When you get a new laptop, you will already be excited to start playing around and exploring all of the features that you have available at your fingertips. However, there is some essential software that can make your computing life an awful lot easier. Let us look at a few of these which you can download right from the get-go.
Google Chrome Browser
Google Chrome is still the browser of choice for many people and this is the case for a number of different reasons that are worth discussing in closer detail. First of all, you have the speed which is obviously a major boost when you are browsing the internet. Secondly, you can download it onto a wide range of different laptops, so you are not restricted in this regard either. Of course, if you are not a Google fan, you have a couple of other main choices of browser including Firefox and Opera. It may simply come down to a personal preference and what you have been using for a number of years.
Google Drive
Another highly rated product from the tech giant is Google Drive. First of all, you automatically get 15 GB of free storage from the moment that you decide to download it. Also, there is a Backup and Sync option which makes sure that you can back up all of your folders on both your computer and other external devices. Sharing files with others is child’s play, which is useful in both a personal and a professional context. An alternative choice if you are not a Google user is OneDrive from Microsoft.
Spotify
Even though keeping all our music on our laptops is something that we have all been doing for a long while, it has changed a lot in recent years with the advent of the major music streaming services. Perhaps the most major one of all of these is Spotify, which so many of us rely on. If you want to listen to your music for free, you can do so with the basic service. However, an upgrade to the premium edition gives you a much greater degree of control here. There is also plenty of other audio content available such as podcasts and audiobooks. Of course, there are other major streaming services available, and they all tend to offer a similar service and similar price point.
LibreOffice
You may find that it has become the case that Microsoft Office is so ubiquitous that you have not explored the other options that are available to you properly. If this is the case, it is certainly worth giving LibreOffice a second glance for a number of reasons – the first of which is that it is available entirely for free. You have alternative programs to many of the office classics, and the functionality of all of them is very similar. Since we have all become so used to the Microsoft programs, it can take a bit of getting used to, but it is certainly going to be worth it in the long run. The compatibility with other programs, such as Microsoft Office programs, is also very good.
Adobe Acrobat
You are likely to find yourself dealing with PDFs on your laptop, and the essential tool for this particular purpose is Adobe Acrobat. If you are just going to be viewing them, you could simply opt for the free version. However, if you require more in the way of editing capabilities, you may need to upgrade to a subscription model. For a more professional touch, it may well be worth going for the paid option.
Photoshop
Another Adobe product that has been ubiquitous in the modern world is Photoshop, and it certainly gives you a lot in terms of photo-editing capabilities. Of course, you are going to need to undergo a bit of training if you are hoping to really excel here. If you have never used photo editing software before, you may well be amazed at just what an improvement they can end up making to your finished photos.
Antivirus Software
There are a couple of major antivirus software providers including Norton and McAfee. Essentially, with hackers becoming more prevalent and able to access your personal files and details, you want to make sure that every single avenue is closed off to them. Once you have installed your preferred antivirus software, you need to make sure that you continually upgrade so that you do not leave any vulnerabilities whatsoever.
VLC Media Player
While it may feel like you are streaming endless videos these days, there may still come the time when you need to play them directly on your laptop. VLC Media Player is a useful download as it takes in a wide variety of media types with a high level of performance.
Keynote
If you find yourself regularly taking notes on your laptop, but do not want to have to open up full documents each and every time, Keynote is a piece of software that can help out with this. While it does not offer the same features as a standard word processor, you do not tend to need them if you are taking notes.
Hopefully, the above article has given you a good overview of the types of software that can prove to be useful for your laptop. Each one of them serves a specific purpose. After all, a laptop with no software is like a canvas with no paint!
