Master skinner Neone6 has been busy getting some premium IconPackager themes delivered to the WinCustomize gallery! Some of these are icon packs that were bundled but are now available separately. 

See these and many more in the IconPackager gallery here.

Star Force

Dominatrix

DESTINY

CYGNUS

SkinStudio doesn't get as much attention from the general skinning consumer since it's primary focus is the creation of skins, but lets not forget its importance as it plays a big role in bringing us skins for WindowBlinds. 

Over the years we've tried to make SkinStudio easier for new users to start creating skins, while keeping the advanced editing available for our experienced skinners. With SkinStudio, you can skin as much or as little as you want of the interface. You can then use the skin for yourself, or share with thousands of others in the WindowBlinds gallery on WinCustomize.

SkinStudio takes on a task-oriented design where users can go step-by-step through each section of the skin and either edit the existing skin template, or replace them completely with an image you created in Photoshop or any other graphics program.

Now we know with all the changes to Windows and WindowBlinds itself over the past few years, that SkinStudio could use some attention. That's why we want to hear from our talented skinning community on what they would possibly like to see updated in future versions of SkinStudio. 

Let us know your suggestions on what you'd like to specifically see updated in the comment section below. 

Image credit: TechCrunch

A few weeks ago, my dad and I had a conversation about how, if we have to weather a pandemic, we’re sure glad it’s happening in 2020.

Don’t get me wrong - obviously, we wish we weren’t living through this craziness at all, but to deal with it now versus in, say, 1990? We’re all way better equipped in certain areas. For one thing, the internet has come a long way since its dial-up days and is commonplace in most homes and businesses, so staying connected through technology is very possible. Online board gaming certainly has saved my sanity (what little I have left of it anyway) these last two months.

One of the things that crosses my mind frequently is how difficult this must be for our youth, too. Sure, most of them don’t have the same worries as we adults do - things like bills, mortgages, food on the table, and so on - but it’s still a really tough world for them to navigate, even with supportive families. I know a lot of high school seniors who are really disappointed that they’ll be missing their “big year” - the parties, the farewells, the excitement of what comes next. We can promise them all we like that the years get better, that there’s much more to life past high school, and while that may be true that isn’t what they want - or need! - to hear right now.

Some schools are hosting virtual graduations for their students in an effort to celebrate their accomplishments in the best way they can right now, which is pretty great. Facebook/Instagram has recently jumped on that trend as well, announcing earlier this week that they would be launching #graduation2020, a series of online events meant to celebrate this year’s seniors.

In addition to all of the Instagram filters and hashtags debuting this week, Facebook is pulling some major celebrities into the mix for a big commencement celebration on Friday, May 15th at 2:00pm ET. According to the statement on their website, the commencement address “will be given by Oprah Winfrey. Awkwafina, Jennifer Garner, Lil Nas X, Simone Biles, and more, will share words of wisdom for the class of 2020. Miley Cyrus will do a special performance of her hit song, “The Climb.”” 

It’s not a replacement for a real graduation, and it isn’t going to offer seniors a sense of accomplishment or let them feel the swell of pride as their family watches them take a big step out of youth toward adulthood. Nothing can replace that, but it is still nice to see areas of the Internet rally around these kids and try to give them a little offering of joy.

They’re certainly going to have one heck of a story to tell to their own children someday, that's for sure. Do you have a graduating senior in your life this year? What are you doing to celebrate?

Image credit: EverythingApplePro

If you're looking to get a new phone soon - or if you're just one of those people who like to stay current with the newest tech - new information recently leaked about the iPhone 12 may help inform your next purchase.

A couple of prominent leakers have shared new information regarding Apple's newest phones. Although this information could be proven wrong once the phones are released, their track record for correct leaks for other devices in the past suggest that their speculation is mostly accurate. 

YouTuber Jon Prosser of Front Page Tech published a video on May 11th, saying Apple will offer four models of the iPhone 12— a base model, a larger Max model, and a “Pro” and “Pro Max” version. The Pro models will get stainless steel chassis, a 512GB storage option and 6GB RAM Vs an aluminum chassis, 256GB top end storage and 4GB RAM for the standard models.

128GB will be the new entry level storage, which is double the previous 64GB starting point. Prosser also says, however, that 120Hz displays will not come to the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Max, and probably not for the iPhone 12 Pro and Pro Max. So far, leaks suggest the iPhone 12 is set to get a very different design but it's likely going to take some cues from previous iPhone models.

Currently, it seems there will be four sizes to choose from:

• iPhone 12 with a 5.4-inch display
• iPhone 12 Max with a 6.1-inch display
• iPhone 12 Pro with a 6.1-inch display
• iPhone 12 Pro Max with a 6.7-inch display

There have been varying reports on whether or not the phone's release is being delayed, but it looks like it will be in the hands of users by fall of 2020. If you want to get deep into the nitty gritty, there has been a lot of coverage and additional information shared about the upcoming iPhone 12 on sites including Forbes, Apple Insider, TechRadar, and more.

Are you an iPhone user and are you excited to upgrade to the new model? Let us know in the comments!

Along with the (beta) release of Curtains, we of course have a Curtains gallery where users can upload and share their own themes. 

Our very own Danioc has been hard at work cranking out new styles for Curtains, and he's been releasing some here on WinCustomize with more to follow.

Check out these styles and check the gallery for more upcoming styles from danioc!

Arrow

Persona

I was doing some updates with Object Desktop on my laptop and while grabbing an installer file from my account, I noticed the download for ObjectBar. Wow, that brought back some memories of skinning. ObjectBar would let you create and use your own start menus, docks, sidebars, etc. and was very customizable in both functionality and skinning.

It was quite popular in the past, especially with people looking to transform their Windows desktop to imitate the look and feel of a Mac desktop. 

Here is an example of a popular skin from that time:

Another example of what ObjectBar could do:

Out of curiosity, I went ahead and downloaded it to my Windows 10 PC as I really wanted to see if it would work and what it would look like on Windows 10.

It worked for the most part, and I have to admit....it looked kind of neat.

There is some quirkiness with Windows 10, but it was definitely fun to play around with this for a while. Did any of you use ObjectBar back when it was included with Object Desktop? Do you think this is something that should be brought back for Windows 10?

We definitely want your feedback, so let us know in the comments below!

Monday was Star Wars Day, and as I’m writing this it’s currently Revenge of the 5th, so...I’m just declaring that this week is “Star Wars Week” and so you’re getting a Star Wars blog. Yub nub!

I am prone to nostalgia, I fully admit this. Star Wars, in and of itself, is full of those old, wonderful memories for me - my Dad raised me and my sister on the movies, and our favorite Friday night ritual consisted of tackling him when he got home from work, popping popcorn, and settling in for one of the films - if my sister and I had our choice, it was almost always Return of the Jedi. Dad also was pretty quick to pick up one of those “newfangled Nintendo systems” when they came out because he’s an engineer who loved to mess around with new gadgets.

I think my Dad found a particular joy in finding games that he could play with me and my sister jointly (we played a lot of Contra), so when he found Star Wars: A New Hope for the system he picked it up for us.

Seriously, I know there’s a small subset of the population for whom old school Nintendo games are and were no big deal, but holy cow - that game was hard. It took my 8-year old self years to be skilled enough to even get off of Tatooine, and even then I’d make it to the Cantina, get Han, and then promptly bite it.

I’m not sure that’d fare much better these days, to be honest, which is why YouTube is such a gift. In case you’d like to squint at a screen for 30 minutes and see someone blitz the game with no deaths, here’s the link below.

Man, old Nintendo games are nothing like games nowadays. Graphics aside, there’s no mini-map and virtually no guidance on where to go or what to do next. In fact, the entire game relies completely on you having knowledge of the movie in order to piece together what’s happening. 

Originally, this blog was going to be called “(Some of) The Best Star Wars Games ever,” and then when I realized I was going to talk about the NES Star Wars: A New Hope, I...had to change the title, LOL.

What got me thinking about Star Wars in the realm of video games, actually, was a happy memory I had regarding my grandfather. He and my grandma used to live around the block from us, so I’d spend many school afternoons over at their place until mom and dad got home from work. In the mid 90’s, home computers were becoming a thing, and when my grandpa got his it came with an assortment of games (my favorite of which was Monkey Island - incidentally also LucasArts - but that’s another blog entirely).

Included among the games (or honestly, perhaps he got it later, it was over 25 years ago so my memory is hazy) was the 1993 X-Wing game, which I seem to recall he specifically bought a joystick to play. Neither of us were particularly good at it, but it was one of the first truly immersive video game experiences I remember, where we were the pilots aiding the Rebels in fighting off the Empire. To an 8 year old, it was pretty damn cool - for my grandpa’s part, I think he enjoyed the game, but loved watching his grandchild be excited even more.

I went and looked at a list of Star Wars video games in Wikipedia because I wanted a full scope of what was out there (because I knew I hadn’t played them all). As it turns out, I’ve played a healthy fraction, but that’s all it is - a fraction. I could write whole paragraphs on the Jedi Knight games (I played a lot of Jedi Academy in college), Rogue Squadron (I, II, and III), or on Battlefront. I also could find a fair amount to say about the LEGO Star Wars games (which, while clunky in their controls at times, I totally adore).

Knights of the Old Republic deserves more than a mention, but this blog is already long. This game was revolutionary, bringing us deeper into the Star Wars lore and providing an immersive and emotional story and series of choices (which later, as it turns out, would turn out to be a hallmark of most BioWare games). In fact, thinking about it, I’m due to play it again soon.

To round this out, I feel obliged to mention a little game that came out around the time all those motion-censored dance games were a “thing” called Kinect Star Wars: Galactic Dance Off. I fully admit to having played this - I’d say I have no shame here, but honestly, there’s definitely a little shame. I can’t have been the only one who was entertained by the swapped lyrics and themed names for the dance moves!

Talk about a great disturbance in the force. 

What’s your favorite Star Wars video game? Share with me!

We've been working hard to get some new content added to the wallpaper gallery, and I wanted to share some of the latest additions. These desktop wallpapers come in multiple high-resolution sizes and look great on a variety of devices. 

Take a virtual stroll through the wallpaper gallery and see what's new! If you have some favorites, do us a favor and share any with your friends or on  your favorite social network. If there's any type of wallpaper you'd like to see added, let us know in the comments below.

Hot Air Balloon over Calm Sea

Tropical Beach from Above

Kepler Planet from Space

Spring is Coming

Swimming Sea Turtle

Next week marks one of my favorite holidays. Unfortunately for me and my office mates, we will be spending it apart from each other in our own homes. For us, May 4th is a day of geeky celebration, of shared memes and, more importantly, shared (and themed!) food.

When my first opportunity to celebrate Star Wars with some fellow nerds came around, I started fairly simple. I happened to have cupcake wrappers and decorations that were Star Wars themed, so I made a batch of cupcakes, decked them out with funfetti frosting (the BEST kind!), and left them in the cafe.

Now, my coworkers at my previous job always appreciated it when I brought in treats, but some of my more offbeat holidays (like May 4th and Talk Like a Pirate Day) were never quite celebrated to this level. I had people sending me memes and dropping Star Wars quotes at me all day long and it was glorious!

So, naturally, the following year, I upped my game.

The once-plain cupcakes got a glow up with handmade chocolates and nicely piped frosting, I acquired some festive Star Wars dishes, and decorated the counter with some posters I happened to have around.

Predictably, everyone was delighted (and on a total sugar high). No one even resented me for the inevitable sugar crash we all experienced later! But...I was pretty sure I still had more ideas, more creativity to put toward this favored holiday of mine.

Enter: 2018.

By this point, coworkers had started to catch on to the fact that I did this annually and were offering to help. The operations team rolled up their sleeves and dove right in with me, hanging out late the night before to bake cupcakes and spend ENTIRELY too long painstakingly assembling the little buggers in the image below.

My marketing operations manager even made custom signs for all the food - and yeah, we know there was a mistake with the signage above, but we were too busy to change it and everyone knew what it was supposed to be!

By 2019, everyone was just waiting to see what craziness I’d pull next. Once again, the operations team jumped in and helped me out, putting out what I think was our most impressive spread to date.

Yes, those are absolutely Chewbacca lights, and yes, I totally had to be extra enough to put them out.

I feel like I’ve been getting pretty clever with the naming conventions here.

I got these dishes when ThinkGeek was still a thing (RIP ThinkGeek.com), and I love them. They are one of my favorite taking points for when I serve sweet treats to visitors at my home.

Our fruit and vegetable lightsabers were perfect for an epic battle! I’m not sure who won here, but Paul definitely has his battle face on.

Looking back on these old pictures makes me miss my coworkers a lot. We’re all in touch regularly via Teams, of course, but it just isn’t the same as being able to go into an office and talk with a bunch of warm, wonderful people who enjoy embracing the fun in life as much as I do.

So, even though we’re missing our celebration together this year, we’ll just have to make up for it when we can all be together again. Until that time, my friends… May the 4th be with you. Always.

Do you celebrate Star Wars Day? What’s your favorite non-mainstream holiday?

Over the last several months, the COVID-19 pandemic has forced people to quarantine in their homes, causing an increase of use for  entertainment streaming platforms. Today, Disney announced that Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker will be coming to Disney+ two months earlier than intended. Appropriately, the release is scheduled for May 4th, a widely celebrated holiday among geeky circles called "Star Wars Day." Now everyone with a Disney+ account can watch the entire Skywalker saga to honor the holiday.

If you're a fan of The Mandalorian, there's another treat in store for May 4th: a new documentary series detailing the show and how it came together. Disney Gallery: The Mandalorian is eight episodes long, with each chapter exploring a different facet of the show through interviews, behind-the-scenes footage, and round table conversations with producer Jon Favreau.

According to the show's description, "topics this season include the film making process, the legacy of George Lucas’ Star Wars, how the cast brought the characters to life, the series’ groundbreaking technology, the artistry behind the show’s practical models, effects, and creatures, plus the creative influences, the iconic score, and connections to Star Wars characters and props from across the galaxy."

This isn't the first time since the lockdowns started that Disney has released a film early. Last month, Frozen 2 dropped three months ahead of schedule, and the Pixar film Onward arrived on Disney+ on April 3. Other studios have put cinematic releases out for purchase or rental earlier than would be normal as well, such as Warner Brother's Birds of Prey or DreamWorks' Trolls World Tour.

What have been your favorite early releases to watch lately?