Attention may have been focus on the hardware releases coming from Apple this week, but there also been the usual wide selection of software releases to devour. The release of the iPhone 4S and iOS 5 is probably the biggest news of the week, and to tie in with this, Apple released iTunes 10.5 32-bit and iTunes 10.5 64-bit. One of the most interesting features of iOS 5 is iCloud storage and synchronization, and Windows users can take advantage of the newly released Cloud Control Panel for Windows to control this from their desktop.

When working with your PC, the inevitable reduction in performance that creeps in over time can be banished using TuneUp Utilities 2012. The app can be used to optimize the registry, save power and fix problems. In a similar vein is MAGIX PC Check & Tuning 2012 which can be used in one-click mode for quick fixes, but also enables you to get a little more hands-on if you want to get the best possible performance from your computer. If two tune-up tools aren’t enough for you, iolo System Mechanic Free 10.6 rounds off a trio of performance boosting utilities – and this one is available free of charge.

Aside from performance, one of the key concerns of any PC users is security, and Comodo have a series of tools that could help put your fears to rest. Comodo Internet Security Premium 2012 is a free suite that includes the company’s antivirus and firewall software – Comodo Firewall 2012 and Comodo Antivirus 2012 are also available separately. Norton has also released Norton 360 6.0 Beta which seem remarkably stable despite being a beta version.

Security can extend to files that you have accidentally deleted, and this is something that Recuva 1.41 could help with. Whether you have deleted files from your memory card, or accidentally formatted a hard drive, this is a free utility that just might be able to help you to retrieve them. There is a portable version available in the form of Recuva Portable 1.41 which is ideal for popping onto a USB drive in case it should ever be needed.

Powerful PDF creator, reader and editor

But computer users should not be consumed with security and performance concerns. Using SoftMaker Office Professional 2012 Beta you could replace the likes of Microsoft Office completely free of charge, and Nitro PDF Reader 2.1 32-bit is a great alternative to the increasingly bloated Adobe Reader. 64-bit users need look no further than Nitro PDF Reader 2.1 64-bit. If you fancy getting a little creative, CyberLink PowerDirector 10 Ultra which enables you to edit video files like a professional.

And just to prove that the iPhone hasn’t grabbed all of the mobile headlines this week, BlueStacks App Player (alpha) was released. This surprisingly useful app makes it possible to run Android apps on your PC and while there is currently no Mac version available, this is something to look out for. In the meantime, there are sure to be plenty more releases to enjoy.