The judges of the PowerArchiver Skinning contest have been announced!

Top 5 Overall Skins:

MyPA by Marc A. Foumberg - $500

Adrenaline by PixelPirate - $250

FrostBite by Marc A. Foumberg - $125

Warna by Basj - $100

Caution by Canmandeco - $75

Most Unique Skin:

Warna by Basj - $250

To everyone who submitted a PowerArchiver skin built with our new DirectSkin engine, thank you!

Plymouth, MI- (June 16, 2006) – Stardock is the creator of DirectSkin, the premier tool used by software developers to add “skinning” technology to their programs. Syncfusion, Inc. is a leading provider of software components and libraries that enable developers to produce quality software for the most demanding of environments. Recently Stardock and Syncfusion have partnered to assure compatibility of their products.

“Stardock’s DirectSkin is the premier product for quickly and easily creating attractive applications that will gain acceptance in the marketplace,” said Larry Kuperman, Sales Manager for Stardock. “As our client base has continued to grow, we anticipated client overlap with other providers of tools for .NET developers. Since Syncfusion is recognized as a leader, we wanted to ensure that our mutual clients could use our products simultaneously without conflict.”

“The Stardock team has done a terrific job advancing the look and feel of desktop applications. We are excited that Syncfusion Essential Studio customers can now benefit directly from their innovation,” said Stefan Hoenig, CEO of Syncfusion.

“We look forward to continuing mutual support of each other’s products” concluded Larry Kuperman.

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About Stardock:

Stardock is the world's leading developer of Windows enhancement utilities.
Stardock software is used by over 15 million people worldwide and has been licensed by cutting-edge companies including NVIDIA, ATI, Alienware and Nintendo, as well as being used in movies and TV. Stardock operates WinCustomize.com, the premier portal for Windows enhancements drawing more than 3 million unique visitors each month. Stardock is a Microsoft Certified Gold Partner. Stardock Entertainment also develops best-selling computer games, including the award-winning Galactic Civilizations series, which are distributed electronically through Stardock’s TotalGaming.Net division. The company's website is Link.

About Syncfusion, Inc.

Syncfusion, Inc. is a provider of software components and tools for the .NET platform. Syncfusion is based in Morrisville, NC. Syncfusion leads the market with the broadest range of software components and tools for building applications on the Microsoft .NET platform. Syncfusion can be reached at (919) 481-1974 or through their website at Link .

PRESS CONTACT:
Kristin Hatcher
marketing@stardock.com

HMV Licenses Stardock’s DirectSkin for HMV Digital Player
Stardock’s DirectSkin Chosen to Provide Unique Look and Feel to Digital Jukebox

Plymouth, MI- May 30, 2006 HMV is the leading provider of music, DVDs and games in the UK and Ireland. HMV recently launched HMV Digital, a new music download service created in partnership with Microsoft. The HMV Digital Player is a customized software jukebox that uses Stardock’s DirectSkin to provide a distinctive look and feel.

“The Digital Player provides core functionality for our clients” said David Cameron, the Head of Software Development for HMV UK & Ireland. “Our aim was to provide a software solution that would empower our customers. They can download tracks from the HMV Digital store, create their own playlists for use on either their PC s or personal digital music players, and even burn their tracks to CD.”

“Microsoft had recommended DirectSkin based on the positive experiences of companies such as ATI. By using Stardock’s DirectSkin, we were able to give our application a look consistent with our corporate image, while at the same time reducing our development time and costs.”

Larry Kuperman, Sales Manager at Stardock, said “We are pleased to work with a company as well-known and respected as HMV. They truly understand the benefits of branding and how that can help increase adoption of software products.”

Neil Banfield, Lead Developer for Stardock’s DirectSkin product, added “Our goal with DirectSkin has always been to make it easier for software developers to give their applications distinctive user interfaces. By leveraging our WindowBlinds technology, we have made it easier for developers to create great looking applications.”

# # #

About Stardock:

Stardock is a Microsoft Certified Gold Partner and the world's leading developer of Windows enhancement utilities. Stardock software is used by over 15 million people worldwide and has been licensed by cutting-edge companies including NVIDIA, ATI, Alienware and Nintendo, as well as being used in movies and television shows. Stardock operates WinCustomize.com, the premier portal for Windows enhancements drawing more than 3 million unique visitors each month. Stardock Entertainment also develops best-selling computer games, including the award-winning Galactic Civilizations series, which are distributed electronically through Stardock’s TotalGaming.Net division. The company's website is www.stardock.com.

About HMV UK and Ireland:

HMV is the UK and Ireland's leading specialist retailer of Music, DVD/Video, Computer Games and Related Products. The company operates around 200 stores in key shopping locations nationwide, equating to over 1million sq. ft. of trading space, as well as a successful online store at www.hmv.co.uk, operated by HMV Guernsey.

HMV's very first store was officially opened in July 1921 by the celebrated British composer, Sir Edward Elgar on London's Oxford Street. Since that time, the chain has become symbolised throughout the world by its iconic 'His Master's Voice' dog and trumpet trademark.

HMV is dedicated to offering its customers authoritative access to the widest possible range of recorded Music titles, DVD's and Computer Games across all formats. At 50,000 square feet, HMV 150 Oxford Street is the company's flagship and is the largest music and home entertainment store in the country, offering a choice of over 150,000 Music titles on CD and vinyl as well as comprehensive selections of DVD and Games titles.

HMV is part of HMV Group plc, which as of April 2004 operated 366 HMV stores in eight countries across Europe, North America and Pacific Asia as well as 193 Waterstone’s stores principally in the UK and Ireland. All of the Group's operations, both in the United Kingdom and internationally, are wholly owned.

The Group was listed on the London Stock Exchange on 15 May 2002, having been formed in March 1998 through the acquisition of Waterstone's from WH Smith Group plc and HMV and Dillons from EMI Group plc.

For a more detailed history and more information about HMV please visit http://www.hmvgroup.com/

PowerArchiver is one of the top file compression utilities and one of the many programs that has adopted DirectSkin from Stardock as their skinning engine. DirectSkin is a software development tool that shares a technology base with WindowBlinds, meaning that WindowBlinds skins can easily be adapted to DirectSkin powered apps.

Mike Bryant has helped PowerArchiver get off to a great start by permitting use of his Quasar, Colony, Sidewinder, Tronnix and Subterfuge skins. PowerArchiver is hosting a skinning contest to attract even more skins and is offering outstanding prizes for winners of the skinning competition:
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Top 5 Overall Skins:

* 1. $500
* 2. $250
* 3. $125
* 4. $100
* 5. $75

Most Unique Skin: $250

Users that submit a full PowerArchiver skin (with DirectSkin UIS file, Toolbar and Icons) will receive a free PowerArchiver license!

Users that submit 3 WindowBlinds skins or more (only DirectSkin UIS file, without any extra PowerArchiver icons or toolbars) will receive a free PowerArchiver license!
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Special thanks to Drazen Dodig, developer at Conexware and a valued member of our community.

So, what are you waiting for? Get over there and skin!

Renato Veras, better known to the skinning world as Treetog, has launched a new site "Treetog Artwork." To celebrate the launch of his new site, Treetog will be uploading a new suite entitled "ArtWork."



If there is anyone in the skinning community unfamiliar with the work of this fabulous artist, you are in for a real treat!

Best of luck with the new site, Renato!

Samurai Works, Stardock's partner in Japan has informed us that Icon Packager has been awarded the Vector 2005 Pro-Regi Amusement Award.

The Editors at Vector explained their selection as follows: "We feature many Desktop customization programs. IconPackager is one of most popular and powerful program among those."

Users also commented On IconPackager. "With IconPackager, I can change all Windows icons at once! IconPackager makes Windows different, and is easy to operate."

For more information about IconPackager, please visit Link

Special thanks to Tomomi Saito of Samurai Works for bringing this to our attention.

Woize International Chooses DirectSkin

For Interface Customization

 

Voice over IP Service Provider Will Use DirectSkin for Software Branding 

 

Plymouth, MI- January 18, 2006 Woize International Ltd. (OTCBB: WOIZ) a digital telephony service provider utilizing VoIP technology for phone to PC, PC to phone and PC to PC communications using proprietary software, announces the partnership with Stardock to integrate the DirectSkin development tool with Woize’s VoIP technology. Woize will be able to easily change the look and feel of their interface as part of their partner branding services.

 

“Being able to customize the look and feel of our solution is core to our business model,” said Anders Halldin, co-founder and CEO of Woize International Ltd. “We selected DirectSkin from Stardock because it is clearly the premier product for creating skinnable applications. DirectSkin is used by such prestigious companies as ATI, Reuters, Autodesk and others. By choosing DirectSkin, we were assured of compatibility and we knew that we could count on Stardock’s noteworthy support.”

 

Larry Kuperman, Sales Manager at Stardock, added “Stardock is proud of our partnerships with technology leaders such as Woize. It is clear that VoIP is a growing market and Woize is positioned to become a major player in this arena. By using DirectSkin skinning technology, Woize can rebrand their software virtually on the fly for their partners. This is a major competitive advantage for Woize.”   

 

DirectSkin is a development tool, based on Stardock’s award-winning WindowBlinds technology. DirectSkin allows software developers to make their applications skinnable. A typical application can be turned into a skinnable one within a few minutes of integrating DirectSkin into the project.

 

Voice over IP is a technology for routing voice conversations over the Internet, instead of traditional phone lines. It requires a PC with Internet connection, a headset or phone that can be connected and a software application, such as Woize™.

 

# # #

 

About Stardock:

 

Stardock Corporation is the leader in the development and sales of award-winning Windows desktop customization solutions such as the Object Desktop software suite, featuring components including WindowBlinds, DesktopX, IconPackager, and more. Stardock Entertainment also develops best-selling computer games, including the Galactic Civilizations series, which are distributed electronically through Stardock’s TotalGaming.Net division. For more information, please visit the Stardock home page at https://www.stardock.com or contact Tom Ohle at tom@aegmail.com.

 

About Woize:

 

Woize International Ltd. provides VoIP based digital telephony service for individual users that want to benefit from lower calling costs and provides its partners with a branding solution thus enabling an effective communication and traffic building service.

Woize^TM users can download the application to a PC or PDA and make or receive phone calls over the Internet to other Woize^TM users PC to PC for free using a headset or USB phone and a “broadband” Internet connection. By signing up for a pre paid account and thereby receiving a Woize^TM personal number the user can make and receive phone calls to regular phones world wide at very low rates billed per second. The Woize^TM Windows application also provides users with other various services such as instant messaging, VoiceMail, callerID, call forwarding, SMS and other telephony related special services. The software can be downloaded for free at www.woize.com

Woize has a distinct business model targeted to partners who would like to co-brand or brand the "powered by" Woize services suitable for any company active on the Web that seeks a fast and easy entrance into the VoIP market.

For further information please contact the following:

Investor Relations, Tel: +44-20-7101-6555, Fax: +44-20-7101-6554

 

Copyright (C) 2006 Woize International Ltd. All rights reserved.

 

__________________________

Source Woize International Ltd.

Plymouth, MI- (November 16, 2005) – Ideazon Inc., designer and developer of the Zboard™, the world's first keyboard designed for PC gamers, has selected DirectSkin from Stardock to make their next generation of software skinnable. Users will be able to change the appearance of the software by selecting from a number of skins.

 

 

“Ideazon is committed to enhancing the PC gaming experience. Adding skinning to our ZEngine software allows us to do on a software level what our keysets already do for our keyboards,” said Michael Aronzon, Software Development Manager for Ideazon. “We were impressed with Stardock’s excellent reputation and the wide-spread acceptance of Stardock’s skinning standards across the technology sector. Stardock is a Microsoft Gold Partner and their skinning products are used by companies in our industry such as Blizzard and Alienware, so we were assured of compatibility with accepted standards.”

 

The next release of the ZEngine software will include a special Zboard skin created with Stardock’s SkinStudio as well as three skins created by the Stardock skinning community. In addition to the default look, users will be able to change the appearance of the software by selecting Seti Green, created by David Knott (DavidK), Ketix by Tim (Essorant) Dagger or DogmaX by Jim (Brewman) Brubaker.

 

 “We are really excited by the opportunity to work with Ideazon,” said Larry Kuperman, Sales Manager at Stardock. “They are a recognized leader in the gaming industry and with Stardock’s TotalGaming.Net PC games division, it was a natural partnership.

 

Ideazon is working with Stardock Media, the graphics design division, to create a number of skins based on today’s most popular PC games. Users will be able to download these skins to further enhance their PC experience.

# # #

 

 

 

 

About Ideazon, Inc.
North American-based Ideazon Inc. develops, manufactures and markets the next generation of gaming peripheral technologies that enable a new level of interaction between end-users and their PC games. Zboard™ products enhance the gaming experience, accelerate gamers through the initial stages of a new game and ultimately improve gamer satisfaction. Ideazon is headquartered in Vaughan, Ontario. For more information, contact the company at pr@ideazon.com or on their website at www.zboard.com

 

 

About Stardock:

 

Stardock Corporation is the leader in the development and sales of award-winning Windows desktop customization solutions such as the Object Desktop software suite, featuring components including WindowBlinds, DesktopX, IconPackager, and more. Stardock Entertainment also develops best-selling computer games, including the Galactic Civilizations series, which are distributed electronically through Stardock’s TotalGaming.Net division. For more information, please visit the Stardock home page at https://www.stardock.com or contact Tom Ohle at tom@aegmail.com.

 

Happy Birthday to Ian Black, better known as Voodoo_Freak or Voo or VF.

A top notch skinner, a wonderful human being and a good friend.

Cheers to you!