It has a characteristic difference to the rest of the docks, its design is very similar to the Charms bar of Windows 8 and not other similar to the Mac OS X. You can open any file, folder, program, or web site that has a address. Despite having limitations for being a simple dock, its design allows you to open on a video in full screen without interrupting it if you want to know the time of step.

A user looking for a simple and attractive design, wanting to know the time, date and battery status if you have a laptop computer, at all times.

Download Sidebar K 2012 TE 3.8.0.14 in Softonic

Easy-to-use and free. It have the stopwatch count on the windows system task bar, it can dock on top of other windows and have 3 different watches that the unique one count total of time unit such total milliseconds, seconds, minutes, hours and days.

Every user that need to count and stop timer such laboratorian, web developers and any one else that need desktop stopwatch.

Download SN Stopwatch 2.0.3 in Softonic

Compatible with Windows XP, Vista, and 7, Windows 8 Charms Bar Skin offers two separate skin options for your RocketDock. One is transparent and the other is black, giving you the option to switch easily and to whatever suits your current aesthetic.

To make use of Windows 8 Charms Bar Skin, you'll need to first download and install Rocketdock, a nifty little app that gives you a Mac-style navigation bar for your PC's desktop. Then unzip Windows 8 Charms Bar Skin and move the "Transparent charmbar" folder into the RocketDock program's skins folder. Strangely enough, the black bar option is named "settings," which could get confusing. You'll also need to move that in the same manner though.

Windows 8 Charms Bar Skin's Startmenu.exe file also needs to be moved into the RocketDock folder. Once done, Windows 8 Charms Bar Skin should work and appear once you launch RocketDock though.

Setup for Windows 8 Charms Bar Skin can be a bit of a pain, but once done you'll have two great new skin options for your RocketDock navigation bar.

Download Windows 8 Charms Bar Skin (for RocketDock) in Softonic

If you are sick of the Window's task bar and want to modify your computer's interface a bit, the Winstep Nexus Dock is a great, free way to try out a dock. The Winstep Nexus Dock is feature-packed with tons of themes, widgets, and options to configure behavior and looks. It can even serve as a fully-functional replacement for your task bar if you wish.

The Winstep Nexus Dock is familiar because it shares so many features and looks of ObjectDock, one of our favorite taskbar replacements. While they look similar, we found that ObjectDock is actually more intuitive to use and customize. There's no doubt that the Winstep Nexus Dock is feature-packed but the menus and options are spread all over the place and you really have to learn to use the program.

There is a pro version of the Winstep Nexus Dock available which allows you to create multiple docks, nest docks, create shelves, and much more. We think that the free version will be enough for casual users, though.

Overall, the Winstep Nexus Dock is a great, free dock app that can be as simple as an app launcher or as functional as a Windows taskbar replacement. Check out ObjectDock if you want something with a more intuitive interface.

Download Nexus 12.2 in Softonic

If you're a serious iPad fanatic, here's your opportunity to make your Windows PC take on the appearance of the iPad's graphically impressive interface.

iPadian consists of a Dashboard which displays several features: two widgets for Facebook, a search bar, a dock with common applications and a collection of icons for other programs. Included are popular apps like YouTube and Instagram, as well as games like Angry Birds.

Every time you open a program in iPadian, a browser window will open to show it. On the right side you'll find another list of applications you can click on as shortcuts. While you browse, you will see your Facebook wall or Wikipedia search, for example. This means that the apps aren't native to your computer though, as all of them open in web pages after being clicked. To some users, this might cheapen the iPadian experience. To others, iPadian may be viewed as a unique way to visit certain web app sites.

iPad enthusiasts now have a way to transform their Windows interface to something more OS X-based with iPadian.

Download iPadian 1.0 in Softonic

There aren’t actually many plug-ins available with XWindows Dock Plugin Manager, but the Gmail checker and extra Container are pretty good, and there’s always the possibility that more plug-ins will be developed in the future – although more than likely you’ll have to download these separately.

Right-clicking on the Gmail icon and choosing Change Account will bring up a window where you can log in – although XWindows Dock Plugin Manager doesn't support multiple accounts. Container is a nice feature which allows you to place any folder on the dock. When you click, you’ll get an easy-to-view fan of the items that folder contains, but this feature is already available as standard in XWindows Dock.

As things stand now, XWindows Dock Plugin Manager just adds access to Gmail from your XWindows Dock.

Download XWindows Dock Plugin Manager 1.0 in Softonic

The control can be used on any Visual Basic Form Style, when the taskbar control is set to Float, it will retain the original form border style if so desired.

Features Include:Create Windows Style Taskbar Dock to any side of screen, Float and Hide capable Hot-Key Support Auto-Hide Slide-Effect when showing or unloading Multi-Monitor Support.

Download VB Squared Taskbar Control 1.0.0 in Softonic

NET 2005 (;Whidbey;) lookImplemented a new docking style -smart docking. It's similar to docking interface found in Microsoft Visual Studio. NET 2005 (;Whidbey;).

Now users can see where the dragged window can be docked. Just call CBCGPDockManager::SetDockStyle (DT_SMART) to enable this feature. You can also customize ;smart docking; markers by changing their colors and shapes.

Added a new advanced control - CBCGPAppBarWnd. This control behaves as a window which can be docked to any side of the screen and lays outside of the application areaAdded full support for right-to-left layout.

You can just create the main frame window with WS_EX_LAYOUTRTL style and the rest will be automatically handled by the libraryA new static method CBCGPDockManager::EnableDockBarMenu allows to enable or disable additional context menu related to control bar states.

This menu consists of four items: Floating, Docking, Auto Hide and HideTab Control:CBCGPTabWnd has a new method EnableTabDocumentsMenu which replaces scroll buttons with a popup menus displaying a list of opened documents CBCGPTabWnd has a new style - STYLE_3D_VS2005.

Tabbed windows created with this style look similar to MDI tab window in Microsoft Visual Studio. NET 2005 development environment Visual managers have an ability to override default border size of tabbed control bars using new methods GetMDITabsBordersSize and GetDockingTabsBordersSize Toolbars and menus:Toolbars with 32-bit images can be displayed now on all Windows platforms where the alpha blending feature is supported (such as Windows; 98 or ME)Added support for color transformation to CBCGPToolBarImages class: a new method AddaptColors allows to change image tone color at runtimeRecalculating of toolbar layout is much more efficient nowThe framework can gray disabled images automatically.

Use a new method CBCGPToolBar::AutoGrayInactiveImages in order to enable this featureCBCGPToolBar class has a new method ;CleanUpLockedImages;, that allows to clean image list(s) in locked (non-customizable) toolbarCBCGPToolBarImages::AddIcon has a new optional parameter ;bAlphaBlend;, that allows to add 32-bit iconsAdded access methods to collections of images residing in CBCGPToolBarCBCGPToolBar::IsVisible is marked as ;const; nowSignificantly improved menu drawing performanceEdit control:Automatic width adjustment for the outline margin.

New virtual CBCGPEditCtrl::OnUpdateLineNumbersMarginWidth function was addedTyping performance was improved when auto-outlining is onAdded new wrapper functions for line operations in edit control (GetLineCount, GetLine, GetFirstVisibleLine, LineIndex, LineFromChar, LineLength, LineScroll)Added new functions for selection operations in edit control (GetSelText, ReplaceSel)CBCGPEditCtrl::UpdateScrollBars method is virtual nowAdded new virtual functions for printing by pages: CBCGPEditCtrl::OnPrintPageHeader, CBCGPEditCtrl::OnPrintPageFooterAdded new virtual function CBCGPEditCtrl::OnDrawBorder.

Override it if you need custom drawing of the edit controlAdded handler for the WM_GETTEXTLENGTH message. See the CBCGPEditCtrl::OnGetTextLength functionTask pane:Option for embedded user window to be full-size in the task pane group.

Download BCGControlBar 7.3 in Softonic

This is, in fact, more than just a visual theme. Not only does Snow Transformation Pack change graphic details in your system – such as the background wallpaper, logon screen, system icons and cursors – but it also adds extra apps to resemble the Mac OS even more faithfully – like the popular Dock or the Spaces functionality.

The results achieved with Snow Transformation Pack are thus quite impressive – at least for a visual theme. The Windows toolbar moves to the top of the screen to emulate Mac’s menu bar, and replaced with a fully functional dock. All Windows system icons are Mac style, and Snow Transformation Pack also allows you to skin all the apps you use with a Mac look as well.

Having a Windows computer with Snow Transformation Pack is obviously not the same as having a real Mac, but at least it looks more or less like the real deal. The only thing you’ll have to put up with is a painful installation that requires at least three system restarts.

If you’d like to use a Mac but for some reason you’re stuck with Windows, Snow Transformation Pack can make things a bit easier for you.

Download Snow Transformation Pack 1.0 in Softonic

Headlines are constantly updated, one click and the full article is opened in your web browser. The program is highly customizable: rss feeds, fonts, sizes, colors, speed, position and more!

It optionally stays above other windows or can resize the desktop, so that no other application is overlapped. Custom messages can be easily configured, either with a simple plain text file or by directly typing your messages into a text box.

So EasyDeskTicker can be used for advertising in a shop window, either full screen or together with any other application (e. g. powerpoint presentation).

It can simply be used in a company to keep the personnel informed via intranet. Just place a plain text file with your headlines in the network.

Download EasyDeskTickerPRO 8.2 in Softonic

If the Start menu in Windows is not enough for you, you can try an alternative menu like Circle Dock to access your favorite programs.

Circle Dock is a circle-shaped menu that can be easily customized with direct shortcuts to your most frequently used programs and folders. Once installed on your system, you can quickly start adding new shortcuts by dragging and dropping them on the circle – though you'll need to confirm a dialog window for each one.

The settings menu in Circle Dock includes a handful of options with which you can configure both the program's appearance and behavior. That said, changing Circle Dock's interface is a lengthy process; instead of changing every single element one by one, it would be easier to pick a skin that would change everything in one click.

Circle Dock can be easily displayed and hidden with customizable keyboard combinations, so that it stays out of the way when you don't need it.

If you're tired of the standard Start menu or Quick Launch menu in Windows, try Circle Dock instead: an alternative menu for your favorite apps.

Download Circle Dock 1.0.2.3 in Softonic