Reader Saad Baig’s desktop shows what a Windows desktop could look like if you made the Windows 7 Superbar really “super”, by adding desktop widgets directly into the taskbar, easily accessible even with maximized applications. More »
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The Windows 8 Concept Desktop [Featured Desktop]
The Mac-Like Windows Desktop [Featured Desktop]
Reader Mango Sango’s Windows desktop pulls together a bunch of system customization applications that completely transform the interface into something more Mac-like, but still unique and impressive to look at.
The desktop is a combination of:
- ObjectBar | Mod of Gaia09 by Sinedrock
- Rocketdock | Mod of Gaia09 by RequestedRerun
- Icons | Gaia07 by Imrik and Adobe CS4 by pkarwowski
- Windowblinds | Mod of Gaia07 by SKYNetX
- Styler Toolbar | Mild by jordanfc
- Prism | Buzz Graphics
- Wallpaper | from Snow Leopard stock
- 3RVX | Volume control
- CD Art Display | Personal skin
- Media Player Classic | Personal image
- Windows Picture and Fax | from Sound of Color by SwaySo
- Findexer
This desktop not your style? Why waste time complaining? Instead, get started creating your own killer desktop with the easy-install Rainmeter 1.1 package and show the world what you can do. If you get stuck and need some help, join up with the Lifehacker Desktop Customization Google Group to collaborate on new ideas for desktop configurations.
Once you’ve created your own beautifully tweaked (and hopefully productive) desktop, post it over in the Lifehacker Desktop Show and Tell Flickr Group complete with a description of the programs and tweaks you used (and preferably links as well!), and we just might feature it here.
T3Desk Brings 3D Eye-Candy to Your Windows Desktop [Downloads]
Windows only: If you want a little extra eye-candy in your Windows management, T3Desk is an alt-tab alternative that gives you 3D windows arrangement and more.
Click on the image above for a closer look.
T3Desk works on all versions of Windows but it really shines in Vista and above where it can take advantage of Aero. After installing T3Desk you can use keyboard shortcuts to minimize and maximize windows to the edges of your monitor, arranging them in a pseudo-3D fashion. T3Desk can be tweaked in a variety of ways including how the windows are angled, animated, their level of transparency, the apparent distance from the viewer, and how they transition from the virtual desktop back into use.
You can drag windows and dock them to the four sides of the monitor, use Aero Peek to see which windows are on the virtual desktop, and set an always include/exclude list for applications to easily exclude applications from the effects of T3Desk.
Some caveats about T3Desk: the biggest issue is that it won’t work with multiple monitors. All 3D windows are pushed onto the primary monitor. Another minor issue is the inability to customize the application’s hot keys. Those complaints aside, it works as promised and provides a novel way to arrange and view open applications.
T3Desk is free and Windows only. Have a favorite application for tweaking the appearance of Windows and managing your applications? Let’s hear about it in the comments.
Best Virtual-Desktop Manager: Compiz [Hive Five Followup]
Last week we asked you to share your favorite tool for managing virtual workspaces, we tallied the results, and you voted on your favorite among the top five. This week we’re back to share the results of the poll.
The top five contenders covered Windows, Mac, and Linux operating systems—there is something for nearly everyone in the Hive. Because of the diverse nature of the poll we asked you to vote on which virtual-desktop manager you could use if you weren't constrained by your operating system. With that direction in mind, you voted Linux-based Compiz into a landslide victory followed by Mac-based Spaces and rounding out the top three with VirtuaWin, a Windows-based manager.
For more information about the top five contenders, check out the full Hive Five.
The Million Years of LiteStep Desktop [Featured Desktop]
Reader nitzua’s Windows XP desktop completely customizes the interface without cluttering up the desktop with gadgets you might never see—moving launchers into the context menu using the LiteStep alternate shell environment.
The desktop is a combination of:
- Visual Style – Windows Classic, with a 3dcc by me.
- Icons – Gnome from the tango patcher
- Wallpaper – ‘renew’ from the nature details pack
- Litestep – blend of zero by jive (kareem) and a theme he started for me based on this mockup
- Firefox – Tiny Menu, Titlebartweaks, custom userchrome.css, custom theme
- Start page – my mod of twelve by noka
- Applications – Zeed image viewer (reshacked), Pidgin, Mirc, Y’z shadow, Qttabbar
- Font – Lucida Grande
Impressive job, nitzua!
This desktop not your style? Why waste time complaining? Instead, get started creating your own killer desktop with the easy-install Rainmeter 1.0 package and show the world what you can do. If you get stuck and need some help, join up with the Lifehacker Desktop Customization Google Group to collaborate on new ideas for desktop configurations.
Once you’ve created your own beautifully tweaked (and hopefully productive) desktop, post it over in the Lifehacker Desktop Show and Tell Flickr Group complete with a description of the programs and tweaks you used (and preferably links as well!), and we just might feature it here.
Wallpaper Roundup: Ocean Views and Abstract Blues [Wallpaper]
The temperature is rising across the country, and while you may not be able to get yourself to a cool and breezy locale, you can at least plaster your monitor with soothing reminders of one.
Our roundup today is a selection of backgrounds themed in cool blue: oceans, waves, and abstract creations. Each image can be previewed here in the gallery and then downloaded via the source link to the right of the image. Every wallpaper here is available in a full compliment of standard and widescreen monitor resolutions and many of them are available for dual monitors too.
Note: The “Full Size” link directly under the picture only shows you the full size of the sample image we uploaded for this gallery. You need to click on the name of the particular wallpaper in the right hand column to access the full range of sizes at the source site.
Not keen on the gallery layout? See all the larger images on one page here.

Blue Tiles by salvis














