Drop, charge, and lose the cords
- Quick specs
- Price: Free to try (15-day trial); $19.95 to buy
- Operating system: Windows XP, Windows 2000
- Date added: October 18, 2002
- Total Downloads: 52,198
- Downloads last week: 47
- See full specifications
- CNET editors' rating: stars
- Average user rating: stars out of 13 votes
See all user reviews
CNET editors' review
Reviewed by: CNET Staff
It's probably not the height of efficiency, but Crystal Wallpaper is certainly original. The utility is a desktop image manager, helping to switch background pictures manually or automatically. However, it also gives users the curious ability to display those images on top of all other active windows, in a translucent layer, instead of behind them. Users can increase or decrease the layer's opacity, change images, or disable the utility all by using keyboard shortcuts, but the program does takes a fairly hefty bite out of system memory while running.
If you're intrigued by the idea of seeing a picture of your dog or child superimposed on your Excel spreadsheet, then this download may well give you a kick.
Publisher's description
From Nihuo Software :From the developer: "Crystal Wallpaper is a shareware that provides a totally new way to enjoy beautiful pictures besides common desktop wallpapers and screensavers. No need to pause any applications, Crystal Wallpaper enables you to enjoy your favorite pictures on the screen anytime you like by showing each picture transparently as a background or slide showing the pictures on the screen like a flowing stained glass window. With a clear and friendly user interface, Crystal Wallpaper is very easy to use. With only a few clicks to add your favorite images into the wallpaper list, you can enjoy the transparent picture as a background or the slide show of pictures on the screen anytime you like. You can customize the size, position, sequence, opacity and intervals of display all at your will. The wallpapers would be beautiful and transparent, like a crystal touching your heart."
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User reviews
- Average user rating: 3.3 stars out of 13 votes
- My rating: 0 stars Write review
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Showing 5 of 7 user reviewsSee all 7 user reviews
This software version | All versions -
Version: Crystal Wallpaper 1.1
"Does what it says, flawlessly"
Pros: This program is very simple to use, and the results are marvelous. Any picture the user chooses will be displayed on the screen transparently, and will remain there as the user surfs the web or does anything else. The program is a way to decorate one's desktop and to make using one's computer more enjoyable.
An important feature is that a picture can be displayed in a chosen degree of transparency, so the picture need never interfere with the reading of text on the screen. The transparency can be increased or decreased by 5% increments. Another option is to enlarge the image to fill the screen from top to bottom; and this does indeed fill the entire screen, including all toolbars. Another reviewer said that enlarging the images this much makes them blurry; but the transparency of the image makes this much less noticeable than it otherwise would be. Furthermore, one can always resize the image with Pixia or another program and then use that resized image with Crystal Wallpaper.
I love this program. I might actually buy it when the free trial is over.
Cons: During installation, before one has seen the options dialogue box, one is prompted to assign keys such as CTRL and ALT to specific functions. Doing this might actually prove to be an inconvenience, since other programs could be controlled with these keys. I chose not to assign functions to any keys, and found that it is quite easy to use the program's functions in the usual way.
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Version: Crystal Wallpaper 1.1
Pros: It does do what it says it does.
Cons: Sometimes the superimposings (or whatever they are) interfere with what you're reading or writing in the current window.
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Version: Crystal Wallpaper 1.1
"Fantastic! The ONLY application I've found like it. Worth paying for."
Pros: Does exactly as advertised. Gives an excellent visual treat of whatever images you load, while you're using your screen for other apps! You can size and or position the images in many formats of your choosing and is none obtrusive and none distracting. Neat little screen toy!
Cons: Nothing not to like. Could give options of file name/location/pause, but maybe they'll be added in future versions.
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Version: Crystal Wallpaper 1.1
Pros: I donīt like it...
Cons: I canīt to work with my desktop...
Summary: The visual treat interfere with what you're reading or writing in the current window
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0 out of 1 people found this review helpful
Version: Crystal Wallpaper 1.1
Summary: Truly horrible. Nice idea, poor application.
- See all 7 user reviews Write review
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