If you’ve ever found yourself looking for an easy way to switch programs without paying for the functionality, you should consider trying out Button Launcher by Palm Commander. This small application is completely free (it asks you for a registration code on the first use, but the code can easily be obtained for free at the Palm Commander Website), and when compared to the other Launchers I’ve tried (iSpin, ZLauncher, etc.), it manages to hold its own. Now, don’t get me wrong, as Button Launcher does not have all the bells and whistles of those aforementioned programs. However, it does perform its functions very admirably. For starters, let’s look at the actual purpose of the program.

Button Launcher allows you to access up to 27 programs, just by pressing one of the Treo’s hard buttons a set number of times (our Treo only allows you 7 shortcuts out of the box). You can assign up to 9 programs to be launched by the Phone, Calendar, or Messaging buttons, giving us a total of 27. The Power button on the Treo 650 and the Home button on the Treo 700p are not configurable, as the native functions always override Button Launcher’s commands. Here is an example of how the program works, along with some screenshots for you visual learners out there.

Let’s say that you want to be able to access 1TouchTimer through the Phone button.

You select “1” for the Phone button, then simply tap the arrow next to “Click 8”, then select 1TouchTimer from the drop-down list.

Now, when you press the Phone key 8 times, 1TouchTimer will be launched after a loading period that is determined by you. You can choose from .5 of a second, 1 second, 2 seconds, 3 seconds, 5 seconds, or 10 seconds for Button Launcher to automatically load the selected program. And if you’d rather do it yourself, you can select the “Forever” option. Instead of seeing the black line that indicates loading, now you will just see the icons for the programs associated with the button you’ve pressed.

You can then just tap the icons to launch the programs.

For me, this program has been exactly what I’ve needed, as I find myself using the same applications over and over, yet never having two free hands to use the touch-screen. Another great thing about the program is that it doesn’t interfere with the shortcuts you’ve selected to be launched by pressing the blue Option key and then one of the 3 hard buttons, or the Side key. This program is also completely compatible with the Treo 650. The only problem I’ve noticed with the 700p is a minor one, but it still warrants mentioning.

If you plan on using this program with your 700p, it is very important that you set all of your shortcuts (Preferences à Buttons) before you install Button Launcher; most importantly the shortcuts involving the Option key and Side Button, as those will be the only native shortcuts you’ll still have access to. If you try to change around these shortcuts after you install Button Launcher, you’ll find that your saved settings in Button Launcher will always be lost. However, as long as you set up all your native shortcuts before you install the program, you won’t notice any other problems.

Overall, Button Launcher by Palm Commander is a good program that provides quality, albeit limited, functionality for an excellent price!

Filed under: Software reviews