May 16, 2013
Bring the best features of Windows to OS X. You did not read that incorrectly. Many Mac users won't admit it, but there are some pretty nice features in Windows – particularly Windows 7 and later. Maximizing apps in a way that isn't seemingly random, resizing your windows by dragging them to a particular side or easily hiding notification icons are just a few things Microsoft's brought to the desktop that Apple hasn't got around to (yet?)
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April 20, 2013
RocketDock has been one of the best choices for a Mac-like dock in Windows for years. That's why it's on our Best Of Windows Software page. In fact, you've probably heard of it. But there's more to it than just being a dock that is easy to use. It's also more customizable, perhaps even more than one of its most popular alternatives, ObjectDock.
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April 19, 2013
Windows has always had an active community of enthusiasts who customize everything about it, including its desktop theme. Although Microsoft tries to prevent this, Windows 8's desktop can be themed just like Windows 7's. We've covered tweaking your Windows 8 PC's appearance before, but you can go much farther than just changing the desktop theme's colors.
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April 13, 2013
By now, you may have already heard of ObjectDock – It’s no stranger to those of us keen on Windows customization. It has actually been around for quite some time, so you might even consider it a veteran of sorts. What is ObjectDock? As the name implies, it’s a dock, which is a program that provides quick access to other programs, folders and widgets right on your desktop.
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April 12, 2013
People usually develop their own systems to keep desktops organized, whether it's building "fences" around areas for certain types of shortcuts, organizing links and shortcuts into subfolders, or a long list of other ideas. Some work pretty well, but others don't. For the most part, all of the usual approaches to desktop organization require constant maintenance and upkeep. If you aren't careful, it'll get away from you again.
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April 8, 2013
Microsoft removed gadgets, the desktop widget feature introduced in Windows Vista, from Windows 8. Microsoft would prefer you use live tiles on the new Start screen to get information – but what if you want to see this information on your desktop? Whether you don’t like the new Start screen and are trying to avoid using it by installing a third-party Start menu or you just miss the gadgets, you can get them back with a third-party program.
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April 4, 2013
So much has been written about the Windows 8 Start screen over the past few months that sometimes it seems as though we've heard every viewpoint and seen every tweak. However, it seems that there is a bit more to the controversial Start menu replacement that Microsoft introduced across every version of Windows 8, regardless of the target device. I'm of the opinion that the tile-based Metro/Modern UI is absolutely fine if you’re using a tablet computer.
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March 23, 2013
Of course, there is no magic way to stop procrastinating, but we've come across a solution that might be able to help. A useful program called Desktop Curtain hides as much or as little as you want behind a curtain, so you can focus on exactly what you need to do, with those pesky distractions tucked away for later. It's even featured on our Best Mac Apps Page, so you know it's good.
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March 15, 2013
Windows 8 isn’t quite as configurable out-of-the-box as previous versions of Windows, lacking such seemingly important features as the ability to boot to the desktop and run "Modern" applications in windows. For all its problems, Windows 8 is still Windows, and Windows is a very configurable operating system. These third-party utilities allow us to do things Microsoft has made impossible by default or easily change settings Microsoft has hidden.
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February 26, 2013
I don’t know about you, but I’m getting increasingly used to being notified instantly about anything that happens. A new text message? I get a pop up and a sound. A new email or Facebook update? I get a red badge. A new update is available? I get an icon in my phone’s notification center. No matter how small the change is, I’m notified about it one way or the other. Unless, of course, this happens on my computer.
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February 24, 2013
Some of us cringe at the thought of having a desktop covered with shortcuts and other icons. Although that's technically what the Windows desktop is used best for, we often prefer to be free from such a mess so that we can show off our snazzy wallpaper and other desktop gadgets. There are several alternative approaches you can take to easily access your most commonly-used applications, like using the Start menu or an application to launch programs via hotkey.
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February 7, 2013
Make Windows 8 usable for people who think it's not. Add a start menu to the desktop and tweak the way Explorer and Internet Explorer behave, all thanks to a piece of software called Classic Shell. If you like tweaking your user interface, and miss the options provided by previous versions of Windows, you'll love this software.
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January 23, 2013
Does your Windows 8 system look too bland with the default settings? You can customize it in a variety of ways, changing a variety of backgrounds and colors -- whether on the Start screen, lock screen, or desktop. Your Windows 8 system can be a subdued interface with dark colors and muted backgrounds, a tableau of bright colors and colorful flowers, or anything in between.
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January 3, 2013
See a picture of the community around you, right on your Mac desktop. Satellite Eyes is a tiny Mac download that sits in your tray, determines your current location and puts a map of your choosing on the desktop. Whether you want a minimalist outline, a satellite image or even a watercolor, it doesn't matter - Satellite Eyes can deliver, and will automatically move every time you do.
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December 31, 2012
One of the first things I do when I start using a new computer or after reinstalling the operating system, even before installing a different video player or browser, is to set the mood by selecting a desktop wallpaper. Of course, no matter how careful your choice, chances are you'll grow tired of it sooner or later. For me, it's what attracts me to wallpaper streamers—these small applications run unobtrusively in the background and periodically change your wallpaper.
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