In the past we have reviewed various application launchers like Launchy ^[1], Executor ^[2] and Enso Launcher ^[3]. Today we will look at another application launcher – ControlPad.

What sets ControlPad apart from other programs is its basic functioning style. You won’t need to key in the name of the application you wish to launch. Instead you will have to assign numeric identifiers to your most frequently used applications. Once you have associated your favorite applications with ControlPad you can launch them by simply pressing * (to bring up the ControlPad Console) and entering the appropriate numeric id. This is somewhat similar to speed dial functionality in Opera Browser (which itself is based on the Speed Dial functionality found in mobile phones).

If you are not a big fan of numeric identifiers you can also use strings which are easier to remember. ControlPad is designed to be controlled using the NumPad. However, Laptop users need not worry as it also offers a Laptop Mode which utilizes an alternate key configuration.

ControlPad is an advanced utility which would be relished by power users. It’s capable of doing a lot more than just launching applications. ControlPad supports Windows Console Commands and can even be used launch websites and perform online searches. If you wish to unleash the true power of ControlPad, don’t forget to go through the documentation.

[Download ControlPad ^[4]]