- Quick specs
- Price: Free
- Operating system:
- Date added: January 06, 2004
- Total Downloads: 39,735
- Downloads last week: 18
- See full specifications
- CNET editors' rating: stars
- Average user rating: stars out of 22 votes
See all user reviews
CNET editors' review
Reviewed by: CNET Staff
Though still a beta version, this dynamic taskbar offers more than the standard Windows version. SmartBarXP's skinnable interface can be set on the right or left of your desktop. Under Properties you can choose what you want displayed on the taskbar. Options include a Web search tool, a calculator, and a weather display. You can also duplicate your Quick Launch icons and access My Computer and other areas of your PC. As with its Windows counterpart, this program also has a clock and a calendar, though you can double-click SmartBarXP's version to add a one-time or recurring alarm. You also get an option to view RSS newsfeeds from news sources such as the BBC or CNN. Everything worked during testing with the exception of the MP3 player, which consistently failed to recognize or play any type of music file. Overall, this freebie is a nice option for any user looking for a fully customizable taskbar.Publisher's description
From SmartBarXP :Offering everthing from newsfeeds to virtual desktop management, SmartBarXP runs down the side of your screen and can be configured to display interactive panels known as panes. These panes include media players, slide-show and image-viewing panes, a virtual desktop manager, and live news, weather, and stock feeds. The panes can be repositioned on the bar and scrolled if the bar becomes too full. The bar also can host extra sections, such as a Recycle Bin, Explorer shortcuts, and taskbar replacement sections (Start button, taskbar buttons, and system tray sections).
SmartBarXP is fully customizable. Every pane has extensive options and can be customized to look and work the way you want it to. The bar itself can be customized, with options for positioning, autohiding, pane scrolling, fading and translucency, language, and regional setting. You also can select the theme the bar takes; it can match your current Windows XP theme, the Classic Windows theme, or even a third-party SmartBarXP theme.
With a wide range of panes to choose from, and seemingly endless ways to customize it, SmartBarXP can be configured to the needs of almost any user, for home or for business use.
CNET Editor's Note: Beta or prerelease software is not intended for inexperienced users, as the software may contain bugs or potentially damage your system. We strongly recommend that users exercise caution and save all mission-critical data before installing or using this software.
More popular Virtual Desktop Managers downloads
- 1,586 downloads 1. 3DNA Desktop
- 1,040 downloads 2. GiMeSpace Desktop Extender
- 953 downloads 3. Virtual Desktop Assist
- 889 downloads 4. Sondle Virtual Desktop Assist
- 447 downloads 5. DeskSpace
- See all Virtual Desktop Managers downloads
User reviews
- Average user rating: 3.5 stars out of 22 votes
- My rating: 0 stars Write review
-
Showing 5 of 20 user reviewsSee all 20 user reviews
This software version | All versions -
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful
Version: SmartBarXP 0.98 beta 4.8
"0 star!!!it messed up my all microsoft office and windows configuration!"
Pros: NONE!!!!
Cons: never download this useless programme! it is tricky and painful but yet not classified as a bug!when you try to uninstall it this message comes up= msmapi32.ocx is not used by any programme, you can press yes to delete it or no to keep, it wont change anything!never ever press yes to any of those popups if you want to keep your office n windows running smooth!otherwise you are doomed to waste all your day trying to figure out where you have made a mistake! you did it by downloading this piece of nasty work!
-
Version: SmartBarXP 0.98 beta 4.8
Pros: This program does pretty much everything I want it to, and even skins with my Windows Blinds! Amazing!
Cons: I have it docked on the right side of my screen and the icon for the start button (from the skin) gets chopped off by about five pixels on the left side and the missing part appears in the border to the left of the options pull-down. Also it will totally glitch up for a few seconds sometimes; the start menu (if transparent from the skin) will display the icons behind it in it's normal taskbar place; and for some reason it won't let me type in FireFox sometimes. I'll have the cursor in the text box I want to type in and, when I type, FireFox will pull up the quick find thing and it won't type in the box I want. Oh, and the only weather thing that will pull up any city in the city finder is the BBC Weather, and even then it won't display any weather info. Other than those few minor details, this is wonderful!
-
Version: SmartBarXP 0.98 beta 4.8
"excellent sidebar and a very handy addition"
Pros: very little flaws and works well and is easy to use
-
Version: SmartBarXP 0.98 beta 4.8
Pros: Nice design.
Cons: When I right-clicked then chose "properties", an install dialogue box came up, wanting me to install my webcam. Problem is my webcam is installed. When I clicked cancel, the install dialogue box came up again, and again, and again!
I might try again when the full version comes out! Beta version sucks!
-
Version: SmartBarXP 0.98 beta 4.8
"Ahrrr! its slow when you play games, even if your not. features dont work too."
Pros: hey i got to admit not easy making this stuff but, its going to slow your computer down a bit.
Cons: alot of features didint work on mine like, the net bar when its sapose to be tracking how much of the connection is leaft doesint work. I play bejewled and thats not a very big game but it flickers or sometimes slows it down. for some funny reason it will make my computer frezze with out the game. Only once in a blue moon thou.
- See all 20 user reviews Write review
Submit your review
- See more CNET content tagged:
- Microsoft Windows,
- section,
- taskbar,
- theme
