| « Things I Lament | My To Done List » |
Vista Preview Thumbnails for XP - A Timesaver
May 26, 2007
Vista Preview Thumbnails for XP - A Timesaver
One of the snazziest things Windows Vista adds to the GUI interface is Live Taskbar Thumbnails; graphical snapshot previews of closed windows laying on your taskbar. For anyone that has many windows open all the time, sometimes finding the window you want when you want it takes a little time. With Vista, all you have to do is hover your mouse over a closed window on the taskbar and *POP!* up comes a thumbnail preview of the sucker. It’s a timesaver (a few seconds but hey they add up), it’s functional and better yet, it’s *shudder* COOL!
If you’re using Windows XP (and most of you out there are) and are saddened that you don’t have this cool feature, worry not. Now you do with a tiny little utility called Visual Task Tips. I’m pretty much known for using tiny apps to do great things and this sucker passes my functionality/size test. Small but wonderous, time saving and cool-looking. Win-win-win! Aaaa-rooooogaaaa!!!
If you want to add the same functionality (thumbnail previews) when surfing the web, you can use Firefox, Seamonkey or Opera. These tabbed browsers (available on many operating systems) offer preview snapshots of web pages when you hover your mouse over a tab.
Both Visual Task Tips and these browsers go great together. I use VTT and Seamonkey myself and no matter what I’m looking for (a web site or a minimized window) all I have to do is hover my mouse over the sucker in question and pop goes the wease–er– snapshot. 
Oh, and if you’re a thumbnail preview maniac, replace your crummy, boring XP ALT-TAB with TaskSwitch XP Pro 2.0 like I did and you too can be the cool geek on your block… (if there is such a thing.)
Posted by Vincent Navarino (who has an iPod) at
10:23AM • 31 comments »
31 comments
Comment from: Vincent Navarino · http://www.navarinounincorporated.com
Stop making it harder to filter your one word replies you 
!
!
May 26, 2007 @ 03:47PM
Comment from: Chris
Good finds thanks Im now using Visual Task Tips and checking out that alt tab replace proggie soon 
May 26, 2007 @ 06:31PM
Comment from: Shannon Freeman
Glad to hear that XP peeps can get that function that Vista users (like me) have built into my new Operating system. Oh btw, I'm using Vista Ultimate. Wouldn't settle for anything less. Now Vinnie, lets talk about this Browser envy you have. 
May 27, 2007 @ 07:50AM
Comment from: Vincent Navarino · http://www.navarinounincorporated.com
I do have browser envy... I want a browser that's bulky, cartoony, has HUGE tabs you can't resize and is written to be compatible with all the malicious code like viruses and spyware that are out there. *sniff* I hate my stoopid *sniff* feature-rich Seamonkey... 
Congrats on the Vista Ultimate. In about 5-6 months most of the buggies should be ironed out. XP underwent a similar path when it came out.
Congrats on the Vista Ultimate. In about 5-6 months most of the buggies should be ironed out. XP underwent a similar path when it came out.
May 27, 2007 @ 02:42PM
Comment from: Shannon Freeman
Vinnie,
Have had Vista Ultimate (Signature Edition) since mid-Feb. 2007. No crashes, hangups or stalls yet. Of course, Microsoft has come out with a patch every week or so since the release, and ZDNET and CNET recommended Vista Ultimate if you had a pc that could run it. I do not like Mozilla Thunderbird because of one reason, some web pages do not play well with it. Soooo, I'm back to using IE 7 SP1. Not sure yet, but don't want to have Halo 2 Vista on my pc (Already have it on my xbox 360 with Halo 1).
Just waiting for two things: Harry Potter 7 hardback book and Halo 3 for the Xbox 360.
Have had Vista Ultimate (Signature Edition) since mid-Feb. 2007. No crashes, hangups or stalls yet. Of course, Microsoft has come out with a patch every week or so since the release, and ZDNET and CNET recommended Vista Ultimate if you had a pc that could run it. I do not like Mozilla Thunderbird because of one reason, some web pages do not play well with it. Soooo, I'm back to using IE 7 SP1. Not sure yet, but don't want to have Halo 2 Vista on my pc (Already have it on my xbox 360 with Halo 1).
Just waiting for two things: Harry Potter 7 hardback book and Halo 3 for the Xbox 360.
May 27, 2007 @ 04:59PM
Comment from: Vincent Navarino · http://www.navarinounincorporated.com
Sounds good Shannon! BTW if you were trying to get web pages with Thunderbird that could be your problem, as Thunderbird is the email program while Firefox or Seamonkey (which I use) are their web browsers
May 27, 2007 @ 06:31PM
Comment from: Chris
When I buy Vista I will get the Ultimate OEM version sites sell for $170
May 28, 2007 @ 09:29AM
Comment from: Vincent Navarino · http://www.navarinounincorporated.com
I like dual booting (via 2 hard drives) Vista and XP myself!
May 28, 2007 @ 11:23AM
Comment from: Shannon Freeman
Sorry Vinnie, I meant Firefox. I didn't realize my mistake until I typed the entry. DOH! Yes, Firefox doesn't play well with some web sites on the Interweb, even with a lot of plugins installed into the small browser. Now as for Vista Ultimate OEM, make sure to BACK UP EVERYTHING before installing that OS. And have at least 2 GB of memory (I do). And if you can afford it, and your mobo supports it, put 4 GB of memory on the darn thing and load Vista Ultimate OEM after you back up everything important to you (wouldn't want that picture of your girlfriend to disappear from your pc, she would be ticked when she tried to find it the next time.).
May 28, 2007 @ 06:18PM
Comment from: Vincent Navarino · http://www.navarinounincorporated.com
As to running Vista, 2Gb is fine however I would get 4 gig only because DDR2 prices are so cheap these days (thanks to Vista of course!) The OEM versions do not allow (well there are workarounds) upgrading, you have to fully reformat (which I recommend anyways.) Oh, and if anyone doesn't back up their stuff while changing operating systems, well, they deserve to lose everything; they're like begging for it in my opinion.
PS. As to the inquiries as to whether I have a significant other, if you see a woman you think might be my girlfriend, feel free to ask her. If she answers YES, I'd really like to know who she is...
PS. As to the inquiries as to whether I have a significant other, if you see a woman you think might be my girlfriend, feel free to ask her. If she answers YES, I'd really like to know who she is...
May 28, 2007 @ 07:06PM
Comment from: Shannon Freeman
I was talking about Chris having a girlfriend. Vinnie is too wild to have a girlfriend. Now back to the XP/Vista install tips. Dance Dance!
Now back to the XP/Vista install tips. Dance Dance!
May 29, 2007 @ 07:37AM
Comment from: Chris
eventually all msoft users will be running windows. Im waiting till all the buggies and games probs are worked out then buy Vista shannon.
Know why vinnie doesn't have a girlfriend? Because he's too cool to have one
May 29, 2007 @ 08:17AM
Comment from: Shannon Freeman
And you and I are not cool Chris? Darn, no wonder the women run away from me. 
May 29, 2007 @ 09:53AM
Comment from: Vincent Navarino · http://www.navarinounincorporated.com
I'll go with Chris' implication that cool people don't have girlfriends. It's much better than the previous opinions and theories...
May 29, 2007 @ 10:11AM
Comment from: timbo
So what does it mean that I have a wife and 3 littles girls at home....LOL!!!
May 29, 2007 @ 11:48AM
Comment from: Vincent Navarino · http://www.navarinounincorporated.com
Timbo: *ahem* you don't have a girlfriend, you have a wife and 3 daughters, silly; so you're all good aka cool. If you did have a girlfriend, man is your wife gonna be pissed!
Shannon: I find putting down the bloody ax works wonders for solving the running away problem. Either that or hobbling them when they're still calm and unafraid...
Shannon: I find putting down the bloody ax works wonders for solving the running away problem. Either that or hobbling them when they're still calm and unafraid...
May 29, 2007 @ 11:52AM
Comment from: Shannon Freeman
I don't do nothing but smile (and I don't wield any axe or hobble the women either). And am blunt honest and truthful. Oh well. Trust me, if I had a girlfriend, you would know. I would make the news, I'm sure of that.
May 29, 2007 @ 02:12PM
Comment from: Vincent Navarino · http://www.navarinounincorporated.com
Telling the truth = opposite sex repellent 
May 29, 2007 @ 02:23PM
Comment from: timbo
Daddy got a new toy. Purchased a Philips 3575 DVD recorder with the 160GB hard drive. Plays all CD/DVD formats and DiVX. Plays mosts of the audio formats as well. Comes with the ATSC tuner so I'm now pulling all my local OTA Digital channels. Very nice!!! Bow down before me, oh lesser beings!
Purchased a Philips 3575 DVD recorder with the 160GB hard drive. Plays all CD/DVD formats and DiVX. Plays mosts of the audio formats as well. Comes with the ATSC tuner so I'm now pulling all my local OTA Digital channels. Very nice!!! Bow down before me, oh lesser beings!
June 5, 2007 @ 09:25AM
Comment from: Vincent Navarino · http://www.navarinounincorporated.com
Hehe, cool. Congrats, tim it sounds like a nice beastie. I just got my DVR back from Radioshack, this time it looks like they finally replaced the bad dvd drive so I'm happy happy.
A good place to check for info on your unit if you have questions about the unit or quirks, check out the Avforums, this thread in particular. Enjoy it, as I do my DVR!
A good place to check for info on your unit if you have questions about the unit or quirks, check out the Avforums, this thread in particular. Enjoy it, as I do my DVR!
June 5, 2007 @ 09:52AM
Comment from: timbo
Already part of the thread chain on there. 
Yours isn't the only site that I waste time on.
Its pretty nice. I tried the Polaroid but took it back. Total junk QC-wise.
Yours isn't the only site that I waste time on. Its pretty nice. I tried the Polaroid but took it back. Total junk QC-wise.
June 5, 2007 @ 10:23AM
Comment from: Vincent Navarino · http://www.navarinounincorporated.com
*shudder* Polaroid *ugh* one of those sad company no more but they use the brand to sell junk cases. As to my site not being the only time you waste on... uh... thanks? 
June 5, 2007 @ 10:41AM
Comment from: Vincent Navarino · http://www.navarinounincorporated.com
I'n not sad, just a tad less glad. Poor Polaroid *sigh* Oh well, it is! Dance ! dance!
it is! Dance ! dance!
June 6, 2007 @ 12:51PM
Comment from: Shannon Freeman
Vinnie,
I used to have a Panasonic DVR with Hard Drive and DVD-R recorder. But my dad and I swapped, so now I have a JVC DVR with Hard Drive and DVD-R Recorder. I'm so happy, nearly have all of the Star Trek--The Original Series recorded off of TV stations to watch using the JVC Recorder. That's cheaper than buying all of the three seasons from Wal-Mart.com, they run for 62 dollars a season, excluding sales tax and shipping.
Aren't DVD Recorders grand?
I used to have a Panasonic DVR with Hard Drive and DVD-R recorder. But my dad and I swapped, so now I have a JVC DVR with Hard Drive and DVD-R Recorder. I'm so happy, nearly have all of the Star Trek--The Original Series recorded off of TV stations to watch using the JVC Recorder. That's cheaper than buying all of the three seasons from Wal-Mart.com, they run for 62 dollars a season, excluding sales tax and shipping.
Aren't DVD Recorders grand?
June 10, 2007 @ 12:00AM
Comment from: Vincent Navarino · http://www.navarinounincorporated.com
I agree, HD/DVD recorders are great! I prefer the recorders with hard drives that burn to DVD over those that don't (like TiVO). With the price of blank DVDs so cheap ($20 per 100 is all I ever pay) even if you record at the best price/quality speed (2hr mode) per disk, that's 60 cents for 6hrs GREAT QUALITY recoding time vs a standard 6hr cruddy and poor quality VCR tape (which usually costs about $1 per tape)
With the Hard drive model DVD recorders you can trim commercials (or get rid of the beginning and end of the recording that isn't the program you taped) as well as saving a whole bunch of shows you don't know if you want to save by spitting it to the recorder. I LOVE watching something I taped and hitting ERASE, that's lovely too!
As I mentioned previously on this blog, I used to be the King of the Video Tape but since I found a reasonably priced DVR, I never looked back!
With the Hard drive model DVD recorders you can trim commercials (or get rid of the beginning and end of the recording that isn't the program you taped) as well as saving a whole bunch of shows you don't know if you want to save by spitting it to the recorder. I LOVE watching something I taped and hitting ERASE, that's lovely too!
As I mentioned previously on this blog, I used to be the King of the Video Tape but since I found a reasonably priced DVR, I never looked back!
June 10, 2007 @ 09:01AM
Comment feed for this postComments are closed for this post.
