Stardock is hoping that its release of Object Desktop 2005 will help assuage some of the angst some Windows users have expressed feeling since Apple"s recent release of "Tiger". This year"s version of Object Desktop includes DesktopX 3 which enhances its existing widget support further in ways that surpass Apple"s Dashboard implementation.
The recent updates to WindowBlinds to support 64-bit versions of Windows along with enhanced visual style support allow XP users to get their systems looking and feeling as close to Longhorn without actually running the beta. All told, Object Desktop 2005 includes nearly two dozen programs, most of which are either new in the past year or significantly updated.
Stardock says it is working with Microsoft to ensure that Object Desktop users will be able to take advantage of Longhorn features as the public betas are released this Summer and Fall. Users who get Object Desktop get all updates to the programs that make up Object Desktop for an entire year putting it well within Longhorn"s beta range.
According to the company, the goal with Object Desktop 2005 is to provide users with the opportunity to enhance Windows to the custom requirements of each individual user. In essence, to make their PC desktop have "the best of both worlds".
Object Desktop won PC Magazine"s editor"s choice award this week and its technology was licensed by Alienware to power its new Star Wars branded desktops.