Siberia, Russia -- (ReleaseWire) -- 09/05/2006 --ACTUAL TOOLS today announces the release of version 4.1 of Actual Transparent Window, a low cost system add-on that delivers the transparency effect to Windows OS. Once installed, the program enables users to apply various see-through effects to windows and desktop elements like the taskbar or the “Start” menu. When a user clicks on a button located on the window’s titlebar, the window becomes semi-transparent. It returns to full opacity and normal behavior with another click on the same button. The rate of transparency varies from 0% (transparent) to 100% (opaque) and can be set for each application window individually.

Why Use Transparency?
The transparency effect delivers style and added functionality to the Windows desktop. When you apply the see-through effect to Winamp or Windows Media Player, it looks much more incredible and stylish than without it. In addition to the aesthetic value, transparency can help you overcome the problem of partial blocking or complete window covering when your computer screen is too small or there are too many windows on the desktop. Semi-transparent windows or desktop elements do not obscure view and allow you to overlay windows. You can stack up windows one on the other and use the transparency to compare their content like diagrams, photos, images or make “carbon copies” of documents. For example, you can be typing text in Microsoft Word, while reading the relevant information in the Adobe Reader window beneath.

Version 4.1 of Actual Transparency Window delivers unique opportunities to handle the transparency level for windows. You can configure individual transparency settings for different states of a window (e.g. when it is opened, inactive, being dragged or resized or when a mouse cursor is floating over it) and different actions (e.g. a click on a titlebar button, a double-click on a titlebar, etc). The program also offers the “Ghost Window” mode. As the name implies, it can ghost a window so that it becomes “transparent” to mouse clicks (the clicks pass through to whatever is underneath). However a ghosted window continues to respond to keystrokes. A combination of transparency and ghost effects is ideal for monitoring windows, contact-lists in messengers, such as ICQ, MSN, AIM, and Yahoo. You can make them be always on top and be able to see what happens behind them.

The transparency effect is one of the many improvements in much-anticipated Windows Vista, which is scheduled for release in 2007. However this effect is already present in your current OS (Windows 2000/XP/2003) and can be brought to life with Actual Transparent Window. This software was recommended as a low cost add-on that delivers Vista’s transparency feature by Scott Dunn in the article “Why Wait for Vista?” in PC World Magazine. So, those users who want to have a more stylish and productive Windows environment today, are invited to www.ActualTools.com to download a free evaluation copy of Actual Transparent Window.

For more information visit: http://www.actualtools.com/transparentwindow/