I’ve recommended portable applications before (here and here) but in the past year, capabilities have improved even further.  Running full-blown versions of some of the most popular programs from a flash drive has gotten easier.  Moreover, the open-source alternatives to unavailable applications are improving as well.  Here is a breakdown of what I’d recommend.  Download them and install them to your flash drive once, then make copies for friends (to carry around as thoughtful gifts).  My thanks to Lifehacker for giving me this idea last year.

Google Chrome – My favorite browser can now go anywhere.  Keep your favorite bookmarks and settings with you wherever you go.

Firefox Portable – Not everyone is a fan of Google Chrome.  For those on your list who prefer the Mozilla flavored browser, try Firefox instead.  Equally portable  – add-ons can even be installed on the portable drive.

Skype Portable – If your recipient is a road warrior, they’ll already love this application for chat and free calls.  I used it extensively from many countries, calling my wife for free.

Pidgin Portable – For those who use AIM, Google Talk, Jabber or the variety of other chat programs out there, try Pidgin as the be all end all in chat apps.  Pidgin can connect to most services and integrates  your buddy list into one place.

VLC Portable – Videos come in a bazillion flavors these days.  VLC makes simple work out of many formats, avoiding the complications of windows media player codex downloads and such.

Songbird Portable – Songbird is an alternative to Itunes, for those who want to carry a small media library (or a large one).  As Itunes doesn’t come in a portable package yet, Songbird makes a great replacement – even including a music store.

Open Office Portable – If you want to edit a word doc while on the go, Open Office is a great solution.  Capable of opening word, excel, and powerpoint docs, and these days a realistic office replacement, Open Office is a tremendous tool.

SpyDLLRemover – Spyware is not something to trifle with… SpyDLLRemover provide spyware protection and repair, in a tiny package – a great tool for keeping your computer safe.

7-Zip Portable – 7 zip is like winzip on steroids.  This is one of the cases where the alternative is simply better.  Carry this compressed file swiss-army knife with you and never be stumped by a file again…

Keepass Portable – Your mind might be a brilliant machine, but entirely too many passwords make life either very complicated or very insecure (if you’re using just one password for everything).  Keepass portable provides a safe repository for each of your passwords, without compromising security.

WinDirStat Portable – Is your hard drive mysteriously full?  Can’t seem to find that 20GB file that is hogging all your space?  WinDirStat scans your computer and maps out the contents of your drives.  The visual results make quick work of cleaning house.

Notepad++ Portable – A text editor to destroy all others.  Writing code?  Simply need a way to edit text files on the go?  Notepad++ will get you there.  Improved find/replace, among many other features, will make you forsake notepad for ever.

Finally, you’re going to need some flash drives – I don’t normally try to generate revenue from Just an Asterisk, but in an effort to recoup my costs for running the site, I ask you to buy your USB drives from the following Amazon link.  When you do, they throw a few bucks my way.

If you’re simply not interested in buying flash drives, you can always make a small donation (of any amount) via PayPal secure checkout using the link below.

Thanks for reading and the happiest of holidays to you all!

~ab

The true benifit of a portable app comes when you put it on a portable drive. I think the best example of this is portable firefox.  Portable firefox carries all of your  browser settings, bookmarks, plugins, and browser history in a folder on your portable drive.  Plug in the drive at work and presto! you are using the same browser that you were using at home.  There is no need to deal with someone else’s stuff.  Perhaps most important for some – you don’t leave any data on the machine for some nosey person to find later.  It all stays on your device.

What other applications are out there you ask?  The place to start is portableapps.com.  Here you can download a starter package of:

•  Mozilla Firefox, Portable Edition (web browser)
•  Mozilla Thunderbird, Portable Edition (email)
•  Mozilla Sunbird, Portable Edition (calendar/tasks)
•  ClamWin Portable (antivirus)
•  Pidgin Portable (instant messaging)
•  Sumatra PDF Portable (PDF reader
•  KeePass Password Safe Portable (password manager)
•  Sudoku Portable (game)
•  Mines-Perfect Portable (game)
•  CoolPlayer+ Portable (audio player)
•  OpenOffice.org Portable* (office suite)

“Wow!” you may say, but secretely thinking “who needs all this crud”?  Fear not, if the suite of applications is overkill for your needs, you can download the ones you want.  They all come with an extracter that puts the application into a folder of your chosing (like on your thumb drive).

Finally, when you are feeling the vibe and that this portable app thing is pretty darn nifty, I recommend visiting Lifehacker’s blog to read all of the reviews for portable software that they’ve done over the years.

Enjoy the world of portable bliss…

~ab