One of my all-time favorite features in WindowBlinds is the ability to chance the opacity of the skins in Windows.  Depending on the wallpaper I use, I might prefer a lot of transparency, or just a little.  Either way, it’s as easy as adjusting a couple of sliders.

Check out this video demo.

www.windowblinds.net

IconPackager is a program that allows users to change all their Windows icons by applying themes of icons contained in an “icon package”. There are thousands of icon packages available on the Internet to choose from.

What’s new in IconPackager 5 over IconPackager 4

• Supports Windows 7 and Windows 7 specific icons
• Optionally will restart Explorer to update live folder icons
• Can now be set to apply only specific icons in a package
• Performance improvements in applying

IconPackager explained with screenshots

 
Choose amongst hundreds of icon packages to apply to Windows XP, Windows Vista, or Windows 7

 
When selecting an icon package, you can easily see which icons are in the package.

Mix and match different folder styles from different icon packages.

Making your own icon package is a snap, just select the icon you want to change and choose a different icon for it.

 
IconPackager supports changing colors and even stylizing the icons you have.

 
Got a program whose icon you’d like to change? IconPackager adds an “icon” tab to virtually any type of file on your computer making it easy to change any individual icon too.

Video Demo

Each year, like most companies, Stardock puts together an internal business plan that sets up goals, objectives, and challenges that the company must address.

Part of our internal business plan includes analysis of the state of the products/services we make as well as the results of our customer survey.

Last year, we made this report available to the public and based on the positive response we got for doing so, we’re doing the same again this year.

View: Stardock 2009 Customer Report

WindowBlinds 7 is out! Here’s a demo that shows off some of the cool new stuff.

Now you can see what all the talk is about.  Download it now and see for yourself.  If you’ve tried WindowBlinds in the past and don’t use it now, definitely try this, this isn’t just an upgrade, it’s a whole new system.

http://www.windowblinds.net

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

VERSION 7

Info & Requirements

• Developer: Stardock (www.stardock.com)
• Price: Free to try. Registered version is $19.95. Can be purchased as part of Object Desktop for $49.95.
• Requires: Windows XP, Windows Vista, or Windows 7. Native 64-bit versions included.
• Home page: www.windowblinds.net
• More skins at: www.wincustomize.com

Introduction

WindowBlinds is a program that empowers users to customize the look and feel of Microsoft Windows. By applying skins, users can change nearly every element of the Windows interface including:

• title bars
• borders
• taskbar
• Start menu
• push buttons
• and virtually every other part of the Windows UI

The WindowBlinds Experience

Windows XP user example:

to

Windows Vista/7 example:

   to

There are literally thousands of different skins to choose from

What’s new in WindowBlinds 7 over WindowBlinds 6

There are hundreds of changes and new features in WindowBlinds 7 over previous versions. Below is a summary of some of the more significant changes.

1. Native support for Windows 7
2. Native Aero skinning for Windows Vista and Windows 7 users
3. Native 64-bit support for Windows Vista and Windows 7 users
4. Auto-conversion of Windows XP era skins to Windows Vista or Windows 7
5. Ability to apply textures to skins
6. A new, easy to use configuration program
7. Native Clear-Type support for better font handling
8. New Skin format called UIS0 for skinning Aero (takes hours instead of days to create a new skin).
9. New WindowBlinds 7 skins included such as Submline, Aero Metals, Corporate, Aero Woods, Aero Clay, Sabertooth along with new WindowBlinds 7 skins being released soon after to the public such as Altitude.
10. Option to have a random skin applied each logon
11. Much better customization of fonts
12. Massive performance improvements in applying of skins.
13. Optimization of Windows Vista and Windows 7 DWM drawing to improve battery life on laptops.
14. Aero skinning (UIS0) is 100% compatible (it’s Aero) with all Windows programs.

Screenshots of new features:

Features of WindowBlinds

There are so many individual features of WindowBlinds that it would take many pages to explain them all. Instead, we will focus on the primary features of the program.

1. Changes the look and feel of the entire Windows graphical user interface by applying a WindowBlinds skins.
2. There are thousands of free WindowBlinds skins to choose from.
3. Improves performance of the Windows GUI due to optimizations it makes to Windows drawing routines
4. Uses very little memory
5. Easy and safe to use. Does not modify any system files. Can be turned off with a single click at any time.
6. Gives Windows XP users the ability to have per-pixel alpha blending, gives Windows Vista/7 users the ability to skin the native  glass (Aero) look and feel.
7. Users can assign mouse actions to roll-up windows, minimize to tray and many other options.
8. Supports animated title bars, start menus, and much more.
9. Can skin even “non-theme aware” programs meaning even older programs that look like old Windows will get skinned natively.
10. Microsoft certified. Used by millions of users worldwide and by major PC manufactures such as Dell and HP.

Screenshots in action

WindowBlinds can skin virtually every part of the Windows GUI.

Windows 7 gets a retro-look with this Windows XP skin

 
Like the native Windows Vista/Windows 7 look and would just like to spice it up? WindowBlinds 7 can skin Aero itself.

Skinners can customize as much or as little as they want and share their creations with the world

Happy Friday to everyone out there, and welcome to another edition of the Impulse Weekly Roundup.  It goes without saying that this was another busy week, with a bunch of updates coming out this week!

Articles to check out:

• Stardock Listens, no more AI in Pantheon Tournaments
• Weekend games with Frogboy
• Using Rules in Fences Pro to Organize Desktop Icons
• Elemental: Video blogging
• Brad’s quick demo of DeskScapes 3
• WindowBlinds 7: Make Windows YOURS!
• Are You Ready to Play?
• Elemental: Pen & Paper

New Releases on Impulse:

• For the Glory
• Beyond Divinity
• DeskScapes 3

Updates on Impulse:

• Tropico 3
• Fort Zombie
• And Yet It Moves

This weeks Impulse Weekend Buys!

$14.99	$11.25	$12.99
$12.50	$14.95	$7.49

I hope everyone had a great week, and have an even better weekend that is quickly approaching.  This week in skinning news we had a big release of DeskScapes 3 which bring animated wallpapers to Windows 7, and of course continues with Vista and XP.  If you don’t already have DeskScapes through Object Desktop, it’s on sale this weekend only for $14.95. 

If you are a WinCustomize Subscriber, be sure to head over to subscriber resources and grab the new premium suite, Yellow.

Now for this weeks picks!

	Steampunk by Vampothika Awesome set of cursors for CursorFX to match the Steampunk WB skin.
	Santa Sleigh Countdown Gadget by Island Dog Start counting down the days until Christmas!
	Saviour by Ausvet This is a fantastic animated wallpaper.  Beautiful job!
	Shine 2IP by pinchecl Need a new icon package?  Look no further as this new IP pack from pinchecl will look great on your desktop.
	Mesh by jazzilady The colors in this wallpaper really caught my eye this week.  Nice work on this!
	Softer by 2of3 This is one of my new favorite WindowBlinds skin.  It’s minimal and elegant, and easy on the eyes.

Check out what WindowBlinds 7’s new Aero skinning (UIS0) can do! WindowBlinds 7 is scheduled to come out next week!

http://www.windowblinds.net.

To try out DeskScapes for yourself visit https://www.stardock.com/products/deskscapes

If you have a decent video card and Windows Vista or Windows 7, definitely try this.  What makes DeskScapes so special is not just that it lets you have animated wallpaper but that it does it without slowing down your computer and it can do really cool effects to your existing static wallpaper.