More of Bev's Software Reviews can be found at CompuNotes. Below is a sample of the type of reviews I write.
Product: LaunchBoard by Darwin Keyboards
Reviewed by: Bev Walton-Porter
Reviewed on: Pentium 166 Mhz, 24 MB RAM, Windows 95
Requires: 286 or higher, 4 MB RAM, Windows 3.1 or higher.
MSRP: $29.95
After test driving LaunchBoard by Darwin Keyboards,Ltd.,one
thought kept crossing my mind:where has this program been all my computing life? Humorous thought, but I'm oh-so-serious. LaunchBoard is a desktop and Internet utility which allows computer users the ability to launch a specific program, web site, or productivity tool with the press of one button. Your fingers never had it so simple, and your productivity has never been boosted so radically.
The program allows you to reprogram up to 38 keys on your
keyboard. But if I had a suggestion, it would be to expand the capability to twice that. Thirty-eight keys seems like a lot, but when you get down to it,more would be merrier. My suggestion would be to add an option of being able to hit the shift key and allow one button to access not just one web site, tool, or program, but two separate ones from each key. But until they come up with an expanded application, 38 keys will work just fine.
Installing the LaunchBoard software is a breeze. For Windows 95, NT, and 3.1 users, it's just a matter of inserting the disk and following the short instructions in the manual. Then you simply follow the instructions on the screen. After the installation, the Main Setup screen will automatically appear and you're ready to begin assigning tasks to each LaunchKey.
The Main Setup screen is a graphical representation of the 15
function and DOS keys which can be found on the top row of your
keyboard. These are the keys set up as LaunchKeys. You can also choose to launch Web sites by these keys, and if you choose this option you'll need to select your browser from the pull-down menu. To set up additional LaunchKeys,the program will lead you to additional screens where you'll have the option of programming up to 23 more LaunchKeys and to configure LaunchBoard.
Some of these additional LaunchKeys are found on your numerical keypad, and those are the ones I had the hardest time training myself not to push when I needed to type a number -- several times I had to stop and remind myself to get used to choosing the number keys at the top of the keyboard, not to the right. But only after I'd launched several programs and web sites in error!
Once you customize the other keys, you can then click on the
configure LaunchBoard button. This is the button which allows you to set up One-Touch Internet Access, turn off your Caps Lock key, temporarily disable One-Touch Internet Access, and specify if you'd like LaunchBoard to begin when your computer starts up.The latter is highly recommended by Darwin Keyboards.
Let me note that the One Touch Internet Access option is a must. This allows you to effectively access the Internet by pressing one button -- no typing of passwords or extra keystrokes. Once installed, you're just a keystroke away from surfing the Net! Once the LaunchKey is pressed, your modem will dial, your Web browser will open, and you'll be taken directly
to the Web Site of the LaunchKey you selected. It couldn't be simpler.
If you choose for LaunchBoard to automatically steer you toward Web sites, it's important to know the program is compatible with America Online (AOL) 2.0 or later, CompuServe 3.0 or later, Netscape Navigator 2.0 or later, and Microsoft Internet Explorer 3.0 or later. Simply select your browser from a pull-down menu and you're ready to roll.
Beyond programs and Web site launches, you can also begin Windows Tasks, documents, and productivity tools. Productivity tools include passwords, saving, printing, a "to do" list, macros, and Windows Explorer, among others. You can save your current document, start the Windows calculator, view a directory of your A: drive, or even list the contents of your computer.
Finally, you can use LaunchBoard to set up Darwin Tools. These are nifty little tools such as AOL Keyword, which will access your favorite places within America Online. There's also an option for "Hot Doc", which will open a frequently used document. You can also use this to enable or disable LaunchBoard.
Included with your software you'll find a set of 72 keycap labels for popular Web sites and software programs. There are also labels for general Web site categories and Darwin Tools, and Windows Tasks. If you have a program not listed in the re-printed keycap labels, you'll find blank ones that you can design using a ballpoint pen.These labels adhere directly to the keycaps, and usually bond better after 24 hours. The graphics are quite handy. For example, the word processor label shows a hand writing with a pen, while the label which executes LaunchBoard pictures a
rocket blasting off.
Darwin Keyboards also offers similar time-saving products, such as the LaunchBoard keyboard, which is bundled with LaunchBoard software, and The SmartBoard, a split keyboard with a patented key layout which fits the natural movements of your hands and fingers to aid in typing faster and with more comfort. They also offer The NoteBoard, a full-sized keyboard designed to work with notebook computers.
For ease of installation and use, LaunchBoard comes out on top. Even if you're a novice PC user, the instructions and setup are so very easy you will wonder why other programs aren't as user-friendly. By saving time and keystrokes, LaunchBoard can speed up your productivity by leaps and bounds.
If you're interested in checking out the upgraded release of
LaunchBoard 2.0 from Darwin Keyboards, you can download a free trial from http://www.darwinkeyboards.com/demo.htm. If you should have any questions regarding LaunchBoard 2.0, point your browser to http://ww.darwinkeyboards.com/launch.htm.
Darwin Keyboards, Ltd.
Installation/Ease of Use: Gold
915 Bryant Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
(415)-621-1151
WWW:
User-Friendliness: Gold
Quality: Gold
User: All
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