Stardock is pleased to announce the release of SkinStudio 6.2. SkinStudio is an application that allows you to design custom visual styles for Windows Vista and Windows XP. These visual styles (skins) can then be applied using WindowBlinds. When creating a new skin you can change the complete look of Windows by changing the start button, taskbar, buttons, titlebars, and pretty much everything in between. New features:
WindowBlinds Layer Support. The WindowBlinds layer system allows a skin author to provide multiple layers for a given section of a skin. This also includes layer support for per-pixel borders and glyphs. This opens up a whole new level of creativity for skinners.
Skin Color Feature. This feature allows Pro users to recolor a skin, or a specific sub-style by using the HSL sliders that is similar to coloring skins in WindowBlinds. This will make it even easier to create sub-styles of varying colors.
Animated "Please Wait" Support. The Please Wait screen has always been a static image, now it’s possible to create an animation that can be seen while the Wait screen appears.
NWA File Support. NWA files are a way to reduce the size of animations that are used in WindowBlinds skins. These can be used on Start Menu and "Please Wait" animations and can help save considerable memory and hard drive space. SKS 6.2 also includes a tool to create NWA files from vertical .png/.tga image strips.
SkinStudio 6.2 is a free download with a Pro version available with additional features.
Stardock is pleased to announced the release of WindowBlinds 6.2 today. WindowBlinds is an application that lets users easily change their Windows interface by applying a new skin. These "visual styles" can be applied across the entire user interface (title bars, push buttons, start menu, taskbar, etc.) of the operating system. As a result, users gain complete control over the way Windows looks.
What’s new in version 6.2:
Improved compression on start menu animations
Animated wait screens during Apply
Enhanced layer support (accompanied by skin author support in SkinStudio 6.2)
Bug Fixes
WindowBlinds is available in both a free version and a an enhanced version which adds many additional features like the ability to change color/hue/brightness on the fly, change toolbar icons of IE and Explorer, and much more. WindowBlinds is available as part of Object Desktop, Stardock’s ultimate suite of desktop customization tools, or at stand-alone for $19.95.
The Political Machine, is the turn-based strategy game that puts the player in the role of a presidential candidate. Players can play as real-world candidates such as Barak Obama or John McCain, choose amongst historical candidates, or design their own from scratch.
The Political Machine 2008 version 1.04 is now available to all registered owners of the game. This update includes various tweaks, as well as new elements to help you create your own bobble-head. Also, a new enhanced chat feature that allows players to smack-talk opponents in multiplayer during the final votes. Version 1.04 also adds several new ‘Dark Horse’ candidates, such as the wise-cracking Minister Mike Huckabee, the rock skipping Mike Gravel, and media stud Dennis Kuchinich.
To obtain the new patch, just click on the Download Updates button from the main menu, or use our new state-of-the-art digital distribution client, Impulse. If you don’t have The Political Machine, you can pick up a digital copy for $19.95 at http://www.politicalmachine.com or through Impulse. For a boxed copy, visit your local retailer including Target and Best Buy .
DesktopX 3.5 was released recently, and one of the biggest feature updates is the ability to export your DX creations as a Vista sidebar gadget. Creating a gadget for the Vista sidebar isn’t the easiest thing to do, and it has limitations that DesktopX can easily overcome. DesktopX is a very powerful application which can create a wide variety of mini-applications for your desktop. These can range from simple weather gadgets, on up to very complex applications with multiple functions all that can be wrapped in custom graphics.
The gadgets that can be created with DesktopX can be scripted with many languages including C++, which allows an almost endless amount of possibilities. Now if you aren’t big on scripting, don’t be too intimidated, as you can still create some great gadgets with the included plugins, or by going through the huge amount of documentation/tutorials provided by Stardock. You can also find more tutorials written by experienced community members which can be found at the WinCustomize Wiki.
I have created quite a few DesktopX widgets over the last few years, and although I am not a coder, I was able to create some really cool and useful widgets. I’m going to take you on a walkthrough on how to create a desktop widget, and turn it into a Vista sidebar gadget using DesktopX Pro 3.5. I’m going to break apart the Election Countdown gadget I made, which will make a perfect example for today’s guide.
DesktopX is a program that lets users extend their Windows desktop to support true objects (as opposed to just icons). These objects can be cosmetic in nature or using a plugin or some scripting a user can make a desktop object do virtually anything. These objects can then be combined together to make widgets or used to build an entirely new desktop.
DesktopX 3.5 isn’t just a Vista update, however. It allows users to export their creations as Windows sidebar gadgets! This is significant because by default, Sidebar gadgets tend to be limited in functionality. DesktopX objects, however, have no limitations, a user can make plugins in C++ or virtually any other language allowing Sidebar gadgets to be incredibly powerful.
You have heard me talk a lot about Impulse over the past couple of months, and much of that was about gaming. One of the most exciting features about Impulse is that it’s not only limited to games, you can also get applications through it as well. The latest edition to Impulse has been some applications from Corel.
These are some really great applications and I can’t wait to see what else is in the lineup. The best is I can download and manage these applications through Impulse, so I don’t have to worry about losing the CD’s or things like that. Stardock’s Impulse is a free download, so go check it out.
If you like to customize the look of your Windows PC, but are not sure about all the software needed to achieve the look you want, then you should take a look at MyColors 2.5 from Stardock. MyColors changes your Windows visual style, icons, wallpaper, and even adds gadgets to your desktop. These gadgets can range from media players to weather forecast gadgets depending on the theme. It doesn’t modify any system files and enables users to easily switch between themes and back to default Windows with just a few clicks.
MyColors has teamed up with the NBA, NCAA, NHL, Ford, GM, and many others to offer licensed themes for sports teams, cars, etc. With the new release of MyColors 2.5, a new ‘Think Green’ theme has been released which has a smooth look with cool animations. There are other free themes available for download and others can be purchased.
MyColors 2.5 is compatible with both Windows XP and Vista.
Just wanted to give an update that CursorFX 2.01 was released today.
CursorFX is an application that lets users easily change their Windows cursors to one of thousands available for download. These can range from simple mouse cursors, to cursors with very detailed graphics and animations. CursorFX also includes a powerful, yet easy to use, editor in which you can create your own cursors which you can use on your own, or share with others.
Sins of a Solar Empire is one of the biggest hits this year, and I’m pleased to announce the next major update (v1.1) will be available as a public beta sometime in July.
Stardock has made available the preliminary change log to Sins of a Solar Empire v1.1. Developer Ironclad has been busy updating virtually every part of the game based on player feedback. Version 1.1 not only includes a host of play balancing changes but new content such as an updated graphics engine, updated visuals, new damage animations, and more. It also includes a new multiplayer system called “Alloy” which eliminates the need for configuring routers or changing port numbers.
This huge beta will only be available on Impulse from Stardock. The preliminary change log which lists many of the updated features can be found here.
This is one of the best sidebar gadgets for Vista….ever! This gadget checks the status of your website at your choice of intervals (1-60). You can run multiple instances of this gadget to watch a variety of your sites to make sure they are functioning properly. The background will change to display the status of your site, so it’s easy to spot a problem.
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