…and this one’s for your cell phone or MySpace blog. U-Doo is a personalized ringtone thing that you create and download to your phone and/or to your myspace blog. It is an animated avatar that also speaks. It allows you to build a custom avatar, select a message from either one that you record on your phone, via using text to speech, or there are several prerecorded ones to choose from.

I got this cool little skeleton thing over at my MySpace page with a very short text to speech message. I created it in a minute or so, and then told it to upload to my myspace page and it was done about 30 seconds later. Very quick, and it pops it in the ‘about me’ box.

It also allows you to email it to someone else (or yourself). I did this as well, and after I told my webmail provider that mail from myself was not spam 🙂 I received it in my mail client. It emails a link to the web page for you or your friends to check out.

U-Doo is available free for your web page or via email, and is offered as a subscription service through cell phone providers for a 60 day free trial, and then it’s $4.99 a month after that.

My MOST downloaded skin (at 12000+ downloads) is Ryche. It also happens to be the most simple, but offers the most screen real estate. I did it in honor of the band Queensryche, the “thinking man’s heavy metal band”. Animated icons, band related sounds. Other than that it was a pretty simple theme. CPU monitor, clock, shadowed icons. Nothing spectacular, but definitely the most popular one.

Technorati : DesktopX, Queensryche, Ryche, Stardock, Wincustomize, Windowblinds

Another one of my favorite skins that needs to be updated is my Gatekeeper theme for Desktopx. I ported this with permission from a skin for the Explorer replacement called Talisman. It has areas that are animated, and is just a pretty darn cool skin. That’s one of the reasons I ported it for use. It’s also my second most highly downloaded skin.

All of the little knobs and doodads in the lower left are switches that open little windows just to the right with menus inside. That’s the start menu replacement. There are some other animated areas as well.

I did this one in September of 2000, so it is in desperate need of an update.

Technorati : DesktopX, Gatekeeper, Stardock, Talisman, Wincustomize

I am considering updating my port of the Ganymede Enlightenment theme. I originally did this one for Windowblinds and DesktopX (as well as a few other skinnable apps) back in 2000 and updated it on 2001. Over the last six years, Windows has come a long way, as have video cards, and the programs that use them. Here is a screenshot of it:

Hard to believe that is Windows. I originally did it under Windows 2000, although by then I was probably running XP beta. It’s been awhile so I am not really sure. I may take some time to update all of my skins at that time. I have gotten a bit better with Photoshop since then, and there is a lot more stuff that can be done with anti-aliasing and transparency. All of my skins are up for download at http://dethnite.wincustomize.com/ and http://dethnite.deviantart.com.

Technorati : DesktopX, Ganymede, Stardock, Wincustomize, Windowblinds, dethnite

When I first moved into my house here in Temple I had no access to any kind of broadband whatsoever. Back in late 2000 or 2001, I was able to get DSL, and shortly thereafter Cable access to the Internet. I was really not aware of this, but apparently about 40% of Internet users are still using dial-up to connect. I honestly though that more people had access to high speed Internet.

Some of those people I am sure have access to it, but just don’t want to pay anywhere from $30-$70 a month for the service. My next door neighbors that moved away a couple of months ago used dial-up, mainly because he wanted to save money. I also used to work with a guy, and he did it for the same reasons. Eventually they both migrated to high speed though.

PCDialup.com is an ISP, currently only serving the state of California, that offers dial-up access for $3.95 a month. That’s a pretty good deal if you are looking to save money. The wave of ‘free’ internet access companies has all but disappeared, and this is most definitely the next best thing. With the fact that so much of the country is using broadband, companies like PCDialup are able to access equipment and phone lines much cheaper than they could ten years ago, and are able to pass that savings on to us.

They also offer accelerated web browsing for only $1 more per month. This is for basic 56k access. As I said before, it is currently only available in California, but they will be expanding their capacity to the rest of the U.S. shortly as the service grows.

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Charter has been misbehaving again. My Internet connection has been down most of the afternoon and evening. I’m not so desperate as to connect through my cell phone, mostly just pissed off. I was able to get online for a short while when I got home, but that was about it. I may post a little, and then more when I get home from work tonight, as I have to go in a few minutes.

I did manage to skate from the meeting, which was very cool. I hate meetings as some of you already know.