USB storage drives let you carry around mobile versions of your favourite programs to use on any computer. Robert Irvine picks 10 of the best free portable applications.

1 Portable Firefox http://portableapps.com/apps/internet/browsers/portable_firefox
Mozilla Firefox has already persuaded millions of web users to ditch Internet Explorer in favour of its fast, full-featured interface. With this portable version, you can enjoy its tabbed browsing, powerful privacy controls and integrated search facility on the move. The package also includes a PortableApps Launcher that lets you access passwords, bookmarks and extensions wherever you go, without leaving personal information behind on the machine you run it on.

2 Opera Portable www.kejut.com/operaportable

Handy for those otherwise unbearable situations where you'd be forced to use Internet Explorer, this tool allows Opera lovers to set up their beloved browser on any computer just by clicking, with no need for installation or administrator rights. All your web activity remains secret, as when you close the program any data accrued on the system, such as your history, passwords and personal information, is automatically erased and overwritten.

3 Portable Thunderbird http://portableapps.com/apps/internet/email/portable_thunderbird
Manually entering your email account details so you can check for new messages on a public machine can be both cumbersome and risky (in terms of privacy). Portable Thunderbird eliminates such worries by letting you carry around your whole email client and contacts book on a USB drive. This means you can send and receive email from any computer without installing any software, changing any settings or compromising your security.

4 Miranda www.miranda-im.org

A quick instant messaging session is a great way to communicate with loved ones when you're away from home, but usually requires downloading and installing compatible software onto your current computer. With multi-protocol messenger Miranda in your pocket, you can chat to users on AIM, MSN, ICQ, Yahoo and most other messaging clients. Fast and easy to use, there are more than 350 plug-ins available to extend the program's functionality.

5 XMPlayer www.un4seen.com/xmplay.html
Although Windows Media Player is pre-installed on most Windows PCs, many people prefer faster and more flexible software for their music needs. XMPlayer is one such program, compatible with an enormous range of audio formats, including MP3, WMA, Ogg, CDA and UMX. It can stream web radio, burn files to disc and import and export playlists, has a fully customisable interface, and delivers ultra-smooth sound quality.

>> View USBs 6-10

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