Stardock’s ModernMix Windows 8 application is now out of beta. It’s a utility program that allows users of Windows 8 (not RT) to run any Modern UI apps within a window on the desktop. Stardock has a history of producing Windows 8 enhancing software that fixes many user niggles with the big changes Microsoft introduced with its latest tablet/hybrid-friendly OS. The company’s biggest seller right now is Start8, a utility to bring back the Windows Start menu in Windows 8.
Stardock points out that running some apps full screen is a bit “overwhelming”, examples such as the weather app, stock monitor or solitaire card games all come to mind, and so having the option to pop them in a desktop window via ModernMix is useful. Desktop Windows offers a lot more configurability for multi-taskers than the current 25 per cent split screen option offered within the Modern UI.
Once ModernMix is running, Modern UI apps can work just like regular Windows applications. They appear in resizable windows on the desktop and these windows have normal minimise, maximise and close buttons. Modern app window sizes are remembered and used the next time you launch that app. Also thanks to ModernMix, just as with native Windows 8 applications, you can pin Modern UI apps to the task bar and create desktop shortcuts for your favourites.
As mentioned in the intro, ModernMix is out of beta, having gone through quite a lot of refinement and testing. So if these features sound appealing to you the program is quite reasonably priced at US$5. There is also a 30 day trial available.
