Some Free Fun-do Stuff

Still basking in the aftermath of the new year? Let’s keep that cheer and not plunge into the bloodbath of bits and bytes straightaway. So here are some fancy desktop enhancements that will help keep your PC groomed, plucked, lacquered and coiffed… for free.


Toon Clock
Stay in sync with the world with the help of a real kooky animated desktop alarm-clock. You can mix ‘n match interchangeable cartoon character's skins--heads, bodies, clock hands, clock dials, clock bodies, and sounds to express yourself with your own style of toon clocks. Ok, the goon-toons may be all Amrikan hot dogs but what the hell… a dash of free colour and fun never hurt nobody. Along with an alarm function, it also has a tool for syncing the clock with atomic servers!
Requirements: Windows XP, 2000, NT, 98, 95
File size: 5.75 MB
http://www.toonclocks.com


CursorXP
If you keep cursing your humdrum, monotonous cursor and pointer, this one is for you. CursorXP gives Windows XP and Windows 2000 cursors a nifty range of candy canes, gears, and other fun images—yeah, even an animated 3D hand that presses buttons and drums its fingers while idle! And to top that, you can add semi-transparent effects, advanced shadows and alpha blending. A customizable hotkey switches back to the default Windows cursor when the need of the hour is precision, not flourish. CursorXP integrates into the Mouse panel, nibbles about one meg of RAM, and doesn’t hamper cursor speed.
Requirements: Windows XP, 2000
File size: 2.27 MB
http://www.stardock.com/products/cursorxp


JetToolBar
This is a simple, highly configurable organisational tool that allows you instant access to any file or program on your PC through a toolbar. It lets you create 14 default categories of shortcuts for files, applications (Control Panel, desktop, system utilities, and programs) and bookmarks of recommended websites.

Does it save time, or waste it? Well, that depends on your sense of adventure (as it takes a little time getting accustomed to its nuances). But like a famous ketchup, it’s different! And its not kaddu bhara. So sample karo, and khud jaan jao…
Requirements: Windows XP, 2000, NT, Me, 98, 95
File size: 1.81MB
www.cowonamerica.com/download


Rick's Picks Screensaver
Who’s Rick? Never mind. He takes damn good pictures and bakes a damn neat 30-picture screensaver. The screensaver offers a beautiful assortment of shots on the great glories of nature—ranging from places like the majestic Grand Tetons, the exotic beaches of Mexico, scenic slopes of the Canadian Rockies, and craggy landscape of Yosemite National Park. This screensaver lets you tweak transition effects, resize images, play with the appearance of the descriptive captions, as well as tamper with the hiatus between images. No audio, but nonetheless photography fans and nature enthusiasts will love it.
Requirements: Windows XP, 2000, NT, Me, 98, 95
File size: 15.23 MB
http://www.cowonamerica.com/download


Yahoo! Widgets
Called Konfabulator before Yahoo! gobbled it up and renamed it, this is a JavaScript runtime engine for Windows (and Mac OS X) that lets you run elegant little applets called Widgets. Widgets are an assorted array of slick but simple desktop bells and whistles. These include alarm clocks, calculators, WiFi signal gauges, stock tickers, moon phase tellers, local weather forcasters, battery indicators, and newsreaders... Best of all, you can fool around with the look, layout, feel, and functionality of a widget and alter it to match your desktop, lifestyle, chashma or chaddi. And believe it or not, you can even craft your own widgets.
Requirements: Windows XP, 2000, 2003 Server
File size: 8.91MB
http://widgets.yahoo.com

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