Windows: If you're tired of a taskbar cluttered with applications that you need to have open but can't be properly hidden or minimised, HideIt allows you to minimize any application to your Windows system tray by right-clicking its minimise button.

Windows: Dragging stuff to the Recycle Bin can be annoying if it's hidden amongst the clutter on your desktop, behind all your windows. MiniBin puts it in your system tray, making deleting files and emptying the bin super easy.

Your Windows system tray and Mac OS X menubar have become prime real estate for highly functional micro-applications that provide easy access to information, settings and tasks. Here are our top ten favourites for both Windows and Mac.

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Linux only: Some software apps just work better together. Take Prism, Mozilla's web app-into-desktop-window converter, and combine it with AllTray, the AllTray, the system tray docking utility, and you can turn anything on the web into a quick-access desktop window.

Windows: Keyboard indicator lights are only useful if you're staring at the keyboard when they turn on. If you're a touch typist, Keyboard Leds puts indicator lights and caps lock warning in the system tray where you'll actually see them.

One of Office 2010's neatest features is nearly seamless uploading to its free Web Apps. Then again, it shows an annoying system tray icon while doing so and on start-up. Here's how to get rid of it while keeping the uploads rolling.

Windows 7 only: System volume mixer replacement SndVolPlus does everything the default system mixer does, with one addition: middle-clicking the system tray icon mutes the volume.

Windows: Process Manager, the utility that gives you way more options with your windows than just closing or minimising, has updated with some helpful new features, including universal keyboard shortcuts and system tray options for all Windows operating systems.

Windows only: System monitoring application Real Temp monitors your Intel CPU temperature from the system tray—so you'll know when it's hot enough to cook some eggs.

Firefox: Prism, the Firefox add-on/stand-alone application that turns web sites into desktop windows, has hit a 1.0 release, promising to let you monitor and launch sites like Gmail from your Mac dock or Windows tray.

Windows only: Tiny utility Caffeine disables or enables the screensaver by simply double-clicking on the icon in the system tray—so you can watch that YouTube video without your screensaver kicking in.

Windows 7's Action centre does a great job of compressing all of Windows' update/alert/whatever notifications into one icon, but it takes some tweaking to make it show what you want, or disable it entirely.

Windows only: GO Contact Sync is a handy little synchroniser that keeps your Google (G) and Outlook (O) contacts in line. You run it once or schedule it, and customise how it handles your data.

Windows only: System tray application GMinder gives you quick offline display of multiple Google Calendars—and even alerts you of upcoming appointments. The application was created by reader Greg Todd, who wrote the application for his own use—but decided to release it for the rest of us to enjoy. Using the application is simple—just enter in your Google account information, click the Download button to get your list of calendars, and then select the ones you want to display. The only small issue is that Windows Vista users will need to select a different sound file in the options panel since the default one doesn't exist on Vista—a small price to pay for an excellent application that bridges the gap between Google Calendar and your Windows desktop. Thanks, Greg! GMinder is free and open source, available for Windows only. Google Desktop users can also check out the powerful Google Calendar gadget, and readers using Firefox should check out our own Better GCal extension.

Gminder

Windows only: Free task managing application Process Manager for Windows adds options to the global context menu for all applications—adding quick access to control running tasks. We've mentioned this application before, but it has since updated with more features including minimising applications to the system tray, setting windows always on top, and assigning per-window transparency. Readers using Windows XP will also get extra features—the ability to completely hide a single window, or hide all windows except the current one behind the PMW tray icon—making this low-resource, portable application worth a look for anybody interested in better control over running processes. Process Manager for Windows is free and open source, available for Windows only.

Process Manager for Windows

The Windows system tray can be so much more than a parking lot for programs you don't want cluttering up your task bar. Read on to see the five most popular tray tools readers can't live without.

Windows only: POP Peeper is a system-tray application that keeps you updated on new emails in your POP3 and IMAP-based email accounts. For multiple inboxes, it could save a lot of hassle. POP Peeper not only notifies you of the new mail, but allows you to read the messages in HTML, plain text and rich text formats. And the alerts come in many flavors, including a skinnable desktop alert window, sounds, flashing keyboard lights, or an active tray icon. POP Peeper supports plug-ins including screensaver-based notification, voice notification that reads you email headers, and the ability to function as a basic RSS feed reader. While it isn't the most practical tool for reading all your feeds, it could be handy for rare but important alerts, like new software releases. POP Peeper supports unlimited accounts, and can be installed as a portable application. It's freeware, Windows only.

POP Peeper

Linux users with a GNOME-based desktop can modify how their time is displayed just about any way they want, and in any order. The Tips4Linux blog explains how, although the exact location of your custom_format setting may vary depending on your panel setup. Once you've found it, you can use any of the standard formatting symbols to arrange your time display.

Windows only: Small utility Minime clears your taskbar by minimising windows to its single icon in the system tray. With Minime running, hit Ctrl+Shift+Z to send a window to the system tray instead of the taskbar. Right-click on the Minime icon to restore any (or all) of the windows stowed there with a click. Minime is a free download for Windows only. Thanks, Jason! Minime