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Written by Don Lee
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Wednesday, 21 March 2007 |
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Page 2 of 2
Using WindowsFX 3.0, you can change a number of display features in Windows such as shadows, animations, menu animations, taskbar previews and switching, desktop icons, window transparency and effects, desktop tiles and window controls. One of the cool features I noticed was the ability to see a preview of the minimized windows in the task bar. Just by scrolling over each item in the task bar, you will notice a preview screenshot displayed above the task bar item highlighted. The only quirky thing I noticed is that the component had a little trouble displaying video files that I had in the task bar. You would see the screenshot of the player but not the content of the video. This is a very useful component for those of us who always have (or need) a lot of windows open for our computer programs and files.
WindowBlinds is the most popular program of the suite and once you try it out, you will know why. Nothing can be as terrifying as altering your Windows interface because you take that chance of possibly losing all of your files. With WindowBlinds, that uncertainty is wiped out with one click of the mouse. When you install WindowBlinds, you are given a few starter themes just to get a feel for the program. Go ahead and select one and you will soon see your entire interface transform into a brand new look. Yes, it works as easy as that. I was blown away on how so much could be changed with this theme. Absolutely everything changed with one click. If you have never tried WindowBlinds, I suggest you download the demo now and check it out.
The Final Word
If you’re tired of the typical Windows interface and want to spruce up your user experience, I would highly recommend using Stardock’s Object Desktop. This suite of products provides for a wide range of uses. It can help streamline some of your computing processes and all from one package. If you’re feeling a bit creative, you can develop your own desktop theme to fit your desires. Everything you need to create a quality theme is available in Object Desktop.
The components are relatively easy to use and they do offer previews of your in progress so you can see how your project is shaping up before you do a full implementation. Some of my favorite components from Object Desktop include WindowBlinds 5, Object Sweeper, WindowFX, DesktopX and Desktop Gadgets. Now don’t get me wrong, all of the components offer some really great features for a variety of purposes but these four were the ones I used to tweak Windows, eased some repetitive tasks and cleaned up the system which were all things my system desperately needed. Even if you’re not up to designing your own interface, there are themes available for download that you can simply install using WindowBlinds. When you see how easy it is to change the interface using WindowBlinds, then you will understand why this program has been downloaded over 10 million times.
Remember that StarDock offers demos of most of these components on their website so you can try them out before you buy. If you find yourself using a majority of the components, then you will find that the Object Desktop suite is a better purchase instead of buying the components individually. For the price of $49.95, Object Desktop is a great deal for those who want to make their computer time (especially the time spent on your work computer, right?) a little more enjoyable.
If you spend large periods of time on your personal or even work computer and you’ve had enough of seeing that Windows desktop background, then you need to pickup Object Desktop so you can begin to see and Windows like you want to. You can learn more about Object Desktop or its individual components by visiting Stardock’s official website at http://www.stardock.com.
About Stardock
Stardock was founded in 1993. Its mission has been to create PC software for both the business and consumer markets. It is best known for creating extensions to operating systems such as Microsoft Windows and IBM OS/2. These extensions have enabled companies and individuals to customize their operative environment to suit their individual needs. You can learn more about Stardock’s products by visiting their website located at http://www.stardock.com
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