10 Free Apps For Your Flash Drive

You already know how invaluable a USB flash drive can be for transporting files. But it's also quite handy when you need to run a bit of software and you're away from your primary PC. Web Worker Daily lists 10 free mini applications for USB drive-carrying road warriors, including:

SpeakFreely (690K) is a small VoIP application. You can use it to conduct calls over the Internet or any TCP/IP network. It also comes with limited PGP capabilities, so you can encrypt your communications if you choose to.
IrfanView (822K) is one of the best graphics programs I've ever used, and you can even use it to create slideshows. It's very fast to get into for tasks like working with screen captures and more. When I wrote about it before, lots of the readers agreed that it's a great application.

I'll second the IrfanView nomination; I use the program daily to crop and resize the very artwork you see here on Business Hacks. What portable apps do you find essential? Hit the Comments -- but only if you're cool! (Yes, I'm trying to goad you.)

Rick Broida

Rick Broida, a technology writer for more than 20 years, is the author of more than a dozen books. In addition to writing CNET's The Cheapskate blog, he contributes to CNET's iPhone Atlas.

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