HyperSnap-DX 6.40.02

2009.01.13 HyperSnap 6.40.01 released

Updated user interface with several "skins" to choose from on the "Options" menu - "Application Look".

Image tabs may be configured to be positioned above or below the image area, have different colors and properties. Right-click on a tab displays a short menu to close or save an image and to customize the tabs.

Corrected auto-scroll to work with Google Chrome browser.

Added File/Save command to the menu (in addition to "Save As..." that was always there)

Moved "Close All" command from Window to File menu.

Corrected a bug that caused sometimes HyperSnap to print multiple copies of an image, when only one copy print was requested.

Automatic capture processing, such as converting to black & white, substituting colors, adding a shade or frame, inserting stamps - will turned off and you need to manually turn it on when you exit and restart HyperSnap. If you do need to preserve these options at all times, add "-ra" command line option to the shortcut you use to start HyperSnap (see online help, "Command line usage" chapter).

HyperSnap-DX 6.40.02

Customize Windows XP and Vista with VistaTweaker

Windows only: Freeware app VistaTweaker makes customizing Windows a breeze. Very similar to the previously-mentioned Vispa, VistaTweaker has easier to navigate menus and can be used (with limited functionality) in Windows XP. VistaTweaker's interface is grouped in easy to navigate tabs with categories for: system, UI, IE, software, network, and performance. What makes VistaTweaker particularly convenient is that each "tweak" has a detailed description of exactly what it does.

If you haven't already tweaked your system with Vispa, VistaTweaker looks to be a simpler utility to accomplish the same tasks. Somewhat annoyingly, VistaTweaker does not yet indicate which tweaks are specific to Vista (though it is promised in the next release). VistaTweaker is a free, stand-alone executable for Windows XP and Vista currently in beta. Thanks, GHETTO CHiLD!

XP Stays Alive till 2010

Today Microsoft announces that they will extend the amount of time manufacturers can ship low cost PCs with Windows XP until 2010. Clearly someone in Redmond is reading Lifehacker.

Windows XP's Availability Extended Until May 2009

Presumably due to its popularity—and Vista's low adoption rates—Microsoft has extended Windows XP's life from January till May of 2009. The BBC reports that hardware firms will be able to get XP licenses delivered up until May 30, 2009, instead of January 30, the original cutoff date.

Add Vista-like taskbar window previews to Windows XP

Free software Visual Tooltip can give you Vista's pretty taskbar window previews in XP.
The How-To Geek site details how to tweak Visual ToolTip so it displays a thumbnail when you mouse over a window's entry on the taskbar. Looks like a no-Vista-needed way to quickly locate the window you need with a swipe of the mouse. — Gina Trapani

Windows XP Lives

Rumors that Microsoft would release Windows XP Service Pack 3 this week aren't true; but if you're feeling adventurous, the folks in Redmond did make the second release candidate of XP SP3 available for download today. [via]

Use Vista cursors in XP

Looking to spruce up the look of Windows XP? Installing the Vista cursor theme is an easy way to do so, and the Alan Le weblog demonstrates the simple process. After downloading and unzipping the cursors, right click on install.inf and select install. You can then go into Mouse Properties and change your cursor theme. The change is subtle, but nice. Not ready to make the switch to Vista? Here are a few ways you can get Vista's look and feel in XP. Thanks, Dylan!

Dual boot Windows XP on a pre-installed Vista PC

You just got a new PC with Windows Vista pre-installed, and you want to dual-boot Windows XP for old programs - or just nostalgia's sake. You already know how to dual-boot Windows Vista on your XP machine, but you can also set up Windows XP to boot from a separate partition on your Vista PC.

First you'll need to repartition your hard drive inside Vista, install Windows XP on that new partition, and then use previously-mentioned VistaBootPro to set up your bootloader. A poster at the ProNetworks forum has the detailed rundown, along with helpful screenshots. —Gina Trapani

Install Windows XP in a Dual Boot with Pre-installed Windows Vista [ProNetworks]

Windows XP Tips

Yahoo! News offers up their top 10 Windows XP tips of all time. They've covered a wide range of topics from display tips to bits on how to increase disk space and performance.

This tip is one of our favorites because it always works. Running in the background of Windows are scores of services, small processes used by Windows and many Windows applications. The thing is, you don't need all these services — especially for applications you never use — and many of them actually slow your PC down.
Top 10 Windows XP Tips Of All Time [Yahoo! News]