Volume2: a beautiful volume control app

Let’s say you have a program that lets you control system volume via the mouse and/or via user-defined hotkeys. Let’s also say that it can display stylish volume sliders on screen, and lets you choose from many different skins for these. And, moreover, let’s say that it can control volume via hovering over and sliding your mouse over the slide of the screen. And, further, that it can display a system tray balloon notifier that shows the volume.

Well, you might say, all of these seem like nice functions to have. You might think to yourself that this is a fun little app that can be very useful. And you will be right.

And not only is the above precisely what Volume2 offers, it is also 100% free.

PROS: things I really like about this software

• Skins: very cool slider skins (about 30 or so as of this writing; see a small sample in the screenshot above/left)
• Screen edges: can be used, such that sliding your mouse up and down the side of the screen will toggle volume up/down (see screenshot above right)
• Hotkey controls: you can set user specified hotkeys to trigger a wide range of actions (including non-volume related actions such as brightness and even ejecting CD rom).
• Mouse controls: are user customizable. I like the fact that you can set it to rotate the mouse wheel over the taskbar to control volume (or optionally over the desktop, over the tray icon).
• Event scheduler: such as, for example, to set the volume on startup or on wake up. Note, however, that the event scheduler can be used for any kind of event, including displaying messages
• System tray icon: also comes in different skins. The color of the icon is an indicator of volume (green=low, orange=mid level, red=high)
• Balloon notifications: if you want, the program can display a balloon notification for volume in the system tray area (I personally quite like this, actually).
• Easy to use: you do not need a PhD to navigate the settings (unlike for example, another program in the genre which I mention below).
• Memory usage: about 15 megs in memory, which is not a lot, especially when you consider the breadth of functions it provides.
• Command line: supports controlling volume via the command line.

CONS:

• Does not support setting volume per individual program: this is something that can be done in Vista and Windows 7, and which Volumouse 2, for example, supports. It’s addition would make an excellent program even better.

The verdict: this program is very nicely done, has terrific skins and functions (including the very original mouse to screen edge volume control, which I haven’t seen anywhere else). The developer has obviously put a huge amount of effort into this and it shows; this is a remarkably attractive and featured-rich program.

Version Tested: 1.1.1

Compatibility: Windows XP, Vista, Windows 7 (works on 32 bit and 64 bit).

Go to the project page on Google Code to download the latest version (approx 5 megs). Also see the developer’s blog (in Russian).