If you are Mac user you probably know the application “Quicksilver”, that provides you with a way to easily access all kinds of information on your computer. So all your applications, bookmarks, contacts etc. are just a few keystrokes away. AppRocket is more or less Quicksilver for Windows.
So what does AppRocket actually do? Well it’s basically a small app that runs in the background and creates an index of all items on your computer. This includes applications, folders, files, bookmarks, playlists and so forth. Now for instance if you wanna launch Firefox, you just bring up the application by hitting “Alt+Space” and begin typing the first characters.
AppRocket now displays a list of potential results in small listing — with the most likely one at the very top. Now you just have to hit the return button in order to launch or view the respective item. That’s it. Really simple, really fast, really convenient. Give it a try.
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Jesper February 08, 2006 at 03:28 AM
AppRocket is a more or less exact copy of LaunchBar (Link ) — something that was discovered very closely following AppRocket’s launch (no pun intended). Reportedly CandyLabs — the company behind AppRocket — were in talks with Objective Development — the company behind LaunchBar — to work together; however, I haven’t heard of any developments, and there was no such acknowledgments prior to the hoo-haa.
Seeming as how AppRocket is described as an alternative to QS — which it is — I thought I’d mention this as well. I have no particular experience with either of these three apps besides having tried them, but this sort of behavior by CandyLabs sounds poorly thought-out at best.
VividVisions February 08, 2006 at 03:33 AM
LaunchBar for Mac is quite similar and made in Austria. ;-)
Patrick Cavit February 08, 2006 at 03:46 AM
On Windows I tend to prefer the look and simplicity of Link Colibri to AppRocket. I’ve had a few tiny issues but the latest release (10a) has fixed them all for me.
Johannes Becker February 08, 2006 at 04:14 AM
Wenn man unter Mac OS X einfach nur Programme starten will, ist Namely das allerbeste (weil schnellste, schlankeste und kleinste):
Link
Dave February 08, 2006 at 05:51 AM
Looks nifty, although I do bear a slight grudge against background applications, having a weakling computer and all. Nevertheless, I’ll give it a try, for curiosities sake. And if it’s usefull enough I’ll keep it. I find a lot of applications like this are more “you want one of these” not “one of these are really handy and you’ll use them every day”.
Julian Schrader February 08, 2006 at 06:18 AM
I like Quicksilver very much — it serves me very well…
Brendan February 08, 2006 at 10:18 AM
For a time, I used a Windows machine extensively. After tasting the goodness of Quicksilver a little, I went out in search of a Quicksilver clone for PC and found this. I don’t think the software has been updated in a rather long time. It’s not as elegant in function or style as Quicksilver, but it does a good job. My two cents.
ZicklePop February 08, 2006 at 09:54 PM
Wasn’t this the original idea of the Google Desktop Search?
.derek February 09, 2006 at 12:27 AM
there was a write-up concerning approcket a few months back on uneasysilence. utilizing the foxylicious firefox extension users could access their del.icio.us bookmarks just like any other file on their windows computers. the write-up was right here.
Hans February 09, 2006 at 12:45 AM
I installed AppRocket on my Windows-machine today: It works as promised. It is indeed an exact copy of LaunchBar, which I find superior to Quicksilver, as it is more simple to handle. I bought LaunchBar after having used it for one day. I wouldn’t have bought Quicksilver (it’s free anyway). I might even buy AppRocket, as it feels very solid.
The idea behind these launchers is all the same. So maybe you can’t really blame anybody for copying a proven concept.
Oliver Regelmann February 09, 2006 at 09:16 AM
Give Launchy a try:
Link
I tried various Quicksilver clones on Windows and that’s the one I kept. And it’s free!
Fernando February 10, 2006 at 03:00 AM
Cool. Thanks!
WD MIlner February 11, 2006 at 08:50 AM
Oh Magellen where art thou now? grin
Richard Ault February 14, 2006 at 05:31 PM
Wrote about this in 2004 on my blog. Approcket was super useful then, although app launching is pretty well covered in OSX now. Dustin and crew are solid developers, worked with them at Napster back in 2001. Haven’t seen much of them for a couple of years though. Hoping for some new apps this year!
Tom Walat February 24, 2006 at 11:41 AM
SlickRun is another free PC version. Barebones but does the job.
Link
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