It’s been a long while since we’ve visited WindowFX. 

When WindowFX 1.0 came out, its claim to fame was its ability to give windows alpha blended shadows and make use of transparency.  Later, it was updated to have even more gratuitous effects.

With WindowFX 4, we’ve taken a totally new direction.  Now, we’re focusing on things that are less cosmetic and more useful.  For instance, WindowFX 4 will allow users of all versions of Windows to drag a window to the side and have it automatically resize it. Windows 7 does that now.  However, WindowFX also lets users drag a window to a screen corner and it’ll resize the window to use a quarter of the screen.

Another nifty feature is the ability to set individual windows to have a custom maximize size if you hold the shift key down when you press the maximize button on the title bar.  Say you’re running at high resolution but you want one window to max at 800x600 and another at 1024x768. No problem, right click on the title bar, set its custom max size and then when you hold down the shift key when pressing on their maximize button, voila. Customize max size.

Another new area we’re working on is a new concept called “Window Flicks”.  The idea here is that users can grab a window and “flick it” in a certain direction and have it behave in a certain way (such as maximize it or send it over to a second monitor or have it vertically maximize). 

Speaking of which, another neat feature is the ability to double click on a window edge to have it maximize out in direction you clicked on.  Very handy if you’re running lots of windows.

These are just a few of the things in the all new WindowFX 4.  Users of Object Desktop will begin having access to the beta next week.

Here is a video I put together showing off some of the features of ObjectDock 2!

www.objectdock.com

If you haven’t gotten it already, go get ObjectDock 2 (www.objectdock.com). The price is right (free).

The accessibility features are really killer. But ironically, I turned off nearly all the cool glitzy stuff in order to have this decidedly boring dock. Maybe I’m just getting old. 

Welcome back to another edition of This Week in Skinning.  We are halfway through October and this month has been great so far.  Skin submissions are rolling in through many of the core galleries like WindowBlinds, and some old faces have popped up as well.  We also had the release of ObjectDock 2 which is a must-have upgrade.  We also have some cool news and updates coming so be sure to stay tuned to WinCustomize.com.

Now for this weeks picks!

	Hardwood FX by RedneckDude All the skins in the Hardwood series are slick, but I really enjoyed this CursorFX theme.
	ACE Weather by Chasbo Widgets are making a comeback, and Chasbo has been creating some fantastic ones.
	AlienPlanet by CarGuy1 I just think this is a very cool idea for an animated wallpaper.  Great job!
	Midori by navigatsio I have long enjoyed navigatsio’s skins for his designs and use of color.  Midori is no disappointment.  Very nice!
	SPatur WB by lypnjtu Another excellent WindowBlinds skin this week.  The details of this skin are great, and this is a definite download for WB users.

ObjectDock has long been a favorite with people wanting to add both functionality and style to their Windows desktops.  Starting off long ago with a free version that is still widely popular to this day, the introduction of ObjectDock Plus brought many new features including tabbed docks.  With the long awaited final release of ObjectDock Plus 2 I wanted to highlight some of the features for both new and old users alike.

Current users can upgrade to the newest version for $9.95, and new users can get the Plus version for $19.95.

https://www.stardock.com/products/objectdock/

New User Interface

The user interface for ObjectDock Plus got a complete makeover, much based on user feedback and the desire to make it much easier to customize the dock to your particular preference.

ObjectDock Plus 1.0 UI	ObjectDock Plus 2 New UI

It is much easier now to browse installed dock backgrounds and make changes through a visual theme manager.

Configuring options for your docks has also improved with the new user interface.

New Folder-View Tabs

This is an awesome new feature.  This new type of tab will display the contents of a selected folder into ObjectDock.  As you see in the screenshot below, I created a tab for my landscape wallpapers.  From there I can browse and select them right inside the dock!

Effects and Background Features

One of the most requested features for ObjectDock Plus was reflections.  Well here it is!

Other new effects are included like Ghost mode which makes the zoomer dock invisible until mouseover.  This is great for truly minimal desktop!  Another cool effect is the Bubbles mouseover effect.

Bubble effect	Ghost-mode

Aero Peek-like Functionality

This is another cool feature forzoomer docks.  The Aero Peek-like effect gives you a similar Peek effect that you find on Windows 7.  Hovering over a running icon will not only show a small image of the window, it will also bring that particular window into focus on your desktop so you can access it quickly.

It’s hard to see in the screenshot, but check it out in the accompanying video.

This was just a sample of some of the new highlighted features in the ObjectDock Plus 2 release.  Other features include tons of tweaking and fixes, new background docks, and more.  Remember that you can also download thousands of icons and dock background for use in ObjectDock at WinCustomize.com.

Happy Friday folks!  This is a great time of year as both the weather is getting cooler, and the skinning is increasing!  Lets first start off by saying a late congrats to WOM and Hankers for their promotion to Super Wizops, and we should have a new round of WC promotions coming up shortly too. 

Now for this weeks picks!

	Star Stranger by Kostyantyn Star Stranger has been uploading DX Themes since last year, and I wanted to highlight his progress and work here so far.
	Voronoi Cells by thenukid This is a dynamic .dream from a new WC member, and it is full of shapes and colors.
	Autumn sparrows by teddybearcholla This is just a beautifully designed wallpaper, perfect for the Fall season.
	Missing the Moon Ver 2 by DEVJIT I just really like this wallpaper.  The design caught my eye and looks great on the desktop.
	Zombie Outbreak by k10w3 Getting into that Halloween feeling with a skin like this.  Perfect coloring makes this a needed download.

This Fall I’m starting to get back into skinning.  For the past 8 months or so, I’ve been the interim Project Manager on Elemental: War of Magic to get that game ready for release – which I failed spectacularly at. Sometimes, the answer is not to “work harder”. But I digress.

The problem I’m seeing with skinning is business vs. passion.  That is, Windows XP users still represent a near majority of the people using our skinning programs. The problem is, Windows XP is dead as a technology base. I don’t want to even support it any longer.  I want us to make cutting edge technology using WPF and Silverlight and other things that can show what is possible.

A lot of the new Windows technologies have been under used which is a real shame because there’s some great stuff there.

My main worry right now is that WPF is not being well supported by Microsoft and I don’t want us to get into a tech that Microsoft is going to abandon (GDI+, cough cough).

See http://www.theregister.co.uk/2010/09/13/microsoft_defends_silverlight/ for my concerns.

Alright, a new month is upon us!  This was an especially super week for skin submissions with a bunch of new submissions in many galleries across WinCustomize.  Since it is October, the Halloween-themed skins are starting to slowly make their appearance, and I hope to see more soon.  We also had quite a few updates this week, so be sure to fire up Impulse and look for updates for DeskScapes and ObjectDock Plus 2!

Now for this weeks picks!

	Stripe Poker by theAVMAN This is a matching skin for the Master WB skin by the same name, and this is a first-class CursorFX theme.  Great work!
	Aqua Box (TM Suite) by Philly0381 Once again, Philly has taken the time to put together a bunch of fantastic skins based on RND’s DX Theme.
	Display Array Sidebar Clock by RedNeckDude People still utilize the Windows Sidebar, and RND created this sleek clock gadget for it.
	Abstract Something by Rohillio I just love the burst of colors in this wallpaper.  Nice work!
	Hardwired by Xiandi Tons of detail and attention in this WindowBlinds skin make this a must-have download on the list.

The latest beta for DeskScapes 3.2 was released earlier this week, and one of the new features is a level slider on some effects in which you can increase or decrease their intensity.  Effects are cool on their own, but being able to adjust them even more is just another layer of coolness added.

Remember you can apply effects to static and animated wallpapers in DeskScapes.  Just note that the level sliders are available only on certain effects like blurs, smears, etc.  When you select an effect, a slider will appear over the thumbnail and you can adjust the level of the effects to your liking!

Here is a quick video showing how.

Get DeskScapes here!

How is everyone doing this fine Friday?  Pretty good I hope, and this was an exciting week as not only did some great skins come into WinCustomize, we also had some fantastic updates for WindowBlinds and ObjectDock Plus 2.  I’m hoping to see more Fall season, and Halloween skins coming in soon, as they are both a great base for themed skins.

Now for this weeks picks!

	Needles by B2R This is a fun and colorful cursor theme for use with CursorFX.  Nice job!
	Bar Tender DX by RedneckDude I can always count on RND to deliver the goods, and the new Bar Tender theme is another gem.
	Stripe Poker Tabbed by WebGizmos A fine set of tabbed dock backgrounds made to match the Stripe Poker WindowBlinds skin.
	Miners Castle 2010 by eddyhaze This is a beautiful image and deserves a placement on your desktop.
	Ace by navigatsio This is a dark WindowBlinds skin, with lots of great details.  Definitely one to check out.  Great work!