30 November 2010

Hashalbum: Twitter Based Photo Search Based On Hashtag Association

hashalbum logo

Looks like Twitter based photo searching continues on a innovation streak. Not that long ago I posted about Twicsy as the best twitter image search engine yet, even if with some minor rough edges.

Hashalbum is a Twitter image search engine focused on hashtags. It searches for images shared on Twitter based on the hashtag (ex. #Whatever) it was shared with when it was uploaded.

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Unlike Twicsy, it is not at all likely it tries to be a broad twitter image search engine. Hashalbum is really truly focused on serving twitter photo results that are associated to a hashtag.

To the point where results served are aptly called albums (a la Flickr grouping) and hashalbum keeps track on who are sharing photos with a specific hashtag the most.  The best of this approach is that it produces very relevant results with a time marked relevancy and twitter connected community feel.  The worst is that you of course will never get as many results you can possibly get.  But given the concept behind the searching, it is not only understandable but the expected result.

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After trying Hashalbum, I must say it is my new favorite Twitter Image Search. Based on design, focus, name and concept, it handily beats the hell out of Twicsy. There is simply no contest in those areas.

Hashalbum is a well thought and designed twitter image photo search. One that you hope continues to grow and maybe the one that you were waiting for. Well worth a look.  The best yet based on quality and focus.

 

Linkage

Hashalbum

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BridgeURL: Share Multiple Links With One Single Link

BridgeURL logo

The idea of sharing several links to different websites with a single link is not new at all. There was actual desktop software you could use for this effect back in 1997.  And such a way of doing things remained in the desktop side as the  best execution until the Web 2.0 craze started in 2004. But it didn’t catch on as a online tool then, because the original use and reasons for such a operation, were originally thought around the many limitations of Dial-UP and the fact that multi-tab browsing didn’t existed. With the explosion of broadband and the arrival of browsers with multi-tab functions. The idea really didn’t had that much of a purpose. So the only thing that gained was a actual name: Burst Linking.

But then in 2007 with the rise of Twitter, Smartphones and better mobile web browsing. The idea of URL shortening, that was also not new at all either, got reborn. And to that reborn idea, the concept of burst linking seemed like a perfect plus.

Now we are at the end of 2010 and these two ideas have been mashed-up for well over a year.  Now as always, it is about finding the best tool for it.

BridgeURL is a online burst linker tool. From where you can share many links in a single go, as it provides you with a simple Short-url that leads to a matching webpage viewer and landing page for the shared links.

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You only need to load the page, choose a title for your pack of links and the create a single short-url for you to the burst link wherever or whoever you want and need.

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Once you got your BridgeURL link, you then have the right-away options to Tweet it, open the bridgeURL you created or view in one page.

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For some reason BridgeURL decided to mess with the basic convention of Burst Linking and make the link you created lead to a Iframe based webpage slideshow tool. 

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So if you want to see the actual pack of links in a landing page, you have to add a “/all” to your BridgeURL instead (ex http://bridgeurl.com/appatic-test/all) .  A decision I don’t understand they why of.  Simply because it is not what it would be expected to be the main option. Because while the webpage viewer is a nice feature, it should not be the main one, but a supplemental one.  So it would had been best if the “/all” had directed to this webpage viewer and the regular BridgeURL went to a links landing page, as it should be. 

But even with that little misstep, BridgeURL is a nice online tool that could come in handy and that works well.

Linkage

BridgeURL

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25 November 2010

Logon Screen: A Simple Windows 7 Logon Screen Changer

DanielNET Software Logo

Windows 7 introduced a lot of user customization options compared to all previous Windows OS versions. That said, most users think that there was a very glaring omission: The Logon Screen.

Not that it has ever been a actual option for that matter. But since Windows 7 is the most customization friendly yet. Many Windows users were expecting that option to be also included.

Because of that, just like with past Windows OSes, there are already many ways to customize the logon screen. The problem with most current solutions being that they were not as user friendly as they could have been, or that they go too far, risking the OS future logon screen stability.

Logon Screen For Windows 7 from DanielNET Software  is another take on offering Windows 7 Logon Screen user customization. One that is easy, friendly and safe to use for anyone looking for this option.

Features

  • It got a quick and clear installer
  • Integrates with the Windows 7 Desktop Context Menu
  • Once installed, it got a very simple app window that feels native.

 

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Logon Screen For Windows 7 is simply the best Logon Screen changer for Windows 7 I have come across yet. I fully recommend it.

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DanielNET                                                                                     <—Homepage

Logon Screen For Windows 7                                      <—Direct Download Link

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24 November 2010

Lorizzle: Gangsta Lorem Ipsum Dummy Text Generator

gangsta lorem ipsum logo

Good old Lorem Ipsum dummy text generators are boring.  While you only use them as mockup filler for unfinished projects, that don’t means you have to conform to that. You can have something fun instead.

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Lorizzle is a online lorem ipsum dummy text generator with flow and flair to spare. With it you can generate a quick blob of dummy text, composed of a gangsta styled drivel. You can even try to read it and imagine it performed by Snoop Dogg if you want. Just that Snoop would need to completely lose his mind to come up with such amount of nonsense.

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But anyway, if you find the idea enticing. Then you just need to load the lorizzle site, click a button and you will be ready to go. 

Linkage

Lorizzle

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22 November 2010

Alternative Flash Player Auto-Updater 1.0

Flash Player Logo Icon

Unlike what some companies and blogs try to sell you on, Adobe Flash continues to be one of the most important, relevant and installed Third-Party pieces of Software all around and will continue to be so for years to come. When it comes to Windows OSes. This should not come as any surprise, since it is the OS where it is updated the most, and that also got the best versions of it.

But just like with Java, it continues to be a bit of a chore to keep the thing properly updated.  Something really unfortunate, because along with Oracle Java,  Reader and Shockwave. Flash is also one of the Top 3 exploit points in Windows and beyond.  Since Windows Vista, Windows OSes as they are and as they come out, are actually very well secured. And you can make them even more so, with some extra configurations.  But no matter how secure a OS gets,  popular Third-Party software will always remain the biggest targets, since they are the easiest targets to hit and then infiltrate the OS.

For that reason, it is always very important to keep it up to date to reduce any chances of that happening.

Alternative Flash Player Auto-Updater 1.0 is a .NET 3.5 based app, that takes care of the task of keep Flash Player updated for you.  This means it check the Flash Player versions you got installed, check online to see if there is a new version available for download, and if it find one, it can download and install the new versions directly, but not without letting you know if you agree to do so by default.

 

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For me, my favorite secondary part of the app, has to be its very clear and straightforward  Settings dashboard:

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From it, you can set the behavior of the app, and also what and how do you want it to work and with which updates.  At first while you install this app,  you will note it asks you if you want to set it to start with windows or not. If you choose not to have it start with windows and only use it On-Demand, it will still ask you the same thing every time you use it.

In the case of Windows XP, you can use it as it is without any special instructions, when it comes to Vista & 7, you need to run it as Admin for it to work.  It only got a single installer and it works for XP,Vista & 7 in both 32 & 64 bits versions. 

Linkage

Alternative Flash Player                                     <—Download Page

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20 November 2010

25 Years Of Windows 1.0

Microsoft Windows original logo

There is an amusing coincidence about this date.  25 years of Windows 1.0 and it was also the celebration of  100 years of the Mexican Revolution.  Two very different historical events, from also completely different ends of the spectrum.  But it does makes for a nice “frame-perfect” symbolical coincidence nonetheless. 

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Now, if you truly want to kick back on a quick Nostalgic, but informative trip around Windows 1.0. Nothing better than reading or re-reading its wikipedia entry and launching up some videos on YouTube on the subject. No, I am not kidding. Because otherwise, like with any Historical subject with any weight, you would need up to snuggle up around a book (or a long list of bookmarks), with hundreds of pages for you to get a actual good view of the full story. And that would take, like forever for 2010 terms.

So, from my point of view, it is worthless to even try to tackle that kind of historic insight, in what just needs to be a mere simple blog post mark to acknowledge a fact. Instead I will just tell you what windows 1.0 meant for me since I got a hold on to it and bit of the history I got to ponder upon while that happened. 

Windows1_0

Windows 1.0, to me was something that I could not latch on for very long at all. The first Microsoft software I got to use, like with most old enough to be around at the time, was MS-DOS.  In Mexico in particular, it was like if Windows 1.0 would have barely existed. MS-DOS pushed long for far too long, and the Windows OS from Microsoft was a sudden rush of versions here, because I remember that a little before Windows 3.0 was about to go out, then there it was in some local newspapers and magazines, stuff about:

  • Windows 1.0
  • Windows 2.0
  • Windows/286
  • Windows/386

Instead of having known about Windows 1.0, 2.0, /286 and /386 at its due time. we pretty much got hit by a roller-coaster of Windows OS versions here.  This only caused things here to stick with MS-DOS while awaiting for Windows 3.0, which was not adopted widely at all, and only started to shows its head when it became Windows 3.1.  Something that even in the USA and elsewhere was like a signal for everyone to go thinking  “Oh, so this version is going for a long haul, NOW, lets have a look at it”. And boom, the Windows OS exploded like crazy, something evident when you look at the Windows 3.0 versions track:

  • Windows 3.0
  • Windows 3.1
  • Windows 3.11
  • Windows for Workgroups 3.1
  • Windows for Workgroups 3.11

With this I mean, that while Windows 1.0 was the start of something of Massive success and significance, it was a sleeper hit. The reason for this is simple: It was not consumer friendly enough to be a Mainstream success. Because if you look at the success of MS-DOS, it is all around not only the fact that it was pushed by that also historical IBM-Microsoft deal, it was that it was good enough, friendly enough and “best well-rounded product” enough. This last means that it had all the good it needed to have from all the other versions of DOS around.  This very same, happened with with the first Windows OS age from 1.0 to 3.11. Windows OS 3.0 family line getting to be that “it” once again.

It is very hard to put in perspective how complicated this whole deal was, but during the time Microsoft appeared and until 1995. There was a big rush of Computer OSes and PC Maker wars that looked like a never ending struggle. It was not until Windows 95 appeared and pretty much finished both conflicts when it rose to full dominance over all other OSes. That the PC landscape became something familiar, approachable that could the leak into people lives and the day-to-day of the world. Much to the chagrin and rage of many, but that is how things were and still are for that matter. But, I am not going to get into that truly never ending discussion.

At my end, I saw this whole thing play out from a few TV newscasts and mostly from imported magazines ,apart from what I managed to get a hands-on of in person. In my house, thank to the fact that my Dad was very much into Tech and providing it, I got to play and live with the Atari, The Amiga PC and then a PS/S1 IBM PC (with MS-DOS) that I kid you not, we paid half on supermarket coupons, what looking back was still a fortune compared to now, that you can buy low-end netbooks for as low as $100 at drugstores.  In that same IBM machine, and thanks to some connections, I got to see up to Windows 3.11. But, It of course ran slow as hell, so we jumped to another machine that got to see Windows 3.11, MS-IBM OS/2 and finally Windows 95.  But again, with Windows 95 it was obvious we needed a new machine. So a jump to another that got to see from Windows 95 to Windows 2000 was made.  3 machines that I look on as part of my experience of the 90’s.

Outside my home experience I did got to try the commodore 64, 128, other versions of AMIGA, BeOS, Apple Mac’s, etc, etc, etc, etc, etc.

Good times. Times that would have not been possible without the sleeper hit that Windows 1.0 was.

I raise my glass to you Windows 1.0, even if most of the world and I, hardly knew you and your competitors laughed at your face when your first arrived. In the end, you had the last laugh and a firm spot on history. Cheers to you.

Now, if you excuse me, I am going to be running a Virtualized Windows 1.0 in this Windows 7 laptop to force the past meet with the present.



16 November 2010

Twicsy: Twitter Images Search Engine

Twicsy Logo Icon

I had previously posted about other Twitter Images Search engines. Unfortunately Ploy.co is only for searching Twitpic and Twtimage got its domain poached, so it is no longer active.

Twicsy is a broad Twitter Images Search engine, that also got a heavy focus on ordering result samples at the homepage from the hashtag based trending topics all around. This gives it a better sense of time relevance (paired to what is happening in Twitter), than just a focus on the most used keywords being searched for.  That, combined with the  fact that it can search Images shared in Twitter in context of the top 3 Twitter Image Hosts, makes it the best search of its kind yet to appear.

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A great choice for those looking for a good Twitter Image Search. The only thing they need to make it better is improve the design, add more info about the site and maybe some extra Top Searches filters (Trending Topic, Keyword, etc) pages. Other than that, it is already more than good enough. And I look forward to see it evolve.

Linkage

Twicsy

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15 November 2010

Jays Snipping Tool: Another Windows XP Snipping Tool Alternative

CodePlex Logo

When it comes to getting a Snipping Tool for Windows XP, you previously had two choices:

Go with a simple, but portable alternative via Snippy  or be willing to install the original Windows XP Tablet PC Snipping Tool in whatever other Windows XP version you happen to be running.

Now, I got you a good third choice.

Jays Snipping Tool is a Open Source .NET app from Codeplex by Jay Stratemeyer.  Its point is to bring a quick and simple snipping tool to Windows XP users, based on the Windows 7 version of the Snipping Tool.

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A very basic snipping tool, at least at this point in its development (1.0).  Pretty much at the same level of Snippy,  just that it got a completely different style and approach.  But just like Snippy, it also integrates with the Windows System Tray and it could not be more straight forward to use.

Its only requirement is that you have the .NET framework 3.5 SP1 (at least) installed. And if you are in a updated XP SP3 Windows Install, you should already have it.

Linkage

Windows XP Snipping Tool  1.0  (A.K.A Jays Snipping Tool)           <—Direct Download Link

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Grapholite: A Silverlight Based Diagramming Tool [Alpha]

Grapholite Logo Icon

Grapholite is a very interesting and very well executed  Silverlight 4 based Diagramming App currently in Alpha stage.

With that in mind, I still wanted to have a early look at it. Later on as it gets completed, a full review will follow.

When Grapholite states they are “A Diagramming Tool”,  they sure mean it. The app itself is pointing to be fully featured and powerful. But what sets it apart from other similar tools is what it gains from being Silverlight based.

Grapholite is a RIA app. This means it is inherently internet connected, but it still can live without being connected to the internet. And thanks to Silverlight 4, it also means it can run in the Browser and on the desktop.

Details

Grapholite will allow you to create all kinds of diagrams like:  Flow Charts,  Org Charts, Floor Plan, Network Diagrams and more. 

It got a very user friendly UI-UX as it uses the Fluent UI-UX conventions from Office 2007 and 2010 as it comes with a Ribbon menu interface.

To start using it, you only need to create a new diagram from the file tab and then drag & drop a element from the Elements Toolbox at the right.  The elements you drop are then fully resizable and configurable to interact and connect with each other.  All other features will then come very evident as you select the elements and the functions in the Ribbon Tabs become selectable.  So, the only thing you really need to understand them,  is to play with them.  One hour in and should be able to fully master Grapholite and produce any kind of diagram you need.

As you finish a diagram, you can then save it to your desktop, print it or convert it to a photo file.

Right now, at its alpha state, the main limitation is that it will only let you produce Flow Charts. This is because of the controls have not been fully set and as you will quickly also note. You only can select Flow Chart elements from the Elements Toolbox.

Other limitations at this point are not being able to convert to PDF, and the ones around the not yet finished feature set for those with Grapholite accounts. That looks to be about Saving files online, sharing files online in many ways, etc.

In The Browser

Grapholite in a Browser

You only need to load up the site, and then click through to the app and there it will be in 30 seconds.

Alternatively, if you want to keep it in the Browser, but at the same time accessible. If you are using IE9 Beta in Windows 7 , you just need to pin it to your  Taskbar.

On The Desktop

Grapholite As A Desktop App

Using Silverlight’s OOB (Out-Of-Browser) Mode, once you have it running in the browser for the first time. You only need to right click in a open area of the app, and you can install it to your desktop in just 3 quick clicks.

At this moment, since it is SL OOB mode, it don’t needs Admin Rights or will trigger the UAC (Vista & 7) in any way. So it is already Work friendly. No  excuse for not trying it out if you happen to be at work.

That said, it would be interesting to also get a SL Full-Trust Mode of the app. As this would allow for better OS integration and even more features down the line.

Some Notes

So, as you can see, Grapholite is a  potentially excellent Diagramming app. It is modern,  pretty,  well executed, dynamic and powerful.  I really want to see it finished and fully evolved to its potential.

Also because , then I can actually review it at length in another post.

If you want to check it out, you can do so in pretty much any Browser and also install it to your desktop if you are using Windows XP, Vista & 7 or also in Intel based Leopard & Snow Leopard Macs.

Linkage

Grapholite                                                                <— Homepage

Grapholite Designer

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Windows Live Clouds - Windows 7 Theme

 tmp6B                   Bing Logo

Last week,  the winner of the Windows Live + Bing photo contest was presented. And there were so many great entries besides the breathtaking one winner, that the Windows Team decided to also release a Windows 7 theme. This theme is made up from the Top 10 entries as the desktop backgrounds of the theme.  This Top 10 also includes the winning entry from Somana Konganda of the Mt. Rainer from 10,000 feet:

4431_Bing-Homepage-Winner-2_33B4C672

But, lets remember this is not the first time a  set of runner up entries, from a Bing related photo contest have been turned into a W7 theme.  Because you can still get the W7 theme from the 2010 Bing Earth Day Contest.

 

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Windows Live Clouds                               <—Direct Download Link

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11 November 2010

Best Of Bing: Australia Windows 7 Theme

Bing Logo

Bing related Windows 7 themes continue to be the most popular ones overall. So, for that reason this year, the Bing team decided to have a separate country localized series of Best Of Bing Themes. This, as a way to complement the Worldwide series.

First there was Best Of Bing: Japan     (previously known as Bing’s Best: Japan)

Now it is the turn for Australia.

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Discover kangaroos, the Great Barrier Reef, and other Down Under wonders captured by Bing photographers in this Windows 7 theme.

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Best Of Bing – Australia                     <—Direct Download Link

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03 November 2010

Windows XP Official Zune Theme

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Windows XP has always been the Windows OS with the craziest and biggest  diversity of Windows Themes available.  Well, if you are willing to hack your install and sacrifice some resources of course.  But when it comes to Official Windows XP Themes?. You are pretty much stuck with the 3 default ones. 

However, it is possible to get 4 other Official Windows XP themes. In this post I will show you the  Windows XP Zune Theme.

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The Windows XP Zune Theme came up to be as a launch extra for the Zune Software 1.0 back when Zune devices first appeared. The theme inspirations comes directly of how the Zune Software 1.0 looked back then, as it was first a reinterpretation of WMP 11.

Some interesting little facts about the Zune Theme are that; it is the only Official XP Theme that completely changed the start button to Orange, from the standard green, and it is also the only Official XP theme with its own installer and signature Desktop Background.

The theme style is a actual clear derivation of the leaked Royale Noir Theme, the only difference is that it got a more “burned” brushed black style and the bright brushed metal orange contrasting bits in the Windows Start Button and Windows Explorer. After Royale Noir, it is my second favorite Windows XP Theme. So, if you happen to like it, remember that it don’t needs a hack or extra resources to run as it is Microsoft made. And in its case you can also install it less than a minute, since it only requires 2 step from you to have it running.

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Install It

In order to use this theme, you only need to follow 3 simple steps since this theme got its own installer:

  • 1.-Download The Theme MSI, (check for the link at bottom of this post)
  • 2.-Execute ZuneDesktopTheme.msi
  • 3.-Follow the theme installer

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And that is it!

Enjoy!

 

Linkage

Windows XP Zune Theme                                                               <—Direct Download Link

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This post is part of a series of posts, the other related posts in this series are:

Windows XP Embedded Official Theme

Windows XP Royale Official Theme

Windows XP Royale Noir Official Theme

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Windows XP Royale Noir Official Theme

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Windows XP has always been the Windows OS with the craziest and biggest  diversity of Windows Themes available.  Well, if you are willing to hack your install and sacrifice some resources of course.  But when it comes to Official Windows XP Themes?. You are pretty much stuck with the 3 default ones. 

However, it is possible to get 4 other Official Windows XP themes. In this post I will show you the  Windows XP Royale Noir Theme.

2010-10-24_1751

The Windows XP Royale Noir theme is part two of a duo of Themes, as they not only come together but share the same files.  That is because this duo of themes was not fully finished. The themes are finished in look and behavior, but they were not packaged individually for actual release. This only means that they don’t come with a .Theme control file (so, installing it require a minute more of steps, that the other official XP themes). But even then, they are as good for everyday use, as the ones that come by default in your windows XP install.

Why this duo of themes are not fully finished and bundled is the source of several rumored (not confirmed) but plausible backstories. The most popular ones being that they were first going to be part of Windows XP SP2, but they didn’t made the cut (or Microsoft changed its mind) and the second one is, that they were meant to be added to a XP Plus pack update that never was.  And finally there is also a third, somewhat popular belief, that they were made for the second version of Windows XP Tablet Edition 2005  and Windows Media Center Edition 2005 respectively.

So who knows which one is the right story or if any of them is anywhere close to be true at all.  Up to now, the true and confirmed backstory behind these Official XP themes, has yet to surface.

The Windows XP Royale Noir Theme is a Black Theme with a added brushed glow that gives it a solid and elegant feel. This kind of look would then be fully exploited in Windows Vista with the addition of a more modern  metallic glow. In my opinion is the kind of theme that you can use and it just looks good with any kind of desktop background. I totally recommend it, as it is the XP Theme I used since it was first uncovered until I migrated to  And since it is Microsoft made, you don’t have to worry at all about applying a hack or sacrificing resources to use it. So if you like it, give it a go.

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                                 (the start button only goes green when you hover it and click it, otherwise is also black)

Install It

In order to use this theme, you only need to follow 10 simple steps:

  • 1.-Download The Theme ZIP, (check for the link at bottom of this post)
  • 2.-Extract the ZIP contents into  c:\windows\resources\theme
  • 3.-Now check the Windows themes folder for the Royale Noir Folder you just extracted there,
  • 4.-Open it and execute the Luna.MSStyles file,
  • 5.-Your Windows XP theme should now be changed to the Royale style.

Now lets change it to the Royale Noir style:

  • 6.-Go to your desktop view and right-click in a free open area,
  • 7.-Click on Display Properties,
  • 8.-Click on the Appearance tab in Display Properties,

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  • 9.-Make sure the color scheme dropdown is set at Royale Noir.
  • 10.-Click the Apply button and then OK if it is finally set.

You are now done, enjoy!

 

Linkage

Windows XP Royale Noir Theme                                         <— Download Page

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This post is part of a series of posts, the other related posts in this series are:

Windows XP Embedded Official Theme

Windows XP Royale Official Theme

Windows XP Official Zune Theme

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Windows XP Royale Official Theme

tmp6B

Windows XP has always been the Windows OS with the craziest and biggest  diversity of Windows Themes available.  Well, if you are willing to hack your install and sacrifice some resources of course.  But when it comes to Official Windows XP Themes?. You are pretty much stuck with the 3 default ones. 

However, it is possible to get 4 other Official Windows XP themes. In this post I will show you the  Windows XP Royale Theme.

2010-10-24_1754_001

The Windows XP Royale theme is part one of a duo of Themes, as they not only come together but share the same files.  That is because they were not fully finished. The themes are finished in look and behavior, but they were not packaged individually for actual release. This only means that they don’t come with a Theme control file (so, installing it may require a minute more of steps). But even then, they are as good for everyday use, as the ones that come by default in your windows XP install.

Why this duo of themes were not fully finished and bundled is the source of several rumored but plausible backstories. The most popular ones being that they were first going to be part of Windows XP SP2, but they didn’t made the cut (or Microsoft changed it mind) and the second one is, that they were meant to be added to a XP Plus pack update that never was.  And finally there is also a third, somewhat popular belief, that they were made for the second version of Windows XP Tablet Edition 2005 and Windows Media Center Edition 2005 respectively.

So who knows which is the right one or if any of them is anywhere close to be true at all.  Up to now, the true and confirmed backstory behind these Official XP themes, has yet to surface.

The Windows XP Royale Theme is a double play of bright blues. That to my taste comes of as a bit too bright and shiny. But for some that may be just what is missing on their Windows XP installs. And since they are Microsoft made, you don’t have to worry at all about applying a hack or sacrificing resources to use it. So if you like it, give it a go.

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Install It

In order to use this theme, you only need to follow 5 simple steps:

  • 1.-Download The Theme ZIP, (check for the link at bottom of this post)
  • 2.-Extract the ZIP contents into  c:\windows\resources\theme
  • 3.-Now check the Windows themes folder for the Royale Folder you just extracted there,
  • 4.-Open it and execute the Luna.MSStyles file,
  • 5.-Your Windows XP theme should now be changed to the Royale style.

But, if it is not applied instantly once you have executed the Luna.msstyles, then you only need to add the following 5 extra steps (only needed if it is not already set with the first 5 steps)  to enable it:

  • 6.-Go to your desktop view and right-click in a free open area,
  • 7.-Click on Display Properties,
  • 8.-Click on the Appearance tab in Display Properties,

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  • 9.-Make sure the color scheme dropdown is set at Royale.
  • 10.-Click the Apply button and then OK if it is finally set.

 

You are now done, enjoy!

 

Linkage

Windows XP Royale Theme                                                    <—Download Page

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This post is part of a series of posts, the other related posts in this series are:

Windows XP Embedded Official Theme

Windows XP Royale Noir Official Theme

Windows XP Official Zune Theme

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Windows XP Embedded Official Theme

tmp6B

Windows XP has always been the Windows OS with the craziest and biggest  diversity of Windows Themes available.  Well, if you are willing to hack your install and sacrifice some resources of course.  But when it comes to Official Windows XP Themes?. You are pretty much stuck with the 3 default ones. 

However, it is possible to get 4 other Official Windows XP themes. In this post I will show you the  Windows XP Embedded Theme.

 

2010-10-24_1815_001

This theme was made as a way to differentiate the Embedded edition of Windows XP.  It’s look and style seems to be a play on the Windows XP default blue theme and Windows Azure.  Something that resulted in this Metallic Azure Blue color. A intense, yet not so loud theme. Certainly a theme that some may like and prefer a lot more, than any of  the 3 default ones in XP. And since it is a Microsoft made Official Windows XP theme, that means there is no need for hacks or the compromise of having to sacrifice more resources to use it.

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Install It

In order to use this theme, you only need to follow 5 simple steps:

  • 1.-Download The Theme ZIP,                       (check for the link at bottom of this post)
  • 2.-Extract the ZIP contents into  c:\windows\resources\theme
  • 3.-Now check the Windows themes folder for the Embedded Theme Folder you just extracted there,
  • 4.-Open it and execute the Embedded.Theme file,
  • 5.-Your Windows XP theme should now be changed to the Embedded style.

Enjoy!

Linkage

Windows XP Embedded Theme                                     <—Download Page

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This post is part of a series of posts, the other related posts in this series are:

Windows XP Royale Official Theme

Windows XP Royale Noir Official Theme

Windows XP Official Zune Theme

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