Top 10 Microsoft Software Apps (Fee Based)

This suite of applications lets you do many things albeit in a more dumbed down manner than you can with Microsoft Office. It lets you create letters, resumes, greeting cards, and customizable templates. You can also use it for tracking your personal budget, schedule your events with calendar, store addresses and contact lists and share Works, Word and Spreadsheet files with Microsoft Office Word and Excel worksheets. Microsoft Works will set you back $35.99.

Includes 2007 versions of Excel, PowerPoint, Word, and OneNote, with improved automatic Document Recovery and the Document Inspector tool. These tools remove personally identifiable information from all of your documents. Office 2007 also features an improved help system that includes online tutorials and more. Price ranges from $75 - $150

The AutoCollage 2008 software lets you create beautiful presentations of your photos, ready for printing and/or sharing with your friends and family. It integrates well with Windows Live Photo Gallery, allowing you to use photos you've already uploaded on the site. Price around $30.99.

I know there are many online website creation tools available on the web. But Microsoft Expression Web 2 offers a professional web design and creation tool that combine the power of design and development with Microsoft Visual Studio, ASP.Net, AJAX and PHP. It supports XHTML, CSS, XML, and XSLT. Expression Web 2 allows you to design and create professional looking business web sites with ease. Expression Web 2 costs around $239.99.

True enough with what it claims, Microsoft Encarta offers scholarly information from reliable sources. Of course, it's better than Wikipedia in terms of editorial content. After all, Wikipedia is free and user-generated information content, while Encarta is a paid electronic encyclopedia. And it even offers a kid friendly zone, so parents won't have to worry about their kids visiting adult sites on the web. Price $22.95.

Microsoft Money lets you manage your personal accounts and helps you improve your credit and debit as well as manage the payment of your taxes on time. Microsoft Money's features include a new Insights tool which provides financial information alerts, such as when a bill is due. Price ranges from $9.99 (Standard Edition) to $39.99 (Premium Edition.)

Microsoft MapPoint lets you visualize business data and communicate business insights by integrating maps into Microsoft Office. Now with the GPS Locator feature, Microsoft MapPoint gives you routing and directions to easily plan your trips and track locations in real-time. Price $259.99.

The Microsoft Streets and Trips 2009 software gives you updated street maps of the United States and Canada. Helping you plan your trips by letting you plot your fuel stops, routes and destination trails. In addition, it also lets you calculate mileage, time and travel expenses. Best of all, you don't have to be connected to the Internet to use Microsoft Streets and Trips. Price $29.99.

This nifty software protects your financial and personal documents from viruses, hackers, and other malicious programs on the Internet. Windows Live OneCare also lets you automate disk cleaning and defragging, back up your files on external media, and protect your PC from security threats. Price $25.99.

Microsoft Outlook offers an integrated solution for managing your time and information, and lets you connect to anyone online. Its features include quick search, color categories, and support for Windows SharePoint Services calendars, documents, contacts and more. Microsoft Outlook 2007 costs $85.99.