CNET Editors' review
WindowBlinds offers a generally compelling way to add some panache to Windows XP or Windows Vista. It lets you skin your graphic interface, offering a number of preconfigured themes that range in styles and change the entire look of your desktop. You also have the ability to make some serious tweaks to each theme, should it be close to what you want, but just not quite right. No matter what skin you choose, though, we doubt you'll have any complaints with the appearance of the polished, attractive themes.
You also choose from several toolbar icon sets to match your skin of choice and tweak settings such as the size of the taskbar. WindowBlinds gets high marks for performance: We found that the skins loaded seamlessly after about 30 to 60 seconds. However, we should note that the program takes up its fair share of system resources, and that load times will depend on your system hardware.
To make more than mere cosmetic changes, you'll have to install the publisher's SkinStudio. However, the latest version of WindowBlinds lets you use your own wallpaper, and being able to see your changes without restarting is a serious plus. WindowBlinds helps liven up any Windows experience for both novices and those advanced users who've got better things to do than hack Windows on their own.
Publisher's Description
From Stardock:
Customize the look and feel of Windows XP and Windows Vista with WindowBlinds. It's a Windows utility that enables users to personalize nearly every aspect of the Windows graphical user interface. It can "skin" your title bars, push buttons, Start bar, radio buttons, and nearly every other part of Windows. There are thousands of freely available skins to choose from. Use WindowBlinds to make Windows look like another operating system (Mac, Linux) or give it your own unique look and feel. You can also create your own skins using the freely available SkinStudio. WindowBlinds eliminates the need for any stay-resident program making it use virtually no extra memory. It also makes use of hardware acceleration found in modern video cards to make Windows perform even faster than it does by default.
Version 6 adds full skinning support for Windows Vista as well as support for "blurred glass" on Windows XP. Other new features include advanced animation support, user-created substyles, user-defined color changing of existing skins, a new, easy to use configuration program.
What's new in this version: Version 6 adds full skinning support for Windows Vista as well as support for "blurred glass" on Windows XP. Other new features include advanced animation support, user-created substyles, user-defined color changing of existing skins, and a new, easy-to-use configuration program.
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All versions:
3.6 starsout of 705 votes
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Current version:
3.6 starsout of 45 votes
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My rating:
Write review
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"Bad VISTA Problems"
Version: WindowBlinds 6
Pros
Initially, it wa nice...but when I re-booted...
Cons
Computer froze up on re-boot
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"Wonderful"
Version: WindowBlinds 6
Pros
I really love it. It's so beautiful ^^
Cons
Don't have any thing to tell
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"You gonna LOVE IT!"
Version: WindowBlinds 6
Pros
OMG. Feel the diffirent between XP and Vista.
Download and test it.
It feels like i have bought a new computer with vista in. :=)
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"*"
Version: WindowBlinds 6
Pros
++
Cons
+++
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"Slow, cumbersome, & a TRIAL! I hate when they don't tell you b4!"
Version: WindowBlinds 6
Pros
Seemed to be a lot of themes available, if you're willing to dig deep and pay for the thing.
Cons
It's a trial version, and I hate when they make you download and install before they tell you. To me that's no better than spamming. Now it comes up asking for money when I turn the PC on - it's not like it's an antivirus program or something important. I only wanted to change the look of my PC a bit, not shell out dollars for some complicated thing that takes up residence on my system and starts itself automatically. I'll be uninstalling it immediately, and hoping it hasn't left crap in the registry or something. But it's jolly nice of Download.com to ask my opinion :)
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"nice"
Version: WindowBlinds 6
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"very good"
Version: WindowBlinds 6
Pros
i like the changes to the overall look -- i got the molten changes with a dragon --i love dragons ---and i like the over all look --however i ahve the trial version and i am somewhat limited in the full chagnes i can make at this time but it certainly has intrigued me to want to get the full version
Cons
the backgrounds need to be more animated -- it does get boring when the same thing happens over and over -- i would love to see more things going on --more sophistication
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"bad"
Version: WindowBlinds 6
Pros
nice.
Cons
it make my computer slow i have to format again my computer .it make damage to my computer.
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"not bad it slows the computer down"
Version: WindowBlinds 6
Pros
it's good
Cons
it slows the computer down
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"A nice change for once"
Version: WindowBlinds 6
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