One nice feature of Ubuntu, a slick Linux build, is the way that it handles application updates with a unified app.  For a similar experience in Windows, try out FileHippo Update Checker.  Once you install it, you can direct FileHippo Update Checker to scan your system, and return a list of apps on your system that need an update.  It runs in seconds, and requires the Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0 (which it will download for you, if you don’t have it).

Update Checker isn’t quite as slick as Ubuntu’s solution, as it downloads each update separately, and requires you to install them.  Ubuntu does this in a unified manner, with downloads and installs occurring right in the update app.  Still, Update Checker can save you considerable time, as you won’t have to open multiple apps or check multiple sites for updates.  Update Checker’s site does warn that it doesn’t check ALL apps, which is understandable considering the nearly endless number of Windows apps out there.

When I decided to hunt for a unified app updater, I did check out a couple of other alternatives, SUMo and Update Notifier.  I scratched Update Notifier off of my list, as, best I can tell, its database doesn’t seem to be up to date.  It told me that all the apps on my system were up to date, when they were not.  I didn’t get past the installation screen of SUMo, as I noticed that it asked to install a “marketing research” app during the installation process.  You can decline to install this app, but if you’re not paying attention, it would be easy to end up with some spyware on your system.

For these reasons, FileHippo’s app was the winner for me.  If you know of any other solutions, let us know in the comments.

FileHippo Update Checker