Windows only: Tiny application Glass CMD for Vista forces command prompt windows to use Aero’s glass transparency effect.
Windows only: Tiny utility Vista Shutdown Timer turns your computer off at the time you specify—and even fades the volume out so you can stay asleep.
If you’ve used Windows for any amount of time, you’ve already had to deal with the dreaded (Not Responding) frozen application—so instead of using Task Manager, why not create a shortcut to auto-kill them?
The default Firefox theme doesn’t match Windows Vista very well—but with a few extensions and a Stylish script, you can customise Firefox to use a slick, well-integrated look with Vista Aero transparency effects.
Windows Vista only: Sidebar gadget I Forgot The Milk adds quick access to your to-do list right in your Vista sidebar.
If you’re running the Windows 7 beta, Microsoft wants you to downgrade back to Vista before testing out the soon-to-appear release candidate. What gives?
Windows only: Reader Anonymous writes in with an interesting tip for making the web a more readable place—by forcing Firefox to use Windows Vista fonts, even on XP.
Windows Vista only: The Vista for Beginners weblog walks through the process of setting up and using speech recognition macros that save you time by automating keystrokes with a voice command. Their guide covers creating macros that can do anything from launching applications, sending batches of keystrokes, inserting blocks of text, or even creating aliases for some of the default commands that might be difficult to remember—a very useful read for anybody interested in making their computer do what they say. For another take on the same topic, check out our must-read guide to controlling your PC with your voice.
Enhance Windows Speech Recognition by Using Macros [Windows Vista for Beginners]The Vista for Beginners weblog walks through the process of setting advanced options for Windows Vista’s Speech Recognition—from adding words to setting custom profiles for multiple users. If you’ve ever used speech recognition software with technical terms, you’ve probably noticed that your computer has no idea what you are talking about—so adding new words to the dictionary can really help with your daily workflow. Most of the options can be found by digging around the settings panel, but the guide covers everything with plenty of screenshots—well worth a read for anybody interested in making their computer do exactly what they say. For more, check out our own guides to controlling your PC with your voice and controlling Powerpoint presentations.
Windows Speech Recognition: How To Benefit From its Advanced Configuration Options [Vista for Beginners]The Vista Forums walks through the process of adding multiple quick launch toolbars to your double-height taskbar—making an organized application launcher with no extra software. The process is relatively straightforward, requiring you to simply create separate folders for each group of icons, and then add them to the taskbar with the Toolbars -> New Toolbar item on the taskbar context menu. Once you’ve added the toolbars, simply arrange them in a group below the taskbar buttons for an organized, dock-like experience without running any additional software. Hit the link for the full walk-through, complete with screenshots. Thanks, puntai! For more on quickly starting your applications, check out our five best application launchers.
Double Height Taskbar with Program Icons [The Vista Forums]
