Version Tested : XP SP3
Compatibility : Win XP, Vista (inc 64), Server 2003, Server 2008, Windows 7 (apparently)

Description : Windows does the the ability to change your theme to something more exciting, however, Microsoft limited the themes to MS signed themes only. These Patches undo this, enabling any theme to be used.

Since the kind people at StyleXP stopped responding to my free key requests for my readers, (You), I decided to search for a freeware alternative. Luckily I remembered something I had seen in development around the time I first discovered StyleXP. My StyleXP Key came to rest, and so when I finally decided it was time to get Uxtheme Patcher, I also set up an auto response email for those still trying to get a free key.

If your a bit bored of your standard windows theme, chances are that you wouldn’t mind a bit of a change. Personally, after using a mac, I like the Mac GUI more than Windows, so why not just change my windows theme to a mac theme? If you look at the screen shot, you will see. I use the Panther theme.

The patches work better than something like windows blinds or StyleXP, as they use very little resources in compassion. Where StyleXP used to use as little as 20MB, the patch uses none that I’m aware of. It also enables you to use any theme easily.

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AppAholic is officially one year old tomorrow! Rather exciting. Something that started off as another wild project that would have been expected never to last, actually turned out to be fun, exciting, and interesting. Since AppAholic started in April last year, over 100,000 hits, featured on 30+ blogs and websites (including LifeHacker and Donation Coder), and gained over 1,000 subscribers. I never thought I would get anywhere near figures like that!

Its at times like this where we thank websites for links, especially our top referral THE Freeware Genius, Samer. He’s been more than helpful with many things to do with wordpress and blogging. The is also an interview with him found HERE. Also thanks goes to the editors for their good will to help me out with my atrocious spelling. Thanks goes to LukeJ, for the logo design! But MOST of all, thank you for reading! If you didn’t, then there would be no AppAholic.

As some of you more regular readers may have noticed, there has been a lack of content being posted recently. I’m completely bogged down with all this coursework and revision in the lead up to the end of my A Levels at college.

I think its important that you know I won’t have the time to post regally again until late June when my exams end. In the mean time, check out the random posts on the sidebar and the categories.

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Version Tested : 1.0.2.5
Compatibility : Windows 2000, XP, 2003, Vista, Linux and OS X

Description : Lan over the Internet. Create a virtual private network across the internet allowing you to act like a network and even play network games across the internet directly. You can password your networks so that only people you allow can join. The connection is direct after initial set up, so no server lag! Instant, Zero Configuration VPN!

This is a real gem from the makers of the earlier reviewed LogMeIn system, allowing users to access their home computer screen via a web browser. Hamachi does much more that just enabling you to play network games over the net, but it’s a really good use for it. Its widely used for gaming, so much so that people have even developed tools for enabling easy connection with games like Age of Empires 3, making direct network games across the Internet (although it wouldn’t work for me).

I confess, I tested this with a 1995 game of Yu-Gi-Oh, which makes me more retro than cool, but hey. It worked like a charm, especially because you could only play multiplayer over a network. There are websites devoted to the cataloging of Hamachi networks, from C&C 3 to Call of Duty 4. An increasing number of people are starting to use Hamachi to play their cracked downloaded games which can’t connect to the online servers, although downloading cracked games isn’t recommended at all!

To connect to a VPN (Virtual Private Network) using Hamachi, both ends must have the client installed. The host creates a network name, and the guest simply types in that name to connect to the network. Access can be restricted with a password if needs be, just to keep it truly private.

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Version Tested : 2.02
Compatibility : XP

Description : Enables you to edit right click (context) menus with real ease. Drag and drop items into a "rarely used" sub menu. Simply clicking on the special context menus.

Every time you install a new app (lets face it, every other day if your an AppAholic), they add items to your right click context menu, without even asking you for permission! (How Rude). Or, when you install A FireFox Addons (Even though we call them Plugins), you may get as many as 5 extra items placed on your right click menu.

Several weeks ago, after uninstalling some app, it failed to remove its right click menu item. Mmm solved this by letting me delete the entry. Also when I was trying out AVG Anti Spyware, I kept clicking on the scan for that rather than AVG free! How annoying! It got removed very fast.

Using Mmm couldn’t be more simple.

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Hey everyone. Its been a while since I’ve made a post. New review is on its way before the end of this week!

I’ve been building my new computer recently with a friend, and it works! didn’t take that long, but the problem was I had to install everything again. Being an AppAholic, that’s a bit of a daunting task! Anyway, I’m here now, and almost back to my configuration. I’ve also been bogged down with a stack of coursework and exams and work and events and… Really really busy.

I have quite a few plans for AppAholic in the near future. I think you will be rather surprised.

I’ve had the odd 15mins to add new items to the sidebar. The most noticeable is the Meebo Me widget. For those of you who don’t know, Meebo is a free online browser based cross platform cross network messaging client. Phew that was a mouthful, but I felt it necessary to explain what it’s about. You can use it to chat with me any time I’m online with Meebo!

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Version Tested : 0.1.0
Compatibility : Windows that are running msn v 8.5 or above

Description : Windows Apple Live Messenger. Love Apple but currently using Windows Live Messenger? Change nothing bur the style and look of WLM to look like its running on an Mac! Add some style to your dull MSN WLM!

If you haven’t already worked it out so far, I like mac style on windows machines! I’ve been using StyleXP to skin my OS since I knew how, and haven’t looked back. The only thing that was refusing to adjust, was my MSN WLM window. This problem is now solved!

Recently, msnPLUS has added custom skins to its list of enhancements, and Apple Live Messenger (ALM) is one of the most popular skins. Its racked up over 200,000 downloads since its launch in December 07, and is the third most popular WLM skin! The other two are a Vista Ultimate theme, and one called Ev0.

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Version Tested : Jan 25th 2008
Compatibility : Browser

Description : Free file conversion website that supports a very wide range of file types including the majority of Documents, Images, Music, Video, and compression formats. Free version offers maximum file size of 100MB. Even transcode direct from the URL before you download.

First of all, I think its important to point out that the Conversion-Process of ZamZar is not always instant. Sometimes it can take upto an hour before you can download your transcoded 100MB video file. But when it comes to the point where you don’t want to install another application to transcode files (and yes, you may eventually find that you don’t want to!) then I think ZamZar is the solution that will work for you, whilst leaving your computer resources alone to carry on doing other things!

I noted that probably the most useful feature is being able to change the file type BEFORE downloading the file, just by knowing the URL. This can be extremely useful with music and videos! The file types supported are as follows;

Documents - .cvs; .doc; .docx; .odp; .ods; .odt; .pdf; .ppt; .pptx; .ps; .pub; .rtf; .wpd; .wps; .xls and .xlsx.

Images - .bmp; .gif; .jpg; .pcx; .png; .tga; .tiff and .wbmp.

Audio - .aac; .ac3; .flac; .m4a; .mp3; .ra; .ram; .wav and .wma.

Video - .ra; .ram; .3gg; .avi; .flv; .gvi; .m4v; .mov; .mp4; .mpg; .rm; .rmvb; .vob and .wmv.

Compression Formats - .7z; .cab; .lzh; .rar; .tar; .tar.ghz; .tar.bz2; .yz1; and .zip.

That’s quite an extensive list!

Of course, when I referred to something as the most useful feature, I wasn’t counting the number of different file types and the browser button feature. Both of which are really really neat. The Zamzar web browser button is a very interesting and potentially massive time saving feature that I cant say I have seen anywhere else before.

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Version Tested : 2.3
Compatibility : 2000, XP, Vista, Linux

Description : Easy to use organisation calendar application with highly customisable features and many skins. Intuitive design. Can set reminders, alarms, events to do lists, and even re-occurring events. Can also sync to Outlook and Google Calendar.

Up until recently, I have been using Yahoo widgets as my calendar. A friend of mine had recommended Rainlendar quite a while ago, but at first I was sceptical. After all, I was quite happy with my Yahoo widget. The problem, however, was that I was using many Yahoo Widgets to cater for one problem. I decided it was about time that I try this Rainlendar app!

To my pleasant surprise it was rather handy, and I can’t think how I organised my life before it. I had been using a separate calendar and event countdown manager to track events. An all-in-one solution was a much better option, and actually took less computer power to run.

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Version Tested : 0.1 beta
Compatibility : Win All (probably)

Description : The best one click hide desktop icons solution around. It sits in the tray , and with one click, all your desktop icons are gone. Another click, and they are restored. No waiting, no flashing desktops, no messing around. Instant hide and show.

For quite a while now, I’ve been looking around for some tool that can hide and show desktop icons without flashing, or messing anything else around, or taking about 10 seconds to actually do the the job, or without hiding my desktop widgets at the same time! As you can probably tell by that long sentence, I’m rather demanding (or not).

This very simple app does exactly what I ask, with no messing around. Hides and shows the desktop icons without a hitch. One single click on the icon in the tray icon and your icons are hidden before you even hear the sound of your mouse’s click button come up… or, immediately is a good description too.

I found it when looking around the Donation Coder forum asking for such an app, when one member kindly said they had their own tool for it. I promptly asked for the link and downloaded.

Despite being called Desktop Tools, it has only the one function, and I have never seen a simpler app that caters for the one solution. This is what AppAholic is really all about! Big thumbs up to the designer Rich!

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It’s now 2008, and AppAholic is coming into the new year with force.

New features include…

The new site. No longer hosted on Wordpress, but on its own web space with Wordppress installed.

Share This button added to the bottom of each post. Share posts on many social bookmaking website’s!

You can register with AppAholic! This way your information is automatic when commenting. (See bottom right on the side bar for meta data)

A Google search box has been added the AppAholic, enabling you to search the site!

Random Posts Of The Day can be found in the sidebar. Displays random posts.

Translations are available for a number of languages in the sidebar.

Text to speech. AppAholic preview as a podcast, or just play live on the site (coming next week)

Any comments or suggestions for other additions to the website apart from content?