CNET Editors' review
In the pre-OS X days, Kaleidoscope reinvented the Mac interface by changing its entire look and feel. Now ShapeShifter has picked the lock on Apple's Aqua interface. You can easily activate and preview themes through a control panel in the system preferences. The 2.x series improved how themes were installed and downloaded, finally making it easy for the average user. It also addressed some of the minor quirks in the way ShapeShifter handles Aqua's graphical inconsistencies. The results are breathtaking, and the available themes are stunning. Several third-party and individual sites offer even more themes. We recommend ShapeShifter, the new Kaleidoscope, for anyone looking to spruce up the OS X interface.Publisher's Description
From Unsanity:
ShapeShifter is a revolutionary new product that lets you change the overall appearance of your Mac using 'themes'. We're not talking about just desktop backgrounds and icons here, we're talking about everything - the look of windows, menus, apps, buttons, absolutely everything. You don't wear the same clothes everyday, your house doesn't look exactly like your neighbor's - why should the computing interface you use everyday be any different. You personalize your physical workspace to suit your tastes and whims, so why not your Mac?
With ShapeShifter, you can:
- Change the overall appearance of your operating system safely, quickly, and reliably;
- Change the appearance of individual apps to match your theme and your mood;
- Experience things that haven't been possible with Mac themes before;
- Quickly preview themes without actually applying them;
- Use Jaguar themes in Panther effortlessly;
- Install different themes for different users;
- Add and remove themes effortlessly.
What's new in this version:
- The iChat buddy list now honors the list text colors.
- The Apple menu title no longer draws artifacts in themes that use menubar transparency.
- Resolved an issue that prevented themes from being applied when an application has been updated.
- Resolved an issue that caused launching iSync to reset the applied theme.
- ShapeShifter is now more likely to properly apply custom application skins and icons to applications that are present but have not yet bee... See all new features
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All versions:
4.0 starsout of 87 votes
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Current version:
5.0 starsout of 1 votes
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My rating:
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Results 1-4 of 4
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"Excellent automatic application"
Version: ShapeShifter 2.0.1
Summary
This review was originally posted on VersionTracker.com.
Having been a computer user for 13 years now hating computers on the 13th year due to all the excessive manual user-end nonsense that is required (still), Shapeshifter ideally speaks for its purpose as a computer application: Automatic. You don't need to set 10 or 20 settings on startup or for each automatic process, nor do you need to get to know the application for weeks before you know how to make it work well. I've been using the problem-driven Panther with Shapeshifter active for around a full year with short breaks for OS upgrades and so forth, and even since 1.1, I have yet to recognize an OS bug that has developed due to application problems with Shapeshifter or Application Enhancer.
BTW: To those looking to get away with unlimited free trial hacks to Shapeshifter, don't bother. I tried it, but it's so much of a pain in the ass that it's nearly impossible to reset the trial. Suck it up, and pay for it instead. Or install the program if you don't mind considering the meaning of "Erase and Install."
(My exceedingly tough ratings of the app)
Ease Of Use: 4.6/5.0. A-.
One runtime mistake rose in 2.0 or 2.0.1 in which a theme would duplicate itself and not remove the original. A link to highly organized FAQ/Troubleshooting would have been nice.
Support / Documentation: 4.4/5.0. B+.
Documentation is mostly easy to follow. Links to messages explaining in detail the meaning of theme resets and IP transfers would be more helpful.
Features: 4.1/5.0. B-.
The application meets expectations in theme changing and resetting up to the point where you need to pay for MightyMouse to change your cursor appearance. The in-program browser is a very big pain in the ass for me, because I use dial-up, and it takes me about an hour to check out the new themes each week or so as a result. A text/imageless option would be helpful, and it would include screenshot links and descriptions. Even more helpful would be an option to cancel the browser load and to show relative measures of load completion.
Quality / Stability: 4.8/5.0. A.
Nothing noteworthy to complain about. There are rare glitches with the application itself, but nothing thus far that I've seen happen to cause a crash or system instability issue.
Price: 4.3/5.0. B.
You pay $20 to change the look of all corners of your OS but an additional (I think) $15 to do that to your OS and your mouse.
Overall: 4.48/5.0. B+. -
"hmmm...."
Version: ShapeShifter 2.0.1
Summary
This review was originally posted on VersionTracker.com.
this is, on one hand very good. easily change the look of osx to any theme u want, although u do get bored of the themes, and just revert to aqua.
problem is, as i found out with most APE apps, is that they install lots of things all over the place, and i think this is partly the reason my eMac now takes 8mins to boot. -
"Nothing else like it"
Version: ShapeShifter 2.0.1
Summary
pitty its $20 but i can see why it would be... its awesome
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"Not all there really"
Version: ShapeShifter 2.0.1
Summary
This review was originally posted on VersionTracker.com.
Nice and easy to use. But DOES cause problems:
For example: Cannot mount iPod in iTunes with theme installed. iTunes crashes every time.
Following this you have to re-install Shapeshifter as Finder refuses to recognise theme after iTunes crash thing.
Use with caution - a bit of fun really. Until product works properly I cannot recommend people buy it. I am $20 down on this software.
Results 1-4 of 4
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