It's like Quicksilver, except it doesn't crash...

If you’ve never used a quick-launch tool, you might not want to start. As a word of warning, these applications will change the way you use your computer forever. Once you’ve experienced the productivity these bad boys offer, they will quickly become a necessity that’s as essential as your mouse or monitor. So if you like your old-fashioned computin’ lifestyle, move along. But if you’re ready to give your productivity a turbo boost, LaunchBar is the ticket.

The obvious question about LaunchBar is “What makes it so valuable?” And the answer is, the way it lets you search, open files, and perform actions at blazing speeds. At first, this app’s going to sound just like Spotlight, but bear with us—it’s actually bigger and much better. To get started, you hit LaunchBar’s customizable keystroke (Command+Space by default) to pop up a search box at the center of your menu bar. Type a few letters, and any corresponding files, folders, and applications will appear. Navigate quickly through these results using the arrow keys or refine your results by adding a few keystrokes (for instance, typing “la” displays results for LaunchBar, a Last.FM plug-in, and YouTube results for “laser cats”); more letters further refine your results. But unlike Spotlight—which only looks at your history—LaunchBar can also perform live web searches, which you can customize to include your favorite sites.

Typing “iTunes” and then clicking the right arrow lets you choose from albums, artists, playlists, and more.

But LaunchBar is more than a simple search bar. The application remembers your preferences and learns what you’re most likely to choose when you type certain letters. New in this version is the fantastic Instant Send—hold down a key for a half second or so to instantly activate the top result (you can set the timer to trigger even faster if you wish). LaunchBar can quickly learn that holding down “p” should play and pause iTunes, holding down “n” should skip to the next song, or “ph” should open Photoshop. After a few uses, frequently chosen files and commands will almost always be your top result, making it a solid replacement for Quicksilver’s programmable triggers.

LaunchBar’s unimposing interface means it will never hinder workflow by covering up valuable screen real estate.

Which may lead to your next question: “Why not use a free option like Quicksilver?” Simple enough. Quicksilver crashes more than it should, and constantly rebooting software can make it feel more like quicksand. Butler is also free, but it’s got a somewhat clunky interface. LaunchBar is just so much more user-friendly that it’s worth the $35.

Using the arrow keys to choose from results means you’ll rarely even need your mouse.

LaunchBar is also so crammed with features, it’ll take you weeks to discover everything that it has to offer. Type a mathematical equation, and LaunchBar will solve it. Or you can send files to LaunchBar by pressing Command+Shift+F1, peruse Clipboard history, open recently viewed files in a variety of applications like Pages and Preview, or type “.” to instantly add “.com” to the end of your search. Those are just a few of LaunchBar’s many talents, and you’ll have to do quite a bit of digging to unearth all of its capabilities.

If you can’t type very quickly or confidently, though, the app might not save you much time. LaunchBar’s effectiveness relies on your ability to type accurately—although even if you mess up, it will frequently know what you were trying to type anyway. But if you know your way around a keyboard, LaunchBar can have you zooming through your daily Mac tasks. If you keep bumping into the same items and you want them to go away, LaunchBar’s index system allows you to set rules for what appears in search results, making them even more efficient. Most people won’t need to, though—LaunchBar is that good at learning your habits.

The bottom line. It’s hard to compete with free. But LaunchBar’s utility and stability make it worth the money. Once you get used to working with it, LaunchBar will change the way you interact with your Mac forever.