Replace Windows Taskbar

very good
key review info
application features
  • Put shortcuts on your dock
  • (8 more, see all...)

ObjectDock’s purpose is quite simple: take over the attributes of the taskbar in Windows. It makes for an eye-candy way to store your shortcuts and manage running programs. As looks are most important in most Stardock products, this one follows the same trend making for a glossy docking platform for your shortcuts.

Your copy of Windows can be customized six ways till Sunday and this is a practice that will never die. Whether you’re making the taskbar or the Start menu transparent, or choose to automate how processes are handled or decide to change the default logon screen, or build your own desktop with useful elements, the operating system can be bettered both visually as well as performance-wise. These third party tools may be placed on the same level as the extensions for the web browser.

Although our review targets the free version of the application there is an edition richer n features, available for $19.95. Some of the features not included in the free edition refer to system tray support, creating a new dock or Aero Peek functionality for improved task switching.

Installation does not require too much attention as it is mostly a click-through process. As soon as this completes you’ll notice that the launched docks is not empty. By default it contains all the programs that were already open on the system as well as some docklets placed by the developer (clock, weather, Start menu, battery meter if you’re running the app on a portable computer and Recycle Bin).

There is no limit to the number of items you can place on the dock it will expand to fit all the elements with no problem. Also, the shortcuts will start to shrink when the confinements of the screen are reached.

You won’t have to deal with any sort of interface except for the configuration panel, which lets you set the dock up so that it fits your needs. The options available allow you to change the position of the dock to a different screen edge, align it to be centered or position it to one of the extremities.

The application features a basic organization option that lets you group icons together by adding separators. Their size can be adjusted to a maximum of 192 pixels, thus allowing further expansion to 256 pixels when hovering the mouse over them. In order to preserve the good looks, which are essential for this sort of software make sure that all the icons on the dock are at least 256 pixels large.

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If the zoom effect is not to your liking when selecting a shortcut, you can try different other effects. The free version puts at your disposal a total of four choices in this sense: bubble, swing, glow and zoom. Previewing each of them is done by simply taking your mouse over each of the options; the dock will immediately display the effect.

“Ghost-mode” effect will make the entire dock invisible and the elements will become visible only when you pass the mouse cursor over them.

Accessibility options also come with the possibility to preview the change. These let you customize how the dock should behave (autohide, pop up only when mouse touches edge, hide when focus shifts to full-screen windows as well as set the level of sensitivity for mouse activation (delay time).

ObjectDock provides more than the default dock to support your icons. Actually there are 27 choices to pick from, each with its own particularities. However, we found the default background as best suiting our needs since it would indicate in a clear manner which of the apps are running and which are permanently pinned to the dock. There are others that manage to achieve this, but for us Speedy did the best job.

In the free edition customization settings include adjusting the transparency level as well as appeal to some tweaks to make the bar more visually appealing. Thus, you can enable it to be stretched proportionally, edit the opacity of the icons or choose a different indicator picture for running applications.

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As far as performance and behavior of the program are concerned, it can be set up to load with Windows or automatically hide Windows taskbar (thus replacing it).

Performance is treated in a separate section and comprises automatic optimization of ObjectDock for to render top quality images or adjust the zoom in/out speed.

Some advanced tweaking is also on the menu as the program offers several choices to make the entire experience more pleasant. We found the default configuration to be in tune with what most users require, but you are free to meddle in and make modifications. Should you find that the application does not behave properly the developer added a section designed for troubleshooting. It sports settings that let you disable some abilities of ObjectDock and close in on the issue.

As most of the important and very handy options, such as creating new docks, are reserved to the paid version of the product, we ran into very few snags. However, one important one is its inability to launch an application window maximized.

In our case restoring full screen windows from the dock failed. It happened with web browsers, Explorer windows, etc. Even if we would specify in icon properties screen to run maximized, the effect would be the same and the window would be displayed resized instead of full screen, as it had been before minimization.

Still on the downside, the free edition of ObjectDock cannot take over the entire responsibility of Windows Taskbar. The reason consists in its inability to display the icons in the notification area. On the other hand, it can perfectly take on the role of a great lookign application launcher that becomes visible only when you touch it with the mouse.

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The Good

It is easy to configure and makes for a great way to place frequently used shortcuts in a handy spot that does not intrude on your desktop.

You can place as many items you want on the dock as it’ll adapt to your needs and shrink the elements as well as automatically expand to fit them all.

The position of the dock can be set to any of the four edges of your screen. It offers customization options as far as the size of the icons, transparency and selection effect goes.

The Bad

Displaying the icons in the system tray is an option for the paid version of the product. Minimized full screen windows are launched as resized windows.

Options restricted to paying customers are also present in the interface, which is a bit confusing, at least until you become aware of the limitations of the free edition (although hiding Windows Taskbar is available in this version, it will cut off access to system tray area).

The Truth

ObjectDock is not absolutely necessary as it is not an improved taskbar for your system. But is looks awfully great and it can make quite on impression. Also, it can be used as an application launcher that can be accessed only when you want.

Considering the functionality of the Windows 7 taskbar and what it can do in terms of holding a large number of elements, ObjectDock can be used as a nifty looking sidekick.

user interface 3
features 4
ease of use 5
pricing / value 4


final rating 4
Editor's review
very good