Canton MI – Stardock released Winstyles 1.0 today. WinStyles is a new program that extends themes to include components from third party programs. Windows by default includes themes that can change the desktop icons, wallpaper, screensaver, cursors, colors, and Media Player skin. With WinStyles installed, users can also have their themes include WindowBlinds visual styles, WinAmp skins, DesktopX themes, ObjectBar bars, IconPackager packages, and much more. The net result is that a WinStyles theme can completely transform Windows by leveraging the features in the supporting programs.
Stardock makes a desktop extension suite called Object Desktop. The programs of Object Desktop allow users to customize a particular part of the Windows environment. WindowBlinds, for example, can change the Windows GUI. IconPackager allows for packages of icons to be applied to change all the icons on Windows. DesktopX can build a desktop environment while ObjectBar can extend or replace the Windows Start bar. Each program on its own has become quite popular and has helped make Object Desktop the de facto standard for corporations and consumers looking to create a custom environment. Stardock created WinStyles so that these individual components could be used together seamlessly. While in development, Stardock also added support for a host of non-Object Desktop programs such as CursorXP, WinAmp, Beatnik, NeXTStart, Hoverdesk, and more.
When a user applies a WinStyles theme, the program can check to see if the user has the necessary programs installed to apply it and will prompt them to ask if they would like WinStyles to automatically download and install the missing program (the user doesn’t have to surf the web to find the program, WinStyles queries a database that stores the location of the most recent version of the various programs it uses).
WinStyles also extends the Windows Display Properties dialog to have a new tab called “WinStyles.” From this tab, the user can apply different WinStyles themes or even control the individual programs skins, themes, and icons directly.
“Some users have found that they prefer to control the skins, themes, and styles of their individual programs right from the WinStyles display properties page because it’s simple and consistent. For most users, it’s easier to change one’s Windows Media Player skin from WinStyles than it is to find out how to do so from Media Player itself,” said Brad Wardell, Product Manager of Object Desktop at Stardock.
WinStyles was primarily designed for businesses and corporations looking to deploy a standardized desktop using various desktop extenders. However, Stardock expects consumers and power users to find WinStyles very useful because of its convenience and in the way it eases users into the world of desktop customization. It is available in shareware form and can be registered for $10. It is also part of Stardock’s Object Desktop suite, which is $49.95. The registered version provides extended support for non-Microsoft / non-Object Desktop software.
Stardock’s home page is https://www.stardock.com. Object Desktop’s home page is http://www.objectdesktop.com. WinStyles can be found at http://www.winstyles.com.
