Brisbane-based software developer r2 Studios has released a major update to its pioneering startup management application. As the name implies, Startup Delayer 3.0 allows users to delay startup applications to free up system resources and optimize the startup routine. It's also a fully featured startup manager by allowing users to disable and delete unwanted startup applications too.

Version 3.0 is virtually unrecognizable from its predecessors, sporting numerous new features, a recoded startup delay engine and a brand new user interface with drag-and-drop support. It's also now fully compatible with 64-bit versions of Windows (including Windows 7) and User Account Control.

Startup Delayer 3.0's most visible change is in the user interface. Users can now drag and drop applications to delay or disable them, while the rewritten startup delay engine provides a number of new ways in which applications can be delayed. Unlike previous versions of the program, whereby a specified time had to be set, Startup Delayer 3.0 defaults to launching applications when hard disk activity falls below a certain level, making it possible to set up applications to start in sequence one after the other, streamlining the startup process as a result.

There are also a number of new features, such as the ability to add notes to any startup application, view a performance graph of the previous startup (complete with total boot time for comparison purposes) and the ability to view and manipulate running tasks and Services.

Startup Delayer 3.0 also comes in two editions: Standard (freeware) and Premium ($20). The Premium version features additional functionality such as the ability to back up and restore startup sets prior to tweaking them, plus the ability to add running tasks to the startup routine.

Startup Delayer 3.0 is a free download for all PCs running Windows XP, Server, Vista and 7. It requires the Microsoft Visual C++ 2005 Runtimes, which are installed automatically during installation if required.