- This is the second version of the PowerToys set, and is a major change from the Windows 95 version. The tools are now included in separate downloads rather than in a single compressed executable file, and many tools that were distributed with Windows 95 PowerToys are no longer part of Windows XP's PowerToys as some functionality of the Windows 95 PowerToys has been incorporated into later versions of Windows, such as the ability to treat .CAB files like ordinary folders.
In all, the following tools have been released as Windows XP PowerToys. Some of them have been later retired and are no longer available. - Alt-Tab Replacement Task Switcher - Replaces the simpler Alt-Tab switcher with a more visual one which shows live window previews.
- Background Switcher - Adds a slideshow tab to Display properties and allows automatically changing the desktop wallpaper periodically.
- CD Slideshow Generator - Generates a slideshow from photos burned to a CD.
- ClearType Tuner - Allows customizing ClearType settings to make it easier to read text on the screen.
- Color Control Panel Applet - Allows managing color profiles, changing color profile associations for devices, viewing detailed properties for color profiles (including a 3D rendering of the color space gamut).
- HTML Slideshow Wizard - Generates an HTML slideshow presentation.
- Image Resizer (Photo Toys) - Allows right-clicking on multiple image files inside Windows Explorer to batch resize them.
- Internet Explorer Find Bar - Adds a toolbar similar to the Find on this page function in Internet Explorer.
- ISO Image Burner - Burns ISO images to a CD burner.
- Open Command Window Here - Allows starting a command prompt from any folder in Windows Explorer by right-clicking.
- Power Calculator - Calculator with support for functions, conversions and graphing.
- RAW Image Thumbnailer and Viewer - Provides thumbnails, previews, printing, and metadata display for RAW images from within Windows Explorer.
- Shell Audio Player - A Windows Media Player-based compact player which allows playing music from the taskbar.
- Super-Fast User Switcher - Allows Fast User Switching using the Windows key+Q combination without requiring to switch even to the logon screen.
- SyncToy - Allows synchronizing files and folders.
- Taskbar Magnifier - Magnifies part of the screen from the taskbar.
- Tweak UI - Allows customizing Windows XP's user interface and advanced settings.
- Virtual Desktop Manager - Allows switching between four virtual desktops from the taskbar.
- Webcam Timershot - Takes pictures at specified time intervals from a webcam.
Some of the Windows XP PowerToys, namely, Background Switcher, Internet Explorer Find Bar, ISO Image Burner, Shell Audio Player and Super-Fast User Switcher have since been retired. Shell Audio Player only worked with Windows Media Player 9 Series, while ISO Image Burner was a third-party PowerToy and an updated version is available as ISO Recorder. Background Switcher is available in an updated form as part of the Creativity Fun Pack. Video screensaver, another PowerToy released as part of the PowerToys Fun Pack.
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/downloads/powertoys/xppowertoys.mspx
