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Brad Ward
Guest
Customization is a big part of Android, and much of that customization comes from a variety of different launchers. It’s not often that we see a whole lot of good launchers come to the Play Store, as things like Nova Launcher and Action Launcher 3 has established themselves as pillars within the community. However, a new launcher called Shortcut might just be able to become one of those top dogs.
Setup
Getting Shortcut setup is just as simple as any other launcher. All you have to do is download it and set it as your default launcher when prompted. It’s a very easy and quick process.
Shortcut specializes in Information
Shortcut is a lightweight launcher with “lightning fast search” in tow. The design is hardly that of stock Android, and it seems to do a lot of things similarly to the Microsoft Arrow launcher.
You can swipe right to access your app tray, which is alphabetized for quick access. This is also where you can access all of your widgets as well as the Settings menu.
One of the unique things about Shortcut is that it keeps things simple and elegant, but makes Search a big priority. In our age of wanting information on-demand, having a powerful search tool is a must. That’s where things like Google Now have come from. Shortcut does things similarly, but in a way, it makes things more convenient and functional than Google Now.
You can search anything in Shortcut; it’s your access to contacts, information on restaurants, movies, TV shows, and much more. Search results will give you Action Cards, which are basically quick ways to perform actions, such as booking an Uber ride, reserving a spot at a restaurant, and getting quick access to movie information, and other relevant actions.
It’s all very snappy, quick, and efficient. My only other complaint is that there’s not many features available inside the application. Nova Launcher and Action Launcher 3 are packed full of different features, but it seems the Search is Shortcut’s only strength. But then again, that might not be a bad thing.
Closing
I’ll be using Shortcut for the foreseeable future, and I’d highly recommend you give it a try as well. Nova Launcher and Action Launcher 3 have a lot of great features, but if you’re looking for convenience and a powerful search tool, Shortcut is the tool for the job.
If you’re interested in taking it for a spin, be sure to hit the download link below.
Come comment on this article: Shortcut Launcher review
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