CNET Editors' review
The options for customizing your Vista settings are endless with this free utility, but it lacks password-protection and a useful Help feature.
WinBubble has so many tweaking options that it could easily overwhelm users. The user interface uses tabs and check boxes to keep the multitude of options organized and easy to activate. The program lets you add more options to your context menu, including a Safely Remove Hardware icon, an encrypt/decrypt option, and a WinBubble icon. The Tweaking Toolbox clears your cache and resets folder views. You can even customize icons and add a custom screensaver. Security options are also plentiful and let you apply administrator alerts, disable Internet Explorer features, and even hide specific drives. Most of the tweaks that we applied took immediate effect, and others required either a log off or restart the computer. The main drawback to the program is that it isn't password-protected. That means that anyone can go in and change your settings. We were also disappointed to find that it doesn't come with a Help menu. Rather, you have to visit the publisher's site, which holds only a blog that doesn't offer much information.
Thanks to the easy-to-use design, though, even novices should have no problem figuring out how to use the program. We highly recommend it for Vista users looking for an easy way to tweak their machines.
Publisher's Description
From UnlockForUs:
In just two clicks, WinBubble will help you to customize and tweak your Windows Vista easily. Its features cover customization, security and optimization. Features: Windows customizations: add/edit OEM logo and information, edit owner information, context menu customizations, customize screensaver (bubbles, ribbon, and mystify), customize and remove the arrow on shortcut icons, desktop icons: show IE, computer, network, control panel, user name folder and public folder to desktop, hacking Windows experience score, re-enable hibernation, show Windows Vista build on desktop, enable slow-down animations, enable/disable Welcome Center.
What's new in this version: Version 2.0.3.7 may include unspecified updates, enhancements, or bug fixes.
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All versions:
3.0 starsout of 22 votes
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Current version:
2.6 starsout of 9 votes
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My rating:
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Results 1-9 of 9
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"does what it says on the box"
Version: WinBubble 2.0.3.7
Pros
Lots of setting adjustments
Cons
horrible UI
you get loads of unwanted downloads if you are not carefulSummary
I have un-installed it - its a waste of space
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"Error During Install"
Version: WinBubble 2.0.3.7
Pros
Free......
Cons
threw up unhandled exception during installation so cancelled and didn't try again.
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"its grate tool"
Version: WinBubble 2.0.3.7
Pros
its grate tool
Cons
its grate tool
Summary
its grate tool
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"one line huh, if that's all i get, it sucks!"
Version: WinBubble 2.0.3.7
Pros
found none thought it sucked the moment i opened it up!
Cons
looks like an app my kid made in first grade at school really cheesy and childish looking like a dos program, no flair whatsoever!
Summary
go to www.yamicsoft.com and get their win 7 vista or xp manager now there is a hot program!
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"A
About their site and attached virus - not the product"Version: WinBubble 2.0.3.7
Pros
Could not use product - see Cons
Cons
The download from CNet contained a virus - also WOT gives the product's home site a negative (unsafe) warning.
Summary
Stay Away!
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"Customizing all in place."
Version: WinBubble 2.0.3.7
Pros
Wallpapers for the drab windows welcome screen, Hopped up screensavers to use when relaxing.
Cons
Can't maximize screen, Instructions are elusive.
Summary
I like this product mainly for the welcome screen & that is about all i utilize of all the different choices available, It's not that i dislike the app it's more like i don't understand how to use it.
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"Does Lots of Things, Could Use More Explanation"
Version: WinBubble 2.0.3.7
Pros
Access to many different settings and tweaks
Cons
It would be nice if there was more documentation in context...also window cannot be resized apparently, so if you have a custom font setting, text can't completely be read.
Summary
For a free product, it's outstanding...
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"I really like this product."
Version: WinBubble 2.0.3.7
Pros
This product lets you set up windows to work how you like.
Cons
I like it very much.
Summary
This is a great thing to have if you like to change things.
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"Program wouldn't launch after "Logon Tools" was enabled"
Version: WinBubble 2.0.3.7
Pros
Free, if that's any consolation.
Cons
Wouldn't launch after enabling "Logon Tools".
Summary
I wanted to use this program to capture a snapshot of the welcome screen but to do this you have to enable "Logon Tools". According to the programs window while enabling Logon Tools, it will place itself in the "ease of access" button on the welcome screen so the user can launch the program. Well, it failed to launch. I hit the ease of access button several times and the program did the same thing - only a semi-transparent outline of the program window appeared - the contents of the winbubble interface wasn't even that visible - try not at all. Then after a few moments, this "semi-transparent window outline" would vanish entirely.
Here's another annoying one I just found out.
So, because of this I couldn't use the program for this at all. I haven't tried this program for anything else since I initially only wanted it for this use - I was thinking of possibly keeping the program if it performed well, but now that it can't handle this job, I'll think I'll pass on it.
My computer is Vista Home Premium btw. Whether or not it'll do this on Windows 7, who knows.
Updated on Jul 19, 2010
I just went to uninstall this program - it's not in the "programs and features" list (the Vista version of add/remove programs window), and there's no uninstaller in the program folder on C. Luckily for me I recall seeing the uninstaller somewhere - it's in the zip folder - yes, the same one that's downloaded when you want to get this program. I went to the recycle bin and restored that zip folder and used the uninstaller - at least that worked and uninstalled it ok.
So, this makes another reason I don't like this program. The publisher didn't think ahead and make it user friendly to uninstall if needed.
Updated on Jul 19, 2010Another update :
Good thing I decided, after uninstall, to check the ease of access button on the welcome screen to be sure it was back to working ok. It was not. Clicking it brought up an error message - something about missing a file. I'd venture to guess the "file" that's missing is really saying it's noticed the program was uninstalled and left a broken entry someplace in the registry or where ever.
To fix this, I used system restore. That worked.
I really don't care if ease of access doesn't work on the welcome screen snce I never used it but since we're talking about a screen that appears during boot, that's spooky so I wanted to restore it back to the way it was lest if I left it that way, it might cause the computer not to boot correctly down the road.
Well, that makes 3 things now I dislike about this badly written program. I wished I wouldn't have downloaded it in the first place.
Results 1-9 of 9
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