icons

Intuitive icon editor

IcoFX allows users to create custom icons using a variety of tools. The program's intuitive interface and many features make it a great choice for creating icons.

Much of the program's interface will look familiar to users who have experience with Microsoft Paint, although IcoFX is a little more polished. The program displays content in seven panes, all of which can easily be enabled or disabled under the View menu. One pane helpfully includes a tree layout of the user's computer files, while another holds a preview of the contents of a selected folder. This makes it … Read more

Clean up your desktop

Hazel is a flexible utility designed to help you tidy up files and folders--especially in your Downloads, Desktop, and Trash--and keep them organized with rules that you specify. You access Hazel through a System Preferences pane, where you can create Mail-style rules to execute a wide variety of actions. For example, Hazel's built-in sample rules include options for cleaning up your Downloads folder, such as automatically moving images and music into your Pictures and Music folders respectively. These sample rules only hint at Hazel's capabilities, though, and you can set the app to automatically import into iTunes and … Read more

Easy-to-use icon maker

IconLover is an easy-to-use design tool for icons and cursors. The program is basic enough for beginners, but it offers more experienced users plenty of options as well.

The interface will look familiar to anyone who's ever used Microsoft Paint. All of the program's functions are well-organized with buttons and menus. Because so many of the functions are similar to those of Paint, it's easy for anyone to get started. We found that the program was very easy to use for basic functions, but that the more advanced features were something of a mystery. The built-in Help … Read more

Love-themed screensaver

Hearts, Roses, Love offers to help users make their computer a more romantic place. With an elegant design and lovely graphics, this screensaver is perfect for Valentine's Day or any time of love.

The program's interface will be easy for anyone who has used a screensaver on Windows. Users navigate the display choices to their liking and are done. Utilizing this screensaver is simple enough for all users and doesn't offer a Help file. The screensaver consists of well-shot images of roses, hearts, and the word "love." These three fade in and out of the … Read more

Intuitive shortcut maker

Folder2MyPC allows users to create shortcuts for folders and applications in their Control Panel and My Computer. Though the program is easy to use and functions as promised, the lack of instructions for use is a significant drawback.

The program's interface is sleek and uncluttered, with separate tabs for creating both folder and application shortcuts. Users simply select the folder or application that they want to create a shortcut for, give it a name, and optionally select a custom icon for it. Folder shortcuts are created in My Computer, while application shortcuts can be added to My Computer or … Read more

Task Bar Apps

Once I had a few days use of the phone and started to figure out which applications I would likely be making heavy use of, I wanted to change the listing in the task bar to reflect that. The picture to the right shows the default arrangement: phone, contacts, e-mail, calendar and launcher.

Mostly, I wanted to ditch the contacts icon. With universal search (which is great), I had, and continue to have, found no big utility in launching the contact application, much less having it placed in such a prominent real estate. I understand it being there by default though, as it is one of the first things people with a new phone play around with.… Read more

Desktop rearranger

IconRestorer promises to help users save their desktop icon arrangement just how they like. With a simple focus that works quickly and easily, this program is a great choice, especially for those who share a computer.

This program has a very simple user interface that spells out the options with minimal confusion. The program's tabs help manage the basic functions while each command is clearly marked in terms that even novice computer users should understand. The Help file is buried in the About tab, but shouldn't be needed much, since this program is so intuitive. Users can save … Read more

$249 baby amplifier wows audiophiles

I heard the NuForce Icon (briefly) at the Rocky Mountain Audio Fest last year, and the little bugger was astounding. The anodized aluminum chassis is available in four snazzy colors. It feels well made.

Stereophile's Wes Phillips reviewed it for real. He even had the nerve to hook up the teeny NuForce Icon to a pair of Definitive Technology Mythos STS SuperTower speakers, and Phillips was bowled over by the sound! The sheer incongruity of the match-up was disarming, but in the end Phillips heard the limitations of the NuForce Icon. Used as intended driving small speakers, it's … Read more

Search for icons

Icons from File offers users an opportunity to fish through their computer and safely extract any icon imaginable. With a very simple design, this program's best feature is its focus.

This program has an incredibly simple interface that may be a little confusing on your first try and require a trip to the Help file to define what its sparse buttons do. While the program aims at making selecting the folder to search easy, some may be surprised to find several different methods for choosing what icon to extract, using everything from drag-and-drop to file trees. Icons from File … Read more

Creates new icons

Anyone bored with the standard icons that come with Windows or any other program have an opportunity to make a change. Sib Icon Editor allows users to choose any icon and alter it, or even create their own icon. We did find some discrepancies in the price, however.

This program has a very simple interface that even novices should be able to easily follow. First, a screen appears asking whether you would like to create an icon from scratch, alter a specific icon, or search for all existing icons on your computer. The All Existing Icons feature takes some time … Read more