7 essential free tools for your Windows 7 system

Windows 7, the product of more than 20 years of development, represents Microsoft's quest for improved design quality with an eye toward usability. This version of the Windows operating system features the gorgeous user interface that debuted in Windows Vista, enhanced with significant speed improvements. But even if you're running Win 7, are you getting the most out of your PC?

Check out our list of 7 applications available for free that will blast your Windows 7 experience above and beyond the basics.

1. Alternative Browser: Firefox or Chrome
Download: Firefox or Chrome
Price: Free

While Windows comes with a stock browser (Microsoft's Internet Explorer), it's always good to have a fallback. There are two excellent options on the market currently — Mozilla Firefox and Google Chrome.

Each browser option has its own benefits. Firefox helps users by using fewer resources than Internet Explorer and boasts extremely fast page load times. On the other hand, Chrome is the fastest of the three to load when you first start the application. Both browsers have been benchmarked outperforming Internet Explorer on a consistent basis. Don't be surprised if, after taking them for a test drive, you choose to start using one of these alternatives as your primary browser.

2. Voice Communications: Skype
Download: Skype
Price: Free

One thing Microsoft has not integrated with the Windows operating system is a video chat client. We recommend downloading Skype for your online calling needs. From Skype, you can make client-to-client calls for free and calls to landlines or mobile phones for fairly low rates. You can also use Skype to send files and make video calls with friends and loved ones from afar.

Skype's premium service (with a monthly fee) adds group video conferencing, and there's also a plan (with an annual fee) that includes unlimited calls to any phone number the United States and Canada (except those that charge by the minute).

3. Media Player: iTunes
Download: iTunes
Price: Free

Windows comes with a perfectly serviceable media player. However, Windows Media Player is not associated with a content store, nor will it let you add music, videos, and apps to your iOS devices. For this, you need iTunes.

When it comes to playing music and videos, iTunes is fundamentally similar to Windows Media Player. On the other hand, the integrated iTunes Store suffers no competition from Windows Media Player. Even the next stage in Windows media software, Media Center, doesn't offer a store where you can purchase content. With Apple's iCloud service and the ability of iTunes to download content from your library to any of your devices, accessing your personal media has never been faster.

4. Anti-Virus: Ad-Aware
Download: Ad-Aware
Price: Free (Pro: $29.95)

Microsoft does produce a free anti-virus software, Microsoft Microsoft Security Essentials. First released in 2009, it has yet to break into the mainstream market — it's quietly tucked in with Windows and updates using Windows Update. But for more complete coverage such as checking cookies and temp files, consider downloading Ad-Aware. Ad-Aware continually earns top marks from online reviewers and consumers alike and is considered the best package to both block and remove malware from your computer.

Keep in mind that most free versions of anti-virus software don't offer advanced features like email scanning and web surfing protection. The folks who make the software want to encourage you to pay for the full-service version, after all. That said, most internet services providers today provide some kind of free software with their product package. If you don't see anything on your ISP's website, contact tech support to determine if there's a service you can take advantage of. 

5. Productivity Suite: OpenOffice
Download: OpenOffice
Price: Free

Microsoft Office is Microsoft's well-developed, popular, and (unfortunately) fairly expensive productivity suite. If it wasn't included with your new Windows 7 computer or if you don't need the bells and whistles of Microsoft Office, check out OpenOffice. OpenOffice comprises similar programs to cover your productivity needs — from word processing to spreadsheets, database management, presentations, and graphics/drawing production — at the very attractive price of Free.

OpenOffice's software does open Microsoft Office files, including the new .docx, .xlsx, and .pptx formats, ensuring compatibility with any newly produced content. OpenOffice also offers up a repository of extensions for the software on its website. Need a foreign language dictionary to write a paper for class? Just check the repository! 

6. Chat Client: Trillian
Download: Trillian
Price: Free (Pro: $12)

Hey, you online chatting fiend — are you frustrated with keeping up with the numerous chat clients you've got running at any given time? You'll definitely want to try Trillian, a handy chat aggregator with a clean, basic interface. Trillian lets you set a single global status for every account you're logged into and pulls your buddy lists together into a single list for easy viewing. Trillian uses a cloud service to coordinate your conversations between your computer, mobile phone, and web application — log out of one and into the other, and your chats continue as if you'd never left.

Do you have contacts with accounts on multiple services such as ICQ or AOL Instant Messenger? No problem! In Trillian, you can create a meta-contact for that buddy and group all their accounts together under one name so you don't have the same person showing up five or six times in your list.

If you're looking for additional features such as cloud-stored chat logs and no ads, consider shelling out for the Trillian Pro service, but this is definitely not a requirement for such a useful tool.

7. Monitoring: CPU Meter Gadget
We would be remiss if we didn't mention one of the best additions to Windows — gadgets! Despite their introduction in Windows Vista, gadgets really didn't gain any popularity until the faster Windows 7 OS was released. Now that you have an operating system that can make use of them, you'll definitely want to give the CPU Meter a try.

CPU Meter performs two tasks. It displays your current CPU and memory usage (in percentages) on a cool little set of gauges that make a tiny corner your desktop look like a racecar's dashboard. Just don't peg your numbers up in the red zone — regularly maxing out essential system resources such as your CPU and memory means your system might not be up to support all your regular activities.

Other odds and ends
Everyone has their own list of must-have applications, whether it's a graphics program like GIMP or a preferred Twitter client. Did we leave any of your favorites off the list? Let us know why you can't live without 'em!

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