Filed under: Design, Fun, Windows, Macintosh, Apple, Microsoft, Commercial, Mods
EarthDesk 4 - put the world on your desktop
by Jason Clarke Jul 16th 2007
EarthDesk is a program that puts a map of the world on your Windows or Mac PC's desktop. It includes a number of rendering options, such as optional true cloud coverage downloads (at configurable transparency levels) and configurable moonlight for nighttime areas. You can also choose between different map projections, everything from a true round globe to a rectangular map. EarthDesk is unique in that it is available for both Windows PCs and Macs - too bad more software vendors don't go this route. There is an evaluation version, but it puts a huge ugly watermark in the middle of the map that may make you want to vomit - okay, that's a bit harsh, but then so is the watermark. A single user license costs $19.95, though it seems more people would pony up if they could actually try the application without the watermark for a period of time.
For a free Windows alternative, check out Desktop Earth. If you know of a free Mac alternative, let us know in the comments.
Desktop Earth is an oldie, but a real goodie. It
allowed you to display a globe or map on your desktop that would move according to the time, either keeping your
location centered with light changing to show the relative position of the sun, or showing from the sun's perspective
with the earth rotating or moving by. 
With Halloween fast approaching, it's a great time to get in some practice defending your territory against zombies. In Graveyard Shift, you take aim at zombies and other creepy-crawlies, blasting them into splatters of cartoony green guts. It's a casual first-person shooter, and it's very easy to get the hang of - use the mouse to aim, click to fire. Graveyard Shift has at least 15 levels, and it might even have some secret stages I haven't unlocked yet.
They key to getting good at Graveyard Shift is learning to use ...
