One of the biggest difference between PCs and Macs is obviously their appearance. While PC manufactures have varying body styles, there are essentially only three different Macs in terms of design at any given time. So with more and more people transitioning to Macs, how do you set your Mac apart from everyone else? Here are two of our favorites and simple tweaks to help customize your Mac and make it your own.

BootXChanger
No matter what type of Mac you have, you likely have noticed the Apple logo on your boot screen every time you restart your computer. And if you have ever booted up a friends Mac, then you have noticed that they have the same boring Apple logo. In true Apple fashion, this is your chance to "Think Different." With a nifty little program called BootXChanger, this process becomes as simple as drag and drop. Once you download and instal the program, simply choose an image (.png files work best because of their ability to have transparent backgrounds) and drag it to BootXChanger. Hit "Apply" and then you're done. BootXChanger also comes with a few retro Apple logos to help you get started.

Custom Icons
While you can always download custom icon sets for your computer, why not create completely custom icons for your favorite apps. Once you pic out your favorite picture of graphic, all you need to do is resize it appropriately. If you decide to use a custom graphic, using a transparent background and saving the image as a .png will help give your icons a polished and "Mac-like" feel. With your icon files ready to go, all you need to do is open a little known piece of Mac software called Icon Composer.

Icon Composer comes on every Mac, so no need to download or purchase third party software. This application is located on your Mac hard drive under /Developer/Applications/Utilities/Icon Composer.app. Now just drag and drop your icon into Icon Composer, click save, and voila. You now have an icon with a transparent background that you can use for any file or folder.

DateLine
If you're a planner, you'll likely enjoy and benefit by having your calendars, events and tasks visible directly on your desktop, but in an unobtrusive fashion. DateLine is a desktop calendar with support for iCal, displaying up to 69 days in advance in a minimal format customizable calendar line (tweak colors, fonts and transparencies so it becomes part of your overall desktop theme).

If you have more quick and easy tips, let us know about them in the comments.

Other customization tips:

• Apps to Make OS X Behave Like a PC
  
• Stickers On Your Laptop?
  
• ColorWare Done Right: 10 Proper Examples

(Image: Flickr member Ricky Romerolicensed for use under Creative Commons)