Microsoft Windows Vista went to manufacturing earlier this month, and one of the most frequent questions we've received from customers and community members is when they can expect to see a beta version of WindowBlinds that runs under Vista.  Well, the wait is over!  On November 15th, WindowBlinds 5.5 Beta made its way onto Stardock Central and includes full skinning support for Vista.  One of the goals with making WindowBlinds Vista compatible, was to allow existing skins that run under WindowBlinds for Windows XP to under WindowBlinds for Vista.  This means that Vista users will have a vast library of skins to choose from right at release this coming January!  This is a pretty big deal for our users who have their favorite skins under XP since they'll be able to load them right up when they upgrade to Vista.

Right now, the only way to get WindowBlinds on Windows Vista is to have Stardock Object Desktop, which you can pick up at www.objectdesktop.net.  Object Desktop includes over a dozen different programs that improve the user experience of Windows.  In January, Stardock expects to make WindowBlinds 5.5 available as a stand-alone download.  Current owners of WindowBlinds 5 can upgrade to Object Desktop here at the discounted price of $34.95.

Guided Tour:  [WinCustomize Article]
Part of: [Object Desktop] (get it now!)

On November 14th, Stardock launched ObjectDock 1.5.  ObjectDock is a program that lets users add docks on their computer which can host programs, running tasks, docklets and more.  It's a great tool for customizing your PC and looks really cool!

ObjectDock 1.5 comes loaded with a ton of new features.  Included on the feature list is Windows Vista compatibility!  That's right, one of our most popular utilities now runs under the latest Windows Operating System.  On top of that, there's a new image search feature, support for the .DockZip format, a new algorithm for zoom docks, drag and drop support for items on docks, tabbed dock rotation when docking to a screen edge, a host of mouse-over activation features and more!

ObjectDock is freeware, but a Plus version called ObjectDock Plus, which adds tabbed docks, multiple concurrent dock support, system tray support, task grouping and much more, is also available for purchase.

Guided Tour: [WinCustomize Article]
Download: [ObjectDock Homepage]

Each month we try and feature one of our popular skinners and find out what they are working on now and if they can share any tricks of the trade. In this issue of WinCustomize Magazine Zoomba sits down with skinner SK Originals, prominent member of the skinning community, and learns how he got started and what he's working on in the future.  Be sure to check out the interview as well as the great skins that SK Originals has created and shared with the community.

Interview: [WinCustomize Article]
Skinner: [SKoriginals' WinCustomize Page]

For the past few months, we've been talking up the next version of WinCustomize.  A lot of great new features are being added, the look and feel is being completely updated, and overall the performance of the site has been greatly improved.  Near the start of the month, we opened up the new site to our WinCustomize subscribers to take for a spin, asking for any bugs or anomalies they found.  So far it's been a great help in getting the site ready for launch.

Starting November 20, the new site will be opened up for a public beta test.  Any user will be able to explore the new site, get a feel for where things moved and how the new functionality works.  This will be your chance to help us catch those last few bugs, those remaining browser compatibility issues we haven't found yet.  Help make the site the best it can be by testing and reporting bugs!

Some of the highlight features:

• For subscribers: It'll be skinnable.
• Much faster overall (see forums for a taste)
• Much lighter (lot less graphical content in the design)
• Skinners with Master access or higher will be able to optionally sell skins and themes (giving an incentive for classic skinners to keep making new stuff and an incentive for up and coming skinners to release lots of good free stuff to move up -- subscribers will get at least 25% off the price)
• A simpler UI to get to things more easily.
• More galleries
• Featured Skinner section

Beta Site: [WinCustomize 2007 Beta Site]

Here are some of the most popular skins and themes from WinCustomize for this month for ObjectDock and WindowBLinds:

ObjectDock:

• Eminence for ObjectDock by .Zer0.
• SysTats 2.5.11 by Judge
• V!VA Icons by JJ Ying
• Wireframe Dock by Diafragma
• Pacifica Tabs & Side Dock by WebGizmos
• ObjectDock Tray by NImix
• Startmenu Docklet by AndreasV

WindowBlinds:

• Vista Plus Version 2 by adni18
• Eminence by .Zer0.
• keleven by knatzz
• Trans Gloss by Themerboy
• Cosmo by navigatsio
• Evolver Bench WB by REMOLACIO
• Hallows Eve 2006 by Z71

Stardock is pleased to announce a new premium suite available for sale now on Stardock.com: Texas Hold Em!

The Texas Hold Em Suite from Stardock Design is a playing card and poker chip themed suite with a slick new skin from Hippy, a Blackjack game gadget from CerebroJD, a set of six wallpapers, a bootskin, a LogonStudio skin and a matching set of icons by Voo!

Visit: [Texas Hold Em Suite]
Requires: [Object Desktop]
 

It's been a busy month on WinCustomize, and some of you have taken to writing up your thoughts on any number of issues.  Here are some articles of note from November:

 

Island Dog has been writing up a storm, with product guides and community highlights:

• This Week In Skinning
  A look at what is happening in the customization community during a given week.

  • November 10th [Link]

  • November 17th [Link]

• Using Multiplicity in a Home Office [Link]
  A first time-user goes through setting up Multiplicity in his home office.

• Make Your Own Custom Cursor with Stardock's CursorXP [Link]
  A very short and easy to follow guide on building your own custom cursor.

Object Desktop for Windows Vista Preview [Link]
Brad Wardell goes over what Vista means for Object Desktop's future with WindowBlinds for Vista, the future of gadgets and a super-secret project with Microsoft.

 

WinCustomize sponsors a podcast called PowerUser.tv. They are up to 59 episode, where they chat about the Nintendo Wii, clothing that cuddles you, voting machines and more! In order to get the video you must visit the site. Check out what all these zany characters look like (if you dare) or just download the audio version and carry it with you.

Visit: [PowerUser.TV]