Topaz Software

Update: We are working on a more flexible successor to LaunchPad. Stay tuned.

Consider your computer's file search feature, but many times more useful. This is LaunchPad.

Hit Alt+Space to bring up the search box. Type in text, and search results are displayed immediately. Type more, and the search results are updated automatically and on-the-fly. Searches are streamlined to look for only the most relevant items: just your desktop, "My Documents," and Start Menu programs are scanned, and even then only certain file types (say, music, programs, and movies) are scanned.

Found what you were looking for? Hit [Enter] to launch the first result in the list. Otherwise just click on one of the other results in the list to launch it.

And yes, LaunchPad is configurable. When the search box is open, right-click on an area of it outside the white text box. This brings up a context menu, where you can alter preferences as needed.

LaunchPad is ideal for starting up a program quickly, without digging through your gigantic Start Menu for it. Bring up LaunchPad and type "aim", or "msword", or perhaps "firefox". You might never run a program from the Start Menu again!

Update: As of iTunes 7.2.0.34, Apple has properly merged these features into iTunes itself. KeyTunes will remain available for historical purposes.

See those media keys at the top of your keyboard? Play, Pause, Previous, Next. They're highly convenient -- unless you use iTunes. In which case they don't do anything for you when iTunes is not the foreground application. And if you're like most users, iTunes is virtually always playing music in the background.

Solution? KeyTunes, a small tool that forwards media keystrokes to iTunes, even while it's not the foreground application. So you can control your music while you're surfing the web, IMing, or playing Unreal Tournament 2004. KeyTunes can also latch onto your Volume Up/Down and Mute keys, displaying a translucent volume indicator overlay as you change the system volume. Either of these features can be turned on or off by editing your preferences from the KeyTunes system tray icon.