14 DAY TRIAL // Occasionally, we all feel the need to change something about our surroundings or about ourselves - no matter if it's the hairdo, the place of our furniture or simply our daily habits. If you don't want to try anything big (the new hairstyle might be 'uninspired' or you could end up breaking your furniture), you can always try to change your habits - start walking to your office instead of driving or cutting down coffee. But if these still seem like too much of an effort and your job implies a lot of computer work, you can bring change and novelty only to your PC. You will be surprised at how refreshing a new appearance can be and you also have the possibility to use your imagination to come up with the ideal configuration.
This was my line of thought a few days ago so I started looking for a software application that can offer a solution to my needs and this is how I came across ArtIcons Pro. It will be able to customize the default desktop icons or replace them with different ones in order to build a new look for your computer.
The first aspect worth mentioning is the fact that ArtIcons Pro comes with 17 languages for the installer and as you will realize later, there are actually 26 available languages for the interface - so you have great chances of discovering one that you speak fluently and use it for ArtIcons Pro.
As you will find out from the setup license (a text you should always read when installing new applications on your computer), you can test the functionality for a trial period of up to 30 days. Next, you will need to make sure that your PC meets all the requirements, and it probably does, since most computers have "64MB RAM, Pentium-333 MHz, 4MB Hard Disk, True Color video mode" as stated within the installer text. After this step has been completed, you can install and then launch ArtIcons Pro. You will probably be annoyed by the startup nag screen, but look on the bright side: this way you can always know when your 30-day trial period will end, i.e. how much time you have left for pondering whether to purchase the product or not.
When launched, ArtIcons Pro will prompt you to make file associations that will enable you to open specific graphic files with this application. Personally, I don't recommend these associations at this point unless you are sure that you want to use only this software for some certain file types (you can easily change your mind later).
One of the main functions of ArtIcons Pro is to customize the default Windows icons - you can simply rename them or use the 'colorize' options when you want to generate artistic harmony between the hues of the wallpaper and the rest of the desktop. Moreover, you can replace the icons with some created by yourself (assuming you are also a bit of a designer) or you can browse through the numerous icon packs and take your pick. This way you can disguise certain folders or applications so that unauthorized users or 'prying' eyes won't be able to identify your personal data.
Editing icons probably sounds like a difficult task, but ArtIcons Pro features a simple menu, like the one used by MS Paint, so there is a high probability that you are quite familiar with it. If not, there's no need to worry, the intuitive interface will guide you towards a creative result. You have several methods of editing, ranging from adding transparency, replacing a certain color, adjusting the palette and removing a selected area to the more familiar rotate, flip or move actions.
Another purpose of ArtIcons Pro is to capture an image, this way enabling you to extract and create icons from any image or video you see on your computer and even on the web. To make sure you get exactly the result you have in mind, ArtIcons Pro will help you set the dimensions then select the region you want to extract.
On top of everything, ArtIcons Pro will help you scan your PC for icons according to the criteria you specify, thus having the liberty to choose exactly the one(s) you want to modify or rename. So simply choose the size, the color type or the name (or a combination of these), specify the folder or choose the whole hard disk and then you will see only the icons that fit the requirements.
In a nutshell, ArtIcons Pro will do wonders for your icons, rendering a professional touch to everything it processes, be it customization, extraction or creation. Of course, these are just some of the numerous methods you can use to transform the 'fa?ade' of your computer and it is up to you to discover new ones.
The Good
The icon search performed by ArtIcons Pro is highly accurate and will probably make you wonder if all those items are actually located on your PC. I really liked the fact that you have the freedom to change the icons for each drive or folder, in other words, you can select an icon for drive C and a totally different one for drive D.
The Bad
It takes up a lot of resources while searching for icons on your entire hard disk so don't start any important activities during this search, because they will run quite slowly. If you do, however, it's best to select only one folder at a time. In addition, one of the major drawbacks of ArtIcons Pro is the amount of $39.95 that you will need to take out of your pocket if you decide to buy this software. It might seem like a large sum, but you can consider it an investment in the 'good looks' of your computer.
The Truth
All in all, ArtIcons Pro can help you give a total makeover to your PC, still leaving you the option of restoring the default configuration if you are not satisfied with the outcome or you just want a new change. Besides editing the standard Windows icons, you can also replace the ones you don't like, but keep in mind that if you want to customize your computer's appearance on a regular basis, you will need to purchase ArtIcons Pro for $39.95.
Here are some snapshots of the application in action:
