October 25, 2008 in Popular, Productivity, Utilities | 56 Comments
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Most Mac users feel that Application launcher is the most essential Application for them to install. Application launcher can save our valuable Dock spaces and assist us in boosting our productivity.
There are several application launchers available on the net. They have their own uniqueness, advantages and disadvantages. I am sure you will stick to one Application launcher, just like other power Mac users.
But for the very first time, you need to choose amongst many Application launchers, which one you love the most.
Spotlight
Built-in launcher and files finder shipped along with Mac OS X installation CD. It will help you save a lot of time while searching for files. By default, you can trigger spotlight with keystrokes Command-Space.
Quicksilver
Feature-rich Application for your Mac. It gives you the power of not just launching your Applications but also performing another actions to your Applications.
The only thing that frustrates me is that the development team seems to be ignoring the unstability issue on Leopard.
Butler
Besides being an Application launcher, Butler also helps you perform different recurring tasks easier. By assigning triggers to some potentially recurring tasks, you can quickly do the task with simple keystrokes.
Overflow
Overflow is an application designed to quickly launch applications, open documents, or access folders while reducing the number of items needed in your Dock.
Anything you want can be added to the Overflow interface, making it accessible through a few simple mouse clicks or keystrokes. The interface is resizable, and fully customizable.
Namely
Namely is possibly the fastest way to open applications. And unlike some other launchers, it doesn't require any learning.
Sapiens
Sapiens is an application launcher, it helps you access all the applications in your Mac. Sapiens is clever because it learns from you, so unlike any other launcher it predicts the applications you will likely need and offers a visualization of this prediction in an intuitive way.
TigerLaunch
TigerLaunch is an easy-to-use and easy-to-configure application launcher for OS X.
It displays an Apps menu at the top of your screen listing all your applications in alphabetical order—no matter what folder they appear in.
Valet
Valet records the applications that you use and provides quick and easy access to them. Valet is the nearly zero-configuration application and file launcher you have been waiting for.
Trampoline
Mac Application launcher that will display you Applications that you use the constantly assuming that these Applications are what you're seeking for.
LaunchBar
Application launcher that can assist you in not only opening spesific application, but also selecting items and performing next action to the items.
LaunchBar will autohide itself while not in use, enabling you to focus on your tasks.
HimmelBar
Another application launcher for Mac. With HimmelBar, you can configure custom folders in which you want to have extra launch shortcut to.
DragThing
DragThing saves your Dock real estate by creating separate Dock-like pane, helping you with the categorization and organization on multiple Docks. Each of these Docks can be customized as needed.
However, in the case of holding many items (more than hundreds), DragThing will overflow out of our display and render us unable to access certain items.
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56 Comments
AJ
You forgot to mention Spotlight. It does a good job launching applications in Leopard.
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Wendy <Webmaster>
Oh, thanks for the quick reminder. I forgot that. I will add it :)
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flec65
What? No mention of LaunchBar? You must be kidding... LaunchBar is a superfast launcher and performs actions too. With Leopard, I dropped the unstable QS for LaunchBar which is rock solid.
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Tice
Anf not to forget to mention the freeware Himmelbar: http://softbend.free.fr/himmelbar/
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Per
Happily using Quicksilver on Leopard and have never had any issues. What kind of problems are you guys having with it?
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Wendy <Webmaster>
Thanks for the feedback. I've put up the application launchers that I forgot to mention. ^^
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paul
Great list, but... you forgot the grand-daddy of them all, DragThing. I've been using it for more than 10 years. It's awesome! I also really like Trampoline. I use both.
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energio
In Tiger, Spotlight was a little bit slow... now in Leopard is the greatest launcher. However, great list.
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needlegun
I'm sure I read somewhere on LifeHacker that the developers had stopped work on Quicksilver, in which case any bugs or issues won't get addressed. Another app launcher to consider is 'aLunch' which you can find at http://mactips-lib.net/m/software/alunch/en/main.html . Works very well and is donation-ware.
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Eric Merten
dont forget Rapidostart. its freeware by http://www.app4mac.com/
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Pnyce
What's abaout DragThing?
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Alex
Wow, I didn't know there were so many! I use Quicksilver, because it's the one that can do other things as well, like "open" "this file" with "this program" but I still gotta learn how to use it all (Wendy, do you think you can post like, a tutorial of QuickSilver? Because I know how to use it and stuff, but I encounter some problems sometimes, and I'd like to know some tricks & tips for it) thanks!
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Wendy <Webmaster>
A lot of thanks for more incoming additions. DragThing has been added to the arsenal. But aLunch and RapidoStart, it happens that I got broken links when I tried to download the installation files. So I didn't put them up.
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michael
Is it possible to get the wallpaper you use your Mac desktop? the waterfall wallpaper is very beautiful, and i want to use on my Macbook. Please send me the wallpaper to my email. Thanks !
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Steve Dorsey
What about FinderPop? It's free, and it is the ONLY launcher I'll use. It's as discrete or obvious as you want it to be, and it WORKS. fast, free, and easy to use and configure. www.finderpop.com
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Julio
Very nice summary of applications launchers, but what I really want to know is where you got those wallpapers from! They are awesome.
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Stephen Klenert
Great Roundup of application launchers. Quicksilver is by far my favorite. Enjoyed reading your post.
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larrinski
Quicksilver FTW!
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werwrtwert
the only doom that's looming
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joe
could you post the desktop picture for those buildings?
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Frank Sandoval
I was actually pretty surprised at the quantity and exceptional quality of application launchers on the Mac. I was a heavy user of Quicksilver up until recently. Path Finder 5's application launcher is actually replacing Quicksilver for me now, as most of my applications are now web-based (save for some web development apps and Adium).
I hope you don't mind that I link to your post, as this is quite a nice overview of what is available for the Mac. Thanks for the good read.
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Stu
If you put your application folder on your dock as a Stack it's also an application launcher, much like Overflow.
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Tezz
Hi could i also get a copy of those city desktop pictures. Please
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rockstar
Also worth noting is the fact that pathfinder can open an app launching window which is quite fast.. two downsides, they won't allow, for some reason, typical shortcuts, like command space etc.. second thing is.. there's no auto reset time..
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eyei4i
I like the wallpaper buildings posted in those apps. Anybody knows where in download them?
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t4
Seems like iKey should be included. It launches anything with any command key plus it also does macros. It can do anything a person can do but with a lot less less clicking and typing. Its really great.
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YuriGoul
... and not to forget: Launchbar was there before Spotlight, so I guess that makes it the first. The guy was so furious when he found out about spotlight that he threatened to develop a Win version.
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Enox
I don't see what's wrong with an Application stack... don't get me wrong, I think these apps do look pretty cool(:
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biao
I really like spark.
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Daniel
No need for launchers at all, here's a quick tip: - Grab you apps folder to your dock, next to the trash. - Set it to "list" view, and show as "folder". - TA-DA! if you got a lot of apps, you can always type the first letters of the wanted app.
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Laurent
You can also use stacks as an app launcher. Just put the apps you use often into a folder and drag it to the dock. Enable the grid view and there you go...
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Beez
Also MoofMenu. Sort of like HimmelBar, but better!
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Marc
SunnyMenu launches applications like the old apple menu. I wrote that one so I'm kinda biased, but there are also other good menu based launchers that use the corners of the screen, which the five fastest places you can get to are the corners of the screen and then right under where the mouse is (contextual menus). Makes sense to use them!
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dalesmcd
Glad to see Himmelbar represented. Fast clean reliable. I'm lost without it.
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Patrick
For RapidoStart, there is no broken links ! Try this links www.app4mac.com/rapidostart.html
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Alfred
And then there's aLunch: http://mactips-lib.net/m/software/alunch/en/main.html
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GaryH
Sapiens! Love it. No keyboarding to get to your applications. Sapiens has you just make a circle with your mouse. EASY! QUICK! And remembers your history like quicksilver. Give it a go -- I am confident you'll really like it!
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Google
What about Google Desktop??? I use that quick tool to search files/apps on my comp.
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Matt
Quicksilver also "learns" from the user, so "Sapiens is clever because it learns from you, so unlike any other launcher it predicts the applications you will likely need and offers a visualization of this prediction in an intuitive way" would be an incorrect statement. In fact, Quicksilver was doing it first.
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mikey
ummm, why not just use "Stacks"... its just as elegant, configurable and intuitive and is already integrated into the OS.
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Dave
#1 AJ - WTF - Learn to read !!! - The first application in the list is "Spotlight" :(
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Charles
I'll put in another word for Launchbar. It costs a bit of money, but it's so much easier and more polished then any other solution. It does a lot of what quicksilver does too, just faster once you learn the shortcuts. Learns quickly and intelligently.
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Aseem
The best way is to have a stack of the applications folder in the Dock. Nothing beats it.
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gWallet
Quicksilver. Is there really any other? I see some advantages to some of these, but I'm pretty sold on quicksilver simply because of it's speed, light footprint, and it somehow manages to know what I'm looking for before I do. :)
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RigoGibson
What about "Killer App Launcher" It's a widget!
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GeekMaster
Between the Dock, Spotlight, the Applications Stack, and Finder ... I really don't need any 3rd party apps. Spotlight is so fast anyway.
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design
I don't understand the point of app launchers honestly... I'm not trying to be snide, but what's wrong with just putting the app folder in your dock and setting it to "List" view when clicked? Its built-in and is the fastest way I know to launch docks without using any extra RAM to do it. Am I missing something?
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Miguel Machado
Same there! ;). I love this Wall Great post. I like the spotlight, is simple and is native in leopard...
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Bored
these are awesome. really good work here. expect to see variants of some of these in windows 8
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Terry Wang
OMG, such a long list of launchers. QuickSilver is still my favorite on OSX For GUN/Linux, I use Gnome-do and Launchy. Launchy the same on Windows.
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Tamer
I have tried many of these, but my favorite remains FruitMenu (http://unsanity.com/haxies/fruitmenu). It customizes my Apple Menu on the menu bar and allows me to categorize my applications into app groups. So, finding the application is (for me) easier than some of the others that list everything in the Applications folder. This takes no space on my menubar (important on a laptop) and things are well-organized.
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ruslle
hey i realy like your two wallpapers can you please send it to at ( fras-f.s@hotmail.com ) s.a.p
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Albertkinng
I am a long time user of COVERFLOW and let me tell you I love it. I have a 7 buttons Mouse from Razer and one of them launch CF. When I'm using a Mac without CF it feels weird... launchers are great.. I remember when Leopard came along with the grid option, I was like: "oooh they steeled CF idea! but when I tried it it wasn't the same. CF is still the number one for me!
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Austin
I'm wondering, is there an application launcher with the Front Row interface? that or Time machine interface.
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Dude
I think more people would like the wallpapers... maybe you could post the site where you got them. Wouldn't want to bother to much, but if possible you could send it to my email.
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Scaryfast
I saw somewhere an application that would link applications for launching. For example when I open Entourage, I want OWAGalSearch to open with it. It was an app that would create one icon for you and would launch them in sequential order....any ideas which launcher supported that.
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