Media Guide

Stardock

DeskScapes

Version 3.0

Contents

Contents...........................................................................................................................................2Specifications...................................................................................................................................3Introduction......................................................................................................................................4History of DeskScapes.....................................................................................................................4Features............................................................................................................................................5Availability......................................................................................................................................7

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SpecificationsProgram Name: DeskScapes Version: 3.0Developer: Stardock SoftwareRequirements: Windows 7 (for optimal performance), Windows Vista, or Windows XPPrice: $19.95 (free demo version available)Download: http://www.stardock.com/products/deskscapesSummary: A program that allows users to add animated wallpaper to their

desktop or enhance their existing desktop backgrounds with effects.Noteworthiness: DeskScapes is the only animated wallpaper program available for

Windows 7. It makes use of the 3D acceleration of the Windows Desktop Windows Manager (DWM) to ensure it uses little CPU. There are thousands of free animated wallpapers to make use of and it can enhance existing desktop wallpapers.

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Introduction

DeskScapes is a program that allows users to enhance their existing desktop backgrounds (wallpapers) or add new, animated desktop backgrounds in a snap.

Starting in Windows Vista, Microsoft began to support the ability to off-load graphics drawing onto 3D accelerated video cards. This has allowed for a host of new visual capabilities on the Windows desktop. This capability has been vastly improved in Windows 7.

DeskScapes is the first program that can take full advantage of these capabilities to provide on the fly improvements to existing wallpaper or to apply animated wallpaper that won’t slow down a typical modern PC.

While DeskScapes will run on Windows XP (thanks to Stardock’s propriety compositor developed for XP), it really shines on newer versions of the OS and in particular Windows 7.There are thousands of free animated wallpapers created by users from around the world and for users and dozens of effects users can add to their existing desktop backgrounds with more being added regularly.

History of DeskScapes

Version 1.0:DeskScapes v1.0 was released in conjunction with Microsoft’s “DreamScenes” for Windows Vista Ultimate (Stardock was involved with its development). From that project came the Stardock designed .DREAM format for animated wallpaper. .DREAM files could contain video or dynamic content and display them on the desktop.

Version 2.0:The second version was released a year later and added support for all versions of Windows Vista as well as Windows XP. For Windows XP, Stardock developed its own desktop compositor that took advantage of the capabilities found in high-end ATI and nVidia video cards.

Version 3.0:The brand-new version of DeskScapes has been designed with Windows 7 in mind, extends the .DREAM format to support “Hybrid” dreams – animated wallpapers that are static images with areas that have been animated. Hybrid dreams are easier for users to make and don’t require video decoding like video-based wallpapers do. It also added the ability to customize existing desktop backgrounds with effects.

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FeaturesOnce installed, DeskScapes is controlled through the DeskScapes configuration dialog which can be reached by right-clicking on the desktop and choosing “Configure DeskScapes”:

Figure 1: DeskScapes configuration

Figure 2: Users can customize their existing wallpapers with effects

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Figure 3: DeskScapes can intelligently scale and enhance existing wallpapers. This is a key feature in the age of high resolution monitors where most wallpapers are lower resolution.

Figure 4: Dynamic Dreams typically have their own configuratons that let users further customize them. The one pictured comes with DeskScapes and lets users have water flowing on their wallpaper.

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Figure 5: Hybrid Dreams allow users to hide animations they may find distracting or show others that they like.

Figure 6: Video-based dreams are easy to make and can be very beautiful.

AvailabilityDeskScapes can be tried for free at http://www.stardock.com/products/deskscapes

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The full version costs $19.95 on its own or can be purchased as part of Object Desktop – Stardock’s full suite of desktop enhancement utilities that includes WindowBlinds, Fences Pro, IconPackager, and more and is $49.95 for the whole suite.

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