We've talked about programs that are able to schedule operations, start applications whenever you would like, open files, play music and so on.

You can even have your computer log off, or shutdown, but what if you need it to be turned on at a specific time? You can have an alarm clock do this for you, and then turn on your computer manually, or you can work on your BIOS settings, and configure the operation from there. But things can get simpler, and there are applications out there that are able to wake up your computer from the sleep state, or even turn it on after a complete shutdown.

Turn it on!

Such a program is Auto Power-on and Shutdown, which makes the power management operations a lot easier and more comfortable for you.

The main window has a sleek design, and is divided into two sections, that you can switch between by clicking on their associated tab: scheduled tasks, and Options.

When scheduling a task, you have a small toolbar that allows you fast access to the most important features: create, edit or delete a task, or clear all. When adding a new task to the program's list you have several options, and for its frequency you can choose between daily, weekly, monthly or annually, or a one time operation; for each of these settings you have to specify the start time. As for the action that's performed, you have to select from: power-on, restart, shutdown, standby, hibernate, lock desktop, run or close program, open file or URL, play music.

For the operations that do not require any power management control (when running a program, opening or closing a file) you can have a message shown, so that you know that the selected action has been performed by the program, and that no malicious programs are messing with your system.

Editing a task is easy, and when doing this you will get the same setup window which allows you to commute between the actions to be performed.

The options panel gives you the chance to set a password both for the general settings and for resuming the program from the minimized state. This will insure you that no other persons that use your computer will be able to change any settings, or add tasks without your approval.

The program menu is simple, and gives you the chance to select one of the important power management functions (shutdown, restart, log off, and so on) when visiting the "File" section, and also provides some tools for you to work with: the "auto shutdown" feature allows you to schedule a one time, temporary task that will quickly turn off your system. You can either enter an exact time, or use the countdown feature (you have to specify the number of minutes that the program should wait until the procedure is started).

Most of the time the program is hidden in the system tray and you can control it from there. The context menu gives you the possibility to access pretty much all the available functions and operations: add a scheduled task, show task list, use the auto shutdown feature, synchronize your PC's time to an atomic clock (you can choose from a long server list), or you can use the quick launch feature (this gives you the chance to quickly shutdown, restart, log off, stand by, hibernate your computer, or just turn off the monitor).

You also have a shortcut to the System's Power management settings, so that you can change the default scheme, if you think it doesn't suit you anymore.

The help menu is quite consistent, and giving the work that you can do with this program, the provided information is more than enough; you have screenshot support, as well as clear explanations for each program section and feature, so that you won't get confused and no accidental shutdowns occur.

The Good

Auto Power-on and Shut down is easy to work with, and even a beginner will get around it from the first use. It's profiled towards making you more comfortable when working with the computer's power management resources. You can turn on, turn off, restart, log off, and shut down your system fast and easy. You can also schedule an application to run at a specific time, making this program a complete scheduling solution.

The Bad

You can only work with the trial version for three days, and if you want to use the program afterwards, you have to pay $29.95 to get it.

The Truth

The program offers a good alternative to scheduling your tasks with the computer. Not only does it turn off your system, but it can also power it on; you have to keep in mind that the program cannot fix hardware incompatibilities and failure to start-up due to the fact that the mainboard doesn't have RTC support can only be overcome via upgrade. I've encountered no stability issues, and Windows is not burdened by the program when setting it up, or when it's minimized to the system tray. Go ahead and try it, just for the fun of it!

Check out the screenshots below to get a glance at the program in action:

Installing:



Working with the program: