iPhone Care Pro
This free app is a computer based phone app that is valuable only if you have an iPhone. It will clean your iPhone, iPad and iPod with a quick or deep clean. It is capable of cleaning cookies, crash logs, photo caches, call history, etc.
Unfortunately, I do not have an iPhone to test this for you but I know that when it starts to install you will receive this message. Maybe some of you Apple sharpies will let me know if this is a useful product.
Android Fastimizer
I do have an Android based phone and they have a new free product called Fastimizer. I have taken the image captures of my phone below. Click Start and it will start the scan. You may see that while it is running it is checking; Running apps, System Cache, and Application Cache. For the first scan, my phone received a pretty low score of 20 but managed to delete enough files to get it to a score of 100.
Wise Reminder
If you want to remember your anniversary, your mother’s birthday or you need a prodding while working on the computer to get some projects done, this is an easy way to schedule them. When the screen opens, it will start on a blank page. Start by clicking the plus icon and add whatever you want.
I added a note to remember to buy flowers for my daughters birthday and have selected a custom sound to play when the time approaches. You have the options of Mute, Default and Custom for the Voice prompts.
Your completed and unfinished task are always available to view.
Wise Plugin Manager
Are your browsers getting loaded down with plugins like toolbars, extra extensions, and Internet Explorer’s BHOs? Well this little utility can list them all and let you choose which to keep or delete.
Take the Item you wish and deposit in the trash can to remove it from your browser. Depending on the browsers you have, the tabs available will change.
The rest of the browsers and tabs all perform the same way so I won’t bother showing them here. One note, it obviously is not yet able to display Spartan as a browser yet.
Wise PC 1stAid
The last product is a very simple approach of attempting to fix some the most common computer problems. When the screen opens, it gives you six common error types. If one matches your problem, click on it.
The one below is an example for the first item.
If none of the items are close to what you need, it gives you the option of sending a message or screenshot so they may offer solutions to fix it. I have not used this feature but I assume it is fee based.
Overall 14 free apps, plus the main suite, is a lot to offer. I particularly like that there are no annoying popup ads. True, some of these apps are not the best options out there but some have exceptional value. Weighing it all objectively, I would give it a very favorable score. Another feature that I have not addressed earlier is that instead of the full suite, you have the option of downloading the individual apps. So, if you have a smaller laptop and need the space, run only the apps you need. Since the addition of the second file nested in the download, I have written a letter to Wise, stating that they should put a note on the download file that “this file contains more than one offer”. I will let you know if they respond.
- Catch up with Part 1 of this article here: Be Wise Optimize – Part 1
Perhaps there are some useful features in Wise Care 365. But, in my opinion, it’s just another Norton Utilities. Trying to be a multitude of things in one package almost always means mediocrity across the suite. I have never used Wise Care (nor, do I intend to), so I can’t pass judgement on whether it’s worth the bother to install it. But, again, it’s a suite. That means it probably doesn’t excel at any one task, above or beyond a stand alone program that does the same task.
Further, installing a suite of programs that monitor this, filter that and optimize the other, all in real time, that means your computer is running memory hogging, resource eating modules in the background that slow down every aspect of the computer’s performance. This is especially true if your computer already has anti-virus, anti-malware, and a myriad of other programs running, scanning, filtering, blocking, and who knows what else.
Take a look at your system tray. If you have more than a half-dozen icons residing in the system tray, you are burdening your system crap that systematically deteriorate your computer’s performance.
There is a continuous battle for real estate in the system tray. Not all of the apps that reside there are as beneficial as they may seem. My policy is, if I don’t regularly use the icons in the system tray, or access the application it represents, then it doesn’t need to be there, and I can run the app manually from the Start menu if and when i need it.
By and large, application or utility suites such as Wise Care may promise the moon and stars, while in reality, the moon is a mirage and stars rarely shine. In my 29 years of futzing with computers, I have learned that it is usually best to find stand alone programs that do what you want, rather than bogging your system down with a suite that wants to be your everything. Trying to be all things to all people never succeeds.
Nonetheless, I enjoy reading DCT articles, ideas and experiences. While I may not necessarily agree with everything I read, I often do. Or, I learn something new.
Keep up the good work! 🙂
Thanks beachbouy, for your comments and input. I understand, some programs are not for everyone.
I even mentioned In part 2, that all features can be downloaded as a stand alone product, not a suite, and all but the WiseCare, which can be turned off, are not tray items.
My personal tray only includes 5 items: Dropbox, One Note, Avast, WDbook, and Win update so I agree and understand you there. Also, I only have Win update because of operating with Pro insider preview of Win 10.
The posts focus was on the “free” feature for those that want one or more of the programs but don’t want to buy them. I’m new to blogging and really enjoy the input by the readers so if there anything you would like to see, let me know.
Jim