Windows XP's task switcher is functional if you just want to flip between running applications. The 3D task switcher in Windows Vista is a lot prettier, but it's not really much more useful since you can only really see a live preview of one application at a time. For many, Apple's Exposé task switcher is the holy grail: It shows live previews of every running application on your desktop and makes it easy to switch back and forth between programs with just a click or two.

DExposE2 is an Exposé clone that brings the same functionality to Windows XP and Vista. Hit the F10 button and your screen will darken a bit and DExposE2 will bring up large thumbnails of all your applications. You can use the arrow keys to move between applications, and hit enter to bring one to the forefront.

This isn't the only utility that brings Exposé-like features to Windows. Switcher and SmallWindows both do pretty much the same thing. But DExposE2 has some of the smoothest transitions we've seen, and it's easy to customize your options and do things like change your keyboard shortcuts.

[via gHacks]

Mac OS X is pretty. Windows is functional. Windows Vista was supposed to help bridge that gap. Microsoft threw an awful lot of eye candy into Windows Vista. Some of it is really useful. For example, you can hover your mouse over open programs in the taskbar and pull up live previews of those applications, even if there's video playing in one.

But Flip 3D, while attractive, is really just a complicated, resource-intensive version of Alt-tab. If anything, it makes it harder to find the application you're looking for, not easier. OS X, on the other hand, includes a task switching utility called Exposé that is both eye-catching and useful. It allows you to view all the running programs on your computer at once and easily shift between applications with a single click. No "flipping" required.

While there have been many attempts to replicate Exposé on Windows Machines, we have to say, we're particularly impressed with Switcher. The application is being developed by Microsoft employee Bao Nguyen in his free time. It's not an official Microsoft product, but it is a polished Exposé clone.

The video above was captured at 16 frames per second, making it difficult to truly show the beautiful transitions. But we tried to demonstrate some of the major features. You can choose from tile, grid, or dock views. You can dock windows to the top, bottom, left, or right of your screen. And you can switch programs using your mouse or keyboard. With the keyboard you can either hit the number of the program you want to bring to the foreground or use your arrow keys to select an application and then hit enter.

You can also adjust the transition times and choose whether or not to display the desktop.

The latest version of Switcher available from Nguyen's homepage is 1.2.1.1764, but there's also a direct download link for Switcher 2.0 beta. Switcher requires Windows Vista and the Aero interface. That means Windows Vista Home Basic users are out of luck.

[via techspot]

It's been an interesting year so far for operating systems. Microsoft released its first major upgrade in 5 years with Windows Vista, and Ubuntu Linux continued on its way toward world domination with the release of Ubuntu 7.04 Feisty Fawn. Even Michael Dell's running it on his home computer (and shipping it on yours).

With that in mind, we bring you the first in a limited edition Download Squad Podcast. Collect them all. Trade them with your friends. Today we speak with Download Squad's Grant Robertson and Alex Hung, two guys with a boatload of Windows and Mac experience who have been trying out Ubuntu Linux.