How to install custom themes in Windows 8

When it comes to their operating system, users do not only refer to the practical part. They also like to have an attractive screen and some good looking features. Windows 8 comes with (disputed by many) graphical improvements, but the versatility of the existing themes it is not how we all expected. But luckily for us, there are others who are willing to put their effort into creating attractive themes for this operating system. All you need to do is to install them on your computer and enjoy. Here are the steps you need to do, if you want to change the theme of your computer with some third party ones.

Doing this is not that simple, as Microsoft installed some protection systems on the operating system. So, you will need some tools to make the change happen. Download and install programs like UxStyle or Ultra UX Theme Patcher. Without them you won’t be able to install your custom themes. Don’t worry, because these programs will not harm the way your system works. You will still receive updates every time Microsoft sends them out.

UxStyle-0.2.3.0-Setup

Afterward, you need to find the spot on the computer to place the new themes. Even if you make them on your own or download them from the Internet, you cannot just put them anywhere. The system will not recognize them, and you won’t be able to proceed with installation. It is important to note that Windows 8 has a special place where it puts themes. Follow this path C:\windows\resources\themes, and there add all the new themes you want to use. Make sure you place here the file of the theme and the folder with its content as well.

Themes

If you decide to search for ideas on well-known search engines like Google or Bing, you should know that you can find themes for Windows 8 that do not require additional tools in order to install them. They will be recognized and installing them won’t be a problem. But if you want something special either you check out the themes created by the designers on Deviant Art or you just start a theme hunt all over the Internet until you find something that suits your tastes. The number of available themes is not endless, but there are still plenty to choose from. Once you have found the theme or themes you like, and added them to the previously mentioned folder, using them is rather straightforward. The theme just needs a simple execution, like double clicking on it or selecting it and pressing Enter, to apply it to your system.

So, as you finally notice, changing your Windows 8 theme with a custom one is not that hard after all. You just need to remember that if you can’t install an item, it is because of three files in your system: hemeui.dll, UXInit.dll, and uxtheme.dll. All these files are being patched by the tools mentioned previously, so your path towards new themes will be open. Enjoy a new look of your Windows User Interface.

Rainmeter 3 Review – Create Interactive Windows Desktop

Tired of the default plain look of your desktop? The preset images your operating system is offering are no longer attractive? Well, how about if you could find an application that will not only enhance the looks of your desktop, but will also provide a bunch of great and smarter features. I bet this already sounds interesting. I am talking about Rainmeter, a complete customization tool that allows any user to merge useful information with amazing skins for his desktop. The first version of Rainmeter was not that interactive, which was a big minus in time when interactive applications are highly appreciated. But that was about to change with the appearance of the 3.1 version of this application.

Skin and image by https://dikashind.deviantart.com/

The best part about the Rainmeter 3 is that it is entirely free. No charge needs to be paid in order to use it. It is an open-source software and does not contain any ads. If you never used a desktop customization tool don’t worry, the application contains great and comprehensible tutorials to facilitate your way through its features. If you have a computer that is a bit older, you should also know that the application works on Windows XP, or if you have Windows 8 or 8.1 version, both 32 and 64 bits are supported. The features you can choose to be displayed on your desktop range from the usual time and weather status, resource usage of the computer, unread e-mail, RSS feeds and many more. It is up to you which information is more important to display. The application leaves a free hand to every user to create the desktop that is more appropriate for their needs, instead of making a rigid skin that varies only in color or themes.

The skins for the Rainmeter can be  found mostly on Deviantart,  but also in the forums or various third-party websites that offer skins for this purpose. You can also attempt to design your own skin, but if you are a newcomer to this skill, this goal will be a bit hard to achieve. But even if you import the skins, you will find them highly interactive, as they are computational modules rather than just beautiful displays. You can mark a certain event on the calendar, and the skin will be able to remind you, a day prior or depending how you set it, that you have an event to attend to. Also, the CPU usage bar will shift colors depending on the usage level to pinpoint when the usage level is too high and might slow down your computer.

The truth is that Rainmeter 3 is a very versatile tool for transforming your plain old desktop into a more interactive one, filled with useful information without having to enter folders and running many separate applications. It is highly customizable, and it contains a set of features that are worth to be explored. Only your imagination is the limit when it comes to creating your desktop. It doesn’t cost anything, so you will have nothing to lose if you chose to play with it. There is a high chance of discovering  the best combination of custom features you’ll love seeing on your desktop, which will ease your everyday activities.

The All-New Windows 10 Mobile – Is it really a Game-changer for Smartphones?

While I’m a great fan of Microsoft Windows, I have to say that I am not entirely enthusiastic about their smartphone technology. The Windows phones may have their unique set of features, but the battle of smartphones is still between the Iphone and Samsung smartphones.

I, on one hand, love the good old days. It’s no wonder I have a Broadconnect.com high value PBX.

However, Microsoft seems to have a strategy in mind, since they suddenly allowed certain smartphone review sites to catch a glimpse of their all new Windows 10 smartphone.

Apparently, screenshots of the new Microsoft Windows 10 Mobile were shared with various websites that cater to smartphone enthusiasts. And I have to say that the new Windows 10 phone is looking very nice indeed. Called as “Build 10149″, the prototype features the all-new Edge browser. The new browser features a whole new functionality of the address bar. This is something that I am very exciting about, since most smartphones are not very browser friendly. Microsoft was pretty confident in stating that the new browser will deliver where most smartphones have not.

I certainly hope that that is the case. Back in the early stages of the Microsoft Windows phones, there have been known cases where the phone suddenly shuts down due to the “blue screen of death.” While Microsoft was able to pinpoint the cause and release an update that prevented the error from happening again, it certainly didn’t do any favors for their reputation as smartphone makers. All Microsoft fans are probably eager to try the new Windows 10 mobile!

Also, Microsoft has promised consumers that the new Windows 10 mobile phone will have a one-sided operation like Apple’s premiere smartphone, Iphone 6. If you can all remember, Apple released their Iphone 6 with the fantastic one-sided operation that makes it easier for users to reach the controls on top of the screen with just one hand. Apparently, the latest screenshot build of the new Windows 10 Mobile shows the same function too. All you need to do is to press and hold the Start button and this will slide the screen down so you can push or touch the applications on the upper portion of your smartphone’s screen. It looks very promising, indeed.

Another great feature about the new generation of Windows phones is the Android to Windows switching. This means that if you have an old Android phone and you want to switch to a new Windows phone, you can go ahead and switch all data on your Android phone to your new Windows phone. Microsoft has recently released apps that will make it easy to transfer data from Android over to any Windows phone. To be honest, it actually is a great idea and it will work, provided that Windows will be able to release new smartphones that have far better functionality and features compared to any Android phone. For now, the only reason why a lot of people are using Android phones is because they’re cheaper and more reliable than most Windows phones.

It’s harsh, I know. But that is the sad reality.

Best Underground Sport Wallpapers

Looking for the best underground sport wallpapers around? We’ve got you covered with some of the most exciting images around in the world of sports. Want to see the action get really intense? We recommend grabbing some of our parkour or paintball images to make your desktop a portal into adventure.

Take a look at these exciting images from paintball battlefields!

Paintball Wallpaper #1- view image

Watch as this paintballer dodges a hailstorm of rounds by diving into the ground. He has his weapon still in place and is ready to get back up and launch a counter attack filled with vengeance. It’s a great way to get some excitement back in your day while you work in the office, drowning in Excel spreadsheets by looking at what you will be doing on Saturday. Bring some excitement back into your life today!

Paintball Wallpaper #2- view image

This is another great image that shows respect to the battlefields that we replicate when we play paintball, while including some of the color that’s a part of the sport. You’ve got a black image, with soldiers and barbed wire getting ready for war, filled with explosions of color from paintball rounds.

Paintball Wallpaper #3- view image

This is probably one of my favorite images ever. You have one combatant jumping over a hurdle to take down an enemy who is ready to take his attacker down with him. It really captures what makes paintball such a pleasure to watch as well as to play. If this doesn’t make you want to drive out to the field and shoot your friends with paintballs, then this sport just isn’t for you. For the rest of us, it is an exciting reminder of what to do when you get a day away with your friends. It’s certainly more fun than Call of Duty, after all.

Parkour #1- view image

This image is a great example of the excitement of the underground sport, Parkour. Popularized by games like ‘Mirror’s Edge’ and shows like ‘American Ninja Warrior’, this free running sport involves getting from point A to point B in the most exciting ways possible. Like the high jump we see taken in this exciting wallpaper image.

Parkour #2- view image

Many Parkour athletes have a gymnast’s grace in their jumps, like the flip seen in this image. The sport is almost like art, which is why it makes such an exciting image to have as a wallpaper on your screen. It feels like it is transporting you from your work environment to a world where you have no cares – except to look as awesome as you can while you do what you want to do.

Parkour #3- view image

The coolest thing about Parkour is how pretty much every time you see it in action, it looks like something that defies logic is happening. In this image, it appears as though the athlete is jumping off a wall into the ground. For someone unfamiliar with Parkour, it almost looks like a Photoshopped image. But for those of you familiar with some of the mindboggling actions seen in the sport, these types of jumps and flips are almost ordinary. It really is an exciting way to look at the world.

Additional Resources
Want to get started with paintball or parkour yourself? We have compiled some useful resources for you.

Parkour Training: What is Parkour & How to Do Parkour – A complete guide to parkour training.

ThePaintballProfessor – A hub for information on paintball markers and other paintball equipment.

Underground Sport List – A large list of other underground sports for you to check out.

Cool Updates To Windows Mobile OS

I recently upgraded to a new Windows Smartphone and it came preinstalled with the latest Windows Mobile OS version 8.1. I had not updated my old phone to the new OS mainly because I was a bit lazy and I hadn’t really looked into the new features available. But when I started using the new phone I immediately liked what I saw. In today’s post I want to highlight some of the new features I have been using and also talk about a surprising function I had simply never known about.

Cortana

This is actually something I knew about but had dismissed as a bit of an unnecessary gadget. However, in the recent weeks since I have had the new phone I have also been driving more than usual. I have found this feature very convenient while I’m driving. Without touching the phone I can dictate a message or emails, and initiate calls or do a quick web search. All of this can be done without taking my eyes off the road, which makes it a really good safety feature. I can even instruct the phone to give me directions to a certain location.

Faster Typing

The sliding motion for typing is probably not new to many Android users and I was always sceptical about it. It just seemed very unintuitive to me, but I decided to give it a try. I must say that I am getting used to it for short text messages which it is very good for. However, for longer emails I still find it a little bit weird, but that may well be just a personal preference.

Quiet Hours

This is very cool. My phone seems to be inundated with calls, text messages and emails practically all day long. I can basically set what kind of messages get through and who can call me during my down time. For example, when I get home from work I like to switch off for an hour or two and I will not allow any work related email, texts or calls. I simply designate a list of people that can contact me and everyone else is notified that I am busy.

Home Phone Integration

The last feature I want to highlight is the integration with my home phone system. My old cordless phone broke a while ago and when I looked up some reviews of cordless phones I found some very interesting new features. Basically there are some cool models with Bluetooth built in that allow your Smartphone to link up with your cell phone.

When I get home from work I can put my Smartphone in my office to charge and when the above mentioned quiet time has lapsed all incoming calls go through to my home phone. With 4 cell phones and two cordless phones in the house we no longer have to go searching for a phone that is ringing. This also allowed me to load all my contacts from my cell phone to the new home phone which probably saved me hours of manual input.

Best Windows 7 Fitness & Sport Wallpapers 2015

After you purchase a PC one of the first things you want to do is customize it. If you have a PC with Windows 7 or 8 personalizing different aspects is very easy.

To instantly stamp your mark on your new system you can install a graphic of your choice to the background. There are hundreds of different options and styles of wallpaper you can download for free.

Here are my top 5 fitness and sport wallpapers:

Nike Swoosh Wallpaper

I am a huge fan of the brand Nike. Pretty much all of my sportswear is made by the company. Over the years, the company has released hundreds of wallpaper designs as part of a promotion of products or sponsored events.

Recently Nike released a new cross training shoe called the Metcon 1. As part of the promotion they also commissioned a theme for Windows 7. The theme is not particularly interesting, but the wallpaper is awesome. You can check it out by clicking here.

Richard Froning

Four years ago I discovered a new fitness craze called CrossFit (read more). It’s now a well-established sport with its own annual games held in California. If you compete and win you gain the title “fittest man on Earth.”

The current champion is a man called Richard Froning. In fact, he has been the champion for the past four years. One of his many sponsors distributed wallpaper in 2012 to celebrate his victory and I think it’s an inspiration. You can check it out by clicking here.

Soccer Gods

I’ve been a huge soccer fan all my life and I do believe we are currently in a unique time period.  Over the years there is normally one standout player. For example, in the 1970’s it was Pele, the 1980’s it was Maradona and the 1990’s is up for debate, but I would say Zidane.

Right now in 2015 we seem to have two! Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. It’s an exciting time for football, so a Windows wallpaper honoring them both is required. Check out this Ronaldo v. Messi wallpaper!

Snowboarding Drama

During the winter months I enjoy snowboarding, Last year I also enjoyed watching the winter Olympics and the downhill snowboarding competition was probably the highlight of the entire games.
During my last winter vacation in Canada, I spoke with a number of winter sport photographers who were experimenting with drama shots.

I searched for the photographs online as soon as I got home and found one particular image designed just for Windows wallpaper. It’s a snowboarding competition shot and looks awesome when installed on your computer. Check out the snowboarding wallpaper here:

Mountain Biking

During the summer months I enjoy mountain bike riding. It’s a fast paced sport that can be quite dangerous if you’re not careful. I do enjoy riding the bike, however the main reason why I ride is to see new places.

In the spring I change my own desktop wallpaper to an inspiring image that motivates me to travel. This year my inspiration was this photo:

I love the intense bike. It has a number of high quality features. The background in this photo makes me want to go on an adventure and discover similar places.  This is why wallpapers are so cool!

Everything you need to know about Windows 10

We are rather accustomed to the rapid pace technology changes and evolves around us. We, the users, are pushing it to shift and improve. We are in a constant demand for better products that will make our professional and personal lives much better. And since much of our time revolves around tech devices and gadgets, we also need efficient and improved software to handle them. Thus, software developers feel the need to stay competitive by creating new operating systems for the items we love the most. Computers, laptops, and more recently smartphones and tablets, are a big part of our daily routine. So, how does Microsoft manages to keep the promise of delivering an operating system that handles them all? Could Windows 10 be a one-fits-all solution that we are all expecting? The management team at Microsoft is confident about the final product, that is announced to be released in October this year. Until then, lets us look at the product preview.

Because there were a lot of speculations on the market about the latest Windows, the developers released a small preview. Although, they claim that the product will be much improved, and we should expect some significant changes. First, everybody was waiting for a Windows 9 and received a surprise when the new Windows 10 was announced. The product is the one that will pass through the longest testing period ever recorded at Microsoft. Regarding the major discomforts of Windows 8, it is easy to understand that they cannot afford a release of a product that is not stable or thoroughly verified. The preview for customers was issued on the 1st of October 2014, and the product should be published by the end of 2015. The company wants to create a product that will be great for business, desktop computers with keyboard and mouse, laptops, while optimized at the same time for mobile devices with touch screen.

Win10

Perhaps the most obvious change is in the Start Menu. It looks very familiar to the Windows 7 users, but also contains the Windows Apps. Thus, you can use the Modern UI apps right from the desktop, without having to search the entire computer or mobile device. The Start Menu is also customizable, so you will be able to set the most important features and apps for you. Another great feature is the Snap Assist. Compared with the same feature in Windows 8, the new one seems improved and more cooperative. Any app can be snapped into a window, and you can do this with up to four apps per windows. A feature like this can increase the multitasking capability. Also, if you snap a document, the Snap Assist will propose a similar one that you can place right next to it, this can be time-saving and will rescue you from unnecessary browsing through folders.

Task View is another significant improvement, it allows you to create virtual desktops. It is like creating a multi-monitor option on the same and only screen. ALT+TAB is still used to move through the virtual screens, but there is also the Task View button that will show you the entire bulk of opened tasks on all virtual screens. Also, the search mechanism of Windows 10 promises to be better. Search and File Explorer will show all the recent documents you’ve visited or worked on. Thus, the hustle to find your most relevant documents should be over.

We all hope that the long testing period and the less pleasant experiences with Windows 8 will help the developers be more careful the next product they are about to release. Since the technical preview offers rather scarce, but useful set of features, and the company tempts us saying the final product will be even better, we are looking forward to the official release date.