The second week of releases for July is a little different from other weeks in that there have been a greater number of Mac releases that usual. TRIM Enabler 2.2 is a great free tool that helps to improve the life of SSDs and the latest version of the app includes support for a wider range of drives. Lion is proving to be the most popular version of OS X yet, and Lion Tweaks 2.0.1 is a free tweaking tool that can be used to customize the operating system and eliminate irritations, while CrystalClear Interface 2.7.4 enables you to completely change the appearance of OS X through the use of skins. If you want to be sure of a secure web connection whether you are at home or out and about with a laptop, Hotspot Shield 2.61 is a free proxy tool that protects your privacy and enables access to blocked web sites.

No week would be complete without its fair share of browser updates, and this week is no different in that respect. Google Chrome 21.1.1180.41 Beta is an interest peak into the future of Google’s browser, and there is also a portable version of the software available in the form of Google Chrome Portable 21.1.1180.15 Beta. If you keen to see what the future holds for Chrome, there is also Google Chrome 22.0.1201.0 Dev and again there is a portable version available – Google Chrome Portable 22.0.1201.0 Dev. If you’re a fan of Opera, Opera Next 12.50 ‘Marlin’ build 1497 and Opera Next 12.50 ‘Marlin’ build 1497 (64-bit) give a preview of what to expect from upcoming releases.

Disconnect for Chrome

OneClick Chrome Extension 1.1 is a great extension for Chrome that eliminates the need for a torrent client, making it possible to download torrents just as you would any other file. Privacy is a concern for everyone, and Disconnect for Chrome 3.4.0 makes it easy to avoid web site tracking while Malwarebytes’ Anti-Malware Free 1.62 is a free yet fully featured malware protection tool. Cloud storage is currently all the rage – something that is unlikely to change in the near future – and Dropbox 1.4.11 provides a handy way to keep files in sync on your computer; Dropbox Experimental Edition v1.5.8 is something of a preview of changes and additions that may be made in future releases. Microsoft SkyDrive 2012 v16.4.6003 has also been updated, this time with a new logo and enhance status window to keep you informed as to what is happening.

Whether you encode your own videos, download them from the internet, or are given them by friends, you need to ensure that you the correct codecs installed. This is where a codec pack is particularly handy as means that you do not need to wory about downloading individual codecs. K-Lite is a well-respected collection of codecs available in a number of different versions – K-Lite Codec Pack Full 9.0.2, K-Lite Codec Pack 64-bit 9.0.2, K-Lite Codec Pack Mega 9.0.2, K-Lite Codec Pack Basic 9.0.2 and K-Lite Codec Pack Standard 9.0.2.

Acronis True Image

BurnAware Free 5.0 could be used to copy your videos onto CD or DVD, but it can also be used to create all manner of other discs. The latest release is a fairly major upgrade that adds support for more file systems as well as a number of improvements and enhancements. Additional features and options can be found in the paid for versions of the program – BurnAware Home 5.0 and BurnAware Professional 5.0. A disc burning tool could be used for backup purposes, but a dedicated tool is a better idea. Acronis True Image Home 2012 (Update 2.1) v15.0.7133 includes an improved scheduling feature, better archive management and much more. If you’re more concerned with recovering data than backing it up, Recuva 1.43 could be what you are looking for; there’s also a portable version available – Recuva 1.43 Portable.

EssentialPIM

Speccy 1.17 is a great tool for anyone who needs to find out detailed information about their compute, and the latest version has improved support for all of the latest hardware. Speccy 1.17 Portable is also available for fans of portable apps. Uniblue PowerSuite 2013 can be used to optimize the performance of your computer, and the new 2013 release boasts a new interface as well as a new free Lite edition. Finishing up this week’s roundup are a couple of tools aimed at helping you to get work done. LibreOffice Productivity Suite 3.5.5 is a free alternative to the likes of Microsoft Office while EssentialPIM Free 5.0 can be used to help organize your contacts, emails, notes and much more. EssentialPIM Free Portable 5.0 is a portable version that could be copied to your USB drive, while EssentialPIM Pro 5.0 offers a wider set of features for an upgrade fee.

That’s it for another week. Join us again in seven days’ time for a quick catch up on the preceding week’s releases.