15-Minute Reviews :: MagicTweak v4.11

Hello all and welcome to another 15-Minute Review! Today’s software is MagicTweak version 4.11 by Efreesky Software – An application to tweak your system settings and look.

Software Description

As Giveaway of the Day states:

“MagicTweak is a special program designed to optimize and personalize Microsoft Windows. It provides one-stop, instant access to a variety of Windows settings that can be altered for a friendlier Windows environment.

This unique software makes it easy to tweak hundreds of hidden settings in Windows Vista/2003/XP/2000/Me/98, so there is no longer any need to dig through the registry looking for that specific setting (from the Start Menu, Desktop, Internet Explorer, System Icon to System Security) that just doesn’t seem to be there.

With the ability to customize almost any aspect of Windows, you can become a Windows expert instantly!”

Quick Pros

• Immediate backup of files offered
• Easy to get going with
• Options around Explorer, Icons, Control Panels, Network, Interner Explorer and more
• Password protect and disable features – Secure your system

Quick Cons

• Could use further descriptions and tips on settings – Requires some knowledge level
• Help file doesn’t have any extra help – Just application information
• Could use USB drive support natively for techs

Expansion

Overall this application is very simple in its overall use. Upon first launch of the application, it prompts you immediately to back up the files and brings you to the backup/restore dialog when it is complete. This is a very positive aspect to this as that the process is potentially dangerous, working with the registry and other system files, and gives you a bit of extra protection from the unknown. When you arrive at the main window of the application, it is a simple icon/text grid layout, offering to you all of its functionality in a fairly easy to understand categorization scheme. As you click through into each one, you’ll be greeted by all the settings pertaining to the area you entered. Many window requiring scrolling to access the entire list, but it isn’t too inconvenient and actually seems to keep the layout clean and tidy.

There are a lot of options that this application touches on – Much more than even TweakUI offers. There are quite a few options on Explorer (Including launching your desktop and all Explorer windows in a separate process – Good if you for some reason tend to be prone to Explorer crashes); Changing icons up for system and folder icons; altering visible control panels, start menu items, and more; Aecuring your system from tinkerers in a public-use situation (including the ability to password-protect the use of this application); Networking and Internet Explorer controls (Badly needed for many but there isn’t a lot of help here—See below) and much more. It is hard to touch on the features included in the application.

During my testing, I actually (temporarily) changed a lot of settings and rebooted quite a few times with no ill effects; Nothing critical seems to be bugged, which is a good thing.

While the application seems to work well and the general title of each option is rather descriptive in what it does, it may not be enough for many – It may be more useful to include a pop-up on each item, going into greater detail on each item, its purpose, what is recommended and so forth. The helpfile doesn’t expand on things either (essentially has application general information, licensing, etc), which may make tweaking your system more of an educated guessing game than a useful tool to benefit you and your system, unless you are quite familiar with the settings.

One final note; This application could be one to benefit from USB drive support natively out of the box. This could be a useful tool to professionals of varying forms – Include the ability to do backups for client or work environment computers and organize them for later restoration as well.

Final Verdict

While this application does have quite a few options settable by the user of the application, for those less experienced it may be more like shooting in the dark for improving your environment without great descriptions. For free, this application may be handy for a couple uses to get your system set up the way you like it. As for paying $39.95 for this tool, I would find it hard to recommend due to the lack of specifics and its reusability factor. It would have to come in a USB format and/or have better option descriptions and possibly offer a bit more than other tools to be worth $39.95. As mentioned above, TweakUI doesn’t offer quite all of this, but it’s free and does a pretty good job at what it does.

Posted by BladedThoth on Monday, February 04, 2008