing Software		Crescendo Music Notation Software New Midi Playback
	New Mac version of Express Zip Compression Software		More CardWorks Business Card Templates
	New Typing Games Added to KeyBlaze Typing Tutor		KeyBlaze Typing Tutor New Mac Version

Where in the World is NCH Software?

NCH Software was founded back in 1993 in Canberra and is still headquartered in Australia today. Now there is also an office in Denver, Colorado, and these two main offices are where the majority of the software development and business happen. However, with customers worldwide you will also find a sprinkling of remote developers and support staff in other countries as well.

Something to Talk About

Below is a word cloud generated from our posts here on the NCH Software: Do More with Software blog. There is no real surprise that we talk a great deal about "you" and "software," but is there anything you would like us to write about and cover more in the future?

Top Video Converter Software

The editors at CNET recently took the time to review our Prism Video Converter. As they mention, digital videos are great until you run into one that you can't use or watch, which is when video converting software comes to the rescue. And what more could you look for in a converter than "a straightforward, efficient tool for video conversion," as the editors at CNET described Prism in their 5 star review, going on to say:

"Prism Video File Converter has an attractive, intuitive interface that we had no trouble figuring out ... Converting a video -- or batch of videos -- is as simple as navigating to the desired files, adding them to the list of files to convert, and selecting the desired output format."
� CNET

You can read the complete review of Prism Video Converter on download.com, or simply download Prism now so you are armed and ready for any video files that might come your way, no matter what format they are in.

5 Star Burning Software for Mac

There are a lot of choices when it comes to burning software these days, which is just one of the reasons that it is wonderful to see strong reviews like this one from BurnWorld.com, calling NCH's Express Burn "a great application, working fast, featuring the most important processes a user would want." Better yet that, while these experts clearly recognize and point out that "the interface is very easy to use," this review was from a previous release, before we made modifications to the interface to make the creation of DVDs and audio or MP3 CDs even easier. Along with other additions, including better DVD authoring with several included menu templates, and the ability to burn not only data to Blu-ray discs, but to burn your high-definition Blu-ray movies too.

You can read the complete review of Express Burn, and we encourage Mac and PC users alike to try all the burning features and see how easy burning software can be.

Enthusiasm For FileFort File Backup Software

Recently, CNET reviewed FileFort Backup Software, giving it a spectacular rating, especially for a free program designed solely to back up your files, and not create full system images (which CNET is also a big advocate of). In the review, they recognized that FileFort "protects your critical data from damage or loss on a regularly scheduled basis, quickly and easily," and, unlike some competitors, "can back up data to a variety of locations, including USB drives and CD/DVDs." They went on to say:

"FileFort's user interface is commendably simple but attractive and up to date in style and layout. The program opened with a backup wizard that quickly led us through the process of setting up and running our first backup. FileFort can back up files to a variety of locations, including external drives, a networked PC, a remote server via FTP, and optical disks via Express Burn."
� CNET

You can read the complete review of FileFort Backup Software from CNET on download.com. Then be sure to download a copy for your machine to help back up and protect all of your important files.

Video Review of the Best Slideshow Software: PhotoStage

You may already know that TopTenReviews has honored our PhotoStage SlideShow Software, naming it The Best Slideshow Software. Now take a look at their video review, including a look at some of the very easy-to-use features that helped make it number one.

NCH Software Growth and Success

Today we made a press release about our growth in 2011. Not only did we release new software for Windows, Mac and mobile devices, but NCH Software had a record sales year in 2011 with sales up over twenty percent and we expanded our Denver office, with a thirty percent increase in staff. And all of this in an economic climate that has many companies experiencing declines.

Other areas we saw growth in 2011 include our retail presence expanding into stores in the United Kingdom, and also on the global front, we began releasing Japanese translations of our software, making our popular programs now available in five languages including German, Spanish and French.

As 2012 continues we are excited for another year of growth, and are planning to continue expanding our retail store presence, software product diversification and software localization efforts. All to continue bringing you more easy-to-use, and affordable software solutions.

A is for Audio

NCH Software ABCs Series

What better place to start our A to Z software tour than at the beginning�both the beginning of the alphabet and the beginning of NCH�Audio.

NCH Software was originally named NCH Swift Sound when it was founded in 1993 largely because many of our earliest products were sound and audio software solutions. Even though we have since expanded our range of software tremendously, to this day our WavePad audio editing software remains not only a company favorite, but our top selling program, currently available for Windows, Mac, iPhone and the iPad with millions of users worldwide.

WavePad may be the core of our audio software category but there are several other big players including MixPad multi-track mixer, Switch audio converter and SoundTap streaming audio recorder, just to name a few. You really can do more with audio using our complete range of audio software programs:

• WavePad Audio Editor
  
• MixPad Multi-Track Software
  
• RecordPad Sound Recording Software
  
• Switch MP3 Converter
  
• Zulu DJ Software
  
• Golden Records Vinyl to MP3 Converter
  
• Express Rip Audio CD Ripper
  
• TwelveKeys Music Transcription Assistant
  
• Crescendo Music Notation Software
  
• BroadWave Audio Streaming Server
  
• SoundTap Audio Stream Recorder
  
• ToneGen Tone Generator Software
  
• Voxal Voice Changing Software
  
• PitchPerfect Instrument Tuner
  
• TempoPerfect Metronome Software
  
• Stamp Mp3 Tag Editor
  

Next: B is for Business >>>

NCH Software ABCs

We have put together a series of posts looking at many different aspects of NCH Software and what you can do with software. The gimmick is an A-Z tour of our software, but we�re confident it will thoroughly introduce you these different facets of the NCH Software world.

A is for Audio B is for Business C is for Converters D is for Dictation E is for Easy F is for FTP G is for Graphics H is for Hardware I is for International J is for Jams K is for Keep L is for Live M is for Mobile N is for New O is for Optimize P is for PDF Q is for Quick R is for Recording S is for Sharing T is for Typing U is for Utilities V is for Video W is for Web Access X is for eXpress Y is for YouTube Z is for Zip

First: A is for Audio >>>

Award-Winning Software from NCH

The true test of a software program is how well it works for the people who install and use it. The number of people downloading and using NCH programs everyday (roughly 3 million downloads every month) suggests our focus on creating powerful, easy and intuitive software is working well for a lot of people out there. And while you have the final word on if a program is right for you, we still appreciate the feedback of reviewers recognizing the work that has gone into making our software programs both powerful and easy-to-use.

Here is a peek into our trophy case, and just a small sample of the award-winning software titles in the NCH Software collection:

WavePad Sound Editor

WavePad has long been praised by reviewers for its easy and powerful, yet lightweight interface for audio editing.

"In spite of its tiny size, WavePad packs a big audio punch."
     - CNET

"WavePad has a lot to offer to the amateur audio editor, while still providing enough tools to make it a useful program for more seasoned audio editors."
     - TopTenReviews

Switch Audio Converter

Switch is not only easy to use, it supports more audio formats than the competition, making it a clear winner.

"Switch is just as useful for professionals that need to convert many songs into multiple formats as it is for the average person who knows they want to convert an AAC file to MP3. Switch is able to handle many different audio formats and has the largest selection of output formats of any program we reviewed."
     - TopTenReviews

VideoPad Video Editor

VideoPad has quickly become a major player in video editing with upgraded features, putting even more advanced options at your disposal.

"NCH Software's VideoPad Video Editor Professional is a full-featured video-editing tool that is surprisingly easy to use... It's a rare video editor that you can just fire up and start making movies with, but that's what we did with VideoPad."
     - CNET

PhotoStage Slideshow Software

PhotoStage lets you bring your digital photos to life and make easy-to-share presentations of every memorable occasion.

"PhotoStage Slideshow Producer shows that slideshow makers don't need to be difficult to use to produce great results."
     - CNET

"PhotoStage is intuitive and savvy photo slideshow software that enables you to assemble artistic, personalized picture slideshows with total ease."
     - TopTenReviews

Zulu DJ Mixing Software

Zulu is the complete DJ software solution for both amateur and professional DJs alike.

"In an extremely competitive field of DJ software, Zulu stands just a bit taller than all of the rest. The intuitive and advanced features of this program, including a user-friendly, simple and straightforward interface, helped it rise to the top of our rankings."
     - TopTenReviews

Inventoria Inventory Management

Inventoria allows businesses of all sizes to efficiently track all their inventory processes, whether for one small retail outlet, or a chain of stores and warehouses across several locations.

"The versatility of Inventoria is an excellent reason to purchase this product. It offers numerous helpful features such as the ability to add notes and photos to each item in your inventory. In addition, you have the opportunity to allow more users to access the program, which can increase productivity and ultimately enhance your bottom line."
     - TopTenReviews

Check out the complete range of NCH Software programs for more easy-to-use and award-winning software solutions for all your software needs.

Retail Update: Hopping the pond to the UK

NCH Software continues to expand our presence in retail stores worldwide. Most recently, with the help of Channel Assist, you can now find several NCH Software products on the shelves of retailers like Dixons PC World in the United Kingdom. The UK is already one of our largest online markets, and we know that being in retail stores will only strengthen our presence there. Software titles available include Golden Records, Express Invoice and essential software suites of our audio software and business software products.

Slideshow Software Doesn�t Have to Be Difficult

As further proof that PhotoStage is the best slideshow software, we can now add a 5 star review from the editors at CNET to its accolades. We strive to make our software easy and intuitive and were thrilled to have the editors comment that "PhotoStage Slideshow Producer shows that slideshow makers don't need to be difficult to use to produce great results," and going on to say:

"We were pleasantly surprised to find that PhotoStage offers a narration feature that let us add our own music to our slideshow; you can even record your own voice, if you have a microphone. The Save step gave us numerous options for saving our newly created slideshow, including saving it as a Flash file, DVD movie, or a data disc, or we could save it to our hard drive or portable device. It took a few seconds to save, but in no time, we were able to play our newly created slideshow back. PhotoStage Slideshow Producer will appeal to users of all skill levels."

� CNET

You can read the complete review of PhotoStage Slideshow Software on download.com, or download it now to get started making your own slideshow presentations right away.

Debut Top Video Capture Software

Debut Video Capture Software makes it possible for you to record or capture video from virtually any recording source. Rather than specializing in capturing video from a single source, Debut combines the recording capabilities of several programs, so whether you want to record streaming video, record from a networked IP camera, or connect your VHS player to your computer to digitize an old home movie, Debut is the only program you need.

The reviewers at TopTenReviews have agreed, awarding Debut the Silver award in their video capture software category, saying that they "were very impressed with how easy it was to use the interface and the tools available within Debut," going on to say:

"We were very impressed with the usability of Debut Video Capture Software and the well designed interface they created for their users, which is why it ranks as one of the top two products available. It also offers a number of recording tools and capturing abilities, and we found each tool easy to access and easy to use. We were pleased with the high quality results of the video captures as well as with the captured audio."

� TopTenReviews

You can read the complete review of Debut Video Capture Software on the TopTenReviews website. Or, see how easy it is to use firsthand by downloading this both powerful and easy video recording program to your PC or Mac today.

Localization Efforts Pay Off in NCH International Offerings

It has been about a year and a half since NCH Software put in place a localization initiative in order to offer our most popular software applications in French, German, Japanese and Spanish. The challenges have been many but we now provide numerous applications, including WavePad Sound Editor, VideoPad Video Editor, Prism Video Converter, and several more, in the 4 languages mentioned. Working in cooperation with NCH developers, the localization specialists at NCH translate the general user interface (GUI), test functionality for country-specific appropriateness, suggest changes to implement to better adapt NCH applications to non-English speaking markets. They also translate a significant number of web-based material to make sure that French, German, Japanese or Spanish-speaking Internet users can find relevant information, download and purchase products securely in their own languages.

Bucking the current trend of outsourcing translation and localization and relying instead on "in-house" linguists allows NCH to leverage a valuable internal product knowledge and capitalize on direct interdepartmental relationships to produce more accurate translations, faster.

Please click on the language of your choice to find out more about NCH Software's localized software applications.

• Fran�ais
  
• Deutsch
  
• ???
  
• Espa�ol

Mac Business Software

If you're a "Mac" and a business owner you've probably been excited to see us expanding our range of business software for the Mac with the recent Mac releases of Copper Point of Sale Software and Inventoria Inventory Management Software. Our business team has been busy porting our popular business software to the Mac so that businesses have more quality and economical software solutions available to them no matter which operating system they choose to use.

The really great news is that there is more to come. We are continuing to work on Mac versions of our business products that don't have them yet, so be sure to take a look at our full range of business software to see how you can design a system to best suit the needs of your business, and keep your eyes peeled for still more Mac programs in the future.

And for more advice on business software solutions that could help your business see:

• Accounting and Invoicing Software
  
• VoIP Telephone System Software
  
• Phone System Enhancements to Help You Sound Professional
  
• How Telephone On-Hold Messaging Can Help Your Business
  
• Other Software to Help Make Business Run Smoother
  

Software For A Deserted Island

If you were on a deserted island what would you want to have with you? One technology writer in Missouri recently asked this question and his software catalog of choice was NCH Software. As you can imagine we were tickled pink to hear it. One of the things that quickly makes us a top runner is our wide range of software products with applications for business, dictation, transcription, utilities, music and more. Also, "unlike many publishers that charge high prices for all-in-one suites that do more than you probably need, NCH Software takes a modular approach, designing smaller apps that do specific tasks, usually for a lot less money. It�s simply a smarter way to work."

To read about some of Scott May's favorite NCH programs, see his complete article, NCH Software offers fantastic, affordable apps published in the June 28, 2011 edition of The Columbia Daily Tribune. Then make NCH Software your first stop the next time you are looking for a software utility whether you are editing audio at home, or setting up a webcam broadcast of the view on your deserted island.

Learn or Improve Your Typing Skills with Award Winning Typing Tutor Software

We are very grateful that the editors at CNET recently took the time to review NCH Software's KeyBlaze Typing Tutor Software. They wrote a very nice review and awarded our free learn to type software with a full 5 out of 5 stars, saying:

"KeyBlaze Free Typing Tutor from NCH Software can help you learn touch-typing or practice your skills. It offers basic lessons, drills, and speed tests suitable for typists ranging from absolute beginners to keyboard jockeys. It's easy to use and effective, too. KeyBlaze is great for beginners, and has more to offer to those who already know how to type. The lessons are easy to understand, getting progressively more difficult to master, and effective, with immediate feedback that helps users quickly overcome bad habits."

� CNET

You can read the complete review of KeyBlaze Typing Tutor on download.com, or download it now to start improving your typing skills right away.

Free Timesheet Tracking Software

From freelancers to lawyers, keeping track of the amount of time spent on different projects can be a necessary evil for many in the working world. So if you bill by the hour an easy-to-use program like HourGuard Timesheet Software to make this chore easier could be just what the doctor ordered. Reviewers at CNET have even called HourGuard among the best time-tracking programs available.

"We liked that HourGuard Timesheet Software lets you create base tasks and subtasks, making it easy to record what you're working on in detail. The program even has an intelligent tracking feature that stops the timer when it detects that you're no longer working, ensuring that you don't waste time making corrections after realizing that you've left the meter running."

� CNET

You can read the complete review or learn more and download your free copy of HourGuard timesheet recorder software from our website today.