The Ask VG blog points us to a dark blue, modern-looking "Embedded" theme for Windows XP, designed and signed by Microsoft. That means no file hacking—just install the package and switch your theme in your desktop preferences. Here are two direct download links. To use other, non-signed themes, check out our guide to using custom visual styles in XP and Vista. [via]

Windows only: The free Emerge Alternative Desktop Shell replaces Windows' taskbar, Start menu, and right-click context menu with a super-minimalistic version. In short, Emerge leaves you with essentially an empty desktop, a clean slate for some killer customisations. Emerge also clears away icons and menus Launchy users don't need. When you first install Emerge, you may feel a bit out of sorts—where do you click when there's no Start menu? Right click on your desktop to get access to your Start menu programs and quick launch toolbar and Emerge's settings. Ctrl+Click on the Emerge Tray (upper left hand corner on your desktop by default), to further customise the look and feel of the tray. The learning curve on Emerge isn't flat, but poking through the documentation and trying out various settings will make the dedicated desktop customiser very happy. Emerge is a free download for Windows only. Got another Windows shell replacement you like better than Emerge? Post it in the comments.

While fiddling with the look and feel of your computer desktop isn't technically productive, making your workspace something you're proud of and happy to look at makes you more likely to want to get things done. Earlier this week, Jason showed you how to start using custom Windows visual styles, and the comments blew up with readers recommending their favourite desktop themes. In addition to the three themes Jason pointed out in his article, let's take a look at a few more reader recommendations your desktop might like to try on for size.

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Earlier this week, Jason de-mystified the process of styling your Windows system with custom themes, along with the tweaks needed to pull it off. Those Windows Vista users who just can't commit to patching, finding and copying themes, however, might find comfort in Vista Visual Master, a free, all-in-one tool for opening up your Vista system to themes, downloading and installing them, and tweaking tons of other graphical elements, including icons, your log-on picture, boot screen, and more. Read on for a peek at how Vista Visual Master can mold your system to your liking and make theming easy.

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If you're happy enough with the features your iPod offers out of the box that you don't want to install a custom firmware like Rockbox, but you'd still like to add a little personal flair to Apple's cookie-cutter look, you're in luck. Freeware application iPodWizard customises the look and feel of your iPod's interface while still using a customised version of your iPod's default firmware on the device. That means you still get the same iPod software that you already know and love, but you can skin it to look however you want. Let's take a closer look at how to customise your iPod with iPodWizard.

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Customising the appearance of your Windows installation can be frustrating, because both Windows XP and Vista are limited to the Microsoft's default themes out of the box. However, with a bit of tweaking under the hood, your Windows setup can try on a wider range of looks than come pre-installed. Let's take a look at how to patch your Windows installation to allow customised styles, and a few places to find new and interesting styles online.

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Since the birth of the iPod in 2001, Apple has released generation after generation of new iPods packed with exciting feature updates. The problem is that your not-so-old iPod probably feels like it's drifted into obsolescence. Sure they both still play music, but take a look at a first gen iPod next to an iPod touch and it's not hard to understand where I'm coming from. Rather than pony up for a shiny new MP3 player, consider installing the open-source MP3 player firmware Rockbox on your current player first. Rockbox just hit a new release, and it's never been easier to supercharge your MP3 player, from iPods and irivers to Archos and SanDisk players.

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Free printer-friendly service PrintWhatYouLike.com is a simple point-and-click element removal tool to make printing sites and pages without printer-friendly links much easier, and without any software. Paste in the URL of a site, and you'll get a left-hand sidebar that lets you click and and remove pictures, headlines, and other page elements. You can pull out the background image, isolate selected parts of the page, and even resize individual elements, all in the name of reducing ink usage and improving readability. Better still, you can copy a link to the page you've just hacked to bits, giving web site owners with popular pages a free resource for printer-friendly versions. PrintWhatYouLike.com is a free service. For more earth-saving and frugal printer tips, check out the How-To Geek's smart and easy ways to reduce printing costs.

The right mouse button—beloved by geeks for its power, theoretically unnecessary on a Mac, and generally under-utilised on the average desktop. Right-clicking can be a powerful tool for automating file actions and saving yourself time and arm effort, but only if you've put your own stamp on the offerings of that secondary button. Today we're rounding up some of the best tools for adding power and precision to your right-click menu on Windows, Mac, and Linux systems, so check out what can be done from the other side of the scroll wheel. Photo by geobeo.

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Windows only: Free application MZ Ultimate Tweaker is a system modification tool that covers the gamut of system tweaks, putting everything from performance to display tweaks just a few clicks away. The application is very similar to the TweakUI Windows XP PowerToy. But apart from all the minor modifications it can make to your system, it also comes loaded with several useful utilities worth checking out.

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